The Cubs avoided going to an arbitration hearing with Matt Garza today by agreeing to a $9.5 million deal for the 2012 season.
The difference between the numbers exchanged last month was rather large, but the Cubs worked out a deal a the lower end of that range. Garza asked for $12.5 while the Cubs offered $7.95.
The Cubs come out winners with this. Garza is still relatively affordable if they choose to trade him, but I think the more likely thing is that they will start to work on a 2 or 3 year contract extension to keep him with the Cubs for a while and buy up his first year or two of free agency.
So, Ryan Theriot still remains the only Cub to have gone to an arbitration hearing since the stone age. What a jerk.
