The Rangers won the bidding for Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish last night and while the $51.7MM bid doesn't assure Texas of Darvish himself, it does mean we're in for 30 days of negotiations between the team and agent Arn Tellem. Here are some reactions to the news from around MLB:
- Darvish celebrated the announcement that the Rangers had made a record bid for the right to discuss a contract with him by working out, Yahoo's Jeff Passan writes.
- GM Jon Daniels acknowledged last night that the deal will have an impact on other moves the team makes, but says the Angels’ aggressive moves did not affect Texas’ approach to Darvish (Twitter links via Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest.com).
- Rangers ownership made an exception and decided to spend despite the financial issues that threatened to limit their offseason extravagance a week ago, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.
- Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker expects Darvish to sign with the Rangers, but wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't.
- Darvish offers the highest possible reward, but carries the highest possible risk, Jim Bowden writes at ESPN.com. Bowden says Darvish has the stuff to be a top-of-the-rotation starter and argues that he is worth taking a risk on.
- There's every indication that the sides can work out a deal within 30 days, according to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
- Darvish could be good enough that the Rangers can sustain the loss of C.J. Wilson without slowing down, Richard Justice writes at MLB.com.
- Blue Jays fans got their hopes up for Darvish and now face staggering disappointment, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca writes. However, Davidi hears the Blue Jays "have a number of balls in the air" beyond Darvish.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports looks ahead to what hot stove fans can expect now that the Darvish bidding is over. Scott Boras clients Prince Fielder and Edwin Jackson will draw lots of interest as free agents and Gio Gonzalez figures to be traded. The Blue Jays must obtain a No. 2 starter, Morosi writes.
I’d say these articles don’t tell us anything new and are just restatements of everything we’ve heard so far, but it’d probably just sound like a sour Jays fan’s petulance.
Also, congrats to the Rangers. I hope he works out for you guys!
I envy you Rangers’ fan. I would have love the Jays to win the bid. It shows that you have owners (not saying its not the case with the Jays) that are willing to pay big bucks to win. Now go tho the park and show your owners support!
I’m out ! (still crying over it!)
I’ve had my season tickets ordered for 2012 for a while now, Darvish is just icing on the cake 🙂
Good luck finding some replacements. I’ll root for anyone in the East not named the Yankees or Red Sox!
You Jays fans are classy. Hopefully, you guys can get other players to make up for missing out on Darvish. I really thought you guys won the bidding…
What can we say? We’re Canadians!
I can’t stop that Shaggy song from playing in my head every time I see a post by you. Damn you!
I agree from Texas -Jay’s fans are great and you have a great team – look forward to 2012
”
However, Davidi hears the Blue Jays “have a number of balls in the air” beyond Darvish.”
So I smell an overpay for Gio Gonzalez in the offing?
The part of me that likes competition hopes not, but the part of me that’s sick of other AL East teams getting competitive hopes so.
So the Jays “have a number of balls in the air”…
Isn’t it a little cold for that up there this time of the year? Their pitching options aren’t going to be the only things shrinking.
It has been one of the warmest winters in years. Any snow there has been hasn’t stuck and we have been getting temperatures in the +(C). At least in the major cities in the south. May not even have a white Christmas.
First, global warming takes my greenhouse gas jokes. Now, my shrinkage ones too? This just may make me join greenpeace.
Actually, global warming would more likely make Toronto colder. Rather than actually warming all climates, it merely causes a tendency for more extreme temperatures in either direction.
I would hope if there is an overpay, it goes to the Cubs for Garza. Gio will be eaten alive in the AL East.
I’d go Garza over Gio in a trade, but I wonder if the Jays would benefit by signing Edwin Jackson?
I’d rather they pass on Jackson. He’s a #3, we need a #2 or better.
I don’t the Jays signing a free agent. Most likely, a trade for a player in his arbitration years who is a year or two away from free agency. This way, they get another quality arm in the rotation which results in draft picks in the near future when one of the top pitching prospects takes over in the rotation.
Good luck with Darvish. It appears getting him is like getting a 1st overall pick in the draft.
if any team is that distraught over missing a japanese pitcher, kenshin kawakami is available. I might pay 51 bucks to negotiate for a japenese pitcher, maybe.
