The return of Jon Lieber for one season at $3.5 million and about $4 million in incentives is considered a low-risk gamble that could pay dividends for the Cubs if their last 20-game winner can return to form.
“It gives us more depth with our starting pitching,” manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday after the signing was announced. “He’s experienced, a really good competitor, a good guy in the clubhouse and well respected. He can come to camp and earn a spot in the rotation.”
Lieber, who turns 38 in April, underwent elbow-reconstruction surgery in 2002 and sat out ’03 but has had no serious arm problems since. The right-hander did miss the second half of the ’07 season with Philadelphia after rupturing a tendon in his right foot, having gone 3-6 with a 4.73 ERA in 14 games, including 12 starts.
Lieber’s last productive season was in 2005, when he went 17-13 with a 4.20 ERA for the Phillies.
“We’re really happy to bring back Jon Lieber,” general manager Jim Hendry said. “It makes a lot of sense. We’re trying to get as much volume as we can, depth-wise, into the rotation to make it more competitive in camp. … You like to have seven or eight starters available [in spring training].”
Lieber will compete with Ryan Dempster for the No. 5 spot, with Sean Marshall and Sean Gallagher also on the periphery, assuming neither is traded. Kevin Hart is likely to get a chance to make the team in long or middle relief, Piniella said.
Lieber’s arrival could be the precursor of a trade of Marshall or Gallagher and a couple of other prospects to Baltimore for second baseman Brian Roberts. Hendry declined to address the latest rumors that a Roberts deal was imminent.
Asked what he would do with Mark DeRosa if Roberts were acquired, Piniella was blunt.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know about anything else that’s going on. I’m perfectly content, and I’ve said that to Jim about Mark.”
DeRosa hit .293 with 10 home runs, 72 RBIs and a .371 on-base percentage.
“He played very well for us last year,” Piniella said. “I was very happy. I know when we signed him we talked about moving him around a little, but let me tell you this: If we went to camp just the way we are with Mark at second base, it’s fine with me.”
As for Lieber, Piniella likes the fact he has great control and can eat up innings. Lieber pitched for the Cubs for four years from 1999-2002, going 48-36. His best season came in ’01, when he went 20-6 with a 3.80 ERA, including 12-1 at Wrigley Field.
In Philadelphia last year, Lieber was disgruntled over being shifted to the bullpen in spring training, but eventually he moved back to the rotation before his season-ending foot injury in June.
Lieber is eager to get to spring training, but he doesn’t believe he’s a lock to beat out Dempster or Jason Marquis in the rotation. He learned last year “you can’t take anything for granted.”
“The bottom line is I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the Chicago Cubs win,” Lieber said. “If that takes pitching out of the bullpen, so be it. I know you probably saw reports that I was a little unhappy last year, and a lot of it had to do with it being thrown upon me in spring training. I had no idea I’d be possibly pitching out of the bullpen.
“I’m more prepared for a situation like that this year because they do have five quality starters. I just want to be a part of this organization and help them win some ballgames.”
Lieber left the Cubs on good terms after 2002, becoming a free agent after his elbow surgery. He signed with the Yankees but said he’d always wanted to return to the organization where he enjoyed his greatest success after being acquired from Pittsburgh for outfielder Brant Brown before the 1999 season.
“It was always in the back of my mind that if there was ever a chance to be part of this organization again, I was going to do my best to make it happen,” he said. “Obviously it takes two people to do that, and I appreciate [Hendry] really reaching out and getting this deal done. I think it’s going to be a great fit, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
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psullivan@tribune.com
