MESA, Arizona — The Cubs put up six runs in the first inning off Dodgers rookie Wilmer Font and defeated L.A. 9-5, but I’m more interested in telling you about my first impressions of Yu Darvish in a Cubs uniform.
First, Darvish has a completely different pre-game routine than any other Cubs starter. He was on the field at 12:15 — at least 15 minutes earlier than the other starters I’ve watched — running and stretching. He paused briefly to greet his former catcher with the Dodgers, Austin Barnes, as Barnes entered Sloan Park, then resumed his workout routine.