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Yu Darvish To Be Posted Thursday

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Nippon-Ham Fighters ace Yu Darvish will be posted tomorrow, tweets agent Don Nomura. Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times tweets confirmation from Darvish himself, while NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman provides a translation of Darvish's message to fans.

We've heard in recent weeks that Darvish may be posted following the Winter Meetings, and that appears to be his case. His father had told reporters that there was a "50-50" chance he'd be posted at all, and in Jon Paul Morosi's Winter Meetings preview, we heard that Darvish may have become "disillusioned" with the posting system, at least in part due to Hisashi Iwakuma's 2010 situation with the Athletics.

All of that seems to be moot now, as the 25-year-old Darvish is set to get the opportunity to take his oustanding credentials to Major League Baseball. Darvish hasn't posted an ERA above 2.00 since 2007. HIs 2011 resume included 232 innings of 1.44 ERA ball with a whopping 10.7 K/9 and a 1.4 BB/9 that contributed to his microscopic 0.83 WHIP. He allowed only five home runs in those 232 innings.

To this point, Darvish has been linked to a number of Major League teams. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports speculates (on Twitter) that the Rangers, Yankees, and Blue Jays could be Darvish's most likely suitors.

He will be viewed as an alternative to C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle, the market's two most sought after pitchers prior to his posting. When Tim Dierkes conducted a poll of five agents and one MLB executive in October, the consensus was that Darvish's posting fee could rival that of Daisuke Matsuzaka and that a $100MM commitmement was likely. In addition to Nomura, Darvish is represented by Arn Tellem.

 

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Comments

  4. I remember last week when the biggest story on here was who would be the GM of the Astros lol. All this news is coming fast and furious now.

    • Don’t you mean the Cards?  You’re not in Toronto anymore.

      • When AP re-signs with the Cards, you can say g’bye to big FA deals for… hmmm… about a decade or so…

        • He was making a joke about the poster being named Rzepczynski, not suggesting the cards are getting Darvish.

          • Gotcha….

            Seems like i was 0-for-2 with that one single comment…

  8. As we head towards the end of the Winter Meetings I want to thank all of the writers for a great job keeping us informed. Your hard work is appreciated.

    •  Pretty easy job though;

      Here’s a template to be a successful baseball writer during the 2011 winter meetings:

      Marlins Interested in _________, Jays rumored to be interested as well. Decision expected soon.

  11. Actually I’m hearing Milwaukee Brewers send Francisco Rodriguez to the Ham Fighters for Yu Darvish and 100 million dollars. And my source is good.

  15. Excited for the good times/discussions this process and his MLB career are sure to produce.

    • Just did the conversion rate for kicks. That would be $36,625,699,074,046 USD.

      ..and the Yankees win the bid!

  19. i’d stay away but thats just me.  Too much fear from Dice-K to forget.  That said, i think the posting fee is gonna be in excess of 40million easy, with a total cost of 110million for him.

  22. Okay, Yanks. You’ve been quiet this whole time. While I understand why, this is your guy.

    Get him.

  23. Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

  24. Smart move to wait until CJ indicates he’s ready to sign; excellent way to drive the market higher.

  30. Hope the Sox take the gamble again and just accept the luxury tax.

    • Posting fee does not apply to the luxury tax.

      Given, a contract for him would probably bring them over for a season.

      Personally, if I’m Cherington, I put in a bid just to keep him out of the Yankees’ hands.

  33. I thought I read he wanted the posting fee to exceed what Dice-K got and suspect he will also want more then 6/$52m(Dice’s contract)….it really sounds like this kid has a HUGE ego and is a bit of a premadonna…

    • I honestly think that the fans will react really poorly if he ends up in Boston or New York for a fee that’s not astronomical.

      • depends if he flops or not

        I’d personally rather spend 150 on fielder than 100 on darvish.

        • Serious? You remember his dad.. He looked like a fatter version of Dmitri Young before he retired the 1st time.

