Cubs pick up LaTroy Hawkins

It's being reported that the Cubs have signed former Twins reliever LaTroy Hawkins

He's a righty. He's not a name the necessarily instills me with awe and wonder, but he's been pretty effective out of the bullpen for the Twins for the last couple of years. While I realize it's not the best barometer, especially for someone coming in relief, I still perk up a touchany time I see an ERA numbers like 2.13 and 1.86, out of the American League

He's had a solid strikeout to walk ratio....just eyeballing his numbers, he averages right around a baserunner an inning.

But numbers are one thing.

To me, the important thought is that he's hopefully taking the seat of my least favorite six-fingered righty in the setup portion of the bullpen.

And it's a little more comforting to hear them picking up a 31 year-old reliever than it is a 38 year-old reliever, which generally seems to be the age group most desired by the Cubs in the off season.

It's just nice to see management shoring up the bullpen.