Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Apparently, the Cubbies think that the best way to become the straight curse-breaking World Champs by channeling the spirit of the current champs, the Sox, via their past bullpens.
Today, they signed Bobby Howry to a three-year, $12 M contract. This comes just on the heals of their signing Scott Eyre to a three-year, $11 M contract. That's quite a hefty bill for not a whole lot. This is a team that finished 21 games out of the money this past season and four games under .500, but I'm sure they know what they are doing.
It made me wonder what was the greatest sum ever handed over to two middle relievers. By middle reliever, I mean someone who a) started less than half his games and b) who was not the closer (i.e., did not lead the team in saves). Yeah, it's sort of nebulous, so sue me.
The Cubs actually have cut payroll from last year and come in just 18th all time:
| Yr | Tm | Tot Salary | Player1 | salary1 | Player2 | salary2 | W | L | PCT |
| 2005 | Boston Red Sox | $ 17,500,000 | Curt Schilling | $ 14,500,000 | Alan Embree | $ 3,000,000 | 90 | 72 | .556 |
| 2003 | Seattle Mariners | $ 11,983,333 | Jeff Nelson | $ 3,983,333 | Kazuhiro Sasaki | $ 8,000,000 | 93 | 69 | .574 |
| 2003 | Seattle Mariners | $ 11,500,000 | Arthur Rhodes | $ 3,500,000 | Kazuhiro Sasaki | $ 8,000,000 | 93 | 69 | .574 |
| 2004 | Arizona Diamondbacks | $ 11,000,000 | Elmer Dessens | $ 4,000,000 | Matt Mantei | $ 7,000,000 | 51 | 111 | .315 |
| 2005 | New York Yankees | $ 10,000,000 | Steve Karsay | $ 6,000,000 | Mike Stanton | $ 4,000,000 | 90 | 72 | .556 |
| 2005 | New York Yankees | $ 9,750,000 | Steve Karsay | $ 6,000,000 | Tom Gordon | $ 3,750,000 | 90 | 72 | .556 |
| 2002 | St. Louis Cardinals | $ 9,500,000 | Mike Timlin | $ 5,250,000 | Dave Veres | $ 4,250,000 | 97 | 65 | .599 |
| 2004 | New York Yankees | $ 9,500,000 | Tom Gordon | $ 3,500,000 | Steve Karsay | $ 6,000,000 | 101 | 61 | .623 |
| 2002 | Cleveland Indians | $ 9,250,000 | Charles Nagy | $ 6,000,000 | Paul Shuey | $ 3,250,000 | 74 | 88 | .457 |
| 2005 | New York Yankees | $ 9,150,000 | Steve Karsay | $ 6,000,000 | Felix Rodriguez | $ 3,150,000 | 90 | 72 | .556 |
| 2002 | Boston Red Sox | $ 9,033,333 | Dustin Hermanson | $ 5,833,333 | Tim Wakefield | $ 3,200,000 | 93 | 69 | .574 |
| 2005 | New York Yankees | $ 9,000,000 | Steve Karsay | $ 6,000,000 | Paul Quantrill | $ 3,000,000 | 90 | 72 | .556 |
| 2002 | New York Yankees | $ 8,936,719 | Sterling Hitchcock | $ 4,936,719 | Steve Karsay | $ 4,000,000 | 103 | 58 | .640 |
| 2005 | Chicago Cubs | $ 8,733,333 | Mike Remlinger | $ 4,233,333 | LaTroy Hawkins | $ 4,500,000 | 79 | 83 | .488 |
| 2002 | Arizona Diamondbacks | $ 8,458,333 | Matt Mantei | $ 4,333,333 | Armando Reynoso | $ 4,125,000 | 98 | 64 | .605 |
| 2000 | Boston Red Sox | $ 8,000,000 | Rod Beck | $ 3,500,000 | Tim Wakefield | $ 4,500,000 | 85 | 77 | .525 |
| 2003 | Detroit Tigers | $ 7,700,000 | Matt Anderson | $ 3,200,000 | Steve Sparks | $ 4,500,000 | 43 | 119 | .265 |
| 2006 | Chicago Cubs | $ 7,666,667 | Scott Eyre | $ 3,666,667 | Bobby Howry | $ 4,000,000 | |||
| 2003 | New York Mets | $ 7,566,666 | John Franco | $ 3,833,333 | Dave Weathers | $ 3,733,333 | 66 | 95 | .410 |
| 2003 | Seattle Mariners | $ 7,483,333 | Jeff Nelson | $ 3,983,333 | Arthur Rhodes | $ 3,500,000 | 93 | 69 | .574 |
| 2003 | Los Angeles Dodgers | $ 7,250,000 | Paul Quantrill | $ 3,333,333 | Paul Shuey | $ 3,916,667 | 85 | 77 | .525 |
| 2004 | Boston Red Sox | $ 7,025,000 | Byung-Hyun Kim | $ 3,425,000 | Ramiro Mendoza | $ 3,600,000 | 98 | 64 | .605 |
| 2002 | Seattle Mariners | $ 6,833,333 | Jeff Nelson | $ 3,333,333 | Arthur Rhodes | $ 3,500,000 | 93 | 69 | .574 |
| 2004 | Boston Red Sox | $ 6,775,000 | Ramiro Mendoza | $ 3,600,000 | Scott Williamson | $ 3,175,000 | 98 | 64 | .605 |
| 1992 | Kansas City Royals | $ 6,741,667 | Mike Boddicker | $ 3,116,667 | Mark Davis | $ 3,625,000 | 72 | 90 | .444 |
| 2001 | New York Mets | $ 6,683,333 | John Franco | $ 3,583,333 | Turk Wendell | $ 3,100,000 | 82 | 80 | .506 |
| 2004 | Boston Red Sox | $ 6,600,000 | Byung-Hyun Kim | $ 3,425,000 | Scott Williamson | $ 3,175,000 | 98 | 64 | .605 |
| 2001 | Seattle Mariners | $ 6,583,333 | Jeff Nelson | $ 3,333,333 | Arthur Rhodes | $ 3,250,000 | 116 | 46 | .716 |
| Total | 2453 | 2081 | .541 |
I know, Schilling's not really a middle reliever. Again, sue me. Anyway, the Cubs can find solace in the average team's .541 winning percentage. Then again, the sub-.500 Cubbies and the godawful 2003 Tigers (eight above the '06 Cubs) make an appearance. It's a proud team that can make such questionable signings and still make an improvement.
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