Deals, Deals, Deals

So, I lost a deal. Big whup. You don't give a crap about that. But almost all the Cubs players who were up for arbitration got deals. And that’s what you care about. The rundown:

Michael Barrett signed a three-year contract worth $12 million.

Korey Patterson got a bump up to $2.8 million from $480,000 last year.

Kyle Farnsworth got a one year raise from $1.4 million to $1.975 million.

The Cubs exchanged salary-arbitration figures with Aramis Ramirez Carlos Zambrano. The Cubs offered Ramirez $8 million while he countered with $10.25 million. Zambrano is seeking $4 million while the Cubs are offering $3.3 million.

Relief pitcher Scott Williamson, he of the offseason reconstructive elbow surgery, signed a minor-league contract with a club option for 2006. Williamson gets $316,000 while in the minors and $500,000 if elevated to Wrigley. The 2006 option is for $2 million.

Barrett's deal is risky because he only has one solid season under his belt. Oh, and he didn't catch both Maddux and Prior down the stretch leading some to question whether or not pitchers like the game Barrett calls.

Farnsworth's deal makes his eminently tradable. Fine.

Patterson’s deal? That’s money for the August Corey, not the July/September Korey. It’s about $1 million too much in my book. But, hey, I woulda paid 6 x $17 mildo for Beltran and traded Korey’s ass.

Williamson? Typical cheap, try to get lucky move. Ryan Dempster 2005 version. Call me when he can pitch in the majors.

Just Spewing Nonsense

Barry Rozner prints this letter in his column today.

From Libertyville e-mailer Scott Phillips: "Can you explain how wagering a few dollars on your team to win is worthy of a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball, but being caught destroying the integrity of the game by using steroids three times nets you a 60-day vacation?"

Yeah, Scott. There’s no loss in integrity when gambling enters professional sport. There’s no concern that outside elements might, say, convince a manager-gambler who is deep in debt to NOT BET a specific game as a tip off on how a specific game might turn out? The only integrity lost when performance-enhancing substances are introduced into sport is the record book.