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Levine: Signing LHP Brett Anderson A Reasonable Gamble For Cubs

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The signing of left-hander Brett Anderson, pending a physical, is precisely the type of move both Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer promised to do after winning the World Series in November.

To be more exact, the front office has been looking for rehabbing pitchers who are making comebacks.

The Cubs have wanted to fortify the organization's weakness in big league pitching depth. The 2017 staff looks solid, with a group of returning pitchers that had the most innings pitched and lowest ERA in baseball last. Only right-hander Jason Hammel will be missing from that accomplished group.

Replacing the 166 2/3 innings thrown by Hammel is just the short-term 2017 outlook. With a vision beyond this year, the Cubs' front office will be looking to replace and fortify this group into 2018 and beyond. Right-hander Jake Arrieta and right-hander John Lackey are set to be free agents in November. The ominous task of likely replacing close to 400 quality innings will be the job of Epstein, Hoyer and scouting guru Jason McLeod.

The minor league system is closer to producing legitimate rotation replacements. At this juncture, they may need at least another solid minor league season to be ready. Dylan Cease, Duane Underwood and Oscar De La Cruz are the top pitchers moving through the Cubs' system. Trevor Clifton, Jose Albertos and Bryan Hudson are also among the top 10 prospects in the farm system.

Using a little imagination, the front office believed in the good reports on how Anderson was throwing in Arizona before agreeing to terms, pending the physical. Anderson, who turns 29 in February, had arguably his best season in 2015, posting 30 starts for the first time since his rookie season of 2009. He went 10-9 with a 3.69 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.

Back surgery in 2016 limited Anderson to just four outings. The gamble is $3.5 million in 2017. That another $6.5 million can be earned isn't a risk, as those incentives are based on the best-case scenario of Anderson making numerous starts or appearances.

Anderson has had many injury-plagued seasons in his career. The good news is that he has a lifetime 3.86 ERA, so he's been solid when healthy. The Cubs' rotation tryouts in February will be an audition for left-hander Mike Montgomery and Anderson. Perhaps the best-case result would be Anderson staying healthy and winning the fifth starter's job outright in spring training.

Why? Because the Cubs could really use the quality bullpen innings from the left side that Montgomery began to give them last September and through the postseason. The team added veteran left-hander Brian Duensing this offseason to the bullpen mix. A former starter, Duensing could also get stretched out this spring as a rotation possibility.

Left-hander Rob Zastryzny pitched well in the last part of 2016 for the champion Cubs. Both he and Duensing have swing-man potential from the left side. Veterans David Rollins and Dylan Floro will compete for a left-handed role as well.

The Cubs have been lucky with pitchers' health in recent years, having had only a handful of starts missed by their rotation the past two seasons. That good health has led to a combined 200 regular-season wins in the past two campaigns.

Epstein and Hoyer know that they've been fortunate with the good health of their pitchers. With that in mind, this won't be the Cubs' last move in making sure they are pitching-protected going into the 2017 season.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.

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