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2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 32)
| IP | ERA | WHIP | SO | W | L | SV | WARP |
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- 2015
- 2.72016
- 4.22017
- 0.32018
- 1.42019
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WARP Summary
MLB Statistics
Historical (past-seasons) WARP is now based on DRA..cFIP and DRA are not available on a by-team basis and display as zeroes(0). See TOT line for season totals of these stats.
Multiple stints are are currently shown —Click to hide.
| YEAR | Team | Lg | G | GS | IP | W | L | SV | H | BB | SO | HR | PPF | H/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | K/9 | GB% | BABIP | WHIP | FIP | ERA | cFIP | DRA | DRA- | WARP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | TEX | MLB | 29 | 29 | 191.3 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 156 | 89 | 221 | 14 | 103 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 10.4 | 0% | .295 | 1.28 | 3.23 | 3.90 | 90 | 3.50 | 80.3 | 3.8 |
| 2013 | TEX | MLB | 32 | 32 | 209.7 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 145 | 80 | 277 | 26 | 102 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 11.9 | 0% | .264 | 1.07 | 3.30 | 2.83 | 81 | 2.53 | 60.5 | 6.1 |
| 2014 | TEX | MLB | 22 | 22 | 144.3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 133 | 49 | 182 | 13 | 99 | 8.3 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 11.3 | 0% | .334 | 1.26 | 2.87 | 3.06 | 82 | 2.56 | 62.7 | 4.0 |
| 2016 | TEX | MLB | 17 | 17 | 100.3 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 81 | 31 | 132 | 12 | 112 | 7.3 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 11.8 | 40% | .290 | 1.12 | 3.04 | 3.41 | 85 | 2.97 | 65.8 | 2.7 |
| 2017 | LAN | 0 | 9 | 9 | 49.7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 13 | 61 | 7 | 89 | 8.0 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 11.1 | 45% | .308 | 1.15 | 3.39 | 3.44 | 77 | 2.47 | 52.5 | 1.7 |
| 2017 | TEX | 0 | 22 | 22 | 137.0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 115 | 45 | 148 | 20 | 113 | 7.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 9.7 | 42% | .275 | 1.17 | 3.97 | 4.01 | 96 | 3.95 | 84.0 | 2.5 |
| 2018 | CHN | MLB | 8 | 8 | 40.0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 21 | 49 | 7 | 100 | 8.1 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 11.0 | 42% | .293 | 1.43 | 4.82 | 4.95 | 102 | 4.73 | 105.6 | 0.3 |
| 2019 | CHN | MLB | 31 | 31 | 178.7 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 140 | 56 | 229 | 33 | 98 | 7.1 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 11.5 | 46% | .266 | 1.10 | 4.13 | 3.98 | 82 | 2.69 | 55.2 | 6.0 |
| 2017 | TOT | MLB | 31 | 31 | 186.7 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 159 | 58 | 209 | 27 | 106 | 7.7 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 10.1 | 43% | .283 | 1.16 | 3.82 | 3.86 | 91 | 3.55 | 75.6 | 4.2 |
| Career | MLB | 170 | 170 | 1051.0 | 63 | 53 | 0 | 850 | 384 | 1299 | 132 | 103 | 7.3 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 11.1 | 43% | .288 | 1.17 | 3.49 | 3.57 | 86 | 3.05 | 68.4 | 27.1 | |
Statistics for All Levels
'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
| YEAR | Team | Lg | LG | G | GS | IP | W | L | SV | H | BB | SO | HR | PPF | H/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | K/9 | GB% | BABIP | WHIP | FIP | ERA | cFIP | DRA | DRA- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | NIP | npb | JPL | 14 | 14 | 94.3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 97 | 48 | 52 | 7 | 9.3 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 5.0 | 0% | -.841 | 1.54 | 4.60 | 3.53 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2006 | NIP | npb | JPL | 25 | 24 | 149.7 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 128 | 64 | 115 | 12 | 7.7 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 6.9 | 0% | .270 | 1.28 | 3.78 | 2.89 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2007 | NIP | npb | JPL | 26 | 26 | 207.7 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 123 | 49 | 210 | 9 | 5.3 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 9.1 | 0% | .224 | 0.83 | 2.40 | 1.82 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2008 | NIP | npb | JPL | 25 | 24 | 200.7 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 136 | 44 | 208 | 11 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 9.3 | 0% | .254 | 0.90 | 2.46 | 1.88 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2009 | NIP | npb | JPL | 23 | 23 | 182.0 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 118 | 45 | 167 | 9 | 5.8 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 8.3 | 0% | .230 | 0.90 | 2.67 | 1.73 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2010 | NIP | npb | JPL | 26 | 25 | 202.0 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 158 | 47 | 222 | 5 | 7.0 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 9.9 | 0% | .292 | 1.01 | 2.07 | 1.78 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2012 | TEX | MLB | AL | 29 | 29 | 191.3 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 156 | 89 | 221 | 14 | 103 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 10.4 | 0% | .295 | 1.28 | 3.23 | 3.90 | 90 | 3.50 | 80.3 |
| 2013 | TEX | MLB | AL | 32 | 32 | 209.7 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 145 | 80 | 277 | 26 | 102 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 11.9 | 0% | .264 | 1.07 | 3.30 | 2.83 | 81 | 2.53 | 60.5 |
| 2014 | TEX | MLB | AL | 22 | 22 | 144.3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 133 | 49 | 182 | 13 | 99 | 8.3 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 11.3 | 0% | .334 | 1.26 | 2.87 | 3.06 | 82 | 2.56 | 62.7 |
