incontinent cat. And to clean my car windows. And to beat off with.

And they be more happier with Dice-K and Darvish. Plus what better way to strike back at the Yankees by outbidding them for Darvish. Also think how sick there rotation be if they could land Darvish and get Santana.

As said, Boston will be in this sweepstakes because they simply have the money to throw around.

They will need to replace Jason Varitek, Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell within the next 3 or so years.

I fail to see how getting Darvish will prevent them from replacing them. I give Epstein and company the benefit of the doubt, after the success they have achieved. They seem to know what there doing. In the meantime, why not make your team even better by getting Darvish? It’s not like cash is lacking in Beantown.

IMO, LA, San Fran, Chicago or NY makes the most sense for Darvish.

This would be applicable if Darvish was a free agent, but he’s most likely to go to whichever team makes the winning bid. I seriously doubt Darvish be fazed by playing with the Red Sox. Also, along with the Big Apple what better place to challenge yourself at?

This guy is gone and if Nippon is smart they get $100+ million for their troubles, then use that money to get a few MLB FA’s to come and play a few years in Japan.

If I were Nippon Ham, I rather wouldn’t want them spending their money going after so many big name MLB FA’s, since many of them dont have their mind in it longterm when playing in Japan. I prefer to still going after players who are on the bubble between AAA and the majors or go after more players from Korea and Taiwan. As a team, I wouldn’t want a high priced MLB free agent just to say I have a MLB All-Star.

Next, as I mentioned with the Matsuzaka posting fee, I hope Nippon Ham can use the money wisely shall they post Darvish.

So far also the thing I don’t like with NPB is there’s nearly no player movement between teams. There’s very little big name trades between teams and players must wait 9 years before acquiring free agency. Unlike in the MLB offseason, there’s little to no sigificant player moves in the offseason in NPB.

PS I also like the point about guys wanting to play in the Carribean.

IMO, LA, San Fran, Chicago or NY makes the most sense for Darvish. Doesn’t he date some Japanese singer or actress? Boston is not a big “entertainment” town. Also, all these comments about Darvish not coming to the MLB seems ridiculous. Just like the Euros in the 90s in the NBA and Yao Ming in the early part of this decade the best go play with the best. Darvish will be in the MLB very soon, most likely 09′, bc if he wants to be the best he must play the best. I am sure there are plenty of guys in the MLB who would rather be playing in the Carribean, but the best play in the US.

Plus, anyone really think the MLB teams are going to let a potential staff ace sit in Japan while they are paying Carlos Silva 4/$44 million?

No way. This guy is gone and if Nippon is smart they get $100+ million for their troubles, then use that money to get a few MLB FA’s to come and play a few years in Japan.

So what did the article say about the Yankees being interested in Darvish? If it was just aboutt a branch office opening and the Yankees new stadium, where does the report about the Yankees being interested in Yu come from?

I guess I didn’t explain that right. The front page of Nikkan Sports for January 1, 2008 has several articles. One is about the completion of the New Yankee Stadium in 2009. Another is about the Japanese players the Yankees have pursued and whether or not they managed to acquire them. A third article is about the Japanese players who have gone to the Majors via the posting system. There’s a paragraph long note with table about the projected 2008 Yankee starting rotation. With the exception of the posting system article, all of these little articles surrounding the main one look like PR pieces for the Yankees.

Then there’s the sensational headlines about Darvish commanding more than Matsuzaka’s 60-oku yen posting fee and becoming a Yankee next off season. Sub-headlines support this by claiming that the Yankees are setting up a Tokyo branch office, and stating that Darvish will likely be heading to the Majors after his big test in the Olympics.

The article starts off talking about the Hillman Connection. Hillman-kantoku had apparently talked highly of Darvish since his rookie year of 2005 with Yankee scouts. [sarcasm] Therefore the Yankees will get him! [/sarcasm]

I tend to stop reading when articles say things like:

ダルビッシュが09年から海を渡るには、ポスティングシステムが必要となる。まだ21歳の球団の顔を日本ハムが簡単に手放すとは考えにくいが [...]

本人はメジャー要望は口にしていないが [...]

Which translates roughly to:

In order for Darvish to head overseas in 2009, use of the Posting System will be necessary. However, while it’s hard to think that Nippon Ham will easily let the 21 year old face of the ball club go, …

While he’s never stated out loud that he wishes to go to the Majors, …

It’s complete speculation. Since there are not facts available to support the claim that Darvish will be a future Yankee, they make something up. The first paragraph above concludes that, after participating in the Olympics, wouldn’t Darvish want to test himself in the Majors? The second paragraph gets around his never stating such by suggesting that the Yankees might maybe go through Yu’s father to convince him to go.

Is it possible that the Yankees will make it worth everyone’s while to post Darvish after 2008? Sure. But the article itself is fiction based on what someone believes might maybe could possibly happen. It’s a hodge podge of speculation sprinkled with somewhat related facts (thus the postings article below it for support).

Here’s my speculation about what happened at Nikkan Sports on December 31.

Chief: We need a front page for the New Year.
Editor: Well, the Yankees are paying us to run a few PR pieces. But none of is about Matsui.
Chief: That won’t do. We need something big. A face that everyone will recognize.
Editor: How about Darvish? He’s been real popular this year.
Chief: Great! Let’s do it. Staff Reporter! Come here!
SR: Yes chief?
Chief: I need Darvish on the front page. And somehow tie it into these PR pieces from the Yankees.
SR: Yes sir!