I hope we can see some big trades happening now. So far, besides Pujols and Darvish, this offseason has been a bit over-hyped. Doubt the Yanks will do anything spectacular, but I would love to see some more blockbuster trades.
What about the Latos move? That’s a huge deal.
Latos move might even be bigger than Darvish and this isn’t being said to diminish Darvish.
So it’s being said to take a shot at the size of Latos then?
What??? Are you taking any medication? Latos was a 4 WAR player at age 22
Yes, for foot fungus, but what does that have to do with anything?
ok…if Yu are taking it orally, make sure Yu read the bottle to ensure it is not meant to be “applied” to the affected area.
Yu’ve saved me!
Let’s not go overboard. A simple Thank Yu will do.
I think yu may have jumped the ship on that one. Hopefully none of dar vishes are hungry.
It looks like Yankees Red Sox Blue Jays and Rays are value shoppers at this point. They are letting other teams overpay.
Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker expects Darvish to sign with the Rangers, but wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t.
Really?
So you’re telling me that he either signs or doesn’t signs!? Like OMG.
“Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker expects Darvish to sign with the Rangers, but wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t.”
Just love this kind of statement……that tells us everything we need to know
So AA has got his balls up in the air. He must be dealing with Boras after all.
I relly dont doubt he will put up the numbers that wilson did last Year but he is younger so it may work out.
My only reaction – Blue Jays, forget about paying an absurd ransom for Gio Gonzalez & his terrible walk rate.
Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker expects Darvish to sign with the Rangers, but wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t.
I give this about a 50/50 chance of any of this happening!
Peter Gammons and Bill James say the say 50/50!
It’s a sound assessment!
In other breaking news if the Pittsburgh Steelers had scored 3 unanswered touchdowns against the 49ers during the last 5 minutes of the game last night, they would have won the game!
Shocking that a team loaded with suspended and injured players couldn’t overwhelm a healthy good team? Love the Steelers, but they need a bye-month…
Funny how all the talk is about the players the Steelers were missing yet the best player on either roster missed the game for the niners.
Wow, $50-$100 mil for a question mark. Of course, this had nothing to do with LAA signing Pujols and Wilson… yeah right.
Eh, I seem to recall people last year saying the Rangers would bid on Darvish. The Angels moves might have impacted the Rangers decision but I doubt it was by much.
Yeah, I think they’ve been in on Darvish from the beginning. What the Angels did maybe made them more aggressive, but they had their eye on Darvish long before the Angels signed CJ Wilson and Pujols. Still, $51.7 mil is a hell of a lot of money for negotiating rights. I think the Angels may have indrectly driven that number up.
Wilson is probably wondering even more why the Rangers didn’t pay him a fraction of what it will cost to sign Darvish…uh…because a guy who never pitched in MLB , who’s taller, younger, stronger and has better control is still closer to being an ace than Wilson will ever be?
How quickly we turn, he was your bonified ace last year and now your miffed he left to your competition to be a 3-4. Good luck with Daiske 2.
Darvish is less of a risk at 100 mill than CJ is at 77 mill. Darvish is younger, has better stuff, and is a true ace type pitcher. CJ will choke in every clutch moment. Enjoy Angels fans.
Angel fans will enjoy his 5 WAR.
Other fans will enjoy him choking in big games.
Don’t flatter yourself. JD was in Japan scouting Darvish long before the Angels thought of those ridiculous contracts they handed out.
I could see AA making a push for Jackson. He won’t cost prospects and could very well be better than Gio in the AL East. I could see Jackson get a Burnett type contract – 5 years @ $55m, though preferably I want to go for only 4.
I don’t think Danks would be a good fit due to the asking price of Williams, the lack of controllability, and the fact that Danks and Bautista probably wouldn’t get along
In my dream world, Sabean would trade away Matt Cain.
But then again, Sabean would rather acquire/keep his pitching than get some offense…
I agree about Jackson. I think it would be a good signing over giving up too many prospects in a trade…which holds true whether it was the Jays or Rangers that won the Darvish bidding.
Jackson’s agent wishes you were a GM lol He will be lucky to get 3 years.
