BY: JAY SMITH
The countdown is on.
The world’s best baseball pitcher outside of Major League Baseball is ready to flirt with that oh-so-expensive Cinderella glass slipper. And when I say expensive, Yu Darvish will put our wives’ combined Christmas shopping sprees to shame.
For years, Major League Baseball scouts have “eww’d and aww’d” at Darvish from the sidelines, while wiping dripping saliva from their chins. General Managers have daydreamed of adding Yu’s repertoire to the front end of their pitching rotation, if only one day in a far off oh-so glorious baseball fantasy land. (sidenote: Darvish is also known in his homeland by the Persian name “Farid”, which actually means “glorious”) Little did these GMs know, if they hit fast forward to the 2011-2012 offseason, they’d have the golden opportunity to bring Yu to their franchise. The only problem? The price tag.
Darvish is expected to collect well over $100 million between the bidding process and MLB contract he MAY sign with the highest bidder. It’s a complicated yet simple process which essentially guarantees absolutely nothing to the team willing to dish out the most cash.
The Bidding Process: Yu Darvish is currently playing professionally with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. The Ham Fighters (really?? Ham Fighters??) have made Darvish available to MLB squads through what has been dubbed the posting system, where interested clubs have a window of time to place a bid on “the right to negotiate with the player”. No guaranteed contract. Just pay a kazillion dollars to be the sole team allowed to attempt a contract negotiation. Fair enough. I guess. All interested teams have until 5 pm EST on Wednesday (Dec. 14, 2011) to enter their blind auction bid, with the highest bidding team securing a new 30-day window to hope and pray for a deal with the instant millionaire. The money from the highest bid will go directly to the Ham Fighters in one lump sum payment. The kicker? If Darvish, who has already said he is no fan of the posting system and wishes to play on the West Coast, doesn’t want to agree to a contract with the high bidder, Yu returns to Japan for the 2012 season and the team then keeps the posting fee. If your team wins the bid, expected to be well in excess of $50 million, possibly in the neighbourhood of $100 million if some big shot GMs want to get serious, you still get to negotiate what is sure to be a somewhat ridiculous contract. Final figures show expected spending of $110 to $150 million.
Big money. So the next question is, who is Yu Darvish?
The Stuff: The heat isn’t as over powering as you may think. The precision is. In a numbers game, Yu’s speak loudly. A right-handed starter with size who instantly appears pretty big for Japanese baseball standards, Darvish stands at 6’5” and weighs 220 pounds. His four-seam fastball clocks routinely between 91-94 mph, topping out at 97. He’s registered 100 once during the World Baseball Classic in 2009. Like many Japanese pitchers, Darvish has a variety of complimentary pitches including a hard slurve with a heck of a break (many say it’s his best pitch), a two-seam heater, curve, cutter, splitter, change up and formerly a screwball as well. Let’s talk numbers. Darvish has posted a 93-38 career record in 164 games started in the Nippon league. In 1268 IP, he has struck out 1259 batters, given up only 58 home runs and posted an eye-popping career 1.99 ERA with a 0.98 WHIP. Most impressive, Darvish has a .710 winning percentage and 55 complete games, averaging a complete game performance in 1/3 of his starts. The argument stands that those numbers are expected to come back down to earth a bit if he throws to MLB hitters on a regular basis.
Who’s In: At this point, the front runners seem to be the Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals and yes, even the Toronto Blue Jays. Texas would only be smart to add a big gun starter and hope for the best. Following back-to-back World Series disappointments and the loss of ace C.J. Wilson, it only seems to make sense. Rangers fans have got to want something. The landscape in Washington is changing, or so they’re trying to portray. The pay day will take a bite out of their farm system and future free agent signings, as it will to anyone. It’s a betting man’s game with Darvish. Maybe U.S. Congress can bail them out in D.C. if it doesn’t work out. The A’s are still poking around and the Yankees are always going to be a threat when it comes down to spending money. Granted, the Yanks and Red Sox have said they’re likely to stay on the sidelines this time around, but I’m not buying it. Don’t be surprised if the Red Sox even end up the favourite in this one. New manager Bobby Valentine spent a few years coaching in Japan and is known to absolutely love Darvish and his work. More on the Jays to come…
Who’s Out: It’s hard to tell, as a lot of teams have put up smokescreens in an attempt to not drive up the bid price. That being said, it would seem the Marlins won’t be spending any more big ticket money – here anyway. But nothing would surprise me at this point. Same story for the Angels – their total commitment to Pujols and Wilson alone is listed as $327.5 million. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has told reporters the Tigers will not be bidding, and the recently divorced Dodgers need to worry about back-dated bills and paying those on last year’s roster before even thinking about 2012.
Blue Jays – RUN AWAY : The Jays aren’t playing for today. This team is being built for tomorrow, and more importantly, for continued success. Dumping so much cash into one unproven MLB commodity is quite the gamble. If Toronto is looking to burn some cash and dance with the devil, dance with the devil you know. Throw the cheque book at Prince Fielder. Give yourself the best line-up in the American League. Grab a guaranteed MLB front-line starter to fit between Romero and Morrow through free agency and/or trade and fill out the bullpen. Edwin Jackson, Roy Oswalt and Ryan Madson are all still available and much cheaper. Spending too much now means pulling back later.
Blue Jays – SHOW YU THE MONEY : The future is now. The Jays management is ready to take the next step. The farm is solid, with prospects overflowing everywhere you look. Current MLB-ready pitching has quickly become the Jays number one concern. If Darvish can perform anywhere near expectations, there’s no reason he can’t instantly be a number two pitcher in the Jays current rotation, easing the pressure on Brandon Morrow and the rest of the rotation, scheduled to include Brett Cecil (if he can rebound), Henderson Alvarez in his first full year in the rotation, a possible return for Dustin McGowan and/or several farmhands ready to give it a shot. Let’s talk marketing, money and attendance. Darvish is where it all comes together. Canada and Toronto inparticular is known for being a very diverse and ethnic community and landscape. Every time Ichiro Suzuki plays at Rogers Centre, attendance goes up. Bringing Japan’s best current player has got to help ticket sales, create revenue and help foot the ginormous bill for the bid and contract.
For what it’s worth, this writer hopes the glass slipper of Yu Darvish doesn’t fade quickly once the clock strikes midnight on Canadian soil.
Fairy tale or horror movie waiting to happen? Take your pick.
You decide. Do YOU need Yu?
Jay Smith is a local baseball enthusiast and radio announcer at 99.1 CKXS in Wallaceburg, Ontario. An avid Toronto Blue Jays fan, Smith will be filling some regular commentary duty throughout the 2011 offseason and 2012 year. You can e-mail Jay at jay@ckxsfm.com and follow him on Twitter @jay991ckxs
