CHC signs Jon Lieber (1yr/$3.5mil + $4mil in Incentives)

[JohnBriggs12]

According to ESPN 1000, deal will be announced during the hour.

Lieber has been especially tough on righthanded hitters his entire career (.244/.273/.372). I would not be shocked if Brewers see him in opening series.

[TooLiveBrew]

If this is indeed true, it's a good move for the Cubs. They definitely need/ed to add SP depth, and could do much worse than Lieber.

[dadofandrew]

I like Leiber for what he is, an innings-eater whose name doesn't look right spelled either way. However, he is getting up there...I would not expect more than 15-20 starts from him at this stage.

[Tbadder]

Wow! A Brewer killer! Man oh man we've come a long way. (Seriously)

[brewers19]

Eh. The OPS of right-handed batters against him has steadily increased over the past five or so seasons, and he's become nothing special with regards to that split.

[splitterpfj]

I agree with Al, this is a good low-risk move for the Cubs, but Lieber is a complimentary piece, not a difference maker. I'd take him at the back of a rotation, or even as the long relief guy.

[Ennder]

sounds like a precursor to the Brian Roberts trade to me.

[M Skjellyfetti]

I would definitely be fine with seeing Lieber in the opening series against the Cubs (especially if Piniella substitutes him for someone like Hill). Something tells me that Braun, Hart, Weeks, et al. don't have to worry too much about facing a 38 year old with declining RH splits coming off a ruptured tendon in his foot.

[Fatter than Joey]

It's a depth move. As Ennder points out, it's another body before Steve Traschel takes the mound.

[TooLiveBrew]

The rumor on the Roberts deal iirc was that the Cubs backed away when the O's asked for Pie. I wonder how much has or hasn't changed with the O's asking price, since the Cubs probably won't part with Pie.

[Milltownhooker]

Roberts is a favorite of ownership. Has a reasonable contract & under control for another 2 years. Baltimore should not be motivated to move him for just AAA pitchers.

[Ennder]

He apparently is going to start, Rosenthal posted this according to the cubs forum...

 

"The signing of Lieber could signal a trade of right-hander Jason Marquis or the return of righty Ryan Dempster to the bullpen. Lieber will be in the Cubs' rotation, sources say; otherwise, he would have signed with another club."

[brettac1]

Yeah, I wouldn't think a guy like Lieber would take what amounts to a one year swing-man spot with the Cubs when he could easily get a rotation spot with other teams.

[Tbadder]

I wanted Dempster in the rotation. I think they woulda stuck with him for awhile until the loses started mounting, so Lieber's signing disappoints me. The bullpen will be better with Dempster.

[Diskono]

A 37 year old with a glorious injury history? Is Dusty Baker managing the Cubs again?

[Big Reed]

this sounds very much like the Cubs will send dempster back to the closer role. it all makes sense. i would think the Cubs' young set up guy marmol (sp?) probably has more trade value than dempster. and howry can be the 8th inning man.

[Oldcity]

If Jon Lieber is enough to move Dempster to the bullpen, the Cubs couldn't have been too serious about having Dempster in the rotation in the first place.

[ELCABALLO45]

3.5 million