Cubs Discussing Contract Extension With John Grabow

Grabow has been very good since his acquisition. This is good news.

over 2 years ago Al Yellon 21 comments 0 recs |

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Agreed!

That would go a long way toward helping rebuild the bullpen.

by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Sep 15, 2009 10:13 AM CDT reply actions

Also in the Levine Blog...

Looks like Ricketts wants a video boad at Wrigley

Up until Monday night, Ricketts had kept his meetings on the business side with Kenney always alongside. Kenney and Ricketts flew to Boston last week to spend a couple of days observing the Red Sox organization and Fenway Park. The reason for their trip was to prepare for the renovation of Wrigley Field in the next three to five years. The Red Sox raised the capacity of their ballpark from 33,000 to 39,000 over a five-year period.

Boston’s electronic scoreboard is one of the main things the members of the Cubs’ brain trust is investigating. At one point, in 2006, the Red Sox were selling $25 million of advertising on the scoreboard, something the Cubs would dearly like to replicate. It should be noted that the Red Sox haven’t doing quite as well with the advertising the past few years because of the economy crunch.

See what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html
Also, see the Cubs 2009 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2009.html

by kaseyi on Sep 15, 2009 10:22 AM CDT reply actions

Link to the video board post did not show up

so here it is…Electronic scoreboard at Wrigley?

See what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html
Also, see the Cubs 2009 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2009.html

by kaseyi on Sep 15, 2009 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions

It will be difficult logistically to get a video board up quickly.

However, I would not be surprised to see a ribbon board up as soon as next year. And I don’t have a problem with that.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Sep 15, 2009 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions

I still believe GO CUBS GO CUBS LAST WORLD SERIES WIN 1908 LAST TIME THERE 1945 DIVISON CHAMPS 2008 WHATTTTT

oh i get it

people who swing at the first pitch should get punched in the face

by jesus christos on Sep 15, 2009 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Grabow, Marmol, Guzman

Those three should make the 7th, 8th and 9th one of the strongest bullpens in the NL Central if not most of the NL.

by ak123 on Sep 15, 2009 10:43 AM CDT reply actions

The problem with Guzman is he can't stay healthy

which has plagued him for his whole career. The Cubs should look into trading him in the offseason while he still has value instead of waiting til he blows out his arm again.

by cubdreamer on Sep 15, 2009 5:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Um, he's pitched 61 innings this year and appeared in 55 games.

Angel’s arm problems were mainly associated with being a starter. I think he’s found his place as a reliever and will do fine there.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Sep 16, 2009 9:41 AM CDT up reply actions

but I’m curious about the implications it has for the offseason. The reason I was fine with letting Grabow go was because of money. Does this mean that the Cubs have more money to spend and that there will be a payroll hike? Or does it mean that we are looking at some potentially interesting maneuvers this offseason?

by toonsterwu on Sep 15, 2009 10:50 AM CDT reply actions

Interesting questions.

If they are looking to sign someone now, it clearly means new ownership has signed off on it. Maybe there is more money than we think.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Sep 15, 2009 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions

Wouldn't you like to see the books?

I know I sure would. There are a lot of costs the average fan doesn’t think about with a major league club but I would like to see what just the net income is per year. There has to be money available unless Ricketts is going to take an enormous salary off his team.

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Sep 15, 2009 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions

I haven't looked at all the raises...

…how much of a kick are our “locked-in” guys getting next year (Z, Dempster, etc.)? I wonder because my first thought was two-fold:
1) It can’t be THAT expensive to sign Grabow… he is just a middle guy. I’m not advocating this price, but even if he is 3/$12M, that isn’t a drastic addition.
2) Lots of “dead money” goes away in two forms: guys who have underperformed at their salary (Gregg and Heilmann) and truly wasted money (Gathright, Gaudin, Vizcaino, etc., whose salaries were calculated into the ’09 budget).

I definitely may be oversimplifying… but if we don’t have the money to extend someone at Grabow’s price, we’re truly hosed for next year.

by fsuapollo on Sep 15, 2009 8:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Just to play devil's advocate...

…wouldn’t it be better for the Cubs to let him go and get the draft picks? (They would get some, right?)

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Sep 15, 2009 12:35 PM CDT reply actions

As long as the Cubs offered arbitration, I believe they would.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Sep 15, 2009 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions

the counter might be

a) Cubs had enough problems finding a lefty this year. If you like, buy it.

b) Cubs pen was awful this year. If you buy Grabow being consistent, go for it.

c) We might not get picks if teams decide to hold back in the offseason. If so, why not make Grabow happier, get an extra year.

by toonsterwu on Sep 15, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't agree that the Cubs pen has been awful this year.

They definitly had their moments of good and moments of bad but I think awful is a little to harsh. I’d call it an inconsistent pen but effective most of the time.

Now, what do I consider an awful bullpen? The 2006 Cubs bullpen was awful.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Sep 15, 2009 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions