Cubs get Anibal Sanchez on a five-year deal, says Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY. Five teams were in the hunt, he says.

Somewhere, Kyle Lohse is grinning.

Well, there is one no one predicted.

Odd move. Makes me think Ricketts might not be okay with the whole "wait till 2014-2015" mantra the organization took on when they hired Epstein. To be honest, it was a stupid plan for the Cubs from the get-go. No franchise that dominates a market that large should ever be able to strip their franchise to bare bones and ask fans to be patient in building a winner. That should be unacceptable to fans in that market and what the franchise did last year was kind of a joke.

With all that said, that franchise still has a ton of work to do to be competitive and I really don't think Epstein is the baseball genius he's made out to be. He made a ton of boneheaded moves in Boston and he'll continue to do so in Chicago. He needs a big budget to mask his mistakes.

Ouch, especially at 15 Mil a year.

Nice pitcher. I just don't think he'll perform during last 2-3 years of the deal.

Talk about undercutting the whole plan. But if Ricketts is willing to spend the money so be it.

Wouldn't be suprised if Lohse ends up in Chicago now.

Now, Nightengale is tweeting that the deal is NOT done. The Tigers are being given the opportunity to beat the Cubs' offer.

Rosenthall reports via Twitter that the Red Sox are going to sign Ryan Dempster for 2 years at 26.5 mill. I like this guy more than Sanchez.

cardinalnationhouston wrote: Rosenthall reports via Twitter that the Red Sox are going to sign Ryan Dempster for 2 years at 26.5 mill. I like this guy more than Sanchez.

Sanchez is the better pitcher. Dempster was the smarter signing.

KylMss wrote:

Well, there is one no one predicted.

Odd move. Makes me think Ricketts might not be okay with the whole "wait till 2014-2015" mantra the organization took on when they hired Epstein. To be honest, it was a stupid plan for the Cubs from the get-go. No franchise that dominates a market that large should ever be able to strip their franchise to bare bones and ask fans to be patient in building a winner. That should be unacceptable to fans in that market and what the franchise did last year was kind of a joke.

With all that said, that franchise still has a ton of work to do to be competitive and I really don't think Epstein is the baseball genius he's made out to be. He made a ton of boneheaded moves in Boston and he'll continue to do so in Chicago. He needs a big budget to mask his mistakes.

First off, signing Sanchez to a 5-year deal doesn't mean they're going for it next year.  Secondly, it's the other way around with Epstein.  It's a big budget that got him in trouble in Boston.  Signing big name FA's wasn't his strength (of course it didn't help that the pressure came from ownership).  It was the stream of homegrown talent coming through the system in Boston, and player development.  After his first year with the Cubs, their farm system is now among the top ten.  Three of the top five prospects in the system were drafted/acquired by Epstein.

After the #6 overall pick this year, they loaded up on pitching.  The Cubs are woefully lacking in pitching in the upper levels of the farm (Vizcaino, who was acquired from the Braves by Epstein, is one exception).  That's probably why they're looking to sign a FA pitcher like Sanchez.  Also if they do trade Garza they would have a comparable pitcher to replace him.  Finally, they probably took a gander at 2014's free agent class of pitchers and decided now is the time to sign a youngish pitcher of Sanchez's caliber.

stlcards5129 wrote:

cardinalnationhouston wrote: Rosenthall reports via Twitter that the Red Sox are going to sign Ryan Dempster for 2 years at 26.5 mill. I like this guy more than Sanchez.

Sanchez is the better pitcher. Dempster was the smarter signing.

Interesting thought. Dempsters career numbers were hurt by a slow start and an ill advised 3 year hiatus to the pen. In the last five years or so he has become a much better pitcher. Dempster is 7 years older thus the shorter deal. Dempster was muchh better last year pre deadline but Sanchez was better after the trades. Dempster will be going to a much tougher division than Anibal though. I would say it is very close but i have to go Dempster, at least right now. Either way below elite level pitchers are getting an awful lot of money this year IMO.

The cubs m.o. is they might move both of them if it doesn't work. 5 years sounds like a trade in a couple of seasons.

Also means if they do indeed sign Sanchez that someone is going to take on Soriano.

619illinibooyah wrote: The cubs m.o. is they might move both of them if it doesn't work. 5 years sounds like a trade in a couple of seasons.

True, especially since the Cubs M.O. since Hendry left is to not give out no trade clauses.

I'm not saying this signing would be a statement by the Cubs of planning to seriously contend next year. I do think it's a subtle message to the fans that they aren't going to be as stringent on this "long-term" approach.

