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There aren't any Japanese players heading to the U.S. via the posting system this offseason. Kosuke Fukudome joined the Cubs as a conventional free agent and Hiroki Kuroda joined the Dodgers in the same fashion, but what about next year? There could be a frenzied bidding war for 20-year old phenom Yu Darvish brewing. Via East Windup Chronicle:

The Yu Darvish to MLB rumors may have just officially kicked off right along with the new year. A Sports Hankook (Korea) report, relying on a Japanese source (Sports Nikkan), says that the Yankees plan to nab Darvish following the 2008 season.

The report goes on to say that the Dodgers, Mets and Cubs have also made "love calls" to Darvish and that the floor of negotiations is something along the lines of what Daisuke Matsuzaka was able to command during his posting extravaganza in 2006.

If Darvish was already in the U.S. his hype would be on the same level of Phil Hughes and Clay Buchholz. He posted a 1.82 ERA with 210 strikeouts in 207 2/3 innings last season for the Nippon Ham Fighters and won the Pacific League MVP. That's more than Matsuzaka was doing at that age and Darvish just became the youngest player to sign a 200 million yen contract (about $2 million) in Japanese history.

Would Nippon post Darvish at such a young age? Under Japanese rules they've got him for seven more years before he's a free agent and it would be a major blow to the franchise to sell off their best and most marketable player. If he has another good season in '08 and/or makes a big impact at the Olympics, though, the price he'd command could be too much to pass up. Matsuzaka netted $51 million and, if that's the floor, imagine what the ceiling could be in a Darvish posting.

Darvish has indicated that he's in no hurry to come to the U.S., but money has a way of changing people's minds. There's so many variables that it's hard to predict how this will play out. Darvish will be followed closely by major league scouts, though, and, if he continues to dominate, will be the subject of much speculation here and abroad.

(H/T Baseball Musings)