The Yu Darvish Two-Straight-Cy-Youngs-Then-Opting-Out Splooge-O-Rama

[Quality Start Machine]

Good piece here on how Darvish joining the rotation not only means adding Montgomery to an already-improved bullpen, but it also means launching a subpar reliever (Justin Grimm) to Mars.

So the Cubs essentially traded Justin Grimm and money for Yu Darvish.

Indeed, adding a good player means more good players, and fewer bad players, on the roster. This is the bold, cutting edge analysis I demand from Fangraphs.

Also, Grimm is still on the team assuming they go with 8 relievers, and a guy like Maples or Simmons doesn't have a great spring.

Morrow
Cishek
Strop
Edwards
Grimm
Wilson
Duensing
Montgomery

Yeah Grimm is finally out of options (I still have no idea how he had them as late as last year, considering he made his debut in Texas in like 2012 or something) so I'd expect him to get the last spot in the pen, he's flashed too much over the years for them to just discard him, probably. Maples would have to suddenly have a lot better command than he had last year to beat him out of the gate, I think.

I'd think Maples will get the closer role in Iowa, so the Cubs could also get a feel for how he responds to high leverage situations. Grimm will get the 8 spot for now, but if the Cubs see any trades out there, they're going to try throwing him in.

Gotta see how Maples handles the pressure cooker of Triple-A baseball before bringing him up.

He has options, Grimm doesn't. If they trade Grimm, it's all moot. But Maples will be the biggest stud in the Iowa pen, might as well make him closer.

I'm guessing he was more making fun of the idea that "handling high leverage situations" is some discernible skill and that skill can/should be honed in AAA.

I just figured he'd close because he'll have the best stuff in Iowa. Seeing how he does in high leverage situations is simply because that is where he'll be.

[Quality Start Machine]

Darvish goes against his old team on Jake's 32nd birthday. Guess we get closure all around today.

[Saul Goodman]

Darvish goes against his old team on Jake's 32nd birthday. Guess we get closure all around today.

If you say so.

[Quality Start Machine]

Darvish goes against his old team on Jake's 32nd birthday. Guess we get closure all around today.

If you say so.

I just did.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Darvish goes against his old team on Jake's 32nd birthday. Guess we get closure all around today.

If you say so.

So.

[SKO]

Well that was cool

[D. Doluntap]

Very cool.

[Saul Goodman]

He escaped the fifth inning despite a meltdown threat!  EVERYTHING IS FINE.

Also he just notched one of the more amusing doubles of the year.

[Quality Start Machine]

So all we have to do is get more games against Milwaukee and Yu will be fine.

[Saul Goodman]

So all we have to do is get more games against Milwaukee and Yu will be fine.

And no more against Colorado.

[SKO]

I don't really think there's anything wrong here other than that he has no fastball command right now. The only problem is I don't know how that gets fixed if they don't know why it's happening?

[Wheezer]

The only problem is I don't know how that gets fixed if they don't know why it's happening?

I presume the owner's manual was poorly written.

[R-V]

I don't really think there's anything wrong here other than that he has no fastball command right now. The only problem is I don't know how that gets fixed if they don't know why it's happening?

I've seen some folks on the tubes suggest that Gimenez come up to play Yu's caddie and I'm cool with that. Caratini isn't really getting enough action to continue his development and giving Yu a security blanket probably isn't the worst idea in the world.

[SKO]

I don't really think there's anything wrong here other than that he has no fastball command right now. The only problem is I don't know how that gets fixed if they don't know why it's happening?

I've seen some folks on the tubes suggest that Gimenez come up to play Yu's caddie and I'm cool with that. Caratini isn't really getting enough action to continue his development and giving Yu a security blanket probably isn't the worst idea in the world.

Yeah I mean I think that's fine and can't hurt to try, but it really doesn't seem like sequencing or pitch calling is the issue here. In fact I thought Willson and Yu were smart against the Brewers to mix and match and basically just ditch the 4 seam entirely. Still, you can only get away without throwing a fastball for strikes for so long. Our good friend Trueblood pointed out that Yu's release point this year is down 3-4 inches from last year which is kind of a big dip and probably what he needs to fix. I doubt a catch fixes that.

[R-V]

I don't really think there's anything wrong here other than that he has no fastball command right now. The only problem is I don't know how that gets fixed if they don't know why it's happening?

I've seen some folks on the tubes suggest that Gimenez come up to play Yu's caddie and I'm cool with that. Caratini isn't really getting enough action to continue his development and giving Yu a security blanket probably isn't the worst idea in the world.

Yeah I mean I think that's fine and can't hurt to try, but it really doesn't seem like sequencing or pitch calling is the issue here. In fact I thought Willson and Yu were smart against the Brewers to mix and match and basically just ditch the 4 seam entirely. Still, you can only get away without throwing a fastball for strikes for so long. Our good friend Trueblood pointed out that Yu's release point this year is down 3-4 inches from last year which is kind of a big dip and probably what he needs to fix. I doubt a catch fixes that.

Given how wild Yu has been, it also might help to have a catcher back there who's *not* the worst in the majors at framing pitches.