Blue Jays Win Posting Of Yu Darvish

[UNHWildCats]

The Toronto Blue Jays won the posting of Yu Darvish with a posting bid approaching $50 million. MLB will formally announce the Blue Jays have won the right to negotiate with Darvish once Nippon Ham officially accepts the bid which should occur Tuesday morning.

Darvish could be hard to sign as he reportedly prefers the west coast and will be a free agent able to choose his landing spot next year if he returns to Japan for one more season.

If the Blue Jays are successful in signing Darvish the total cost could approach $125 million when adding the bid and potential contract. Its likely a deal would be for six seasons.

When considering the total cost involved, its possible Toronto simply made a rich bid in hopes of keeping Darvish away from their AL East rivals Boston and New York as Toronto is close to being a contender in the east. Though Boston ended up not bidding, New York reportedly placed a bid and could have used Darvish to compliment CC Sabathia at the top of its rotation.

Toronto will have 30 days beginning when Nippon Ham accepts the bid to agree to a contract. If the two sides fail to reach a deal, Darvish will return to Nippon Ham for one more season. In early 2007 the Red Sox negotiations with Daisuke Matsuzaka came down to the wire with the two sides reaching a deal aboard John Henry's private plane on its way from California to Boston, the sides took to the air so they would be able to finish the paperwork in Boston had a deal been reached.

[AZGrizFan]

Fucking ridiculous money. Stupid money.

[bluehenbillk]

Is his first name pronounced "Who?"

Never heard of the guy.

[GannonFan]

Is his first name pronounced "Who?"

Never heard of the guy.

You need to get out more - there's only been stories about this guy for going on a year now. Not a household name but still well known within sports circles.

[Seahawks08]

I think I remember him from the WBC. Wasn't he the one with the sick slurve?

[rkwittem]

[UNHWildCats]

Well all the buzz over the weekend about Toronto winning Darvish appears to be fading. Many around baseball now think it was Texas who had the high bid. Official announcement expected tonight.

[SDHornet]

Texas it is. $51.7M. Just to sit with him and get a contract hammered out. WOW.

With a fastball around 92-95 mph, a top-shelf slider and an array of other off-speed pitches, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Darvish cuts the figure of a No. 1 starter. While the success of Japanese pitchers in the major leagues has varied, Darvish is viewed by scouts and executives alike as a potential frontline pitcher.

He is 25.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=A ... bid_121911