          No faith Jr won’t be the same once he gets his “wallet check”

  36. He posted in his blog the standard lines about thanking his former team, telling the fans on his blog, officially announcing he’s entering the posting system, but that he can’t discuss details yet.

  37. Ok, here’s where we find out how much Toronto likes this guy!!  I can’t wait to see him in the new Blue Jays alternative jersey.  ;)

  38. I don’t think posting fees will go up higher than that boy in Boston at 50M.  25.65M should get it done.  Then the negotiations begin… 50M for 5 years. bam

  40. This is prime for the Cubs to take advantage of. If they see themselves out of Pujols/Fielder bidding, they can throw a massive offer at Yu. The fans expect them to lose every season anyway, its worth the chance that he is an ace.

    • Idk how long hes on the market before bidding ends. But once the winning bidder is announced, they have 30 days to negotiate or the player is returned and the posting money is given back. 

  43. Yankees will overpay , I just hope he’s worth it . The little I’ve seen the guy looks like he’s got what it takes.

  44. Yankees will overpay , I just hope he’s worth it . The little I’ve seen the guy looks like he’s got what it takes.

      • Jim commenting on Jimmy’s comment that Jimmy called Yu “little guy” but Jim has to reread Jimmy’s comment because Jimmy didnt call Yu little

  46. Watch the pirates bid 100mil just to lulz at all the other teams and their successful bids hten offer darvish the league minimum over 10 years. 

    • Unless the Sox intend on signing him thats exactly what the  Red Sox should do. Offer up a 100M posting fee then shut off communication. No cost, no added Yankee competition.

      • You can’t do this.  If you don’t negotiate in good faith, the player’s rights are awarded to the next highest bidder.

      • In that scenario MLB would award the bid to the next highest offer.

    • I just cant see him settlying in to Texas..

      now let me get this straight,  you’re From japan and you’re Iranian??

      george bush’s head would explode

        • George Bush will forever be symbolic to Texas. Alot of people in Texas don’t like him.

          Fixed.

          • They did for awhile.. he was elected governor of Texas.

            not hammering on ya there or anything, but his opponent was pretty popular.

  49. The posting system is beyond stupid. What happens when someone posts something like 70 million, but then is only willing to give him a 20 million contract. Boom… they just wasted everyone’s time. They have to feel like the bid was in good faith, but who determines that? Who determines if a team bids so high just to block another team from winning? Should be funny to see what happens.

    • I believe if the team who wins the bid is suspected of sabotage, the posting team can file a grievance and have the second bid accepted

    • Probably has to do with reputation, theres only 30 MLB teams, with a lot of stake, to soil the pool like that without intention will only cause problems for an MLB team.

      Though I entirely agree the posting system is dumb, but without it the Nippon league would be deserted of talent.

      • Hope they enjoy the money because from the looks of it Japan isn’t going to be cashing in on a huge posting fee for a while after this.

    • I do have a sneaking suspicion they both will. Last year we all thought nothing was going down and bam huge offseason. Art of war baby make your enemy think you are close when you are far, and far when you are close.

  54. The new CBA should play out very interesting now for the Red Sox, Cubs, and Yankees.  The first time they are over the salary line, they pay 40 percent of their payroll in tax.  If they go over two years in a row, they pay 50 percent luxury tax.  Signing Darvish, if they win the bid, pushes New York into a 110M dollar expense on top of their 220M payroll if they sign him.  That is a lot of money to get divided up amongst all the teams in the league.  They would pay more in tax than 25 teams have for their 2012 total payroll.  Looks good on them too. 

     It now makes sense why they are begging anyone to take Burnett. If they pay 30M of the remaining salary, perhaps Pittsburgh or Houston will take him for a hamburger and fries, with a large coke on the side.  I would have said chicken wings and beer, but the Red Sox have cornered the market on that one.  lol. 

