The offseason's best non-anxiety-ridden pitcher is on the Red Sox radar according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via MLB Trade Rumors). The Red Sox are among six teams -- both LA teams, Detroit, Kansas City, and a mystery team -- looking at Anibal Sanchez.
As the post further points out, Jon Heyman of CBS thinks the price will be too high on Sanchez and the Red Sox will bail. I agree with Heyman. To me, the free agent pitching situation will end up with Greinke going to whichever LA team bids higher, and the loser will then overpay Sanchez.
Sanchez is a good pitcher, but it's hard to imagine paying him the six years, $90+ million he's seeking will pay off. In his favor: He maintained his steady run of success after being traded from the abyss of Miami to the playoff atmosphere of Detroit. Speaking of the playoffs, he also has allowed just four runs in three starts, with a sub-1.00 WHIP. His agent is surely reminding teams of that.
Nonetheless, I wouldn't risk that much money on him. I've thought all along that the Red Sox were better off trading for pitching (and no, not Felix) than going the free agent route. I had wanted Josh Johnson before he was dealt to Toronto, for instance. Acquiring pitching in free agency rarely seems to work out; I'd rather add somebody to the mix on shorter terms. If we do go the free agent route, I'd still rather see a shorter-term deal with somebody like Shaun Marcum.
