Cubs get 6 of 7 players signed — not Garza

The Cubs never were big on going to salary-arbitration hearings during the Andy MacPhail and Jim Hendry regimes.

In fact, from 1995 to 2011, the Cubs went to “trial” with only one player: Ryan Theriot in 2010.

That trend could continue under the new Theo Epstein regime. During his days in Boston, Epstein avoided the sometimes-nasty arbitration process every year of his tenure.

Epstein took giant strides in that direction Tuesday, as the Cubs agreed to terms with six of their seven arbitration eligible players.

The only player filing for arbitration — and he’s an important one — is ace pitcher Matt Garza, who reportedly wants $10.225 million while the Cubs are offering $7.95 million. Last year, Garza made $5.95 million as he went 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA in his first season with the Cubs.

The other six arb-eligible players got raises Tuesday. Pitcher Randy Wells went from $475,000 to $2.705 million. Infielder Blake DeWitt went from $460,000 to $1.1 million. Catcher Geovany Soto saw his salary go from $3 million to $4.3 million.

Third baseman Ian Stewart made $2,287,500 for the Colorado Rockies last year. After an injury-plagued season that saw him hit no homers, Stewart will get $2,237,500 this year. Infielder Jeff Baker goes from $1,175,000 to $1,375,000.

The Carlos Zambrano trade officially was figured out. Cubs pitcher Chris Volstad, obtained from the Miami Marlins in the trade for Zambrano, will get $2,655,000, up from $445,000.

Volstad’s salary will be subtracted from the $18 million the Cubs owed Zambrano and sent to the Marlins as part of that deal.

Players with between three and five years of major-league service may file for salary arbitration if they cannot agree on a deal with the club. The two sides still may negotiate until right before a scheduled hearing if they choose. Zambrano and the Cubs were moments away from an arbitration hearing in February 2007 before both sides agreed.

If the case goes to a hearing, the arbitrator must pick one side’s figure or the other; there is no middle ground once a case goes to trial.

Garza’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors. He has four-plus years of major-league service, making him attractive to the Cubs as a building block or to contending teams seeking pitching.

“It’s been a business, it’s always going to be a business,” Garza said last weekend at the Cubs convention. “If things happen, they happen. If they don’t I’m happy where I’m at. I’m a Chicago Cub, and I’ll be pitching at Wrigley come April.”