Cubs make quiet but important trade with Pirates
You won’t see this trade probably mentioned much on ESPN or the like, but the Chicago Cubs made a very important trade for their playoff hopes on Thursday.
The Cubs acquired left-handed reliever John Grabow and left-handed starter/reliever Tom Gorzelanny for pitcher Kevin Hart (who got the win for Chicago on Thursday) and a few minor-leaguers.
Grabow, 30, is 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA in 45 appearances as a late-inning reliever. He has a 2.22 ERA and a .184 batting average against in his last 25 appearances dating to May 24.
Gorzelanny, 27, was a 14-game winner in 2007 who has been tried as a reliever and now is starting in Triple-A, where he has a 0.96 ERA in his last six starts. He went 3-1 with a 5.19 ERA in nine relief outings for the Pirates.
Hart meanwhile, has been a nice fill-in starter for Chicago, with a 3.18 ERA in his past three starts.
But here is why this is important: Chicago’s pitching staff is very right-handed.
With lefty starter Ted Lilly on the disabled list until at least mid-August, the Cubs can now replace him with Gorzelanny, who might start as soon as early next week. Other than Lilly, the only southpaw on Chicago’s roster was reliever Sean Marshall. That would be a problem come playoff time against a team like the Phillies, who have some stud left-handed hitters.
“When he’s in trouble, he has a good knack of getting out of trouble,” Cubs GM Jim Hendry said of Grabow. “He’s pitched in eighth and ninth innings now for a few years. We thought it was a good complement for Marshall.”
Hendry said they were concerned that Marshall would get worn out down the stretch, especially if he has to get warmed up, then sit.
“To get another lefty of that caliber, I think, is essential,” Hendry said.
The team might have had to move Marshall to the rotation in place of Lilly, but now he can stay in the bullpen, where he has been terrific. The addition of Grabow behind Marshall gives manager Lou Piniella major flexibility.
While this move isn’t quite like the Cardinals getting Matt Holliday, it might make the Cubs the betting favorites again to win the NL Central.
Bet on baseball at WagerWeb.com
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ...
