Report: Texas Rangers Agree to a 6-year Deal with Yu Darvish

Published: 18^th Jan 12 1:04 pm

by Bryan Lutz
MLB Featured Columnist; Follow me @Lutzifer35

RANT It!

Report: Texas Rangers Agree to a 6-year Deal with Yu Darvish

Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

#rangers people still suggesting they "probably" can't sign prince assuming they sign yu.

January 18, 2012 1:42 pm via Mobile WebReplyRetweetFavorite

@JonHeymanCBS

Jon Heyman

Well duh, Jon.

Darvish agreement with #rangers expected to be 6 years. #rangers

January 18, 2012 1:57 pm via Mobile WebReplyRetweetFavorite

@JonHeymanCBS

Jon Heyman

Yu Darvish will be a member of the Texas Rangers, or stay in Japan by 5:00 ET today. Reports – as shown above – seem optimistic about the Rangers acquiring the import. The six-year deal, which is absolutely outrageous for a player who hasn’t even pitched in the big leagues yet. I – like many others – are very skeptical about Japenese imports in the Major Leagues. Outside of Ichiro and Kaz Sasaki of the Mariners, not one has lived up to the hype. Hideki Matsui was good – not great, Daisuke Matsuzaka is self-explanatory, and where is Kazuo Matsui?

It’s possible Darvish’s skills translate to the big leagues, but it isn’t worth the price that the Rangers are forking over. Especially, if that price is Prince Fielder. After the Darvish decision, dominoes will fall. If the Rangers lock up Darvish today, Prince Fielder will be a Washington National by the end of the week. The Nationals, as I wrote recently, benefit the most from Prince Fielder. With the addition of Fielder, I’m predicting a Nationals’ NL East Championship. However, if the Rangers don’t sign Darvish, they will use that money to sign Fielder, and create the best line-up in Major League Baseball.

I really don’t know what else to say about Darvish. I haven’t seen him pitch, I can’t base a decision on his statistics in Japan, and if part of your highlight reel is striking out Matt Murton in Japan or Adam Dunn in the WBC, you aren’t impressing me.

I will be relieved once this decision is made because it open up this stagnant free agency pool. Stay tuned at 5:00 today, and then hold on to your seats, because the 2012 MLB season will FINALLY start to take shape.

Follow Bryan on Twitter @Lutzifer35