With Ted Lilly rehabbing from surgery, with an empty fifth starter spot, and with Randy Wells coming out of nowhere last year, we’ve been saying for months that the 2010 Chicago Cubs could use another quality, established starting pitcher.
And from the sound of things, they’re actually getting on board with that notion.
Bruce Levine reported this weekend on his radio show that the Cubs have discussed, at least internally, signing free agent starting pitcher Jon Garland. Garland, 30, has not been the subject of many rumors this offseason, despite a solid 2009 campaign, split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Garland was a former Cubs farmhand, and since becoming a full-time starter in 2002, he’s been above average and has averaged 200 innings pitched. It’s hard to find much better than that on the free agent market, and he would be a perfect fit for this Chicago Cubs team.
Garland is a Type B free agent, so he would not cost the Cubs a draft pick to sign. The Dodgers had a $10 million option on Garland for 2010, which suggests that he’ll receive something lower than that on the free agent market.
h/t CCO.
Pass.
Gas.
WOuld rather them take the chase on Sheets bigger upside.
I would rather go the sheets route as well. Maybe washburn.
Washburn was utter garbage in the second half last year, and he wasn’t much better before the first half of 2009. Sheets would be swell, but I just don’t see how it works financially.