Minnesota baseball fans have been expressing their desire for the Twins to bolster their 2018 pitching rotation. Your wish is the Pohlads’ command.

It has been announced that the Paul Molitor managed ball-club agreed to terms with the soon to be 34 year-old Anibal Sanchez.

Per source w/direct knowledge, non-guaranteed Anibal Sanchez deal w/#mntwins is akin to an arb-eligible contract. Gets $410,000 (30 days’ termination pay) if cut by Day 16 of spring camp, $615,000 (45 days’ term) if cut between Day 17 and Opening Day. https://t.co/edWH4pHFzI

— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) February 17, 2018

If you didn’t catch the sarcasm in the earlier “Your wish is the Pohlad’s command” line, all of the outs we have in this deal should make that attempt at humor evident. My passive-aggressive approach is nothing personal against the former Marlin and Tiger, as a person. No, no no. It’s just that the Venezuelan native’s stats from the last three seasons are, to be politically correct, piss poor:

Over those 415 2/3 innings, Sanchez has registered an ERA of 5.67. For comparison purposes, Detroit’s 5.36 team ERA was the worst in the majors, last year. Our newest acquisition was a member of that very staff. Funny how that works…

To give the right-hander some credit, he was lights-out in 2013. That season, his 2.57 ERA over 182 innings was good enough to finish fourth in the Cy Young voting. If, and that’s a very legitimate if, Sanchez makes the opening day roster, let’s hope he can accumulate an ERA closer to that of five years ago, rather than last year’s 6.41.

The Vikings just leaned on a bargain bin right-hander they acquired during last summer’s offseason. Who’s to say Minnesota’s baseball team won’t have their own version of Case Keenum? Like throwing money on the Twins to win the World Series, my heart is in the right place. With that said, DO NOT hold your breath on that absurd scenario.

Since 2013, Anibal Sanchez has seen a dip in his avg fastball velocity every year.

Was at a career low 91.2mph in 2017.

— Ted Schwerzler (@tlschwerz) February 16, 2018

Falvey and Levine, whether it be via free agent or trade, are very much exploring their options on acquiring a different, higher-valued starting arm. Naturally, that’s a wonderful idea! If they weren’t, I’d be smashing the proverbial panic button.

Since we’re not at that stage, the adjective I’d use surrounding Friday’s signing, would be concerned. The concern being that Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb will get eaten up by other teams, no trade will be made, and Sanchez ends up making the opening day roster. From there, the past-his-prime pitcher, gets absolutely rocked in his team debut. We’re only in the first week of April and Twins Nation goes managerial-style psycho.

Only time will tell. Who knows? Maybe my currently aggressive caffeine levels are causing an overreaction.

On the bright side of things, we are only one move away from having ourselves a new ace:

More like Chris A Chair, amirite? Take a seat. pic.twitter.com/MW5MX0klBw

— Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN) February 14, 2018

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

Chris Gimenez to the Cubs… Is Darvish next? #MNTwins

?: @TheJohnnyMN https://t.co/vNpsDUoCni

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 23, 2018

Yes.

After a marathon battle of cat and mouse, the back-and-forth between Yu Darvish and the MLB free agency market finally came to an end on Saturday. The 31-year-old pitcher agreed to a six-year, $126 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.

Breaking: Yu Darvish has agreed to a six-year, $126 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. (first reported by The Athletic, confirmed by ESPN) pic.twitter.com/XvZ0UMAkFh

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 10, 2018

Well, so much for the whole Mike Napoli recruiting Yu Darvish to sign with Minnesota thing. That whole story was as epic a reach as that one Michael Jordan dunk in Space Jam? Twins fans were supposed to be encouraged that a player, who’s not EVEN on our team, would help land one of the two most sought after free agent pitchers? As much as I wanted it to, that one didn’t pull the wool over my eyes.

Anywho, it’s on to the next one. F*ck it. The initial domino has FINALLY fallen. Yu Darvish, like the recently engaged Carson Wentz, is off of the market.

Carson Wentz is now engaged, 9 years after nearly suffering a dating career ending injury #Eagles pic.twitter.com/kcqoP27TS1

— Old Player Tweets (@OldPlayerTweets) February 6, 2018

Per Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press, a rival club official said he still expected the Twins to land a starting pitcher but was “not sure which level they go to.”

As for other free agent pitchers available, Jake Arrieta is now, hands-down, the most coveted starting hurler available. Financially, the former Cy Young Award winner has the potential to top Darvish’s deal. Here are the 31 year-old’s numbers from the last few seasons:

In the event Arrieta is anywhere near his 2015 self, someone out there is getting a bonafide ace. Personally, considering his age and his downward-trending numbers, I’m good without Jake the Snake. Plus, he shaved his patented beard:

Jake Arrieta looks completely unrecognizable after shaving beard pic.twitter.com/Mg3eBBALJL

— Bush Leaguer (@BushLeague101) October 22, 2017

After Arrieta, there’s a drop-off to the next tier of talent, which includes Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn. Cobb (30 years-old) is coming of a 2017 campaign with the Rays, where he finished with 12-10 record (29 starts) and a 3.66 ERA. As for Lynn (30 years-old), the longtime St. Louis Cardinal, posted an 11-8 record (33 starts) with an ERA of 3.43 last season. Those numbers are right there with what Arrieta posted in 2017. As for how much Cobb and Lynn will get paid, that won’t be right there with the former Chicago Cub.

Berardino also reported that the Twins are continuing to explore starting pitchers such as Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi.

The way I see it, outside of avoiding Arrieta and his fat price tag, I don’t give a shit who they bring in at this point. Just bring in someone decent, please. With Ervin Santana set to miss the start of the season with a finger injury, this potential rotation sounds rough…

Twins opening day rotation

José Berríos
Adalberto Mejia
Kyle Gibson
Trevor May
Aaron Slegers pic.twitter.com/g1WfrSedPC

— Jared Rubado (@JaredRubado) February 10, 2018

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com