And so the January 1, 2008 front page came to be.

What does this all mean? Let’s go back to what Darvish said, NPB has to be creative in keeping it’s popularity. Besides a few teams, there’s a big problem with doing anything creative in NPB. Though let me clear, players leaving to the majors isn’t killing NPB.

I agree with this point. I don’t think Darvish leaving the NPB would matter as much as people think. I think a lot of Japanese fans (well, probably baseball fans in general) go to games for the experience. And in Japan, moreso than other places, it’s an Experience. A party. I think it matters less who’s on the field. Ditto Korea.

I’ve heard many things on this matter. Though one thing I’ve never heard is that he hates America.

I’m remembering reading this article that says Darvish’s father has said he knows of several MLB teams who are interested in Darvish. It’s unknown if these teams have contacted his father or used other channels or not. Also, many MLB teams were interested in Darvish when he was drafted by the Fighters.

As for what Darvish has said, here’s a piece of a comment he said earlier this year:

I think we have to be creative. If all the players and people in the front offices have a positive attitude, I don’t think the game here will lose its popularity

This is what Darvish posted on his official website after Matsuzaka left to the majors. You can read more of this, in piece.

Finally, I have a feeling we’ll know better what Darvish’s plans are after the upcoming season when the 2008 Olympics are over and done with.

I see a tendency in the comments sections I’ve been looking at…Yank fans either Don’t know who he is or are worried he’s the next Igawa, and Japanese baseball fans are trying hardest to dismiss the whole idea.

When the Yankees won the Igawa sweepstakes I didn’t think much of his success in MLB, and definetly in the Big Apple. Here was a pitcher who had more problems than we could count with Hanshin.

Though, the Igawa failure is still fresh in the minds of Yankee fans. Though this is the Yankees, if a player fails here all they have to do is count their losses and move on with their big payroll. My opinion is we shouldn’t really put too much weight into Igawa, since he’s nowhere on the level as Darvish or Matsuzaka. I didn’t believe he would do much to start out with the Yankees. My belief, is Yankees fans will easily forget Igawa in a heartbeat if the Yankees somehow end up with Darvish.

Switching to Japanese baseball fans, you can understand the worry for them if NPB loses Darvish. Darvish is argueably the biggest name in NPB. To lose him would be real hard to recover from. If I were a Fighters fan, I worry too about losing the face of my team. The question, would then go to who replaces Darvish?

Though the astronomical posting fee that Darvish would net if he were posted would help me feel better about that. Though so far, Seibu hasn’t impressed me with their use of the Matsuzaka posting fee either. I be worried if a possible Darvish posting fee wouldn’t be solely going to making a better product on the field.

The answer to this is NPB needs to overhaul the pathetic player development model it has. Currently, the current farm system, doesn’t provide the resources neccessary to develop the future stars of tomorrow and neither does the draft, which is very short compared to the MLB draft.

As NPB teams only have one farm team to develop players is clearly unfit to further player development and in my opinion actually hampers what a team can do in the Draft. Like Valentine has been saying, NPB needs to add more minor league levels and it wouldn’t hurt to add more games to the minor league season either to further development of catchers and pitchers. With more minor league levels, it becomes easier to find potential diamonds in the rough.

What does this all mean? Let’s go back to what Darvish said, NPB has to be creative in keeping it’s popularity. Besides a few teams, there’s a big problem with doing anything creative in NPB. Though let me clear, players leaving to the majors isn’t killing NPB.

It’s not only the Yankees. Like I said earlier, MLB are besides themselves over Darvish’s talent already and are going to pay any amount of money necessary in order to sign him.

Of course, there’s plenty of teams besides the Yankees. The Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Angels, Red Sox, Rangers, and Mariners all make sense to me. Then of course, if Boston gets involved with the posting, the figure could go through the roof.

Something tells me that if it becomes known one of those teams are interested in Darvish then the price could jump over $100M in a hurry. As for what Darvish would make annually in MLB, I like to see what Santana, Bedard, and Sabathia would make if they enter the open market. I think we’ll then get a better clue of how high Darvish could make annually. So far it looks like all of 3 of those pitchers I mentioned look to make a big payday on the open market, which bodes well for Darvish if he is MLB by age 25-26.

My belief is he’ll eventually ask to be posted sooner or later, probably after he accomplishes all he can in NPB.

For any NPB fans that might believe otherwise, lets be clear about one thing: It’s not only the Yankees. Like I said earlier, MLB are besides themselves over Darvish’s talent already and are going to pay any amount of money necessary in order to sign him. I know of several teams out here that are already lining up to empty out their pocketbooks to bring him over. Darvish has #1 staff ace potential and makeup and stuff that nets MLB pitchers 20 million plus per season if not more. He’s making the salary of a 7th inning relief specialist in the NPB. Combine this with the financial incentive the Fighters have to post him and you start to see the writing on the wall.

It’s quite possible that money alone won’t entice Darvish to come over, but my guess is that at a certain point he’s also going to want to prove himself against MLB level talent. It seems counter intuitive to think that a pitcher of his talent and makeup would be content not testing himself at the highest level of competition at some point.

YankeeFan’s comment by the way was said amidst a tirade of maniacal evil laughter while wearing a darth vader helmet.