| 2016 | TEX | MLB | AL | 17 | 17 | 100.3 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 81 | 31 | 132 | 12 | 112 | 7.3 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 11.8 | 40% | .290 | 1.12 | 3.04 | 3.41 | 85 | 2.97 | 65.8 |
| 2016 | FRI | AA | TEX | 5 | 5 | 20.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 24 | 1 | 105 | 6.3 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 10.8 | 50% | .277 | 1.05 | 2.47 | 2.25 | 80 | 2.92 | 64.4 |
| 2016 | ROU | AAA | PCL | 2 | 2 | 7.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 77 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 1.3 | 9.0 | 47% | .125 | 0.86 | 4.86 | 2.57 | 104 | 2.76 | 61.0 |
| 2017 | LAN | MLB | NL | 9 | 9 | 49.7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 13 | 61 | 7 | 89 | 8.0 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 11.1 | 45% | .308 | 1.15 | 3.39 | 3.44 | 77 | 2.47 | 52.5 |
| 2017 | TEX | MLB | AL | 22 | 22 | 137.0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 115 | 45 | 148 | 20 | 113 | 7.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 9.7 | 42% | .275 | 1.17 | 3.97 | 4.01 | 96 | 3.95 | 84.0 |
| 2018 | CHN | MLB | NL | 8 | 8 | 40.0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 21 | 49 | 7 | 100 | 8.1 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 11.0 | 42% | .293 | 1.43 | 4.82 | 4.95 | 102 | 4.73 | 105.6 |
| 2018 | SBN | A | MID | 2 | 2 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 94 | 6.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 9.0 | 38% | .200 | 0.83 | 4.14 | 1.50 | 99 | 3.56 | 75.2 |
| 2019 | CHN | MLB | NL | 31 | 31 | 178.7 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 140 | 56 | 229 | 33 | 98 | 7.1 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 11.5 | 46% | .266 | 1.10 | 4.13 | 3.98 | 82 | 2.69 | 55.2 |
Plate Discipline
| YEAR | Pits | Zone% | Swing% | Contact% | Z-Swing% | O-Swing% | Z-Contact% | O-Contact% | SwStr% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 3155 | 0.4767 | 0.4412 | 0.7062 | 0.6024 | 0.2944 | 0.8057 | 0.5206 | 0.2938 |
| 2013 | 3445 | 0.4534 | 0.4340 | 0.6843 | 0.5915 | 0.3032 | 0.8236 | 0.4588 | 0.3157 |
| 2014 | 2224 | 0.4703 | 0.4460 | 0.7298 | 0.5880 | 0.3200 | 0.8455 | 0.5411 | 0.2702 |
| 2016 | 1574 | 0.4841 | 0.4740 | 0.7038 | 0.6509 | 0.3079 | 0.7802 | 0.5520 | 0.2962 |
| 2017 | 3037 | 0.4867 | 0.4633 | 0.7178 | 0.6279 | 0.3072 | 0.8136 | 0.5324 | 0.2822 |
| 2018 | 740 | 0.5122 | 0.4432 | 0.7439 | 0.6095 | 0.2687 | 0.8095 | 0.5876 | 0.2561 |
| 2019 | 2847 | 0.4784 | 0.4745 | 0.6958 | 0.6226 | 0.3387 | 0.8078 | 0.5070 | 0.3042 |
| Career | 17022 | 0.4754 | 0.4530 | 0.7066 | 0.6110 | 0.3093 | 0.8141 | 0.5164 | 0.2934 |
Injury History — No longer being updated | Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET |
| Date On | Date Off | Transaction | Days | Games | Side | Body Part | Injury | Severity | Surgery Date | Reaggravation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-08-10 | 2014-09-29 | 60-DL | 50 | 46 | Right | Elbow | Inflammation | - | ||
| 2014-05-23 | 2014-06-01 | DTD | 9 | 9 | - | Neck | Stiffness | - | ||
| 2014-04-12 | 2014-04-16 | DTD | 4 | 4 | Right | Thumb | Laceration | - | - | |
| 2014-03-21 | 2014-04-06 | 15-DL | 16 | 5 | - | Neck | Recovery From Previous Injury | Soreness | - | - |
| 2014-03-16 | 2014-03-21 | Camp | 5 | 0 | - | Neck | Soreness | - | - | |
| 2014-01-15 | 2014-01-15 | Off | 0 | 0 | - | Hip | Soreness | - | - | |
| 2013-07-07 | 2013-07-22 | 15-DL | 15 | 11 | - | Upper Back | Strain | Trapezius | - | - |
| 2013-04-08 | 2013-04-13 | DTD | 5 | 5 | Right | Fingers | Blister | Ring Finger | - | - |
| 2013-04-03 | 2013-04-07 | DTD | 4 | 3 | Right | Fingers | Blister | Ring Finger | - | - |
| 2013-03-12 | 2013-03-23 | Camp | 11 | 0 | - | Neck | Soreness | - | - | |
| 2012-09-21 | 2012-09-30 | DTD | 9 | 8 | - | Neck | Stiffness | - | - | |
| 2012-08-18 | 2012-08-28 | DTD | 10 | 10 | Right | Thigh | Tightness | Quadriceps | - | - |
| 2012-05-27 | 2012-05-27 | DTD | 0 | 0 | - | Low Back | Soreness | - | - |
Compensation
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2019 Preseason Forecast | Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET |
| PCT | W | L | SV | G | GS | IP | H | BB | SO | HR | BABIP | WHIP | ERA | DRA | VORP | WARP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Mean | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | .000 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ? | 0.0 | 0.0 |
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BP Articles
Click here to see articles tagged with Yu DarvishBP Chats
| Date | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-05-01 13:00:00 (link to chat) | We’ve seen lots of players struggle after Tommy John surgery. Who are some of the best pitchers (post surgery) that have undergone TJS earlier in their careers? Thanks. (CubbieBear from Chi-Town) | I'm not sure how early we're talking, but there are some top-end pitchers who underwent TJS a year or two into their big-league careers and then found major success. Charlie Morton, Carlos Carrasco, Patrick Corbin, Jose Fernandez, Yu Darvish, and Walker Buehler all come to mind. The important thing to remember, though, is that it often takes a couple of years to truly rebound from TJS. I think people expect post-TJS pitchers to take the mound 1.5 years after they undergo surgery and "have it." That rarely happens. It can take two or three years to round back into form. (J.P. Breen) |
| 2020-04-10 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Why are we not seeing as much of an impact for international pitchers? A bunch in the pen, but seems like less starters. Thanks and stay safe! (coffeeguy8806 from Chicagoooo) | Thanks! Hope you're staying safe as well.
