FOXSports.com | Report: Cubs sign Remlinger to three-year deal
It was probably inevitable that Mike Remlinger would leave the Braves. They simply weren’t going to give him three years no matter what.
He could be a great signing for the Cubs. Most relievers are basically unreliable, one reason I support the Braves’ policy of not giving long-term deals to them (at least if they’re not John Smoltz) but Mike’s been one of those special ones who’s good year after year. He wasn’t quite right late in the season after returning from a groin pull, but even then he was serviceable. I’m a little surprised that he’s going to wind up with “only” $3.5 million a year, but he might have gone for security — that three-year contract — over one or two years for more money.
And thus ends one of the last vestiges of the series of disastrous trades made by John Scheurholz in the mid-to-late nineties. First it was Jermaine Dye for mostly Michael Tucker. Tucker then got shipped to the Reds with Denny Neagle for Bret Boone — and Mike Remlinger. Boone and Ryan Klesko went to San Diego for Quilvio Veras, Reggie Sanders, Wally Joyner, and presumably some sort of discount at Dr. Andrews’. The Braves got one good half season from Veras out of that — and Mike Remlinger.
Oh, and there’s one player from those trades still with the club, but I won’t use the L-word.
(Thanks to Bamadan for pointing out the Remlinger news, I guess.)
Yeah, good for Remlinger. The Cubs are the team I like the most after the Braves, mostly from having lived in Wrigleyville for a couple years. I think he’ll be a great fit up there, and congrats to him for getting a nice big contract.
I kinda figured it was inevitable he would leave after the season as well, so it’s not a big surprise, but damn he did give us some great years. And he’s joining a great young staff too. Good luck in the windy city Mike!!
I’ll miss Remlinger. I always enjoyed watching him work. But I think that the Braves can ~ as they’ve been doing with the bullpen for a decade ~ replace him at a fraction of the cost.
Remember that as a reliever, Albie Lopez had a 2.95 ERA this year: that clearly means that just about anyone can do well in a defined role without multiple times through a lineup. The question is who’ll be this year’s Holmes or Cabrera? Not a wailing and knashing of teeth that we’ve lost a “proven” reliever.
Hmmmm. I think I’d rather have Remlinger at $3.5m than Smoltz as a reliever for $10m. That other $6.5m plus the $4m saved on Albie Lopez could equal $9m for Glavine and $1.5m to keep Kerry Ligtenberg.
Further, the ridiculous Smoltz signing elevated the salary expectations of Maddux and Glavine. I am sick of Glavine’s whining of late, but I can certainly understand his incredulity at being offered less money and less years than Smoltz got 2 months removed from the DL.
Sigh…
Hey, I’m happy for Remlinger too, I’m just not happy that it was my team who gave him over $10 million…