The Jays are looking for a young front-of-the-rotation pitcher. Jackson is a #3 or 4 at best. You don’t sign guys like that for 4 or 5 years and block McGuire, Hutchison, Syndergaart, etc from ever making the team that could become aces or #2’s. You also don’t trade away your top elite prospects on another #3 in Gonzalez. The Jays have lots of number 3, 4, 5 pitchers. They want to compliment that with someone that can turn into a pitcher that beats the other team’s aces all the time. Garza is another #3 in his best year, he isn’t an ace, and that is why Tampa Bay traded him in the first place to the Cubs.
2012 will show if Morrow, Cecil, Alvarez, McGowan have what it takes to become another ace. It requires patience, something many fans don’t possess, and pitching is only one part of the question mark equation.
Will Rasmus rediscover himself, will Lind hit all year like he can, will E5 decide to play all year like he did the second half, or take half the year off again. Will Thames or Snider crack left field and if so, will they make a difference. Arencibia is in his second year, will he rebound to hit for average, while hitting 30 home runs and drive in 100, like he has demonstrated each time in the minors? Fans need to realize that weaknesses have to be exposed, long before you write people off as being useless. Those same players usually make everyone look foolish when they turn into the Bautista’s of tomorrow on another team.
I think we all know by now that Cecil will never become an ace. Same could be said for McGowan actually. If Dustin can turn into a reliable #3 that in itself would be a minor miracle.
Rasmus has yet to fully discover himself, IMHO.
What that means is he is an average player, the Jays are filled with them.
So just wait another year and see then!
Considering the contract he wants, you’re looking at committing about $130 million for a guy who’s never pitched an inning in a Major League game between the contract and the posting fee. I hope for the Rangers’ sake he’s worth the risk.
Really? For the Rangers sake I hope he falls flat on his face 🙂
Well, not REALLY. Just making conversation.
That’s understandable seeing as the Jays are yet again destined for 4th place in their division.
Is tghis the smartest move by the rangers? Last year the A’s posted on a pitcher that was not even as good as Darvish and his agent wanted more than 10 million not counting posting fee. So if Darvish wants 12 million a year for lets say 6 years and then add in the posting fee his cost would be close to 17 million a year. Is that a good amount for someone never playing in the majors? That is a big gamble.
He is going to want at least 12 million a year. He’ll probably get more.
He apparently makes 12 million in Japan. So it has to be around 15 million plus..
He makes 6mil in Japan, not 12.
darn that metric system and new math… he’s making close to 7mil depending on exchange rates but it will take a lot more than 6-7mil to get him to move (where he would be leaving Nippon-Ham and likely future perks/work within the company) but your point is valid.
It’s
Hisashi Iwakuma right? So what happened to this guy and apparently he is a free agent right now.
He had a so so year in Japan. He turned down the A’s offer of 7 million a year. His agent wanted 12 million a year from the A’s. Now the guy is a FA with nobody beating down his door to sign.
i cant wait for the positive AA spin. garza+prince is the answer. geo walks to many for al east
You snooze, you lose.
Actually the Jays could use to add both a starting pitcher and a bat if they hope to be competitive in the AL East in 2012.
Looking at their teams numbers from 2011 they were a negative 18 in run differential. They allowed over 100 more runs than the Yankees, nearly 150 more than the Rays and 25 more than the Sox. In runs scored, they scored nearly 125 runs fewer than the Yankees, and 130 runs fewer than the Sox.
So yes if the Jays hope to compete in the AL East and make a run at the traditional leaders of the division they will need to sign both a pitcher and a bat. If it’s Prince Fielder and Gio they are looking at adding about $25MM per year to their payroll. If it’s Fielder and Garza they are probably looking at about $30MM per year to their payroll. That’s not including what they would have to give up to either the A’s or the Cubs in prospects for either of those pitchers. They have the money, but is that something they are willing to take on?
A pitcher alone or a bat alone will not be enough to make the Jays a force in the AL East, in my opinion.
Sometimes it’s the move that you do not make that could propel you to good season.
There is reason to expect offensive improvement the way the club stands (ex. no Juan Rivera or L. Nix starting).
Yup, people don’t realize how much better the Jays are from the start of the season last year. If this was Poker, AA is playing a safe and patient game in a Big tournament. You can’t win by risking your stacks all the time, he picks his moves wisely and bites when he knows he has the winning hand.