This is an interesting observation. Part of the reason less international pitchers stand out is simply because the market share of international players is smaller. Players like Ronald Acuna and Juan Soto obviously stand out in a big way, and we do not see any international arms of that caliber. However, we do still have plenty of excellent international talent, including Luis Severino, Luis Castillo, Eduardo Rodriguez, Julio Urias, etc. Not to mention the Asian imports like Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish. Plus, there are plenty of high-end SP prospects are internationals, including Luis Patino, Sixto Sanchez, and Deivi Garcia. Of course, there are less elite I do wonder if teams are more reluctant to dole out hefty bonuses to 16-year-old pitchers, which may force many prospective pitchers to try to make it as hitters. Pitching also has a heavy burnout rate and big workloads beginning at 16 can take a toll. Hard to say. (Jesse Roche) |
| 2019-10-02 13:00:00 (link to chat) | How do you rank Yu Darvish next season with how he performed in the second half of the season? (Tim from NC) | I'm going to be pretty high on him going into next year. He's a tinkerer, so I don't assume he'll remain as good as he was in the second half going forward, but...I think the broad strokes view is going to be pretty valuable. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2019-08-23 15:30:00 (link to chat) | Thoughts on Yu Darvish's adjustments with his BB% plummeting and throwing more in the zone, homeruns still a concern, do you think he can improve on this in 2020? (Donnie from NJ) | Yeah I think he can walk fewer guys than he has in aggregate this year, though matching this current run all the way through would make him a Cy Young type, and I think he's probably a hair below that. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2019-06-05 21:00:00 (link to chat) | 3 Best Buy low hitters and SP right now? Re-draft. (Frank from Brooklyn ) | Among hitters, I'm buying Rougned Odor, Gregory Polanco and Kyle Seager (if you're in a deeper league). Among pitchers, I'd go after Jack Flaherty, Noah Syndergaard and (braces self) Yu Darvish. (Mr. President Bret Sayre) |
| 2019-02-06 21:00:00 (link to chat) | I was surprised by the Kikuchi ranking, so I’d really love to hear the thought process of his realistic ceiling, as a Good 4th Starter.
Even if he is a Rich Hill comp (limited but valuable innings), wouldn’t 110-125 very good innings calculate to a #3-ish at least? (SGz from LA) | I don't think he has quite the stuff (or the command of it) to be Rich Hill on a rate basis. Kikuchi is a good arm, but not a special one—he's way more Kenta Maeda than Yu Darvish, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with being Maeda. He's pretty good! -BS (Dynasty 101 Chat w/ Ben Carsley and Bret Sayre) |
| 2019-02-04 16:00:00 (link to chat) | Do you think Yu Darvish is worth keeping if you have the slot for him? Can he in anyway come back and resemble his former self? (Derek from Chicago) | if you have the slot, sure. He should pitch again. It's more likely he's just above average and not what he was pre-injury. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2019-02-04 16:00:00 (link to chat) | In a dynasty league, how do you rank Alex Wood, Shane Bieber, Josh James, and Yu Darvish? Likely going to be shopping one or all of these guys on the off chance I can get some solid draft picks in our very deep minor-leaguer draft coming up. (Alex from Austin) | Wood, James, Darvish, Bieber. Darvish could sit in any of these spots; it's extremely difficult to rank him rn. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2018-12-12 17:00:00 (link to chat) | What would you do with Yu Darvish in a keeper league? Is he worth hanging onto because he should be a #2 when he comes back? Or does the risk outweigh the reward? Thanks (Jake from State Farm) | Depends on price. I'd keep him as an 12th rounder or later in draft formats and maybe as a $12 player in auction formats. I don't want to hang on at last year's draft price because of the unknown unknowns. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2018-12-12 17:00:00 (link to chat) | I'm pretty excited about Jon Gray this year too. Other than him, who are your other favorite bounce back candidates this year? (Kevin from Chanahon) | Jose Quintana and Yu Darvish. Go Cubs! (Mike Gianella) |
| 2018-12-06 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Yu Darvish ruined my fantasy season last year, but also saved my cousin's life during a rare November pontoon explosion. Should I root for or against him this year, and will he be an ace once again? (Why Not? from Denverish) | Yu Darvish is cool. Always root for Yu Darvish. Expect him to be more of a no. 2 if he's healthy than an ace. (Jarrett Seidler) |
| 2018-06-20 19:00:00 (link to chat) | who are your best buy low hitters and pitchers ROS? (Frank from Brooklyn) | Manuel Margot, Gary Sanchez and Brian Dozier for hitters. Jon Gray, Luke Weaver and Yu Darvish on the pitching side. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2017-09-06 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What's your best moment of seeing a prospect or young player and having him jump out at you, to where you think "Yeah, I get it. This guy is a stud." (jfegan from Chicago, IL) | This is a terrible answer and not at all what you're looking for, but I always remember going to Felix Pie's major league debut at Wrigley back in 2007. He doubled off of Greg Maddux and threw out a runner at home on an absolutle laser in the 10th inning to keep the game tied. Also, I was way wrong, so maybe I don't actually know anything.
