Last year during the 0.0001 seconds when the Phillies had six potential starting pitchers, Lieber was quoted as thinking he would be totally misused as a reliever rather than a starter, so I don't think either is going to budge here.

Fortunately for Marquis, the Cardinals still have three or four holes in their rotation, so he can hop back down there.

maybe he should try pitching well? its not like lieber is exactly an ace, so it wouldnt take too much to beat him out at this point

Lou: He can go

Piniella then sent a message to Marquis that will likely reverberate through camp and could lead to Marquis' exit from Chicago.

"Well, if that's the case, he can go somewhere else," Piniella said. "Win a spot in the rotation, you don't have to worry about it. ... I've got seven starters here for five spots, you know? It's a little bit too early to start talking about what he wants to do or not do."

Piniella reiterated he has never talked about using Marquis in the bullpen if he doesn't win a spot.

"I've never said that," Piniella said. "I'm giving him a chance to compete and win a spot in the rotation."

After answering a question about Kerry Wood's performance, Piniella stopped in mid-sentence and began talking about Marquis again.

"You know, that galls me about Marquis, it really does," he said. "I'm not pleased with that comment. We've had a good camp over here, everybody's getting an opportunity. Go out and win a spot in the rotation."

Piniella has not spoken to Marquis about his situation and was caught off guard to hear Marquis was basically giving the Cubs an ultimatum

"Sure it's a surprise," he said. "We've got seven guys here that are competing for spots in the rotation and everyone is going to be given an equal chance. After the first start of spring training, saying if I'm not going to make the rotation I'd like to go somewhere else?

"He can go somewhere else right now if he wants. How's that?"

I also have a family to worry about, too.

Apparently everytime Jason Marquis pitches out of the bullpen somebody beats up his kids.

I also have a family to worry about, too

Shut up, just shut up. I understand and support the desire to make as much as possible in the game. But Jason has made $10 Mil in the last 2 years, and will make another 5 whether he pitches this year or not. His family is fine. No one will lack for anything, even the 3rd cousins if he so chooses. Leave the family out of it. You're not a $10/Hr worker looking for a 7% raise.

Ease up, misirlou. You know how much the payments on a Bentley run?

Compare Marquis's attitude to Chad Durbin:


"Whatever they need," Durbin said. "They pay the money and they get the right to tell you what to do. I want to be as flexible as I can for them. If the role is going to be defined early as one thing, then develops into something else later on, you have to be open to that."

Of course Chad Durbin does not have quite the track record of Jason Marquis, similar as they may seem right now.

I don't much like Marquis, but you know, the quoted statement doesn't exactly scream, "Trade me, faggot!" Sure, you'd rather see Durbin's quote, but it's not like Marquis went raving about the great injustice of his existence. He expressed affection for Chicago and went on to say that he thought he was more valuable as a starter.

The Cubs should include him in their trade package for Brian Roberts. After the AL East teams make Marquis their beeeyotch for a year, he'll crave for a role as a middle reliever for the Pirates.

Marquis' tone was much different than in past interviews, perhaps stemming from a perceived lack of support from Cubs management.

He never actually comes out and says "trade me" as the headline indicates. He just makes clear that he really thinks he belongs in the starters rotation and if that doesn't happen "we'll take it from there." Maybe he sounded angry in the interview. I dunno, the above quote indicates his tone was off.

And just because no one cares, here's Marquis's numbers since 6/1/05:

G 89
GS 87
IP 524
H 559
W 190
K 264
HR 78
R 329
ER 297

WHIP 1.429
H/9 9.60
W/9 3.26
K/9 5.65
HR/9 1/34

ERA 5.10
RA 5.65

I'm sure that his kids would rather move to another city and change schools and lose their friends so daddy can start.

If he has a house in the Chicago area, there's no reason he can't keep it and also get an apartment somewhere else if he gets traded.

You always hear about players' off-season residences being nowhere near where their teams play. Usually Florida, Arizona or California.

Fortunately for Marquis, the Cardinals still have three or four holes in their rotation, so he can hop back down there.

Marquis burned that bridge already. Actually, from Atlanta to St. Louis to Chicago, his bridge-burning seems to be accelerating.

If he has a house in the Chicago area, there's no reason he can't keep it and also get an apartment somewhere else if he gets traded.

You always hear about players' off-season residences being nowhere near where their teams play. Usually Florida, Arizona or California.

Of course. I just figured that a family man like Marquis would want to be around them.

You always hear about players' off-season residences being nowhere near where their teams play. Usually Florida, Arizona or California.

As I understand it, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada do not have state income taxes. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Apparently everytime Jason Marquis pitches out of the bullpen somebody beats up his kids.

Yeah, that's me. I'm sorry, I'll stop that.

Florida has none.

HR/9 1/34

Now that's impressive.