This is actually for both Laurence and Jonathan. Not being very familiar with the Jays options. Is it both of your contentions that the Jays do not need offense because of Rivera and/or Nix moving on?
What gives you hope that as the Jays stand now or even just adding a “quality” pitcher they can make up the 16 games they were behind the Yankees in 2011 or the approximately 10 games they finished behind both the Rays and the Sox? Realizing it’s probably very unlikely the Sox will have another September in 2012 like last year.
The theory is that a full season of Lawrie at 3rd will be an improvement over half a season of Nix, and part of a season of Encarnacion and Lawrie (same with the situation in LF and Rivera). I do agree with this stance – offensively the Jays will be better (Kelly Johnson at second vs. Aaron Hill will also help).
That being said – your original analysis still stands. The improvements above will not be enough to overtake Yankees/Red Sox/Rays. Without a #2 pitcher and a big bat I think the results for the Jays will be more or less the same (maybe a few more wins and a September playoff race, but not much more).
The only thing that should matter is that Jays Future looks really bright and are capable of competing against Redsox, Yankees and Rays very soon. It’s not like those promises JP Riccardi was praising to us a 5-8 years back. You know this is true because many people around the league are watching out and talking about Jays future.
I know, I’m a big Jays fan myself. I still think the extra bat is an issue though, as there’s no clear solution in the pipeline for the foreseeable future (right now, it’s basically hope Adam Lind has a bounceback year). So…. I think they need someone like Fielder or Votto, and the latter doesn’t look likely at all in the near term.
Pitching I’m willing to acknowledge might come together a year later than hitting, and given the depth in the system I’m comfortable waiting for some of the guys to graduate. But without a Lind/Rasmus/JPA/Snider suddenly improving and become much more consistent, there really is no imminent solution to getting the hitting situation over the hump (it’s very good now, but it needs to be great to compete).
like I said before, I do think that the Jays did improve from last years opening day roster. But, I don’t think they could compete against Redsox, Yankees and Rays just yet. The only way we could compete against those teams hinders on how well Rasmus, Lawrie , Johnson and Adam Lind (Lind is not good protection for Jose) does. Jays do need a couple of arms in the Bullpen, protection for Jose and another top end starting pitcher. . I am very optimistic about our chances that AA could get 2/3 of those needs. If we do compete and stay close to those 3 teams..Good. If we don’t do good but see improvements on our young players then that is still a good season.
I hope Blue Jays could get Carlos Quentin or Beltran for Jose Protection (But they are rumors to Jays which is unlikely going to happen haha)P.s you never know tho, AA could somehow pull off some out of the blue signing ( Prince..highly unlikely) or trade for Garza.
I think you nailed it. Blue Jays need both. But, I doubt they spend big on one if they can’t get the other. Here are team WARs based on Bill James 2012 projections:
Yanks 60.0
Red Sox 53.9
Rays 51.3
Blue Jays 47.5
Angels 54.2
Rangers 51.0 (without Darvish)
I expect the four AL East to make more moves to bump up their number a bit. As a result, there is just too much ground for Blue Jays to make up.
I considering catching up to Rays to be a big accomplishment. Their best bet is to continue to acquire players with a five year view and let the young players continue to build their “sea legs”.
By the way, last year’s team WARs were
Yanks 60.1
Red Sox 59.5
Rays 47.0
Blue Jays 33.2
Rangers 60.7
Angels 43.7
The loss of Darvish really is a downer for Jays fans. He and Fielder would have made them creditable.
If Darvish turns out to be David Price, the net effect of adding Darvish & Fielder to Jays would be about 8.6 WAR. Pujols and Wilson certainly made a dramatic impact on Angels. But, they also get a lot by replacing Mathis with Ianetta; a projected rebound of Vernon Wells; and the projected emergence of Mike Trout.
I expected more reaction to this, but there will probably be a lot more when Darvish signs with the Rangers. Thankfully, the negotiating isn’t going through Boras, might actually be reasonable and end well before the window closes.