OK more recent ... I went to Willie Calhoun's second game in Round Rock after coming over in the Yu Darvish trade. His first PA he destroyed a Chad Bettis pitch for an oppo dinger. That power is so legit. I just hope he can find a position to stay on the field. (Collin Whitchurch) |
| 2017-07-06 12:00:00 (link to chat) | Yankees prospects are dropping like flies (torres, kaprelian, fowler, sheffield). do you think that lessens the chance they trade for help this year? (a.j. from las vegas) | They still have plenty of pieces to make a deal if so inclined. Especially given their likely targets. Someone like Yu Darvish is probably out of play now though. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-05-18 13:00:00 (link to chat) | if your brian cashman what is your next move? trade OF prospect for Yu Darvish? trade Gardner to open up OF spot for Frazier or Fowler? etc. (a.j. from las vegas) | I don't think they need to do anything, honestly. There isn't anything crazy unsustainable here (well, maybe Aaron Hicks, although I always believed in Aaron Hicks). Think you can shore up around the edges come July without going whole hog buy. Depending on Chapman's shoulder you may need to poke around for an Addison Reed or Nick Vincent or Ryan Madson, but those guys are always available. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-04-28 13:30:00 (link to chat) | Have you seen the "Yu Darvish adopts a rescue pitbull" tweet string yet? Find immediately if not. (Jarrett from BP) | WHAT. WHERE. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2017-04-05 23:00:00 (link to chat) | 20-team dynasty league: I'm arguably the best team n the league, but with no farm system prospects are eating at my bench. A rebuilding team sent me an offer: I give Eloy Jimenez, Lucas Giolito, and Mitch Keller, I get back Max Scherzer or Yu Darvish. If it pus me over the top, I have to do it, right? Would you take Max or Yu? (AJ from Phoenix) | I'd probably do that deal in that context, yeah. First I'd try to counter for a deal that Eloy isn't in - see if you can replace him with a less-important-to-you MLB bat? I know he's on the DL in A ball, but man do I like that kid's swing almost as much as I don't like the thought of moving him (but yes, you probably do that deal if you're all-in, titles in a 20-teamer don't happen that often). I think I narrowly prefer Scherzer.
BTW, just saw the Lindor GS, and I'd like formally submit legislation to add him to my security council of players where I will pause whatever I'm doing to watch an at-bat. (Wilson Karaman) |
| 2017-02-21 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Scoresheet, 12-team AL-only league. Gun nowhere in sight, least of all pointed at your head, but an imploring look in your direction, which five do you keep? (Only two NLers.)
Yu Darvish, Rich Hill, Jeff Samardjiza, John Lackey, Matt Shoemaker, James Paxton, Collin McHugh, Tyler Skaggs, Steven Wright, Jose Berrios (touchstoneQu from Minneapolis) | Darvish, Hill, Shark, Lackey, Paxton. I'd love to say Shoe or Skaggs, but they have major health question marks. If you wanted to be daring, Skaggs over Shark would be the way to go. (George Bissell) |
| 2017-02-02 13:00:00 (link to chat) | I've read a lot about it, but is there an theoretical time/season/year that Shohei Otani comes to MLB? He may be more dreamy than those pics of Yu Darvish in a bathtub. (Ron from Texarkana) | Hahahah, love the analogy for one.
For two, I'm not sure, but I'd bet on money in this case. If it is indeed the case that Otani is victimized by the new CBA and can't come over for 2-3 years unless he gives up a massive payday, bet on 2-3 years. I'm sure he wants to play in MLB, but the salary scale for rookies and for International FAs is brutal; I can't imagine he wants to deal with that. Nor, probably, is a team willing to let him go crazy with hitting and pitching the way he'd want to. We'll probably have to wait til some team can offer him stupid money and demand he stick to the mound before he comes stateside. (Trevor Strunk) |
| 2016-12-08 23:00:00 (link to chat) | Who has the best chance to pitch 200 IP this season? Gerritt Cole, Stephen Strasburg, or Yu Darvish? (Jeff from MN) | Fish-shootin' in a dark barrel, this one. I'll go with Darvish, just because he's on the other side of his TJ. He logged over 125 last year between rehab and the bigs, and the Rangers aren't exactly fond of pitch counts/limits. Cole and especially Stras are terrifying.
