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Edwin Jackson to Cubs: Chicago Reportedly Signs Pitcher to 4-Year Contract

December 20, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Edwin Jackson has a new home. The 29-year-old right-hander who spent the 2011 season with the Washington Nationals has reportedly signed with the Chicago Cubs. CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney has the latest: #Cubs have signed Edwin Jackson (four years, $52 million) and Carlos Villanueva, pending physicals.— Patrick Mooney (@CSNMooney) December 20, 2012 Jackson is ideally a third starter at best. His career record is 70-71, with an ERA of 4.40, but he has shown some flashes of brilliance in his 10-year career.Jackson made the All-Star team in 2009 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. He was 13-9 that season with an ERA of ...

Chicago Cubs: Projecting the 2013 Batting Order

December 19, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

We are getting closer to the holiday season and that can only mean one thing—only 56 more days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. The Chicago Cubs have been meticulously adding pieces to the puzzle, and are looking to improve on their 101 loss season of 2012. The good thing about losing 101 games in a season is that you really have only one place to go—up. We have seen the Cubs make moves to try and bolster the lineup, starting rotation and bullpen for 2013. There is still time in the offseason to try and improve these ...

4 Reasons Chicago Cubs Were Wise to Avoid Anibal Sanchez

December 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

While the Detroit Tigers outbid the Chicago Cubs and signed right-hander Anibal Sanchez to a five-year, $80 million deal, it will prove to be a blessing that the Cubs did not end up acquiring the 28-year-old.Cubs fans have to be excited that chairman Tom Ricketts and team president Theo Epstein were active in their pursuit of Sanchez and that they nearly signed the biggest pitcher left on the market.  However, they may also feel sick to their stomachs because Sanchez and his agent might have used the Cubs as leverage to get Sanchez a better deal to return to the ...

Chicago Cubs: Has the Cubs’ Rotation Improved from Last Year?

December 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

There is no doubt the core of the Cubs’ starting rotation has improved from the beginning of the 2012 season if for no other reason than experience.  The question should be, rather, has the overall rotation improved from last year? The splendiferous verity of Chris Volstad no longer being a part of the starting rotation is already an improvement from the Opening Day staff of 2012. But the Cubs did trade away Ryan Dempster, and no matter how cynical you are about Dempster, losing your best pitcher can not, in no uncertain terms, improve your ballclub. Therefore, the equation is ...

Analyzing, Grading the Chicago Cubs’ Most Controversial Offseason Move

December 17, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Had the Chicago Cubs succeeded in outbidding the Detroit Tigers for the services of pitcher Anibal Sanchez, that would have been the team's most controversial move this offseason.Was signing a free-agent pitcher to a five-year contract worth $15.5 million per season really the best move for a club undergoing a rebuilding project like the Cubs? Would Sanchez in the starting rotation prevent a last-place finish for the Cubs in the NL Central next season? If the belief is that a baseball team can never have enough pitching, then at least Cubs general manager Theo Epstein was ready to take a chance ...

Anibal Sanchez Rumors: Should Chicago Cubs Fans Fear Theo Epstein’s Old Habits?

December 14, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs weren't expected to be major players in free agency this winter, and for good reason. It's still early in Theo Epstein's rebuilding project, so now's not the best time to make it rain.But then BAM! Suddenly there were Anibal Sanchez rumors everywhere on Thursday. With no warning at all, the Cubs found themselves right in the thick of the Hot Stove hype machine. It was like Epstein was running the Boston Red Sox again....And that's not necessarily a good thing.Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reported on Thursday that the Cubs' offer to Sanchez was certainly legit at five years ...

MLB Free Agents: Chicago Cubs Were Wise to Move on from Anibal Sanchez

December 14, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

With the Chicago Cubs in the middle of what could be a fairly lengthy rebuild, it probably came as a surprise for most to see the team right in the middle of the Anibal Sanchez sweepstakes.At one point yesterday, and continuing into this morning, Chicago was in serious discussions with Anibal Sanchez, one of this offseason's most sought-after starting pitchers, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:  Sources: #Cubs in serious discussions with Anibal Sanchez. Deal could be 5 years/$75 million. #Tigers still a threat.— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 13, 2012    Source: #Cubs increase five-year offer to Anibal Sanchez to $77.5M. #Tigers ...

Are the Chicago Cubs Headed in the Right Direction?

December 13, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs continue to be one of the busiest teams in baseball this offseason. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer seem determined to get the Cubs back on the winning path and ultimately improve on 2012's very forgettable 101-loss campaign.Buster Olney of ESPN tweeted on Thursday that other teams have been complimenting the Cubs on how they have been building from the ground up.The team has been wise to sign free agents to very reasonable one-year deals this offseason. Scott Feldman and Scott Baker were both low-risk signings that can potentially bring a high reward, as was signing Nate Schierholtz ...

Chicago Cubs Rumors: Pros and Cons of Acquiring Each Top Winter Target

December 12, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs have had a busy winter. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have been hard at work trying to improve on the Cubs’ 101-loss season from 2012. They have made some moves that most analysts would consider low-risk, but also low-reward signings. Among those low-risk signings, the Cubs did manage to make a splash when they landed Kyuji Fujikawa. According to the Chicago Tribune, the team’s official stance was that despite the Fujikawa signing, Carlos Marmol would remain the closer. However, most people have read the writing on the wall and have written Marmol off as trade bait at this ...

5 Things Dale Sveum Should Do to Save His Job

December 12, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

To say that Dale Sveum's first year as skipper of the Cubs didn't go as planned would probably be an understatement.  With a 10-game decline from 2011, the Cubs finished the 2012 campaign with a miserable 61-101 record. Injuries, players who didn't perform to expectations, new management, etc., all led to a underachieving season.  Theo Epstein has a track record of taking a group from underachieving to wearing the bling that comes with a World Series championship.To say it will take time to right the ship for the Cubs is something Captain Obvious would say.  But with the right group in ...

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