So looks toronto gets screwed again. First with the Kessel trade for Seguin. and now Yu. this coming form a proud boston sports fan. Seguin will turn out to be a better player than kessel
Your forgetting Dougie Hamilton! haha
based on what exactly? People forget how young Phil Kessel is and he’s an elite goal scorer.
based on seguins only 19 is leading the b’s in scoring and prolly will play there his entire career. and how well has kessel played against boston
Kessel’s 24 a leading the league in points..
and what snipers do play well against boston when that mammoth is on the back end.
so Kessel for Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton worth it??
Even thought I don’t like Brian Burke very much. I don’t think he would have traded David Rundblad and 2 rounder for Kyle Turris. ( Sens Fan)
They should have keeped the picks, and drafted well like Chicago, Pittsburgh and Edmonton. Built with young talent.
The Kessel trade was fine.
Last year the Angels missed out on Crawford and Beltre, the GM panicked, and we now have one of the worst trades in mlb history.
I sincerely hope AA remembers that
I am confident he does. I only hope he reminds ownership when it panics.
Worst trades? Vernon to LAA or Napoli to Texas?
Rangers really benefited from the Napoli trade. But, Blue Jays will have a supplemental pick from it. I believe converting players into picks was AA’s focus all along. His prospects of accomplishing this was better with Francisco over Napoli.
The concern with Napoli was he might not be a marketable free agent because of his Type A status. However, AA clearly didn’t foresee Napoli’s 2011 season. In my opinion, Napoli’s strong career wOBA (.374) tipped off Rangers of his potential.
However, it can be replaced. For example, Beltran had a .389 wOBA last year. Plus, he is a switch hitter.
Vernon to LAA…
The napoli trade stings but it was a miscue, not an abomination
ohh ok because when you said ” we now have one of the worst trades in MLB history” though you were talking about the Jays. Plus, I still don’t get the “BIG” deal with Napoli trade. It’s not like we wanted him or anything. He was just a throw in to the deal to get rid of Vernon Wells contract and people don’t get that.
Both of those trades should be embarrassing to the Angels. Wells is garbage and getting paid 20 mill a year and Napoli is traded to a division rival and rakes all because the Angels manager thought he couldn’t catch well enough (he can, by the way).
The Angels will get the last laugh, they will win the series this year, with Wells playing a part in it.
Napoli was actually dealt in the Vernon Wells deal. Then the Blue Jays spun him to Texas. Looking at it from the Blue Jays perspective, imagine if they had Mike Napoli at the level he played this season protecting Bautista. That would’ve been scary.
With that logic, I think the Angels win the world series this year with Wells player a part.
Well’s contract was bad, but on the field the Jays were actually a better team with him than without him. Check the stats.
I hope he works out better than Matsuzaka has
Here is my official reaction as a Angels & Yu Darvish fan: It’s over, Yu; I have the high ground.
Yu was chosen by the force, but funny lol
Hey…
At least Drabek will get another try next year as #5…
Yep…all he has to do is beat Dustin McGowan. I am not going to lie, I am worried about Drabek’s chances.
All he has to do is beat Cecil you mean.
I think Drabek comes back strong, he has too much talent to simply flame out… I think many of us have taken away the future ace tag, but that doesn’t mean he cant be a future solid mid rotation pitcher.
I guess you could always say “Roy Halladay had a very poor 2000” and have at least a LITTLE hope for Drabek.
Yep…there is still “some” hope for Drabek. But, you certainly don’t want to pin all of your hopes on him.
Three years ago, the Jays prospect funnel was so weak you would have no choice but to pin all of your hopes on a prospect like Drabek. Travis Snider probably illustrated it best.
I haven’t ruled him out. Clay Buchholz had similar struggles at the same age. But, I don’t consider Drabek to be money in bank.
Besides, Jays have too many pitching prospects to worry about one guy.
Its really got to suck to convince yourself, staff and ownership that a player is worth 45+ million dollars and receive permission and then get out bid.
Especially since things were kept so close to the chest, theres a possibility that the jays bid like 49 million and sincerely thought they were going to win.
Everyone thought the Jays won the bid, 99% of the blogs were about the Jays, very few about the Rangers. What a downer. The worst part is that their isn’t a pitcher of his caliber left out their unless you want to give up all your prospects.
I’ve seen a few rumors saying that the Jays bid over 50 mil. If so, that’s got to sting.