Cubs Sign Jason Marquis

by Eli Greenspan on Dec 9, 2006 11:37 AM EST

According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, the Cubs have signed Jason Marquis to a three year deal, worth about 21 million dollars. Marquis went 14-16 with a 6.02 ERA in 2006 and will probably be the fourth or fifth starter for the Cubs.

Cliff Floyd Update: Floyd has narrowed his choices to two teams, the Cubs and Mariners, and will decide next week.

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I believe that the contract is worth 3/20...not the 3/28 that is being reported.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 11:43 AM EST reply actions

that is what is says

by Eli on Dec 9, 2006 11:44 AM EST reply actions

good deal at that price...Agree Eli?

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 11:56 AM EST reply actions

i agree, he was 11-6 in the first half of the season and then struggled. he has already begun working with rothschild and will have a solid bullpen to help close out more games. IMO, great signing.

by Eli on Dec 9, 2006 11:58 AM EST reply actions

you need to overpay to improve, by the way:

1. no spamming

by Eli on Dec 9, 2006 12:15 PM EST reply actions

ALL MARQUIS NEEDS IS A CHANGE OF SCENARY. LOOK AT 2004, LEAVING THE BRAVES. HE HAD LIKE 15 WINS.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 12:38 PM EST reply actions

I wish people would stop looking at wins to judge a pitchers value.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 12:45 PM EST reply actions

yeah to me a 6.02 ERA just doesn't sound good, he can do fine but then again he can tank. These contracts in general are getting ridiculous. And that includes every single player. How a guy like Gil Meche can get 5/$55 million is beyond me.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 12:56 PM EST reply actions

teams will soon fall out of contention because of the price: devil rays, pirates... ERA is high, be he will be coached differently, and have a good bullpen to back him up.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 12:59 PM EST reply actions

Now with the rotation set what will they do with Jacque Jones? I mean i was thinking that they would trade him for pitcher but now I don't know. Help me understand. If they don't trade Jones why sign Floyd I mean this is straight up wack.

by KL on Dec 9, 2006 1:39 PM EST reply actions

regardless to me Suppan should have been the one to sign first before Marquis.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 1:45 PM EST reply actions

they will trade jones probably for 2 minor leaguers. they might also trade for another pitcher, and put miller in the rotation, but i see jones being traded if they sign lofton. however, they might hold on to him.

by Eli on Dec 9, 2006 1:57 PM EST reply actions

The Cubs are the Cubs... It doesn't matter who they get...They are still cursed and always will be.....signed "The Goat"

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 2:12 PM EST reply actions

I have an idea that will certainly give the Cubs the NL Crown

Cubs Starting Rotation:

Big Z: 1 yr left but should be resigned

Lily: Cubs brass is high on him and looks to be in the rotation for 4 years

Hill: Young and shows promise and could be in the rotation for 4+ years

Prior: If he comes back healthy we could have a legitimate #2 behind Z for more years to come

Marquis/Miller: These guys should pitch great for a #5 and we could have Marquis for 3 yrs. and resign Miller for more if he proves to be healthy and back to normal form

This appears to have logjammed our rotation for the near future. I don't see many oportunities for Marshall/Guzman/Mateo/Marmol/O'Malley at least if everything works out. I beleive they should package some of those pitchers and a MLB ready reliever for Baldelli or Crawford. Or package Barret and 2-3 pitching prospects for to above mentioned players.

This would fill a need for a CF. Then trade Murton (possibly or he could platoon left with Pie to see who is better) and Jones for A or AA type pitching prospects who would have 3+ years to continue to develop when rotation slots open up again. Pie would play left and Sori would platoon right

Lineup

Crawford/Soriano/Pie
Soriano/Baldelli/Pie/Crawford
Lee
ARam
Floyd/Murton/Pie
DeRosa
Izzy
Blanco/Soto/Fox
Pitcher

Thoughts???

