Rangers' Darvish: 'I never quit on the team' last season

Yu Darvish has learned English over the offseason - even some curse words.

The Texas Rangers right-hander addressed a question from the media for the first time without the help of his interpreter Sunday in an attempt to dispel the myth he quit on the team last year by not pitching after Aug. 9 due to shoulder inflammation.

"That's bullshit," Darvish told reporters. "Some people talked about that, that I, Yu Darvish, quit the team. I never quit on the team. I love my teammates, this ballclub. I never did that. I never did that in my life. That's not true."

General manager Jon Daniels told the media Darvish might had been able to pitch had the games been more meaningful, which created speculation that Darvish requested to be shut down with the team well out of contention.

Darvish vowed to learn English over the winter to help form a better bond with his teammates, and he's made quite the impression with his first attempt.

The 28-year-old still posted a 10-7 record with a 3.06 ERA and recorded 182 strikeouts in 144 1/3 innings last season.