Chicago Cubs: Cubbies and Carlos Marmol Agree To a Three-Year Deal

According to Bruce Levine, the Cubs have agreed to a three-year contract with closer Carlos Marmol, thus avoiding arbitration with the righthander.

The deal is worth $20 million over three years, which averages to just under $6.7 million per season. That's a hefty increase over his 2010 salary of $2.25 million, though the actual payouts are as follows: $3.2 million in 2011; $7 million in 2012; and $9.8 million in 2013.

Marmol followed up a shaky 2009 campaign, which featured a 7.9 walks-per-nine ratio, to post a solid season for the Cubs last year, though he still averaged 6.03 walks-per-nine.

In his first full season of closing, Marmol saved 38 games in 43 save opportunities, an impressive 88 percent.

He also set an all-time record for most strikeouts per nine innings at 15.3, and his 138 strikeouts were a Cubs record for relievers.

Both Jim Hendry and Marmol's agent, Barry Praver, had been confident that arbitration would be avoided, with the only question being how long of a contract he would sign. By agreeing to this deal, the Cubs buy out the last two years of arbitration and one free agency year.

Hendry and the Cubs have now avoided going through the arbitration process once again, a process that Hendry admittedly despises. Marmol had filed for $5.65 million, while the Cubs had countered with $4.1 million.

While his stuff is virtually unhittable, he does suffer from bouts of wildness, so his save situations are always an adventure. The other concern is that he throws one of the best sliders in the game, if not the best, and that puts a lot of pressure on the arm.

Still, the Cubs now have their closer locked up for three years, so it's been a fairly decent offseason for the team. If Carlos Pena can rebound from a .196 average, he will add some pop from the left side and play solid defensively.

Another "if" involves set-up man Kerry Wood. The return of the longtime Cubs favorite could pay huge dividends if he can stay healthy. The eighth and ninth innings would be almost automatic. Again, Wood staying healthy is by no means a given.

But the biggest prize of the offseason was the acquisition of starter Matt Garza. While the Cubs paid a high price for him, he is relatively young and is coming from the stronger American League where he had to face the Yankees and Red Sox on a regular basis.

Let's see how all of this translates into success for the Cubs in 2011. But at least for now, hope springs eternal.