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Health & Fitness

Hot Stove: 12/27

Happy Holidays. Because of the holiday season, there is no major news, but the Cubs picked up a couple of pitchers and Prince rumors are heating up, so stay tuned.

Record of the Day

Most wins in a season by a National/Expo: Ross Grimsley, 20 (1978).

The only 20-game winner in franchise history, the Grimsley was signed by the Expos after the 1977 season and were not disappointed with what they got in the first year.  The 28-year-old was 20-11 with a 3.05 ERA and completed 19 of his 36 starts.  He was selected to his first and only All Star team, then was traded to the Indians after the 1979 season. 

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Free Agent Signings

Cubs signed Andy Sonnanstine (0-2, 5.55 ERA, .292 BAA, 2012 age: 29) to a non-gaurunteed deal.

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Cubs also signed Manny Corpas (missed 2011 season, 34 career saves, 3.93 ERA, 2012 age: 29) to a non-gaurunteed deal.

Angels signed Ryan Langerhans (3 HR, 6 RBI, .173 AVG, 0 SB, 2012 age: 32) to a minor league deal.

Andy Sonnanstine brings the Cubs a versatile right-hander who will compete for a spot in the Cubs pitching staff.  Playing the first five years of his career with the Devil Rays/Rays, Andy shuffled back and forth between starter and reliever.  He shined in the Rays' breakout season of 2008, going 13-9 with a 4.38 ERA in 32 starts, then pitching well in the postseason.  In three postseason starts, he was 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA and .217 BAA.  His numbers declined rapidly into 2009, where he was 6-9 with a 6.77 ERA in 22 games (18 starts).  He bounced back decently in 2010, posting a 4.44 ERA in 41 games mainly out of the bullpen (four starts mixed in).  He saw another down year last year, pitching in just 15 games (four starts) for the Rays and posting a 5.55 ERA.  He was non-tendered by Tampa Bay a few weeks ago.  Over his five year career, he was 28-31 with a 5.26 ERA in 132 games (80 starts). 

Manny Corpas has had one very solid year in his career, but never really duplicated the success.  After posting a 3.62 ERA in a 35 game stint as a 23-year-old in 2006, the Panama native saw huge success in 2007 in the wake of an early-season injury to closer Brian Fuentes.  In 78 games, he posted a Colorado reliever-record 2.08 ERA with 19 saves and a .224 BAA in the Mile High City, giving Colorado fans hope that he was the next big thing.  Despite his success in 2007, Corpas began to decline in 2008, where his ERA jumped to 4.52 in 76 games before his worst season ever in 2009.  That year, he was 1-3 with a 5.88 ERA and .326 BAA in 35 games.  He pitched another full season in the Rockies bullpen in 2010, but again struggled, going 3-5 with a 4.62 ERA and 10 saves in 56 games.  He had Tommy John surgery in September and missed all of 2011.  Over his five-year career, he was 12-16 with a 3.93 ERA, .274 BAA, and 34 saves in 280 games.  Despite the flux in his career, he has maintained an ability to throw strikes, walking 80 batters in 286 innings.

Other News

None.

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Teams followed in this email: Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves

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HR: home runs.  RBI: runs batted in.  AVG: batting average.  SB: stolen bases.  ERA: earned run average.  BAA: batting average against.  K's: strikeouts. WPCT: winning percentage

Zack Silverman

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