The Chicago Cubs avoided arbitration with Matt Garza last night by agreeing to a 1-year, $10.25 contract:
Garza’s representatives at CAA announced the new deal on Twitter: “#Cubs Matt Garza (@Gdeuceswild) agrees to a $10.25M contract to avoid salary arbitration.” Garza himself revealed the contract on his Twitter account: “Business side over! Hooray! Time to focus on what really matter… 2013 #GoCubsGo”
The Cubs were expected to make a formal announcement on Friday.
Assuming Garza is healthy and ready to go (God knows he doesn’t appreciate it when people say anything different), I’m surprised to find myself not hating the Cubs starting rotation for the first time in . . well . . for the first time in a while. Matt Garza, Jeff Samardzija, Edwin Jackson . . that’s not terrible. It’s not terrific, but it’s not terrible. I would even go so far as to call it “acceptable.”
For the first time in many years, I’m not going to the Cubs Convention this weekend. This wasn’t necessarily a conscious decision (more of a procrastination about calling the Cubs for a media pass) until about Tuesday, at which point I finally fessed up and admitted to myself that I really, really didn’t want to go.
I’ve thought a lot about why this is. I think it has something to do with the proliferation of bloggers covering the event. Something to do with the fact that the last three seasons have blurred together into what feels like one, big, awful season. Something to do with the kind of people who typically attend Cubs Convention; the kind who love the Cubs more than they love baseball (let’s just say that Ryan Theriot is still really popular among Cubs Con attendees).
But mostly, I just don’t care about anything anyone has to say anymore. I know what Theo and Jed are going to say. I know what Dale Sveum is going to say. I know what the new players are going to say. I know what Ronnie Woo-Woo is going to say (and try to touch, unfortunately). What is comes down to is me not feeling like celebrating this team right now. And let’s face it, Cubs Con, starting with the “Opening Ceremonies” tonight, is one big pep rally for the team.
Sadly, I’m not all that peppy about the team as of late.
It’s not that I don’t understand the rebuilding process, I do.
It’s not that I’m impatient with the progress Jed and Theo are making. I am.
It’s not that I had huge expectations for the first year of Theo’s reign. I didn’t.
Mostly, I just feel like talking about the team is tired, celebrating the team is premature, and standing in line for an hour to get a photo taken with Dave Sappelt is ridiculous. I don’t want to listen to people ask Theo why Tony Campana doesn’t start and I don’t need to watch the Cubs answer stupid questions like “Blondes, Brunettes, or Redheads?”
I just want to see them play better baseball.
The only thing I will regret missing is the camaraderie with my fellow bloggers. If you want live coverage from Cubs Con, I would suggest heading on over to see our friends at Obstructed View. I know Tim, Adam and the gang over there will keep us all apprised of the happenings.
Before you roll into the weekend, make sure you’re following LOHO’s Facebook page and me on Twitter. I post thing throughout the day on social media that don’t necessarily make it over here. What can I say? I’m easily distracted.
Happy Friday!
Good for you for skipping out on the team’s propaganda event. But you should have stated the real reason you’re not going: because I’m not there.
At first, I felt like I was shirking my duties to you guys. Not being there to tell you what everyone is saying.
But then, I was like, “We already know what everyone is going to say, anyway.” Hell, I could write Theo and Jed’s answers to fan’s questions myself.
Believe me. None of us care.
And besides, all you do is go there, get plastered before I’ve had my morning coffee, and then drunk post all day. All its doing is making me jealous!
The only reason I’d want to go to CubbieCon this year is to see the presentation on the renovation plans for the ballpark….and quite frankly, the press is going to cover the shit out that so what’s the f’n point.
They’ll release the plans on Saturday, and I’ll post a scathing critique of it on Saturday night (or sunday).
Blah.
Also, again, the plans are unlikely to include dynamite, so I don’t care about that, either.
See, this is exactly the thing I DON’T want to see. They’re going to make this big presentation and whip the fans up and get everyone excited about completely revitalizing the area . . and conveniently neglect to mention that this is all pie-in-the-sky until they get public funding.
And with the state pension system in such bad shape, how on EARTH can Pat Quinn justify taxpayer money for renovating Wrigley?
Actually, I believe they are making the presentation at this time for one of two reasons…
Either they are using this presentation to drum up public support for getting the funding they need or they are actually very close to finally close to closing the deal for the financing (which city hall has supposedly be very hushed about lately).
there’s like one or two too many “closes” in that statement. That’s what I get for commenting and eating lunch at the same time.
My guess is the former. Rahm doesn’t seem like he’s in the mood to talk about this right now.
You very well could be right. It has seemed to me, the previous 2 times the Cubs were making progress toward a deal, there was very very clues that negotiations were actually going on. The fact the city hall has been completely silent about it and has given “no comments” when asked makes me think that negotiations may very well be going on.
That being said, there was no reason for the Cubs to try to promote their “hotel deal” if that was the case. The release of the hotel information at this time only makes sense if the the Cubs are attempting to put pressure on city hall to either start talking or get a deal done.
I’m figuring we’ll still be talking about this in 2018.
the frustration that I will anticipate will occur with this announcement is so great that it is a good thing I am not going to be there
This demands to be seen:
http://chicagosidesports.com/an-artistic-rendering-of-a-cubs-fans-wet-dream/
Is that SFW? I’m scared to open it.
Mark me as confused on this one.
So Starlin gets into the HOF as a SS, yet Baez makes it in too? I thought the plan was Baez gets SS when he’s ready and then Starlin moves to his long term position, 2nd or Soriano II.
Also, way too many guys with under 500HRs making it in the HOF in this wet dream. I’m not saying all of the 500HR hitters are locks for the HOF, but it’s going to remain the metric for power hitters. Anything less and you’re just a nicer version of Dave Kingman.
Tony Campana looks like and absolute douche.
http://campl.us/nGRJ
The Spirit of Theriot is strong in this one…
That got me clicking through the pictures. Kaplan’s son looks like the guy who played Goebells in “Downfall.” http://campl.us/nnBc
He’s posted a number of pictures of his son on Facebook lately. You are right on about that description.
What the hell? He looks like a dust bowl farmer from the 30s.
So are you saying that everyone from the 30s looked like a douche?
no, just the hipsters who dress like that 80 years after the fact.
haha, it was blocked by my internet security
The blocker said “porn”. I come home, and find out it’s a bunch of plaques?
Well, David Kaplan is a famed pornographer in his spare time.
The Dodgers announced new ticket tier pricing, using a star system. Four star teams are Boston, Yankees, and Giants. All bobble head games are three star games. But they will release the names of the three,two, and one star teams are. ..
Shark and Russell avoided Arb, agreed to terms.
I don’t recall a day when so many players signed to avoid arbitration. There must have been at least 50 players signed today. I know this day happens almost every year, but I just don’t remember this many players signing right before numbers were exchanged.
I know. Weird eh.
Hmmm. I thought that, right about now, I’d be feeling terrible about my decision to skip Cubs Con and I’d be miserable. Oddly enough, I’m pretty happy sitting here in my pajamas watching “Ghost Adventures.”
Me = party animal
I would rather be giving Soriano a pedicure then watching “Ghost Adventures”.
Hahahaha fuck yeah Scott Feldmen did the upper
Deck prank on someone!!