NEWSLETTER
When you think about an “impact” signing, you typically think about a singular stud of a player at a position of need. A guy who can step into a void, and immediately provide a dramatic improvement in performance.
If that’s your only definition of an “impact” signing, then I think you could argue that the Chicago Cubs landing Yu Darvish today is not that kind of impact signing. After all, you could say that the Cubs didn’t have a huge void in the rotation right now. But we know this is an extremely impactful signing, so clearly, that definition is off. How about a signing that improves three different portions of the roster all at once? Maybe some portions more significantly than others, but unquestionably all three of them. That do anything for you?
That’s what the Cubs have done today by adding Darvish.
Consider that:
I really don’t think you can overstate how impactful this signing is for a Cubs team that was already still looking like the class of the NL Central, but just upped the ante considerably. With the Cubs in the middle of a seven-year competitive window, adding a 31-year-old Darvish is going to significantly improve the Cubs’ chances of staying truly competitive for the next four years as Jon Lester continues to get long in the tooth, as Kyle Hendricks gets pricier and nears free agency, and as the Cubs still battle their struggles to develop starters internally.
I am extremely happy about this signing.
The signing also, in an indirect way, sets in motion the Cubs’ plans behind the plate. With Darvish in the fold, his former personal catcher Chris Gimenez figures to have just locked up the back-up catcher job. As we’ve discussed, that was probably already the case, but this cinches it. I like that, too, for the Cubs. Gimenez has been a successful back-up for years, can still hit lefties, is a good veteran presence, and allows the Cubs to decide what they want to do with Victor Caratini rather than being forced to use him as the back-up catcher.
Today is a good day, Cubs fans.
