The Houston Chronicle says so, a one-year deal for $5 million. This is bad for the Cubs any way you slice it?

But might they respond by signing a one-year deal with another sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Fame pitcher — Greg Maddux? It just may be that the never-retired Maddux will wind up getting less money than the supposedly retired Clemens did.

I’d still prefer to land Pudge Rodriguez, but a low-cost, one-year deal for Maddux shoot a little air of the Astros’ balloon.