Well, it didn’t take long for things to get off and running today after yesterday’s string of updates …
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Cubs have bumped their original five-year, $75 million offer to free agent starter Anibal Sanchez to five years and $77.5 million. It’s an increase, but not one that knocks you over the head. The Tigers, says Rosenthal, are still at $75 million. The negotiation dance is ongoing.
UPDATE 1 (8:13am CT): Jon Heyman says the Cubs are now “out,” and the Tigers are in position to sign Sanchez, barring a last minute surprise entrant.
UPDATE 2 (8:21am CT): I’m expecting Rosenthal to amplify his earlier report (which preceded Heyman’s by about 3 minutes) any moment now to clarify, but I’m thinking that it’s just a simple matter of Sanchez’s agent using the Cubs to get the Tigers up to five years, which they did last night. And then the agent went back to the Cubs to see if they would blow the Tigers out of the water, which, at $77.5 million, they declined to do.
UPDATE 3 (8:40am CT): I’m taking this more as commentary than any kind of substantive info – from Buster Olney: “The postscripts to the Anibal Sanchez negotiations will be interesting. Because it’s clear that there’s a lot of misremembering going on.” We should be preparing ourselves for this to shake out unfavorably.
UPDATE 4 (8:46am CT): Heyman says the Cubs have “moved on.” The deal isn’t done with the Tigers yet, and another team could still enter the mix. Are the Cubs trying to apply some of their own pressure? Maybe. But the more logical explanation is that they simply reached their limit.
UPDATE 5 (8:52am CT): And Sanchez’s agent, who played everyone, tells Bob Nightengale that Sanchez has agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal with the Tigers. It was where he clearly always wanted to go.
UPDATE 6 (8:55am CT): Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs haven’t been told they’re out, but I’m expecting we’ll hear that soon. He adds that the Cubs don’t think they’ll get Sanchez, and expect to turn their attentions elsewhere.
UPDATE 7 (8:59am CT): Multiple reports, including Gordon, say it’s done – Sanchez to the Tigers for 5 years and $80 million. Good for him for getting the money and the location he wanted. I’m going to go punch a dolphin.
Goodness….with Sanchez, our rotation ( with a healthy Garza) would look very strong.
Also , if I had Brad Pitts face I’d be good looking.
if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle…this is too bad tho, rotation would have been competitve
This just shows the cubs are willing to spend on the right player. He would be around during his prime and he’s available now. Gotta sign the right players when they’re available
Just think that if all of the false reporting was true…..
1.Dan Haren
2. Anibal Sanchez
3. Jeff Samardzija
4. Matt Garza
5. Randall Delgado
Thanks, Chuck. I’m going to go throw up now…
U and the rest of us poor Cubs fans lol
Who is Sanchez’s agent? I am pretty sure he is off the FO X-mas card list and will likely be treated with disdain in the future from the Cubs.
I would say that the Cubs should continue to drive up the price that the Tigers will ultimately end up paying, but that would only benefit Sanchez’ agent.
I’m a little surprised Det is willing to go so high on him. This will be their 2nd straight season with a huge payroll increase. They are easily going to surpass the 150 million mark this year. I think if the Cubs go over 5/80, that’s probably getting too high for Sanchez anyway. Just glad they gave him a good effort. Sad that they were just a pawn in this case.
Haven’t heard anything since those 2 tweeted. Both have to be checking “Sources”,because if either one of them had a legit source then I’m sure we would’ve had more tweets by now.
THE HORROR THE HORROR
I don’t believe for a second that the Tigers are at 5/$75, because we heard all last night that if the money was equal he’d go to Detroit. This would be done already if that was the case.
The last 24 hours have shown you can’t believe anything on twitter until the Cubs announce it. Heyman and Rosenthal, two very respected MLB writers, tweeting completely different things minutes apart just proves that point.
Not one Cubs insider has tweeted about it being over or anything. #NoOverYet
I don’t believe any of these rumors because why would Cubs increase offer then pull out?
If we are going back and forth over Anibal Sanchez,
Imagine what its going to be like when David Price is a FA.
Would I have liked Sanchez in a Cubs uniform…. absolutely, But I love Theo’s plan for this team right now.
Imagine when Beaz, Soler, Almora, Castro, Rizzo, Jackson are all in their prime and playing at the sure to be renovated Wrigley Field.
I like thinking about that aspect more then the fact that we lost out on a #3 pitcher that will cost 80/5
Imagine when Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Angel Guzman, Juan Cruz, Carlos Zambrano, Corey Patterson, Bobby Hill, and Hee Seop Choi are all in their prime and playing at Wrigley field.
Banking on a farm system can be every bit as risky as signing a pitcher to 80/5. Also, signing Sanchez doesn’t really impact any of those players you listed.
This is a different generation for the Cubs.
With a different approach and different culture in the FO.
Could all those guys bust? Certainly. But I will take my chances
When Prior, Wood, Z, Guzman etc etc where all in their prime,
The Cubs made it to the NLCS.
Just saying.
Did Guzman really even ever have a “prime”?
Yes it lasted exactly 5 minutes and then he got hurt.
Anybody see Buster Olney’s tweet?
Yipeeee?
No what does it say?
Do we turn around and go after Porcello now?
Fuck this.. Even if he does sign with us, screw him… What an ass, using us like that. I hope he breaks his arm… Go to the Tiges and get swept again in the World Series by the Dodgers. Now lets go get Jiar Jurrgens, Edwin Jackson, or any big namer left. I don’t want this Ass Anibal.
Easy there slugger.
Lol i know there…. Just a little mad, figured out I don’t want him anyway..
