Once I calmed down from the Lackey signing Friday evening, I began to focus on the length of the deal – two years. That’s pretty good for a 37-year-old pitcher coming off 200 innings pitched in 2015. But when I considered why Lackey only got a two-year deal, my thoughts began shifting away from his age at the end of the deal (39) to who the Cubs will have ready in 2018.
It’s quite well known throughout the industry that it takes 5-7 years to develop a pitcher. As such, Theo Epstein and Co. have yet to develop either a reliever or a starter at the major league level from among their draft and international free agent acquisitions.