Yu Darvish’s agent compares Cubs’ recruiting efforts to Alabama

Today, I eat my words and look at how the process played out. Both Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb are still unsigned as well. Clearly, he lost manager Joe Maddon‘s trust over the 2017 campaign. It even appeared as though he might take less money to join such a contender.

That allows the Cubs to retain their flexibility and use either Chatwood or Montgomery to strengthen a bullpen that PECOTA really doesn’t like overall. It was there that the Cubs got an impression of the pitcher beyond what they’ve seen from the field, and Darvish the same about the Club. He is bringing forward-thinking, injury-prevention methods from Cleveland, as well as a track record for success with that Indians’ staff, and I can see that combination being a difference-maker for the Mets. And Darvish just agreed on a six-year deal. “We like to meet in person, just to understand where a player is coming from, what motivates him, where he is in his development off the field as well as on the field, what they’re looking for out of a destination”, said Epstein of the December meeting with Darvish. The big market teams continue to steal the headlines and – as if the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees’ rivalry couldn’t get any better – it may after recent rumors surrounding free agent slugger J.D. Martinez.

The Boston Red Sox have always been considered the favorite to land Martinez, though The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal has reported that the slugger is “fed up” with the team’s reported offer of $125 million over five years.

Darvish struggled mightily in the World Series, but his electric stuff paired with the Cubs’ pitching needs makes his signing a no-brainer.

He pointed out that the Astros were a hot team and there was a reason they won the World Series. He’s been over here for six years.

It took almost three and a half months, but an Major League Baseball free agent finally landed a nine-figure contract this past weekend.

Arrieta, 31, didn’t have a vintage season in 2017 with the Chicago Cubs, though he still finished 14-10 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 163 strikeouts in 168.1 innings. He’s got a.574 slugging percentage and a.300 batting average over the last four years.

Even if the rotation in Chicago is ordered differently and Lester gets the ball in an earlier game, this still leaves one of Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana or newcomer Darvish to take the hill in the fourth game of a postseason series. Jon Lester is two seasons removed from garnering Cy Young votes. The Cubs are embracing their championship window. Though every one of the men above are now on longterm deals, to think Kershaw or Greinke, on an expiring contract like Darvish’s a year ago, would fetch just one true major league prospect is asinine.

The Cubs, boosted by the addition of Yu Darvish, certainly are well armed as they start spring training.

The thing is, he is more than two bad World Series starts.