No Third Year for Grabow

The Cubs got a bit of a jump on the official opening of the Hot Stove League by re-signing lefty reliever, John Grabow to a 2-year, $7.5 million deal.  A lot of Cubs fans have greeted the news with the same amount of enthusiasm as one would expect from someone who won a dollar in the lottery.  The consensus seems to be that we were all really hoping for the jackpot, but have to understand that getting that dollar back is better than nothing.

I'm pretty pleased with the deal.  First, decent lefty relievers aren't exactly easy to find on the market.  Second, it is one less bullpen spot we need to worry about when the free-for-all between the declining veterans and the raw youngsters gets going in Spring Training.

Third, and perhaps most important to me, is that I am almost giddy with the amount of the deal itself.  I didn't think it was humanly possible for Jim Hendry to sign a reliever for less than 3 years and for less than $10 million.  Think about the deals Hendry has made recently to attempt to fix his bullpen:

• Prior to 2003, he signed 37-year old Mike Remlinger to three years and $10 million.
• Before the 2006 season, he signed 34-year old Scott Eyre to three years and $11 million.
• Also before 2006, he signed 32-year old Bobby Howry to three years and $12 million (and he's not even left-handed).

Grabow just turned 31 and he got the same range of money per year as those guys and over only two years.  Are we seeing evidence of Hendry finally learning not to touch the electric fence?  Did Ricketts mention something about how three-year deals to aging relievers piss him off?  Is it just a sign of the economy and a sagging market?  Does Grabow need to fire his agent?

Whatever the reason, I can live with John Grabow for two years.  He isn't a true LOOGY, so the hope is that Hendry can provide Lou with at least one more trustworthy lefty in the bullpen (not Neal Cotts), but for today I'm content.