Links for Sunday….
- Yu Darvish officially renewed his contract with the Nippon Ham Fighters this week, as NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman writes. Darvish, who may play in MLB in 2012, will earn the equivalent of about $6MM this season in Japan.
- One AL scout tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that Grant Balfour remains unsigned in part due to a dip in velocity over the last year, but adds: "He’s developed good command of his secondary pitches. He can pitch in the AL East, he’s a competitor, and if you use him as a complementary piece, he’s worth pursuing for your bullpen." I looked at some possible fits for Balfour last weekend.
- We heard yesterday that Joe Torre was talking to Bud Selig about potentially becoming MLB's next executive vice president of operations. However, Ken Davidoff of Newsday doesn't expect Torre to take such a position, and says "other people in the loop" don't either.
- Jim Margalus of South Side Sox examines how Chris Sale's role with the White Sox will be affected by Will Ohman's arrival.
Really liked Sale as a reliever, but he has a TON more potential value as a starter. His peak upside is incredibly high, though his injury risk makes him bust potential relatively high as well. I think he should be eased into the rotation to avoid hurting him in his early years, and he could develop into a successful starter. Though he does throw with the Inverted W, it is possible he could overcome/ avoid injuries (see: Adam Wainwright, John Smoltz, Chris Carpenter) to be a really good starter.
I think its also very possible he cannot handle starting, and has a very successful (if less valuable) career as a setup man/ closer.
Can’t help but be really happy for Darvish. Can’t wait ’til the 2011 NPB season! And definitely looking forward to seeing him (hopefully) make his way to the MLB in 2012. It’d be great to see him play with the best in the world and see how he ranks. It’d be a dream come true for me if he signed with the Blue Jays, but that’s highly unlikely. =(
Darvish isn’t coming to MLB for 2011 partially due to the divorce he’s going through right now — his future ex-wife would be entitled to a large portion of that big contract. I think 2012 will be the year he makes the jump. Guy’s got some skills.
Can’t wait… Can’t wait. better not flop.
if he gets posted you know the yankees and all the big markets will be all over him for his services
Just what MLB needs, “Yankee Bob Watson” with a protegee (Joe Torre) to interrupt Yankee/Sox games and make uniform checks on Terry Francona to make sure he has a actual jersey on underneath his sweatshirt while at Yankee stadium and other BS.
Way to go MLB..
I don’t think dice k is the most successful japanese player to come over here. I think my vote has to go to Kazuhiro Sazaki. Closer for the m’s
Player? Ichiro!
Please, Cubs. The market lacks impact starting pitching at a somewhat reasonable age, assuming that Wainwright’s option vests and the Cubs resign Dempster(although he’s not totally an impact pitcher).
Thought we were talking pitchers, I hate ichiro but he is the best player