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 2:18 PM EST reply actions

im sorry to be so blatant but no.

this hendry will not go after baldelli, they have raised pie and will not let him go w/out an opportunity:

RF Soriano
CF Lofton
1B Lee
3B Ramirez
C Barrett
2B DeRosa
LF Murton
SS Izturis

Bench
Ward
Theriot
Pagan
Blanco
Floyd

Pitching
Zambrano
Lilly
Miller/Prior
Hill
Marquis

Ohman
Novoa
Wuertz
Eyre
Wood
Howry
Dempster

by Eli on Dec 9, 2006 2:29 PM EST reply actions

how much longer is it going to be before Chicago gives up on Prior and has him relieve too just like Wood?

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 3:18 PM EST reply actions

prior will probably be given a year or two to revamp his career as a starter and depending on wood and his season, they might stick with one and let one go. i see them here for atleast the near future.

by Eli on Dec 9, 2006 3:25 PM EST reply actions

why was Hendry so high on signing a guy like Marquis when Suppan and Weaver, who are clearly better, are still available?

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 3:50 PM EST reply actions

money...and marquis had a great first half, will have new coaching, and a change of scenary. it might just work.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 4:24 PM EST reply actions

now that the cubs have an overload of pitching. They should package a couple pitchers and Jones for Vernon Wells who would be perfect in centre and only earns 5.6 million (less than Marquis who was a terrible signing)

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 6:26 PM EST reply actions

Marquis is a sinker-ball pitcher and had a 6.02 ERA in St. Louis, I wonder how he'll far in the far less spacious Wrigley...

Tomo Ohka would have been cheaper and probably a better fit. You neer know with Marquis; he can completely tank at times for no apparent reason.

On the other side, The Cubs also gained a plus pinch hitter.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 6:35 PM EST reply actions

we have pie, do not forget it. alfonso in right, murton in left, wells is too much for one year

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 6:39 PM EST reply actions

If rothchild can get marquis to throw his sinker 70 percent of the time he could win 16-20 games for you cubbies But he would not listen to Duncan so good luck you will need it

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 7:23 PM EST reply actions

The fact the Cubs have spent so much money is a good thing. But have they spent it on the right guys? Wait until the season starts I guess. And if after spending all this money does that make a potential buyer of the Cubs happy or mad?

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 10:25 PM EST reply actions

the way I see it, they're going to be regretting most of these deals. Its gonna put them financially in trouble with Big Z becoming a FA next year thats gonna cost them damn near 20 million a year in this market to keep him. The major one though, Soriano, they wont regret until about 3 or 4 years from now when he starts to really decline. Thats just my opinion.

by Anonymous on Dec 9, 2006 10:50 PM EST reply actions

soriano is 30 (US) but 32 or 33 (DR), they just do not know

by Anonymous on Dec 10, 2006 12:14 AM EST reply actions

actually...during soriano's press conference, his agents were telling a story that when he first signed in 1995 he was 16 so that actually makes him 27 using my math...but hey, my methods could be wrong.

by Anonymous on Dec 10, 2006 2:03 AM EST reply actions

Soriano's US/Dominican age is 30 during the fall out of 9/11 all Latin players had to show proper birth information he grew a couple years lol so his age of 30 is now correct. If not for the paperwork incident he would be saying he is 27 about to be 28.

by Anonymous on Dec 10, 2006 7:48 AM EST reply actions

u know bout the press conference, i wrote an article about it

by Eli on Dec 10, 2006 9:25 AM EST reply actions

If Dave Duncan couldn't do anything to help Jason Marquis lower is ERA, what do the Cubs think Larry Rothschild can do differently? What a waste of money. Everyone talks about the Yankees spending like drunken sailors. The desperate Cubs have singlehandedly taken the market to new, ridiculous levels.

by Anonymous on Dec 10, 2006 10:01 PM EST reply actions

the market was already on its way up. pitching coach larry rothschild was contacted by marquis and they have been working together. as long as marquis can see eye to eye with someone he will be okay. I think that duncan prefered marquis to stick to his fastball changeup a lot more than his sinker. if rothschild can focus on perfecting his sinker, he may do well. also, marquis might have needed a change of scenary. do not forget, marquis is an innings eater and the cubs have a solid bullpen and run support.

by Eli on Dec 10, 2006 10:58 PM EST reply actions