    • Watch out the chicken and beer jokes are apparently not original anymore! Especially when they involve pandas!

      • Now that Bobby Valentine is running the show, it will be free sushi and saki from now on in the clubhouse for everyone.  That is what he gave the players in Japan, when he managed over there.  lol.  Japan is also famous for inventing Karaoke, so the players can get loaded and then sing between innings.  lol.  The other team would be laughing so hard that it would allow the Red Sox to win a few games in September.  lol.

    • I wish that’s how it worked. Pretty sure the tax is applied the same way it always was.

    • Posting fees do not count toward the opening day payroll. Also the Yankees payroll is closer to $194 million.

  55. 55m posting + 6/80m.. by Yankees.
    This guy is half Arab half Japanese, 6’5″ frame, 93-96mph fastball,
    91-94mph 2seam fastball.

  56. Would love to See the Red Sox go after this guy. Don’t see it with them being up against the LT threshold. Not too mention they have 25M worth of pitching between Dice-K and Meatball Lackey on the DL for the season. So I will be absolutely shocked if they get the winning bid.

    The Cubs make a lot of sense. I’m sure Theo and Co. will try to get him and break the Cubs into the Asian market just like they did with the Red Sox. I see Texas getting involved too, and of course the Yankees. Toronto fans can hope, but I don’t see that organization dropping the kind of coin it will take on an unproven commodity. Large markets can take the gamble. If he flopped in Toronto it would set them back a ways. Which would be a shame considering all the dead money they have been able to get rid of over the last couple seasons.

    If his name was Yu Darvietez, I would put the Marlins as the front runner.

  57. I saw clips of this guy today and I just hope the Sox put a fair bid in for him…plus Valentine saw him play in Japan and apparently has said hes the best pitcher he has seen. Only 25 too…whoever gets him though it will be fun to watch him in the majors. Hopefully its not the Yankees! lol

    • Based on Bobby V’s activity on Twitter of late, I get the feeling he’s probably bugging onwership to put in a bid.

  58. Darvish is miles better than DiceK and Igawa, and he’s younger than DiceK when he was posted. Stop comparing apples to lemons.

      • The good lord knows that only a Honeycrisp or a Granny smith is worth consuming!

    • Far younger? A whopping thirteen months. Matsuzaka was barely 26 when he was posted.

  59. I have been watching this guy for awhile now, since the Baseball World Classic. He is a beast on the mound. I have been waiting for him to be posted. The Rangers will win the bidding and negotiate a contract. With no Wilson, Buehrle signing with the Marlins, and the Cubs asking too much for Garza, leaves the Rangers wide open to pursue Darvish aggressively. The financial flexibility is there. I like the Rangers chances.

  60. 58MM Posting fee, 7 year 68MM contract.  I really hope Cashman wins this bid, even if he has to overpay.  Ideally Darvish would slot in at #2, pitch 180 solid innings, and let the team keep Banuelos and Betances in AAA until Sept.  Then if they both progress, the Yankees would be looking good with C.C., Darvish, Nova (depending on his ’12),  possibly Hughes if he can bounce back, and the two B’s.  Ahh….gotta love wishful thinking. 

    • I can’t fathom that the contract will be that cheap or that the posting fee will be that high.  But who knows.

  61. KG’s face is awesome in that

    Edit, and this was in response to LunchBox on the Lebron James dunk.

  62. The only “huge” player the Yankees got was Soriano. Acquiring a set-up man (yes he was a closer but not for the Yankees) is not having a huge offseason. Red Sox….different story.

    Edit. This was in response to @Leonard Washington. The reply button didn’t work

  66. Cubs need pitching but the last time they got a japanese player it didn’t work too well, Cubs signing Yu will be like Dice K all over again except with the Cubs not Red Sox

  69. Lincecum
    Cain
    Bumgarner
    Darvish
    Vogelsong

    I think the DBacks just rolled up in a ball in the corner of the room and started crying.

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