Relief pitcher Michael Wuertz and the Chicago Cubs have agreed on a one year contract to avoid salary arbitration.  Wuertz will make $860,000 so he will receive a little raise but not the $900,000+ he was hoping for.

Wuertz went 2-3 with a 3.48 ERA last year.  If he can put away batters instead of throwing a bunch of crap to them when he gets them 0-2 or 1-2 I think he can be very good out of the bullpen.  Key is keeping the pitch count down when he does get in there and be under control.

Cubs Blog

I have to really question this signing by general manager Jim Hendry.  The Cubs have signed Japenese relief pitcher Shingo Takatsu this Chicago Tribune is reporting.  Yes, that is the same player that tried pitching for the Chicago White Sox and was terrible.

I don’t know what Hendry was thinking here.  Sounds like a stupid signing to me.

Jon Lieber is headed back to the Chicago Cubs after agreeing on a one year contract in the 3.5 million range.  Lieber will more then likely take over the 4th or 5th spot in the Cubs pitching rotation.  The deal could work its way up to the 7-8 million range if he hits all of his incentives.

Now what do the Cubs do with Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Ryan Dempster?  Could that trade to Baltimore happen in the next few days?  Looks like it just might!

Cubs Blog

The Chicago Cubs have signed Chad Fox to a minor league contract and invited him to Spring Training.  Most Cubs fans that I have talked so far are thinking WTF?!  LOL Chad Fox?!

 I don’t see the reason for this move to be honest.   The only thing Fox will be doing is taking up a spot on a minor league roster that a younger guy could have and use to develope more.

Bad move Hendry! - Cubs Blog

The Brian Roberts to the Cubs Rumors have not stopped even though the trade was first talked about before the Winter meetings.  If the deal were to happen today, it looks like the Cubs would be sending Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, and Ronny Cedeno to the Orioles for Brian Roberts.

Personall, I think two pitchers and Cedeno is a little bit too much for Roberts.  But you have to give up something to get something in return so I can see where they are coming from as well.  I just don’t like getting rid of pitching depth, when a team can always use that.  Look at how many pitchers the Cubs went through last year, it is always nice to have a pitcher like Marshall or Gallagher come in and throw some innings when needed.

Do you like a Marshall, Gallagher, Cedeno deal for Roberts?  Leave us a comment and let us know!