Cubs to bring in Marquis to shore up starting rotation

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The Chicago Cubs (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=chn) aren't done spending money just yet. Free-agent pitcher Jason Marquis (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6493) has signed a three-year deal with the team, according to multiple reports.


The St. Louis Post Dispatch first reported the deal late Friday as being worth $28 million. Sources told the Chicago Tribune in a report Saturday that the deal was worth approximately $20 million.
The 26-year-old Marquis went 14-16 for the St. Louis Cardinals (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=stl) in 2006 with a 6.02 ERA. He struggled after the All-Star break, going just 3-10, and did not make the postseason rotation for the eventual World Series champions.
His best season came in 2004, when he posted a 15-7 record and a 3.71 ERA. He is 194-137 with a 4.55 ERA for his career in seven seasons.
The Cubs have already made a big splash in free agency, signing Henry Blanco (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5862), Mark DeRosa (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6094), Ted Lilly (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6223), Wade Miller (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6270), Aramis Ramirez (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6014), Alfonso Soriano (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6154), and Kerry Wood (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5982) to a combined $272.5 million in contracts.

This spending spree makes the yankees look like the devil rays.

And to think the Tribume Co is crying about their real business- newspaper industry.

This spending spree makes the yankees look like the devil rays.

A Yankee fan bitching about money is like John Holmes complaining that he never gets laid.

A Yankee fan bitching about money is like John Holmes complaining that he never gets laid.
I'm not bitching. They can spend as much as they want. I just think it's pretty funny that 300 million later they really aren't that much better of a team then they were last year...

SInce when do the cubs spend so much money, guess they're trying to get rid of that losing attitude lets see if it works.

I'm not bitching. They can spend as much as they want. I just think it's pretty funny that 300 million later they really aren't that much better of a team then they were last year...

Not that much better?

You think we'll finish last in the Central again? Think again. The Cubs will finish second, at the least.

Not that much better?

You think we'll finish last in the Central again? Think again. The Cubs will finish second, at the least.
And it's worth 300 million to finish 2nd? The cubs aren't going about building a winner the right way. They need to fire basically their whole farm system staff and start drafting differently and taking better care of their prospects.

And it's worth 300 million to finish 2nd? The cubs aren't going about building a winner the right way. They need to fire basically their whole farm system staff and start drafting differently and taking better care of their prospects.

So, it is impossible to spend money AND have a farm? Is that what you're trying to say?

Or, are you trying to say that we should just tank it and call up a bunch of kids? Do you even have a point here?

So, it is impossible to spend money AND have a farm? Is that what you're trying to say?

Or, are you trying to say that we should just tank it and call up a bunch of kids? Do you even have a point here?You need the young core before you bring FA's in. If you don't have the young core you won't win because their just aren't enough good FA that will help you enough.

And it's worth 300 million to finish 2nd? The cubs aren't going about building a winner the right way. They need to fire basically their whole farm system staff and start drafting differently and taking better care of their prospects.
I'll call Hendry and tell him the answer to all of his problems is alive and well, residing in New Brunswick NJ. I trust you're available for interview?

I'll call Hendry and tell him the answer to all of his problems is alive and well, residing in New Brunswick NJ. I trust you're available for interview?

I would love the job...

Thats kind of funny. The yankees find themselves half a dozen good/great prospects and all of a sudden one of their fans is the one preaching. If the Cubs want to win now, then they should be spending. After getting Ramirez back, along with Soriano, DeRosa, etc. everyone was saying "So what, where's the pitching?" and then they sign Lilly and now Marquis. Now its, "So, where's the farm?" Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, maybe Prior and Marquis. Not so bad really considering their other options. Whether they regret all the money they're spending in the end is another story, but all the players they've added have made them better, imo.

There's no chance they take last again, not as long as the Pirates don't make any moves at all. If they don't catch the injury bug again (yeah right) then they could contend for the division title. They might get 3rd place, I doubt they get 1st or 2nd though, they're the cubs.

Thats kind of funny. The yankees find themselves half a dozen good/great prospects and all of a sudden one of their fans is the one preaching. If the Cubs want to win now, then they should be spending. After getting Ramirez back, along with Soriano, DeRosa, etc. everyone was saying "So what, where's the pitching?" and then they sign Lilly and now Marquis. Now its, "So, where's the farm?" Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, maybe Prior and Marquis. Not so bad really considering their other options. Whether they regret all the money they're spending in the end is another story, but all the players they've added have made them better, imo.

