clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The Daily Darvish: Don’t call us, we’ll call Yu

Another week begins with the Japanese righthander still a free agent.

“Sign with the Cubs, buddy. They’ll treat you right.”
Getty Images

Another Monday, another edition of the Daily Darvish.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much news about Yu to post this morning; no new rumors, no new mystery team, no teams reported as bowing out of the Yu Darvish Derby.

Our friends at Twinkie Town are apparently just as impatient as we are:

I don’t dismiss the Twins as a real competitor for Darvish’s services. They were a playoff team in 2017 and they appear to have the financial resources.

As I have most of this offseason, I hope today is the day the Cubs sign Darvish.

There is other Cubs-related news this morning.

First, we have a report about exactly who Brian Duensing turned down to play for the Cubs and how much money he left on the table:

The Chronicle has learned that Oakland offered left-handed reliever Brian Duensing $3 million more than the two-year, $7 million deal he accepted from the Cubs. The A’s also made outfielder Austin Jackson a one-year offer; he took a two-year offer from the Giants.

I don’t want to disparage another team here, so I won’t, but I will say that playing at Wrigley Field for the Cubs has to be perceived as a better situation than playing at the Coliseum for the A’s. Thanks for coming back, Brian — hoping you have two more years just like your 2017 season.

Also, the Cubs have added another player to the spring-training roster:

Efren Navarro was drafted in the 50th (!) round by the Angels in 2007 and played 130 games for them from 2011-15. The MLB draft now ends after 40 rounds. Navarro has hit .295/.363/.410 in 5,134 plate appearances over 11 minor-league seasons, though not with much power (65 home runs). He will likely wind up playing first base at Triple-A Iowa this year.

The Cubs currently have 60 players on their spring roster, 39 from the 40-man, and 21 with non-roster invitations.

Oh, and today’s headline? Here’s a 1975 song with that title for your listening pleasure.