This is where I write the morning Bullets like we’re not all waiting on one very particular piece of news to come down. I should add that, this afternoon The Little Girl is having a holiday concert at her school/daycare. She is “singing” and “dancing” in a show at the concert, which I would not miss for the world. So if it gets to be 3pm-ish CT, and we’re all still waiting on news, but I suddenly disappear – that’s where I am. Pre-apologies, if necessary.
- On that piece of news on which we’re all waiting, Patrick Mooney last night wrote about whether Anibal Sanchez is a good fit for the Cubs right now. He doesn’t draw any conclusions, noting only that Sanchez checks off a lot of the boxes the front office was looking for, and could be a sound investment. Ultimately, that’s the key for Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer: the question is not one of “big” contracts or “star” players. They will sign guys they feel like are good investments. And, as I’ve said: even if the Cubs don’t expect to be competitive in 2013, Sanchez helps in 2014 and beyond. And he’s only available right now.
- New Cubs reliever Kyuji Fujikawa comes to the Cubs’ curse fresh off a curse in Japan – the Curse of the Colonel. Apparently, after winning the championship in 1985 (pfft, that ain’t a curse … ), rowdy Hanshin fans tossed a statue of Colonel – the KFC guy – into a nearby river.
- A nice profile on Cubs prospect Barrett Loux. He is, incidentally, good friends with Brooks Raley, a former teammate at Texas A&M.
- 2012 third rounder Ryan McNeil is one of the Cubs’ many good, but very young, pitching prospects. He dominated rookie ball in his professional debut last year, and expects to pitch for short season Boise next year. He talks here about his adjustment to professional baseball … and post-high school life. Always worth remembering how much these young kids are asked to adjust to in a short time.
- The MLBullets at BCB look at the Josh Hamilton signing reactions, which have been largely negative. There are just so many red flags, and he wasn’t a great fit for the Angels to begin with.
- I guested on the Nothing But Net podcast last week, and you can check it out here.
- Yesterday was a super busy one, and that was BEFORE Sanchez mania broke out, largely thanks to Josh Hamilton signing out of the blue. In case you missed anything: the Cubs DFA’d Jeff Beliveau, the Red Sox signed Ryan Dempster, the Cubs are in on reliever Mike Adams, the Cubs have very tough decisions to make on Matt Garza, Greg Rohan and Jose Rosario were profiled, and you are casually reminded again about the BN Podcast, which you should be listening to.
- If you’re nutso on the Sanchez stuff, you’re going to want to make sure you’re following BN on Twitter, and “liking” it on Facebook. Or you could just keep refreshing BN like mad, which is what you’ll probably do anyway.
Love the Koala
Haha I have a final coming up at 8:50 and all I did last night and this morning was keep hitting the refresh button.
I don’t comment much but this is the best all around cubs site and BTW Go Blue !
The Cubs offered 2.5 mil more? How do they think that will persuade him?
Sounds like Cubs just upped their offer – 5/77.5. Stay tuned!
Cubs raised offer to $77.5 per K.R.
Brett, What you have done here is nothing short of awesome. BN gets better each day. Thank you.
So where’s the anibel sanchez update?!?!?!?
oh wait, cjdubbya has one for me… whew.
Doesn’t seem like a great raised offer if that’s true. Only 2.5 mil more? If I’m Sanchez, not sure how that makes me want to leave a good team to come to the Cubs. Then again, he is consdering Detroit vs. Chicago. Citiwise, it’s a no contest. Detroit is a sesspool.
Chicago
vs
Detroit
Look I love the Cubs..
but who would you pitch for ?
Cubs off a 100 loss season and lack of offense
or AL Champs…with a chance of winning a ring next season?
75, 77 million…really does that matter…unless he is impressed on how the Cubs want him,
I cant see the Cubs getting him.
Plus Detroit (still Comerica?) is a lot more pitcher friendly vs Wrigley.
“$75 million and 1 dollar”
$75 million and 2 dollars…
Ya, I’d be THAT guy on the Price is Right
Barret Loux looks like a guy who should start at AAA, but I dont see any room there.
ETS,,
SO FUNNY! !
Here’s a couple of fun facts about the Hanshin Tigers’ “curse” (as I mentioned in some earlier comments, I used to live near Osaka and am big Hanshin fan):
One of the reasons why fans tossed the KFC Colonel statue into the river is because they believed he looked similar to Randy Bass, the Tigers’ star player from America. Bass is now a state senator in Oklahoma.
A couple of years ago while doing some construction in the Osaka river they found the remains of the Colonel statue. They pulled it out of the river, and some have hope that that has dispelled the curse. There were also rumors that they were going to put the remains of it in the Koshien Stadium, but I haven’t been back since so I don’t know if it actually happened.
lmao @ the Curse of the Colonel
If Sanchez agreed in principle to a 5/75 contract with the Cubs and then he used that as leverage against the Cubs then let him stay in Detroit. The FO needs to save face and walk away from the table. Why chase someone you can’t trust?
Yea if Detroit wins next season or two…good for them and the organization. But no one will remember down the road. When the Cubs win it all, everyone will remember and that team will be immortal.
Good luck A.S.
We still don’t know Detroits counter offer to the Cubs original offer do we? If they are still stuck on 4 years and only sweetened the per year to 4/64 or something… If they offer the same contract as the Cubs its a no brainer for Sanchez to stay, but if he’s waffling and the Cubs keep adding a little, we’re still in this.
I dont think we are still in this…
based on what we have read..
Detroit had a 4 year 60ish million deal
Cubs offered 5 – 75
agent went back to Detroit
who now has 5 – 75..
Cubs 5 – 77.5
back to Detroit, unless he wants to pitch for the Cubs or NL or whatever.
No need to apologize for the kiddos’ concert. Family first, by a long shot. I would probably think less of you if you skipped it to follow the Sanchez deal to be honest.
just heard that heyman said the Cubs are out on Sanchez………..
The curse of the Colonel is loose stool.
Ha! Now that made me laugh! Truer words have never been spoken. Curse of the colonel…my ass! Literally.
Your bullet says that it was reported that Theo went to Florida yesterday. He lives in my neighborhood and we saw him eating ice cream at Dairy Queen.
Both of those things could be true. Also: that’s awesome.
How can you possibly square that with the fact that I heard he was wearing trousers all day yesterday?
Yes, it was a good day in the neighborhood up by Southport and Grace. Dempster was playing soccer with a bunch of kids at the playground (including my son!!!). Theo was at Dairy Queen. Patrick Sharp was out walking his dog. Crazy but all 100% true.
What kind of blizzard? For some reason this is not actually a joke, and I am legitimately interested to know.