Why do you keep saying 9 million? Are we going to replace Greg for a MLB player of similar production for free? Here are the players 5 spots better in ERA than Greg and 5 spots lower and their contracts: Clement 6.5m Young 400k Wells 4.075m Marquis 3m Moyer 8m Wakefield 4.670m Robertson 355k Nussina 19m Bonderman 400k Sabathia 5.250m While, this isn't a perfect way to compute value it gives us a good idea of similar pitchers and what they are paid. The average is 5.165m which puts Maddux's overpayment at around 4 million. Sure, it would be great to bring up a prospect and expect Maddux's production from him, but I haven't seen anyone capeable of doing that around here. We aren't the Twins or the A's. We don't have to wring our hands because one of our players is marginally overpaid and it will keep us from signing players we need. It's one year, we have a lot of money to spend, and he's marginally overpaid. It affects us, but it's not like he's Mussina, Sosa, or Wood. It's not worth all the attention it's getting around here. The Cubs have much, much, much bigger fish to fry.