NEWSLETTER
One of the primary tasks for GM Jim Hendry in the early part of 2011 will be to sign the Cubs’ five (though it should be four… Koyie Hill…) remaining arbitration-eligible players.
Heading into 2011, the Cubs’ only major piece of unfinished business is to sign arbitration eligible players Carlos Marmol, Tom Gorzelanny, Sean Marshall, Geovany Soto, and Koyie Hill. Jeff Baker also was arb eligible but he signed on Dec. 2 for $1.18 million. The arbitration filing period is Jan. 5-15, and figures are Jan. 18 if a resolution is not reached. Hearings take place in February. Muskat Ramblings.
Marmol made $2.215 million last year (his first arbitration year), and figures to see a raise into the $4 to 5 million range this year. Gorzelanny made $800k last year (also his first arbitration year), and could see as much as a hair over $2 million in 2011.
Marshall got $950k last year (yup, his first arbitration year, too), and he should see a raise to over $2 million after a stellar year in the pen. Hill (sigh) made $700k last year (how much did you make?), and will probably go over $1 million this year (sigh). Sigh.
Soto will be an interesting case. He dominated in 2008, stunk in 2009, and was pretty good again (when healthy) in 2010. I could see his salary in 2011 ranging anywhere from $3 to $5 million, possibly higher. Until Ryan Theriot improvidently forced his case to arbitration last year (and lost), the Cubs hadn’t gone to arbitration with a player since Mark Grace in 1993. I doubt it will come to that with Soto (Marmol and Marshall figure to be the other two “tougher” signs), but it could be a bit drawn out.