There's no chance they take last again, not as long as the Pirates don't make any moves at all. If they don't catch the injury bug again (yeah right) then they could contend for the division title. They might get 3rd place, I doubt they get 1st or 2nd though, they're the cubs.I've been preaching building from within LONG before the yankees went back in that direction since cashman took over. How do you think they built the core of the teams that won titles?

I would love the job...

No thank you. I could do without Ron Villone as our closer.

No thank you. I could do without Ron Villone as our closer.

LOL.....MadMike ya gotta admit that was a good one.


Cubs could have a staff of 6 starters 30 or under.

Zambrano -25
Lilly - 30
Wade Miller -30
Marquis -28
Rich Hill - 26

All early indications report a return to health for:

Mark Prior - 26.

A bullpen that includes Kerry Wood, Scott Eyre, Neal Cotts, Bobby Howry and hopefully a return to form version of Dempster is not bad.

Also: ***The Chicago Tribune indicates that it's a "strong possibility" Cliff Floyd will join the Cubs.

The Cubs' 2007 payroll currently stands at about $100 million, with Cliff Floyd's signing a strong possibility and another move or two on tap. By backloading the contracts for Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, Hendry has been able to keep his budget relatively sane for '07. His starters will cost around $31.5 million if Prior is included, as opposed to the $34.8 million last season on the five starters who were pegged to be in the rotation.

No thank you. I could do without Ron Villone as our closer.When the hell did I say that Rov Villone would close for anyone or be a good closer? The whole Villone-Gonzalez argument was about which i would rather have FOR LAST YEAR. I wouldn't want either of those players to be my closer long term.

And it's worth 300 million to finish 2nd? The cubs aren't going about building a winner the right way. They need to fire basically their whole farm system staff and start drafting differently and taking better care of their prospects.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/26854.html

Your contention that the Cubs farm system is crap doesn't hold much water Mikey. Yes, as noted in the rankings, they are now middle of the pack and rapidly thinning. But the guys who should be up at the Show contributing now were there as evidenced by 04, 03, 02, and 01 strength's. The house cleaning that needed to take place just happened where we got rid of idiot's who couldn't manage either experience or youth. Do you think the Corey Patterson story might have played out different if his manager would have sat his ignorant azz on the bench until he quit pulling the ball and trying to be a 3 hole hitter in the desperately needed lead-off spot? We'll never know - but I'll take some good hands on field management, a middle of the pack farm system, and an open wallet anyday. The great farm system early in this millenium only bought us another wait till next year in 03 and an attempted lynching of some dopey kid.

When the hell did I say that Rov Villone would close for anyone or be a good closer? The whole Villone-Gonzalez argument was about which i would rather have FOR LAST YEAR. I wouldn't want either of those players to be my closer long term.
Well, that just shows why they wouldn't want your help. Nobody in their right mind would take villone over gonzalez.

Not that much better?

You think we'll finish last in the Central again? Think again. The Cubs will finish second, at the least.
In all honesty, in that Division, that's not saying much. Reds, Brewers, Pirates are nothing. Astros have no reliable starting pitching anymore. Only the Cards are any competition.

Anything less than 2nd, even before these signings, is pretty pathetic.

In all honesty, in that Division, that's not saying much. Reds, Brewers, Pirates are nothing. Astros have no reliable starting pitching anymore. Only the Cards are any competition.

Anything less than 2nd, even before these signings, is pretty pathetic.

I think we will win the division. I'm just not used to being optimistic.

BTW, our pathetic division has represented the National League in the past three WS.

Houston should get moved to the AL West. BS having 6 teams in our division.

Houston should get moved to the AL West. BS having 6 teams in our division.
Some Division has to have it, as there are 16 NL teams, and 3 Divisions.

Some Division has to have it, as there are 16 NL teams, and 3 Divisions.
Thats what I'm saying, they should get moved to the Al so each league has 15 teams, and 5 in each division.

Thats what I'm saying, they should get moved to the Al so each league has 15 teams, and 5 in each division.

MLB wanted a more balanced schedule within the respective leagues, and a larger emphasis on Divisional games. This required an even number of teams in each league. so, what you see is what the result was.

Well, move them to the NL West then. We don't want them.