I watched Rhiannon Giddens tear UP the Kennedy Center feting Bill Murray a little while ago, and I've been enamored with her voice ever since. Don't love some of the too-clean production value on some of her recorded stuff, but some of these live nuggets floating around the interwebs? Woo child... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfqIYN4KBc8&feature=youtu.be&t=2m2s (Wilson Karaman) |
| 2016-12-05 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Thoughts on Yu Darvish? (Jed from New Hampshire) | Invest. (George Bissell) |
| 2016-09-08 19:00:00 (link to chat) | Should dynasty players be paying attention to Otani? Is there a credible ETA? Will he pitch or play the field? (Chansen8895 from San Francisco ) | Unless there are significant changes to the posting system under the CBA this offseason that overhaul the process, it's unlikely that Shohei Otani is posted before the 2019 offseason, from what I understand. With that being said, he will only be in his mid-20's once he arrives and should be the most talented starter to arrive stateside since Yu Darvish. I'm skeptical that a major-league franchise would risk putting him in the field where an injury could derail his season. He's far more valuable as a starting pitcher. (George Bissell) |
| 2015-10-06 19:30:00 (link to chat) | Perhaps a better question: which teams are going to be the trendy sleeper picks going into next season? I assume CLE will rank high on that list, maybe MIN if they can find some pitching. (justarobert from Santa Clara) | Yeah, apparently we can't read dates.
Sleeper picks! Does Texas count as a sleeper pick, or does getting Yu Darvish back at some point and having Cole Hamels make them a legitimate choice?- KM I'll take the Twins. They'll get a lot from Buxton. They're on the rise and could make a splash in a weakened division. -KD The White Sox? Chris Sale, a full year of Rodon, and they have to hit more, right? - JP (AL Wild Card Game Chat) |
| 2015-02-26 20:00:00 (link to chat) | How worried should Yu Darvish owners be this year? Would you try to trade him for another top ten overall pitcher or hold? (Dave from Florida ) | I'd hold. Reports sound pretty positive at this point, and a healthy Darvish is an easy top-five pitcher. (Bret Sayre) |
| 2015-02-06 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Most difficult pitcher to analyze from a PITCHf/x perspective? (DBITLefty from Floating ) | Trevor Bauer, too many offspeed pitches.
Odrisamer Despaigne, too many arm angles. Greg Maddux, was just a cloud. Yu Darvish, similar to Bauer but with more varieties in more places. (Harry Pavlidis) |
| 2015-01-08 12:00:00 (link to chat) | What player would you share a sauna with? (allangustafson from Twilight zone) | I have no idea how to answer this, but I'll go with ... Yu Darvish (assuming his interpreter joins us). I could probably learn the most from him, and I mean if I'm locked in a sauna with an MLB player I'm not just going to not talk to them! (Jeff Long) |
| 2014-10-14 18:00:00 (link to chat) | Matt, thanks for the chat!! Did any rookie perform better on an age-adjusted earnings basis (if there is such a thing) than Rougned Odor?? I appreciate your insights!! (DJ from Dallas) | This really was the year of the Old Rookie, wasn't it? Odor got to play a bunch as the youngest MLB player under no pressure, except for maybe Yu Darvish's perfect game attempt. There were plenty of great 23-year-olds but if we, say, subtract one WARP per year older than Odor, I guess he really was at the top. (Matt Sussman) |
| 2014-07-28 19:00:00 (link to chat) | Would an execution by a Yu Darvish pitched baseball, be a just death or would you always be wondering if he had another pitch he could use? (Dan from Baltimore) | I imagine once I'm dead I would stop wondering. (Matt Sussman) |
| 2014-04-03 19:30:00 (link to chat) | I've got Yu Darvish in my keeper league, and need to pick my starters for the week. Should I throw out Shelby Miller this week and wait and see on how Darvish comes back from his injury? (Desmond from Dayton, Ohio) | I wouldn't hesitate with a stud like Darvish. You have him for a reason. Play him. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2014-03-27 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Your thoughts on the Yu Darvish injury? (Kevin from Dallas) | I hope he gets healthy soon. Very fun to watch. Plus the Rangers need him to front that makeshift rotation. (R.J. Anderson) |
| 2014-03-12 14:00:00 (link to chat) | Do Yu Darvish has hit his ceiling or am I being greedy hoping a few more innings per start? (Scott7015 from Houston) | Greedy, but I don't blame you. Wouldn't shock me if he has at least one season better than last year's. (Ben Lindbergh) |
| 2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat) | Hey Mike,please rank.....Tanaka,Gray Salazer,Peterson...and under/over 15 wins for Tanaka....is he going to do well or struggle????
Thanks (John from Boston) | Hi John.
For this year only, I would rank them in that order. Wins are hard to predict and a lot is going to depend on where he lands. I'll completely guess and go under if you're asking me to make a prop bet. I think Tanaka will do very well but fall somewhat short of Yu Darvish. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2014-01-21 18:00:00 (link to chat) | Have Yo Darvish ar $3 in my Al only 5x5.
