Posted at 11:54 a.m., Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Baseball: Lieber returns to Cubs with $3.5M, 1-yr. deal
Advertiser Staff
CHICAGO — Jon Lieber, a 20-game winner for the Chicago Cubs in 2001, rejoined the team today by agreeing to a $3.5 million, one-year contract.The right-hander will go to spring training next month with a chance to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. He can earn performance bonuses based on games started and innings pitched this season.
The 37-year-old Lieber is 129-121 with a 4.28 ERA in 375 major league appearances, including 326 starts. He was 48-36 with the Cubs from 1999-2002, including 20-6 with a 3.80 ERA in 2001 when he made the NL All-Star team.
He has also pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees, but spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. He won 17 games in 2005 for Philadelphia, but has had his last two seasons marred by injuries. He missed six weeks in 2006 with a strained groin, and he missed the final three months last season with a tendon injury in his foot. He had surgery and his season ended June 20.
Lieber also had elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2002 that forced him to miss the 2003 season. He returned in 2004 and went 14-8 with a 4.33 ERA for the Yankees.
