Today was the last day for arbitration-eligible players and their teams to exchange their proposed salaries for the upcoming season. Unsurprisingly, it also makes for a very popular day for teams to sign the aforementioned arbitration-eligible players.
So, too, it was with the Cubs, who today signed second basemen Mike Fontenot and Jeff Baker to $1 million and $975k, respectively. The Cubs also signed a couple of pitchers: Tom Gorzelanny got $800k and Angel Guzman got $825k. The team also signed backup catcher Koyie Hill for $700k. No real surprises in those figures, save Fontenot, who was only in his first year of eligibility after a terrible 2009 campaign, and still managed to reel in the most of the group. On the whole, it appears that the Cubs got off a little light, as each of Gorzelanny, Guzman and Baker could have conceivably topped Fontenot’s $1 million mark.
The three remaining arbitration-eligible Cubs are shortstop Ryan Theriot, now-closer Carlos Marmol, and swing-man Sean Marshall.
Dang, the Cubs could really use Guzman!! He could be a major major part of the bull pen. What will Gorzelanny be used as? How about Marshall?
They’ll fight it out for the fifth spot, and head to the bullpen (or out via trade) if they lose out.
Sean Marshall is the “bad news” pitcher. Unless you’re overly optimistic (guys won’t get hurt, you won’t need a spot start, the bullpen will never get tired, the starting 5 will never roll off track, etc), you need a Marshall. You know, like the shovel in Costner’s golf bag in “Tin Cup.”
And Brian Tallet is off the market, so Marshall ho!
Kinda feel bad for him, though, no?