Yu Darvish

[Swarly]

So where does this guy end up? The bidding ended today and the two early favorites are the Rangers and Blue Jays, but it's been confirmed that the following teams have all placed a bid:

Rangers

Blue Jays

Cubs

Yankees

Teams that officially did not bid:

Angels

Red Sox

Twins

Marlins

Orioles

Reds

Rays

Some dark horses that are being brought up as a strong possibility for Darvish:

Nationals

Mariners

I think the Blue Jays end up winning the bid. Their GM/ownership/whatever has been saying they're ready to significantly increase the payroll when they feel the time is right. Darvish looks to be the real deal and it's a risk they have to take IMO if they want to compete for the AL East.

Obviously as a Nationals fan I hope they win the bid, but considering rumors are going around that the winning bid is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than $50 million dollars, add a $70-90 million dollar contract onto that and it's a whole lotta money for a guy who has never pitched in the MLB.

[Epistaxis]

I don't get it.

Dice-K anyone?

I hope it isn't the Cubs.

[Swarly]

I don't get it.

Dice-K anyone?

I hope it isn't the Cubs.

Not really comparable tbh. Darvish is on a different level than Dice ever was.

Kevin Goldstein(Baseball Prospectus) put it best:

Kevin_Goldstein Kevin Goldstein

If I say I'm not sure about Gerrit Cole, because fellow UCLA-alum Josh Karp didn't work out, that makes as much sense as Yu/Dice-K comp.

Jays are looking to be the team that put in the high bid. Lucky them, they just got an ace.

[Epistaxis]

I'm not talking talent necessarily, I'm talking money.

Ballplayers....something gets lost in translation.

I will be happy to be proven wrong, happens all the time, but I'm thinking this guy will be just another colossal waste of money for somebody.

[kman72]

Rangers won the bids... have a month to sign him or he goes back to japan