Lol i know there…. Just a little mad, figured out I don’t want him anyway
I’m frustrated too. I get it. Was hoping the Cubs got Sanchez from the end of the season.
Now we gotta focus on Edwin Jackson
Why? exactly…
hahaha! I want Jackson too. Always have. But this is like the most classic “sour grapes” example I’ve seen in some time.
Who cares. This is dirty sanchez u guys are talking about. He’s not that good at all. Its not like he’s greg maddux. Get over it.
Cubs should tell Det we will back out on Sanchez if you trade us Porcello
Sanchez and his agent can F themselves. I can’t stand it when agents jerk and manipulate the media. I applaud Theo and Jeds effort though, was encouraging to see the cubs willingness to get after him, but he really never wanted to come to chicago unfortunately, he was just using the cubs, which is a serious bummer
Couldn’t of said it better..
Yep.
Detroit is an absolute shit hole. They can have him in that dump.
agreed, Detroit is like a nuke went off there and the shitty building are still standing and the shittiest sports franchises are the only things still around
Downtown detroit if you aren’t right next to the sports stadiums or in Greektown is pretty much another world. Lots of nice surrounding areas though if you want to live in suburbia.
About a year ago, I read in the WSJ that the average home price in Detroit was under 10K. I still cannot believe that.
It’s not exactly true that figure was due to the amount of foreclosures – no city was hit worse than Detroit. It’s a beautiful city but was never prepared for what happened to the economy. Oh and Greektown is fabulous.
Well, I used to live in Michigan (from the mid 1960′s – late 1980′s), and the joke there was that the economy went from Depression in bad times to Recession in good times. However, the ugly truth was this: what was good for General Motors sometimes was not good for America….
Oddly, I have never considered myself a Michigander…..
You know they actually are growing corn and soy in the inner city of Detroit now. They can’t sell off or put the land to use because nobody wants it or wants to build in the communities so they are using it for agriculture. Kinda funny and kind of sad. Please never ever let chicago get like that. It won’t because we don’t have an industry like the auto industry that was the life blood of detroit and absolutely tank. Damn shame. I’m a poor college kid and can’t afford a car and won’t be able to buy one for a very long time but when I can I’m going to try and buy american, to help support the country. pretty important in my opinion
It’s like Rome in the Middle Ages.
Once Detroit dropped that 5th year, we didn’t have a chance. The leverage was 100% with the player. Theo and Jed did a smart thing by not going to a 6th year, imo.
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
#cubs haved “moved on” in anibal derby. No word of deal w/ tigers yet tho. Could still be another team trying.
Getting tired of every trade and signing not working out. Getting a little old
Just think, 10 years ago you wouldn’t have even known that the Cubs made an offer to Sanchez…
Ahhh, the good old days.
It’s a fait accompli. (I’d love to be wrong about this… but I’m not.)
If Sanchez goes back to Tigers, I’ll be very curious to see how FO treats Sanchez’s agent going forward. Did he play the game the right way and FO respects him or do they feel burned and not sign his players. Either way this was a risky professional move by this agent.
Well Sanchez’es agent is SFX – one of the big boys. This is just part of the game.
Odds are Nightengale screwed the pooch last night or got played.
This was wonderfully played by his agents I’d sign with him if he I could.
Man I wish I was an Angels fan Oh wait….no I don’t.
I’m happy being a cubs fan but I don’t see trying to make fun of someone being an Angels fan is very bright. Next year they are going to have a lineup with Pujols, Trout, and Hamilton. While the only race the cubs will be in is where we will be picking in next years draft.
So now fans are hating on him for getting the deal he wanted? After all the crying for the FO to get a big FA and now this? Come on guys, we all wish we had this kind of negotiating power at our job.
Also, don’t bitch about lack of team loyalty. Sanchez obviously was determined to give his current team every opportunity to re-sign him. I’m not a huge “loyalty” guy (to say the least), but if Sanchez wants to stay in Detroit, then it’s cool that he could do it on his terms. Good on him, I say.
He had no loyalty… be honest he chased the money and played his current team. He just wanted his money, he was just using the cubs to steal another year and an extra $15 mil from his current team. Real loyal. Business is business and he got his but there is almost no such thing as loyalty in pro sports anymore. There is only loyalty to your team when you’ve been with an organization almost your whole career and you have already been paid so it doesn’t matter to them as much to leave anymore
I’ll believe it when Muskat tweets it
Said this last night, and will say it again… I’m glad this appears to not be happening… I do like Theo and Jed’s activity tho… even though we aren’t getting a “perceived” top pitcher, the win is that Theo and Jed proved they are in the market for ALL players that would help the Cubs, not just the maintenance signings.
Smart move, now hopefully the naysayers will calm down a bit…
The other thing to remember is that we only learned about this becuase the circumstances were a little unusual: Sanchez’s agent needed to make the Cubs offer public in order to trigger the Tigers “matching offer.” Had this been a normal situation, then we might have heard about it only months later or maybe not at all.
Oh the hate won’t stop in fact it’s going to get worse.
Agreed, what I don’t know won’t get me down. But it is an interesting story, and toughens me up for the life of a cubs fan, being disappointed, but also encouraging to see the effort and willingness of Theo and Jed to spend if they think its the right guy. even in the middle of a rebuild mode
Fuck Sanchez he is attention seeking whore
Yeah getting the best deal you can get is such a horrible way to live. Geez the hate is here regardless if we win or lose ain’t it?
“Oh, I say and I say it again, ya been had!
Ya been took!
Ya been hoodwinked!
Bamboozled!
Led astray!
Run amok!
This is what He does….”
Thank you Denzel Washington as Malcolm X.