Posts tagged YuDarvish at FanHouse

Some time between when I went to bed last night and early this afternoon, Olympic baseball started happening. Even as a huge baseball fan, Olympic Baseball doesn't really do much for me because the level of competition is stunted by Major League Baseball not allowing their stars to participate. Still, the Cuban national team and players from the Japanese leagues are playing, so there is some intrigue, even if it's almost impossible to find on your TV.

Last night Yu Darvish, possibly the next huge name to come to America from Japan, started against the Cubans. The result? Not a terribly pretty introduction to an international stage for Darvish, who gave up four runs on seven hits with four walks in his four innings of work in Japan's 4-2 loss. He did strike out six batters in his short start, which means that those that saw the game likely saw a flash of the tantalizing potential that's had major league teams salivating.

In other Olympic action, the US lost their opener to South Korea, Canada thumped China 10-0 behind a home run from Scott Thorman (he's alive!) and Chinese Taipei shut-out the Netherlands 5-0. And I swear I'll find a way to spite my sleep and watch at least one of these games before the Olympics ends. Seriously.

Some time between when I went to bed last night and early this afternoon, Olympic baseball started happening. Even as a huge baseball fan, Olympic Baseball doesn't really do much for me because the level of competition is stunted by Major League Baseball not allowing their stars to participate. Still, the Cuban national team and players from the Japanese leagues are playing, so there is some intrigue, even if it's almost impossible to find on your TV.

Last night Yu Darvish, possibly the next huge name to come to America from Japan, started against the Cubans. The result? Not a terribly pretty introduction to an international stage for Darvish, who gave up four runs on seven hits with four walks in his four innings of work in Japan's 4-2 loss. He did strike out six batters in his short start, which means that those that saw the game likely saw a flash of the tantalizing potential that's had major league teams salivating.

In other Olympic action, the US lost their opener to South Korea, Canada thumped China 10-0 behind a home run from Scott Thorman (he's alive!) and Chinese Taipei shut-out the Netherlands 5-0. And I swear I'll find a way to spite my sleep and watch at least one of these games before the Olympics ends. Seriously.

International Pastime looks at baseball's influence outside the U.S.

Yesterday my FanHouse colleague Matt Watson brought you further inside the world of Japanese pitching phenom Yu Darvish. It's a world we first visited back in January and one that we'll continue to visit for months and/or years until Darvish makes his way to a big league mound. Why? As Watson told us yesterday, veterans of the Show that play in Japan rave about his stuff and big league execs drool at the mention of Darvish's name.

Turns out, they aren't the only ones drooling. An oversight in an otherwise fine piece, Watson failed to convey a tidbit from Jeff Passan's column that bore mentioning. Thankfully the guys at Tremendous Upside Potential (via Deadspin) are also on a Darvish Watch. It's a good thing they are as this is information we need before he makes his way stateside.

He stands 6-foot-5, is model skinny and resembles no one else in the stadium, the product of an Iranian father and Japanese mother. He's undeniably good looking, and he knows it, having peeled off his clothes for a nude magazine spread last year.

I guess there's some kind of sliding scale in Japanese baseball. Kaz Tadano wasn't nearly the prospect that Darvish is so he appeared in a gay porn video. It's enough to make you wonder exactly what they meant when they said Dice-K had a gyroball.

International Pastime looks at baseball's influence outside the U.S.

Casual fans on this side of the ocean may not be familiar with his name, but believe me when I say big league execs drool at the mention of Yu Darvish, the 22-year-old phenom who took Dice-K's torch and ran with it to become Japan's best pitcher for the Nippon Ham Fighters. How good is he? Check out this praise found in Jeff Passan's must-read profile:

One American League executive guessed if Darvish posted after this season the fee to negotiate a deal would cost "around $75 million." Another suggested "it could be even higher." If the Red Sox paid $51 million for a 26-year-old Matsuzaka, a 22-year-old Darvish could command a 50 percent premium.

"Right now," [Bobby] Valentine says, "his stuff is probably sharper than Daisuke's."

The praise only begins there. Terrmel Sledge, the former Padres outfielder who joined the Fighters this offseason, calls Darvish "one of the five best I've ever seen." [Current Royals manager and former Nippon Ham manager Trey] Hillman] believes Darvish would step in as the No. 1 starter on a majority of major league teams. [Nippon owner Tak] Kojima thinks Darvish might be the best pitcher in Japanese history.

So when will we see Darvish in a Yankee Stadium near you? As my colleague Josh Alper pointed out back in January, not anytime soon. Even if the Nippon Ham could draw a $75 million posting fee, there's no pressure for them to cash that check anytime soon as Darvish isn't eligible for free agency for another seven years, and it'd be foolish to move a kid who's not only the league's best pitcher but also one of the country's most recognizable faces. But still, file his name away in the back of your mind and don't be surprised when his arrival eventually becomes the biggest story of a yet-to-be-determined winter.

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.