The Texas Rangers have an idea of what Yu Darvish can be in the Major Leagues, hints the $112 million they paid to get him to Arlington. But, now that he is on U.S. soil, how will his performance affect the Rangers in their quest for a third straight American League crown?
With the posting, a 30 day negotiation period, and the signing of Darvish behind the Rangers, it is time to get down to business. Before Pitchers and catchers report to the team’s spring training facility in Surprise, Arizona, on February 22, Darvish will have less than a month to get acclimated to his new summer home. So, instead of doing the normal bullpens and lifts that his fellow pitchers are doing right now, he is adjusting to life in America.
This January’s spring training may be the most important, and most covered, spring for any pitcher in Texas Ranger history.
If Yu Darvish continues the success he enjoyed in the Japanese professional league, (1.99 Earned Run Average), then Texas may have scored the greatest free agent signing in Major League history. But, we cannot expect Darvish to carry a sub-2.00 ERA into major league baseball, especially considering his strike zone in Japan was larger than the zone he will have to throw to here in America.
Knowing this, an ERA of around 3.50 would be the expectation for Darvish in his rookie season. That may seem high considering his past, but Colby Lewis, the second starter in Texas’ rotation, carried a 4.40 ERA through 2011. Knowing this, a 3.50 ERA for Darvish would be commendable for the imported player.
Many people in “Ranger Nation” are going to worry about Yu Darvish replacing C. J. Wilson. This should be the farthest thing from their minds. Yes, C. J. Wilson earned 16 wins last year and had a sub-3 ERA, but he came up historically short in the postseason, so short, in fact, the Rangers were not willing to pay the kind of contract a pitcher with a 16-7 record and a 2.94 ERA would command.
Keeping this in mind, the Rangers should not worry about losing C. J. Wilson. He was dead weight in the playoffs, and with the Rangers expecting to play in the playoffs this coming year, we need to rely on someone. Yu just needs to be able to hold up under pressure, and something tells me he won’t have any problem doing that.
Darvish is THE most popular person in Japan right now; he is also THE best Japanese baseball player to ever live. In other words, imagine Babe Ruth and Brad Pitt put together. That is Yu Darvish to Japan’s Nippon Baseball League.
With this great fame comes immense pressure on and off the field in Japan for Darvish, but no one here cares about him off the field. On the field, however, he has answered the pressure of being at the top by living up to expectations. His accomplishments speak for themselves. They provide the answer to the question: Can he perform under pressure, playoff pressure? Yes, he can.
So, what does this mean for the Rangers Playoff chances? It does not change them from the last two years. Last time I checked (and I check every morning), the Rangers successfully defended their American League crown, making them the best team in the American League two years running, and that is not going to change anytime soon.
Many skeptics believe that the Los Angeles Angels, with their signings of Albert Pujols and the aforementioned C. J. Wilson, took control of the American League West and the entire American League. Well, Albert Pujols only takes one out of every nine at-bats, C. J. Wilson only pitches every fifth day, and they have not made any moves to give Albert any protection.
The Angels are banking on the fact that youngster Mike Trout, who has not had a full season in the bigs, will come through, a risky bet for a team shut out of the playoffs for the past two years. Minus Yu Darvish, they are better than the Rangers; but Yu is in Texas and he will make a difference.
Winning the division is the biggest priority, which Yu will have a dramatic task in shaping, but in the playoffs, anything can happen. If Yu Darvish can get us to the playoffs with 15 wins and a 3.50 ERA, he will have done his job in grand fashion.
Source for stats: www.baseball-reference.com