Time to sign to long term deal
Do i go 3years/$13 4/$18 5/$23 etc? (Flip from Detroit) | That's a tough call with a pitcher. Four years and $18 is OK for Yu Darvish but three years and $13 is the safer choice. If it's me, I go with the safe choice, since I can still dump Darvish to a non-contender at that price and sell two additional years just as easily as I can sell three additional years. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2014-01-17 10:00:00 (link to chat) | What would Yu Darvish bring back in a trade for the rangers? More specifically from the mariners or the diamondbacks. (Joel from Ohio) | Anything they ask for (Jason Parks) |
| 2014-01-02 13:00:00 (link to chat) | 20-team dynasty league. Two of the top three teams about to make a trade: Team A is younger, but lacks enough impact pitching to win a title. Team B is creeping up there in age and injury. Assuming both offenses are stacked and the pitching for both is above average or better, Team A sends Giancarlo Stanton, Matt Cain, and 1-1 pick (aka Byron Buxton) for Team B's Hunter Pence, Yu Darvish, 1-3 pick, and Dylan Bundy... fair trade? (AJ from Phoenix) | Yeah, that's fair. I prefer Team B's side, but it's fair. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2013-12-10 18:00:00 (link to chat) | If Tanaka is posted, where do you see him landing? Do you think Yu Darvish gives Texas any sort of advantage? (Chad from OKC) | Hi Chad:
Los Angeles seems as good a destination as any, but I have zero insights into Mr. Tanaka's thoughts, feelings, hopes, or dreams. Seattle has always had strong local ties to the Japanese community, but maybe New York appeals as well. I'm sure having Darvish in the fold can't hurt. But who knows? He could wind up anywhere. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-11-22 14:00:00 (link to chat) | I remember you expressing the opinion that more pitchers should follow the example of Yu Darvish and pitch from the stretch all of the time. You pointed out that the preferred side-step start to the windup--the alternative to what I learned, the rock and pivot--gave little momentum advantage over simply starting as if from the stretch.
Why do you think more teams don't recommend that their young pitchers pitch from stretch-only, or else adopt an old-school start to the windup that would generate more momentum? Are there any teams that buck the trend and encourage a stretch-only approach or a windup of the old-school sort? (Rob from DC) | The magnet of conformity is tough to overcome in a game so rooted in tradition, and conventional wisdom forms a blockade to the advancement of so many elements of the game - particularly with pitchers.
Ideally, there will be minimal adjustment from the windup and stretch in order to keep from overcomplicating the timing sequence, and it makes little sense for mechanics to be compromised when pitching from the stretch - esp given that those are the most critical moments of the game, with men on base. So in that sense it is a positive sign that teams have gone to a simpler windup, but I have not heard or seen of anyone (other than myself) advocating that they ditch the windup altogether, at least not for SP's. There are plenty of relievers that do this, though, so perhaps the snowball of discovery is advancing down the hill. On the jukebox: Audioslave, "Like a Stone" (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2013-10-28 18:00:00 (link to chat) | Do you know of any intriguing Asian players headed over next year? And how do you rank some of the Japaense pitchers who surprised this year, guys like Uehara and Iwakuma? (japanaese ice from northern california) | Masahiro Tanaka is the guy everyone is talking about. The 24-year-old pitcher (he'll be 25 in 2014) throws mid 90s heat, has solid secondary offerings and has dominated in Japan. He's closer to Yu Darvish than Daisuke Matsuzaka, and could be a top pitcher next year.
Koji Uehara is one of the best closers in the game. His stuff is legit and he has always been hard to hit, even as a non-closer prior to 2013. Iwakuma is another pitcher who really shouldn't have been as much of a surprise as he was. Most of his struggles came in 2012 as a relief arm; he has dominated as a starter ever since 2012. Iwakuma should be a Top 25-30 pitcher even if he slips a little in 2014. He's really good, and his ability to pitch 200+ innings is the only thing I'm wondering about. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-10-17 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Yu Darvish has been somewhat of a frustrating follow. Of course, you can't really argue with what he's done. But his command has seemed to hold him back from being a true #1 pitcher. Do you think he pulls it all together? (Brian from Minnesota) | He's one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball. What you're looking for is more consistency, and that should come with maturity. (Harry Pavlidis) |
| 2013-09-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | F*** one, marry one, kill one.
Yu Darvish, Bryon Buxton, Mike Trout.
Go. (jharrison3 from Illinois) | I'd f*ck Darvish. That's just pure honey and it would be very enjoyable.
