By Tim Dierkes [November 2 at 4:44pm CST]
The Cubs are still discussing a new contract with lefty reliever John Grabow, according to ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine. Levine says they're talking about a two-year deal in the $6.5-7.5MM range (plus incentives), with Grabow's agent pushing for a third-year vesting option.

I still don't understand the Cubs' infatuation with Grabow, who turns 31 in a few days. He managed a 3.36 ERA in 72.3 innings, but walked 40 and had an xFIP over 4.90. If you're tight on payroll there are better ways to spend $3-4MM.

They sorely need a LHP in the 'pen...

Ever since Stevie Aire was bounced-out-de-BP... the lefty specialist position hasn't been filled, properly. Grabow does have dat good beard! .....;)> .!
Stevie has a WS ring... , uh... are we sayin' it's time to CAN JH? I'm for THAT!

GO CUBS!!!

The offer right now is fare, if a team wants to sign him for three years let them. You can use that money to get something else, you have gaub and marshall still in the pen. I would liek to see them with some sort of veteran set up man tha can close if needed, but lets not repeat two years ago. with howry and eyre.

I thought Grabow did a solid job for the cubs last year. His contributions would have seemed more noteworthy if they were in meaningful games but that's not his fault. If the cubs don't sign him, then lefty in the pen immediately jumps to the top of the needs list so i'd like to see them get this done and focus on other areas.

He didn't give up a run in his first 16 appearances for the Cubs and only gave up a run in 5 of his 30 appearances and 3 of those were in the last 10 days of the season.
He was solid and reliable especially in tight games he came in and had some clutch performances.
People are put off by his high walk total, but when the walks don't hurt him because he doesn't give up a lot of hits around them and the walks aren't coming around to score ...........I don't see the big issue.

Grabow is also the kind of pitcher Pinella likes to use. Not a lefty only type of guy, but a guy who can pitch an entire inning and get three outs, regardless of the lefty, righty match ups.

Yep , good point.
I'm not sure if he's worth the money they are talking.
But they need the guy, there aren't many other in house lefty options and like you said he's not limited to facing lefties so he gives them a little something extra.
Marshall and Gaub are the other options and although Gaub has some wicked numbers in the minors he hasn't pitched at the major league level yet so we don't know what we'll get from him and I think Grabow is a better and more reliable bullpen pitcher than Marshall is.
I think he's an important signing for the pen.

Cool. Looks lke big Jim is alreaady starting to gear up those 3 mill contracts he likes to dole out.

NTC?

A LHP with a career 1.34 WHIP/.263 BA against LH hitters

There ya go Jim.

Careful,

The guy with the man crush on Jim that has been pining for him in every other thread will be here soon.

Who would be your suggestions for a LHP coming out of the pen? Do you have any?

++Careful,

The guy with the man crush on Jim that has been pining for him in every other thread will be here soon.
++

haha no kidding!

I can't wait for the usual parade of worthless Hendry $3-4 mill contracts that will add up to a real life impact player. Grabow? Miles? There's six millions. Let's see if Hendry can get it 15-20 million of junk. I'm guessing a backup catcher and another pen arm here.

The Yankees have Marte and the Phillies have Eyre.

Can we see how unimportant a LHP can be when you have pitchers like Madson and Hughes ?

A good RHP can get any batters out.

"Stevie has a WS ring... , uh... are we sayin' it's time to CAN JH? I'm for THAT!"

Because the sole reason the Phillies won the WS is because of Eyre right? Yep, that good ole Eyre...we shoulda never let him go. He led his team to the World Series! What a miss by Jim!

yep we need all 25 guys on the roster to be impact caliber players.
Don't bother with any of those bit parts role model players , no teams won a championship with any of those types ask Scott Spezio, Jim Leyritz, Luis Sojo guys like that who held down their teams.
We need all star impact players ay every position and we should not stand for anything less !
That might be do able in your xbox baseball world but not in real life.

Absolutely... de 'Eyre -edge' as it's come to be known on de coast! .....;)> .!
Chase Utley is batting lefty just to utilize this 'Eyre -edge' , also. I believe we have seen THAT result, too, this post season.

GO CUBS!!!

You can actually take the RH out of that last sentence. A good P can get any batter out.

I forget the guys name. The Cubs had some LHP a few years ago that right handed hitters just mashed. People on here were posting ________________ should only pitch to lefty hitters, period.
My response was always, then the guy has no use whatsoever.

So you are saying we shouldn't have a back up catcher or a lefty out of the bullpen?

Will Ohman?????