just a thrill, a real honor", he said. "When I got the call, I couldn't believe it. Hopefully, I can help them win some games." He tied for the WBC lead in games pitched (with six), and had a 2.08 ERA, helping Team USA reach the semi-finals. On July 20 Grabow became the all-time appearances leader at PNC Park with his 189th, and was tied for ninth all-time on the Pirates' appearance list (385) with Rip Sewell. In July 2009 the New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Florida Marlins, and Los Angeles Dodgers had all expressed interest in trading for Grabow. Asked about the possibility of the Pirates trading him, Grabow, failing to stifle a grin, responded "I'm untouchable, dude. No way they're trading me." On July 30, Grabow was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with fellow left-handed pitcher Tom Gorzelanny for right-handed pitchers Kevin Hart and José Ascanio and minor league third baseman Josh Harrison. Chicago Cubs Grabow began his Cubs career with 16 consecutive scoreless appearances (over 13.0 innings), and stranded his first 11 inherited runners. He pitched 30 games for the Cubs, ending the season with a career-high 75 games pitched. On November 20, 2009, he signed a two-year extension with the Cubs worth $7.5 million. General Manager Jim Hendry said: "It was really imperative we re-sign Grabow, because he's not only our kind of guy and very successful, but has some experience and some savvy to him and can pitch seventh, eighth, ninth, matchups, righties, lefties. It doesn't matter." Grabow said he had no preference as to how he was used: "If it's the sixth inning or if it's the ninth inning, it doesn't matter. Your job is to go in there and get guys out." Los Angeles Dodgers He signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 19, 2011. He opted out of his contract on March 26, 2012 and became a free agent. Pitching style Grabow had a 94 mph fastball that runs inside on left-handed hitters, a sharp, hard, late-breaking slider, "one of the best changeups in the game", "the bottom falling out of it", which confounds right-handers, and was equally adept at getting both right and left-handed batters out. See also List of select Jewish Major League Baseball players References External links 1978 births Living people Altoona Curve players American people of Lebanese-Jewish descent Augusta GreenJackets players Baseball