2011 Season Preview: Anibal Sanchez (2004)
Making his stateside debut with the Spinners in 2004, the 20-year-old Sanchez was clearly in a class of his own. With the Spinners he recorded a 1.77 ERA, best in the NYPL, to go with a league leading 101 strikeouts. It is amazing to think he finished with a 3-4 record given those eye-popping numbers, yet seven years later only Christian Lara remains active amongst position players from that squad, and Lara (now with the Dodgers) has yet to play regularly above A-ball.
Sanchez started the 2005 season in Wilmington, earning a mid-season promotion to Double-A Portland where he finished with a 3-5 record and 3.45 ERA in 11 starts, as part of a loaded team that featured future Red Sox Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia, Hanley Ramirez, David Murphy, Brandon Moss and then some!
That off-season Sanchez was used as the second key piece in a trade with the Marlins which brought Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to Boston. With centerpiece Hanley Ramirez, Sanchez joined the Marlins organization putting his big league ETA on a fast track.
Sanchez started the 2006 season with Double-A Carolina, but after 15 starts he earned a call-up to Florida, setting the tables for a fantastic rookie run. Sanchez would finish the season with a 10-3 record, 2.83 ERA and one night for the history books, throwing the first no-hitter by a former Spinner, Sept. 6.
After the standout rookie season, big things were expected of Sanchez entering the 2007 season, but injuries derailed his season, limiting Sanchez to six starts before Tommy John surgery knocked him into the 2008 season.
With a year of rehab, Sanchez worked his way back to Florida for 10 2008 starts, posting mediocre numbers as he regained his strength and command.
Sanchez would again battle injuries in 2009, making just 16 starts with the Marlins, but found much more success, recoding a 3.87 ERA.
Fully healthy, Sanchez entered the 2010 season ready to return to rookie form. Before a rough final month, which can be partly attributed to throwing 80 more innings than his previous career high, Sanchez was one of the National League's best pitchers. He finished the season with a 13-12 record, 3.55 ERA and 157 strikeouts, starting 32 games and pitching just under 200 innings.
The young Marlins are full of talent and intriguing arms. Sanchez will again line-up in the Marlins 2011 rotation, expecting help in the bullpen from former Spinner Dustin Richardson, while playing with one of the game's best, Hanley Ramirez (2002 Spinner). If you happen to be a fantasy player, take note of Sanchez's end of season fatigue that disguises what was one of the best seasons for a starting pitcher in 2010 and poach him as a late round pick. You will not be sorry!