As I understand it, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada do not have state income taxes. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Arizona does have state income taxes. Ballplayers love living here because about half of spring trainings are here (all camps drivable from Phoenix, albeit the couple in Tucson would be annoying) and the weather in the offseason is fantastic. So players can have great weather when they aren't playing baseball, and have a good chance of being able to live at home during spring training.

Thank you, Akrasian.

As I understand it, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada do not have state income taxes. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Correct...nor does New Hampshire, Tennessee or West Virginia

I signed here for a reason.

Yes you did. It's called the love of money.

In a similar vein, Adam Eaton declared in the Philadelphia Inquirer today that "I think I've established myself as a big-leaguer". The quote should be that "I think I've dis-established myself as a big-leaguer and have to reestablish myself".

Hey, that's an idea. The Cubs have a AA team in Jackson, Tennessee (West Tenn), right? They could send Marquis there, where he can bask in the glory of zero income tax.

Hey, that's an idea. The Cubs have a AA team in Jackson, Tennessee (West Tenn), right? They could send Marquis there, where he can bask in the glory of zero income tax.

They picked up the Tennessee Smokies as their AA last year, located in east TN. Wouldn't work, though, as everyone of their pitchers worked out of the pen at some point last season.

Don't professional athletes have to pay state income taxes in every state that they play games in?

I don't think it matters where they reside in the offseason, although playing half your games in a no-tax state would still be appealing.

Don't professional athletes have to pay state income taxes in every state that they play games in?

Probably. I know CA taxes individual games. Not sure about other states. But still, these guys have significant other income; endorsements, merchandise royalties, investments... Kind of nice to avoid state taxes on them.

Pinella apologizes

"Look, first of all I'm going to apologize," Piniella said. "I didn't handle that situation well. I overreacted to it and after the ballgame [which] we didn't play particularly well. ... Look, I can understand why a player feels that way. We'll leave it at that.

"The whole thing here, basically, (is) I wasn't expecting it. It sort of surprised me. But I should've handled it better, and I apologize."

Marquis said after the talk with Piniella that "everything is fine. I'll just move on and go out there and compete and that's it."

Marquis said he didn't have to clarify his position and that he had no regrets over what he said.

"It was just a misunderstanding of words, that's what it came down to," he said.

Marquis said he didn't read any of the reports on his comments, or Piniella's angry reaction, in which the manager said it "galled" him and that the Cubs can "let [Marquis] go" if he felt that way.

"That's your job to figure out, not mine," Marquis said.

Piniella said Marquis did not say that his statements were reported inaccurately or taken out of context.

"No, not at all," Piniella said. "I overacted to it and that's all there is to it. I'm human and when I'm wrong, I admit I'm wrong. I should've handled the situation differently. I recognized it after I said it, but what can you do? On the way home, I said, 'Well, I stuck my foot in my mouth.'

"But I'd already stuck it, so what can you do? We're going to give him every opportunity to compete and win a job, because basically, I like Jason, I really do. It had nothing to do with personal (feelings) or otherwise, but I've got to be fair too and we've got to let people compete and let the process take hold."

Wait... apologized? Who is that guy, and what did he do with Lou Piniella? Have the authorities been notified?

this is what is called "implied meaningless" which means every stiff off the street would LIKE to start MLB games...like DUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
also ...like DUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..


that 600 era cut-off

In a similar vein, Adam Eaton declared in the Philadelphia Inquirer today that "I think I've established myself as a big-leaguer". The quote should be that "I think I've dis-established myself as a big-leaguer and have to reestablish myself".

You missed the most important part of the quote! (here)

"I think I've established myself as a big-leaguer," Eaton said. "I'm getting paid extremely handsomely, probably more than I'm worth. But everyone is not worth what they're getting paid. It's fun. If you don't like the competition, what are you doing here? Everyone should thrive on competition."

Did you hear that? He admitted that he's overpaid! A first in big-league history!

Can the team sue him to get some of it back? Breach of contract maybe?

Breach of contract is possible only when the player is clearly, indisputably not giving his best effort; that's the player's end of the contract. Not being worth what you're paid doesn't have anything better to do with it. Eaton can't be sued on account of the incompetence of the guy that signed him to the contract.

Why is Lou apologizing? Why doesn't he simply say, "There's nothing unexpected about a career starting pitcher prefering to be a starter, even if elsewhere, instead of a reliever here. That's how they are, and I would probably feel the same way if it was me. But in the interests of team unity, those are the kind of sentiments that are supposed to be kept private and in-house. You're simply not supposed to issue a "start me or trade me" challenge when talking to the press. Unless, of course, the issue has progressed to the point where you simply want out. If that's not the case, then you should have kept your mouth shut. And if it is the case, we're willing to accomodate you if you can help us find a team that is willing to accept your contract. If you/we can't do that, then keep your mouth shut and be happy that you are being overpaid for whatever role you qualify for on our team."

if only the cubs were able to find someone to take his contract...