I'd marry Buxton because he would offer so much. He can change the game with every tool. I'd kill Trout just so I don't have to listen to people like Brian Kenny talk anymore. (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-09-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Besides Yu Darvish, which pitcher would be described as the most pornographic? (Mike from Pittsburgh) | Jose Fernandez is basically a snuff film at this point, as is Kershaw. (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-09-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What do you think of the "Yu Darvish needs to learn to hold leads/win close games" debate that is going on among the Ranger media and fans? (Rolf from NYC) | I think its foolish. (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-07-29 11:00:00 (link to chat) | Dynasty League: Giancarlo Stanton for Yu Darvish & Hunter Pence. Team Trading Stanton is loaded with offensive talent, but lacks MLB-ready starting pitching. Team trading Darvish is ravaged by injuries or suspensions, and has a deep rotation? Fair? Buying/Selling someone on the cheap? (AJ from Phoenix) | Stanton will be at the top of HR lists for years to come, and Darvish will be at the top of strikeout lists for years to come. I'll take the hitter over the pitcher in fantasy every time. (Zach Mortimer) |
| 2013-05-07 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Just dealt Headley, Fister & Asdrubal for Yu Darvish & Jean Segura. Thoughts? Thanks! (Luke from NYC) | Hot fire. I believe enough in Segura to make that worthwhile. (Paul Sporer) |
| 2013-05-07 13:00:00 (link to chat) | I didn't think my man crush for Matt Moore could be topped, but man Yu Darvish is dreamy (Shawn from My Cubicle) | Mine and Jason's top 2 for LABR Mixed (Paul Sporer) |
| 2013-05-10 14:00:00 (link to chat) | A Yankee broadcaster said that Dave Robertson has the longest stride in baseball despite his limited height. Is this true (or close to true) and, if so, what should other pitchers be learning from Dave Robertson? (edwardarthur from Illinois) | Robertson has a surprisingly long stride, no doubt, but I would respectfully disagree with the "longest in baseball" hyperbole. Robertson has a long stride thanks to steady momentum and a huge leg lift that allows him to track further forward before the leg comes back down into foot strike, resulting in a longer stride than one would expect from a 5'11" guy, but there are pitchers with longer limbs and similar lift patterns who also take advantage of greater momentum. I wrote about deep release points in today's article, and I would guess that Yu Darvish has a longer stride than Robertson, just to name one example.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=20534 (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2013-05-10 14:00:00 (link to chat) | Probably a question best for a fantasy chat, but In a 20-team dynasty league: Giancarlo Stanton, Clayton Kershaw, and Patrick Corbin for Yu Darvish, Shelby Miller, Craig Kimbrel, Neftali Feliz, and Byron Buxton. Assuming the trade benefits the needs of both teams, which side would you rather have? (Dr. Mike from Milwaukee) | Kershaw and Darvish are nearly a wash (maybe a slight edge to Kershaw), and it's hard to bank on Feliz, so it comes down to Giancarlo-Corbin for Miller-Kimbrel-Buxton. I love Kimbrel, but closers are risky business from a dynasty standpoint, and though I prefer Miller to Corbin by a decent measure, I don't think that Buxton bridges the gap to Giancarlo. I feel that prospects are extremely overvalued in dynasty formats, especially when compared to players like Stanton - Stanton is young enough to still qualify as a prospect and already one of the best players in the game, and his future will be even brighter once he escapes the island of misfit toys in Miami.
On the jukebox: Lagwagon, "Bury the Hatchet" (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2013-04-04 11:00:00 (link to chat) | Yu Darvish - 80 Grade?
http://digitaldeconstruction.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Yu-Darvish.png (Swoon from Swoon City) | I took that picture (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-04-04 11:00:00 (link to chat) | Thanks for the chat, Professor. You and Mike Ferrin had a good discussion on the first Fringe Average podcast. Not to force you make a comparison, but who is a #1? King Felix or Yu Darvish? (Jim from Seattle) | Felix. He's proven it year after year. That's what separates the paper number ones from the real number ones. Darvish is on his way, but he's not there yet. (Jason Parks) |
| 2013-02-27 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Hey Mike, My keeper deadline is tomorrow, and I've got to decide between keeinng a $6 Shelby Miller for 3 years, or a $25 Yu for 3 years. What do you recommend? I would be left with either $134 or $153 of a $260 budget for 14 postitions? Thanks for the chat! (Ed from Left Coast) | Hi Ed on the Left Coast. It depends on your league's inflation factor, but I think I'd lean Miller. Unless you're in one of those old school 4x4 leagues, Yu Darvish at $25 isn't any kind of great bargain. Miller could be and perhaps more importantly could turn into a dump chip for you mid-season. You've got a better chance of turning a profit out of Miller and a better chance of grabbing a potential ace like Darvish at auction. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-02-27 20:00:00 (link to chat) | In my AL-only Dynasty Lg, I acquired Mike Moustakas, Addison Reed, Byron Buxton and the 6th overall pick for Justin Verlander & my 10th, 11th and 12th round picks. Was this a good pick-up, considering that I have Matt Moore, Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Tommy Milone as my top starters (jlarsen from Chicago) | Hard to say considering I don't know what those picks would typically fetch in your league. That seems like a lot to give up since it's an AL-only. Your staff looks deep, but this isn't a mixed. I do like Buxton a lot, but I don't like the idea of giving up Verlander without getting a top hitter back. I have been burned in the past dealing an ace pitcher for a package of players rather than one big hitter in return. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2013-02-15 12:00:00 (link to chat) | Drafted Buster Posey ($8), Yu Darvish ($10), Yoenis Cespedes ($2), Jayson Heyward ($16), Adam Jones ($19), Adam Wainwright ($23) and Sergio Romo ($1). Get to keep 4, values increase by $3 this year. Definitely keeping Posey, Darvish & Cespedes, so who should be the 4th? I'm leaning towards Heyward. (Steve from Milwaukee) | Can you send an AJ Bombers burger in the mail to me, please? I'm keeping Posey, Darvish, Cespedes, and Heyward. (Jason Collette) |
| 2013-02-22 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Rank these players on the basis of rankability:
Yu Darvish
Jesus Montero
Brian Roberts
Tom Junod
Mark Lemke (TobyL from New York) | 4. Jesus Montero
3. Brian Roberts 2. Mark Lemke 1. Yu Darvish Tom Junod is not a player. (Sam Miller) |
| 2013-02-19 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Ben,was Yu Darvish's swoon in mid season down to the Texan heat,he was money in April, part of May and September, but not nearly as good the rest of the season ? (boatman44 from Liverpool) | Don't know if it had to do with the heat. It could have--it's pretty cool in Hokkaido, where he used to pitch. Regardless, I think the dominant Darvish of September/October is closer to what we'll see this season.
