Still Available: Should Cubs go after Tim Anderson? |
This has been an ongoing topic for months, and it will continue until opening day or until the top free agents are signed. With pitchers and catchers officially reporting to their spring sites, all eyes are on Scott Boras and his clients as they remain unsigned.
When the offseason began and you saw a list of the top 50 free agents, Boras' clients were all over that list, as Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Jordan Montgomery, and Blake Snell were all top 10 or top 20 options. Here, we are just over a month away from the regular season, and not only are these four still left unsigned, but several other names are still on the board, which is a surprise. Some of the remaining names could help the Cubs this season, while some may not, but it just goes to show you how unpredictable the MLB free-agent period can be. One player many forget was still a free agent and is looking for a bounce-back year is former Chicago White Sox SS Tim Anderson, who is looking for a new home. Anderson was one of the best hitters in the game for about four years, only to go through a down year last year. Whether it was a fluke will be answered this season, but I pose the question to you. Should the Cubs go after Tim Anderson for possible infield depth? The Cubs were fortunate enough to be mainly healthy in the infield last season, but once Dansby Swanson got hurt, the infield took a massive hit. Sure, having Nico Hoerner able to slide to SS made things easier, but then they lost his presence at second while also losing Nick Madrigal at third, which had lasting effects also. A SS his entire career, Anderson was spending some time at 3B during the offseason and could be added to this team as a utility infielder aimed at bringing depth to this team. Who knows, 3B could become his new home, as anything close to the 2022 version of Anderson would be considered a win for any team. Now, before everyone jumps off the ledge, screaming why this is such a bad deal, remember this is just an idea. Still, it is hard to ignore the fit Anderson could have, as he would not only be the backup to Swanson and Hoerner but could develop into a solid placeholder at 3B until Matt Shaw is ready. Take last season out of the equation, where Anderson not only dealt with injuries but hit a dreadful .245 with one homer and 25 RBIs across 123 games, and he has been one of the game's best leadoff hitters for quite some time, which is something the Cubs haven't consistently had since Dexter Fowler. Mike Tauchman filled that role nicely last season, but he wasn't even seen as a leadoff hitter, which this lineup could use.
Anderson isn't a power guy by any means, but he is a hitter who makes contact and knows how to put the ball in play. From 2019-2022, Anderson had a combined .317 average with a career-best .335 in 2019. Since then, that average has gone down every season, but at .322, .308 and .301 in the years prior he is still a great hitter who sets the table for his offense.
Not only does he hit the ball, but he is a contact hitter who has never taken more than 30 walks in a season, but strikes out around 110 years a year. In other words, he has an aggressive approach that leads to contact, but can also lead to strikeouts if he is overly aggressive. Like most leadoff hitters, Anderson doesn't have much power, as his career high in homers came in 2018 when he connected for 20.
Outside of that, Anderson will still get you 13-15 homers, which is respectable, but he has only had seven homers in the past two seasons, which is a concern. Anderson is also a stolen base threat when he is on the bases and has only had less than 13 steals twice in his career. Does he have the speed to steal more bases? Of course, but he has yet to use that to his advantage as much as you think.
Sooner or later, someone will give Anderson a chance, especially when you look at his track record as a top-of-the-order bat. It may or may not be the Cubs, but if you could get him for five million per season to be a utility infielder, why not take the chance? It is a win-win deal for both parties, and you would have nothing to lose knowing what he can be and what it would do to this team.
