Who is Yu Darvish you ask? Good question. I didn't know who was, either. Apparently he's a 21-year-old Iranian-Japanese pitcher who is one of the best in the Japanese game.
The East Windup Chronicle (via MLB Trade Rumors) cites a Korean newspaper that says the Yankees would be interested in him for the 2009 season. It is also expected that if he is posted, Daisuke Matsuzaka's salary (six years for $52 million, plus the $51.1 million posting fee) would be the floor.
First of all, it is not clear if his team will post him after this season. Secondly, if he is indeed posted, I would be shocked if the Yankees jump on this unproven commodity for a price that exceeds Matsuzaka's. Matsuzaka was supposed to dominate this season and did not exactly impress me.
For more on Darvish, check out his Wikipedia page. His blood type is A, apparently. He also many not even want to come to America.
Since Daisuke Matsuzaka signed for the Boston Red Sox and left Japan for the United States of America, attention has been focused on Yu Darvish to help keep up the popularity of baseball in Japan. As a young star in Japanese baseball Darvish is expected to fill the void left by Matsuzaka’s departure. Unlike Matsuzaka, Darvish has told the Japanese press that he has no intention of seeking a move to America anytime in the future.
2 comments:
Dice-K will only get better, and although he wasn't dominant this season, he had flashes of Dominance. In the long run, he will pay off for the Red Sox and be yet another move the Yanks should have made. Instead, the Yanks felt compelled to sign the Buck Toothed, Sunglass Wearing Wonder, who was a complete and utter waste of money. In a league where good pitching is higly valued and great pitching is a rare commodity, Dice-K earned his $10 Million (which is more than I can say for Carl Pavano or Mike Mussina).
Dice-K's contract itself was a relative bargain. However, the posting fee/process was ridiculous and should be amended.
The Igawa signing was obviously a mistake. For whatever reason, they thought signing their own Japanese pitcher with a posting fee would take away from the attention Dice-K got. Hopefully the Yankees won't have to see much of him this season.
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