Personally, I can't stand it when the Cubs are successful. The fair-weather fans just bug me. However, I do think the team should be spending money. A team with the following and money of the Cubs should never openly tank a season. When you are in a market that size and pull in three million fans a year, you at least have to give the impression of competing every year.

To be honest, I think Sanchez is/was the best free agent on the market this year (I consider Grienke more statistical beast than bona fided ace). He would be a solid addition to any staff. Sadly, I think the Scott Feldman move was also a very shrewd move, even if he's probably only trade bait come July. Assuming health, they would have a formidable staff with Sanchez, Garza, Feldman, Baker and Samardzija.

cardinalnationhouston wrote:

stlcards5129 wrote:

cardinalnationhouston wrote: Rosenthall reports via Twitter that the Red Sox are going to sign Ryan Dempster for 2 years at 26.5 mill. I like this guy more than Sanchez.

Sanchez is the better pitcher. Dempster was the smarter signing.

Interesting thought. Dempsters career numbers were hurt by a slow start and an ill advised 3 year hiatus to the pen. In the last five years or so he has become a much better pitcher. Dempster is 7 years older thus the shorter deal. Dempster was muchh better last year pre deadline but Sanchez was better after the trades. Dempster will be going to a much tougher division than Anibal though. I would say it is very close but i have to go Dempster, at least right now. Either way below elite level pitchers are getting an awful lot of money this year IMO.

Sanchez has the better numbers over the last three years. Dempster isn't a bad pitcher I never said that. Dempster's older than Sanchez, it's reasonable to believe he's the better pitcher. Dempster wasn't that much better than Sanchez prior to being trade, he had a better ERA though, no disputing that. For sure below elite level pitchers get ridiculous contracts (as Brian said, Kyle's smiling). 

I think GMs would agree with me though, considering Anibal got more money and was traded for more return at the deadline and by your own rules he's better (ERA, Anibal has a lower career ERA) Anibal is the better pitcher at this point in each player's respective careers (I'm not saying Dempster hasn't had good years in his career). 

Even though I disagree with your opinion that Dempster is the better pitcher, I still would rather have Dempster on the more reasonable deal.

Jon Heyman now saying that the Cubs are out on Anibal, with the Tigers the likely winner.

Another pitching disappointment for the Cubbies.

Perhaps they'll look to Edwin Jackson who is the same age and nearly the same pitcher.

Jackson's ERA+ (ERA adjusted for the ballpark) was 108 and 98 the last two years and he topped 8.0 K/9 this past season.

Sanchez's ERA + was 106 and 105 with a 7.7 K/9 ratio.

Here's their current rotation:

Matt Garza 
Jeff Samardzija
Travis Wood
Scott Baker
Scott Feldman

Sanchez reportedly getting $80 million from Detroit for his five-year deal (average $16 million per year).

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--- Domeboys wrote:

Jon Heyman now saying that the Cubs are out on Anibal, with the Tigers the likely winner.

Another pitching disappointment for the Cubbies.

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Do these(cubs) guys ever prevail in anything worth obtaining? I see Theo hasn't changed their luck one iota. The list goes on and on in regards to their loses. Even from a Cardinal fans standpoint, it's almost sad. Though one couldn't help but laugh last year when that trade of Dempster to Atlanta for that coveted Braves pitching prospect fell through at the very last moment because Theo & Co. had not even had the common sense to check with Dempster beforehand to see if he would green light the trade. I'd love to sit down at a poker table with Theo, Jed, Garza, Castro and their Ricketts......you could fleece that group blindfolded with one arm tied behind your back.

pugsleyaddams wrote:
trade of Dempster to Atlanta for that coveted Braves pitching prospect fell through at the very last moment because Theo & Co. had not even had the common sense to check with Dempster beforehand to see if he would green light the trade.

Actually, Theo & Co. asked Dempster for a list of teams he'd be willing to waive his no-trade clause for and he listed the Braves as his #2 choice.  He simply acted in bad faith and behaved like a petulant child because they couldn't find a match with his #1 choice the Dodgers who offered garbage.  But they still managed to work something out with the Braves, trading Maholm for Vizcaino who was ranked higher than Delgado as a prospect prior to 2012.  He has more upside but did sit out 2012 with TJ surgery.  He'll be ready to pitch next year but will start games in AAA to begin the season.

I love visiting Chicago and always take the train to Wrigley for a game. Its one of my favorite things. But I still hope whatever the Cubs try to do blows up in their face.

With all the money being spent these days, trying to buy a team seems like a longshot proposition, and I can't see where Theo is up to the challenge. But who knows.