Cubs and Matt Garza avoid arbitration with one-year, $9.5 million deal
Feb 3, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT
Getty Images The Cubs and Matt Garza have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $9.5 million contract. Garza’s agency, CAA Baseball, broke the news via Twitter and added that the deal includes some performance-based incentives. The two sides were able to work out a deal prior to an arbitration hearing scheduled for today.
Garza requested $12.5 million and was offered $7.95 million from the Cubs when arbitration figures were exchanged earlier this month, so they settled for a little under the midpoint of $10.225 million. Presumably the incentives give him an opportunity to make up the difference.
Garza, who remains under team control through 2013, posted a 3.32 ERA and 197/63 K/BB ratio over 198 innings with Chicago last season. It looks like the rebuilding Cubs will hang on to the 28-year-old right-hander for now, but he figures to be a prominent name on the block as the trade deadline approaches in July.
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- scottp9 - Feb 3, 2012 at 11:05 AM
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“A little” under the midpoint?? That’s probably as divergent a settlement from the midpoint as there has been in the history of salary arbitration.
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- Alex K - Feb 3, 2012 at 11:51 AM
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I really like Garza as a Cub. That being said, I wouldn’t be upset if he was moved for a couple good young players. Or even one young stud player. It’s a very strange feeling, for me, to want a guy on the my favorite team, but also feel totally okay with him getting traded (for the right guy(s)).
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- WhenMattStairsIsKing - Feb 3, 2012 at 2:29 PM
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I hope he stays. Deal whomever you want; I love rooting for Garza. I admit I say this selfishly, though.
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- btwicey - Feb 3, 2012 at 2:45 PM
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So garza will be paid less money in 2012 than edwin jackson… Go figure.
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- Alex K - Feb 3, 2012 at 3:39 PM
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That’s the joy of being a free agent. I doubt that it will be the case for many other years.
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- btwicey - Feb 3, 2012 at 5:49 PM
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True, but garza is v good, Edwin sux.