In other news, my girlfriend is distraught, having just discovered that they're doing away with the bullpen landline. May have been her favorite thing about baseball. (Ben Lindbergh) |
| 2013-01-22 13:00:00 (link to chat) | After Yu Darvish, the most effective Pacific Rim new or returning import this year will be ... ? (Paul from DC) | Hm. I had to think about this one Paul, but in the end I'll cheat and go with Hisashi Iwakamua due to the park. (R.J. Anderson) |
| 2012-12-21 14:00:00 (link to chat) | How hard or smart is it to really alter a pitchers mechanics once they get in a Major League organization? Follow up, Do you think there is an age when a pitchers mechanics are pretty much set and any major change would mess them up more than it would help them? (twayda from Chicago) | The boring answer is that, "it depends on the player." Mechanics can be addressed at the major league level, but the focus at that stage is generally triggered toward pitch sequencing and the chess match between pitcher and hitter, and pitchers are expected to be physically prepared to pitch at the highest level. Sometimes the organization has little choice but to address mechanics in the majors, such as in the case of Yu Darvish last year. I don't think that there is any stage where a pitcher's mechanics are set, and I have seen athletes make huge strides in the twilight of their careers, though it is certainly easier to make adjustments to a player who has less hard-wired muscle memory.
On the jukebox: Thrice, "Kill Me Quickly" (Doug Thorburn) |
| 2012-08-23 13:00:00 (link to chat) | You have just finished watching a complex league game. You saw, for the first time, a player you had never before heard about. He is now your favorite prospect ever, filling you with feelings of Francisco Lindor, Oscar Taveres and Yu Darvish, held together by Willie Mays' maple syrup and choir robe. What position does he play? Where is he from? What makes him so special? Have you ever stumbled onto such a prospect without any prior knowledge of the kid's existence? (Nick from Michigan) | He plays shortstop; he's special because he's 6'7'' and weighs 250 lbs; he hits bombs, he steals bases, and he thinks Mike Trout's ceiling is a bag of #slack. He's the first of his kind; the wave of the future. Power-forward body with Venezuelan shortstop actions, Mike Trout's speed, and Stanton's power. He's also a sweetheart that has grit. (Jason Parks) |
| 2012-04-27 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Hi Jason, have you personally seen Yu Darvish throw a cut Marvin Gaye? (mattymatty2000 from Portland, OR) | No, but I've seen him throw a Theo Huxtable. Most people aren't familiar with that pitch, but it's pretty cool. It's not very aggressive, but its steady and everything turns out okay. (Jason Parks) |
| 2012-04-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | If you could only watch one player not named Hosmer take batting practice and one pitcher throw a bullpen for the rest of your life, who would it be ? Prospect or Major Leaguer. (Jordan from Driving to Bucknell) | Bryce Haper or Josh Hamilton for batting practice; Yu Darvish or Trevor Bauer for bullpens. (Jason Parks) |
| 2012-03-15 12:00:00 (link to chat) | Matt Moore or Yu Darvish in 2012? (Hannah from Montana) | This is a tough one. I'll go with Darvish because of the division. (R.J. Anderson) |
| 2012-03-08 15:00:00 (link to chat) | Rangers top prospect Martin Perez recently asked Yu Darvish how he fared in his first intra-squad scrimmage. Darvish told him he pitched "OK" and then instructed his translator to ask Perez how old he was.
Informed that Perez was 20, Darvish responded, "Tell him I already had a Cy Young by then."
-------------
So, that Darvish guy has confidence, what about Martin Perez? What should we expect out of the Venezuelean this year and beyond? (Dan from Colorado) | For me, the biggest issue for Perez is just finding more consistency. When he's on, he's REALLY on, but as Kevin Goldstein mentioned in his writeup of the Rangers system, his velocity goes in and out, and that gets him frustrated. I think he'd benefit from another full year in the minors, both from a consistency standpoint and to learn how to keep his emotions from getting the best of him on days when he doesn't have his best stuff. If he can do that, I could see him either as an elite reliever or No. 2 starter down the road. (Daniel Rathman) |
| 2012-03-06 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Derek, thanks for chatting! Question for you on drafting Yu Darvish. In Yahoo! mocks, he's dropping into a cluster of SPs the likes of CJ Wilson, Madison Bumgarner, Josh Johnson, Adam Wainwright, Josh Beckett, Michael Pineda, Dan Hudson, and Mat Latos.
How would you rank these 9 players on your draft board? (BR from NYC) | Hmm... off the top of my head, I'll go Beckett, Johnson, Wainwright, Bumgarner, Darvish, Hudson, Wilson, Pineda, Latos. (Derek Carty) |
| 2012-02-13 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Kevin, what is your criteria regarind International exclusions on the list such as Yu Darvish? (mattseward from Cardiff, UK) | Yu Darvish needs ZERO development. Nobody thinks he needs any time in the minors at all. Some think Cespedes does, but I don't think Oakland is one of those teams. (Kevin Goldstein) |
| 2012-02-14 13:00:00 (link to chat) | AL ROTY: Matt Moore v. Yu Darvish (v. the field?)- who you got? (Kevin from Davenport) | Darvish. Moore's good, and I'd put him down for second, but I think Darvish will be better this year. I am disappointed to see him going so high in mock drafts, though. I was hoping all of the failed Japanese guys and Dice-K comparisons would lower his value enough where I could conceivably draft him, but his Japanese numbers and the hype just seems to be so overwhelming.
Also, for what it's worth, it's interesting to note just how many quality rookies are in the AL this year compared to the NL. There are more than a handful of legit ROY candidates in the AL while no clear-cut favorite in the senior circuit. (Derek Carty) |
| 2012-02-02 15:00:00 (link to chat) | Does Wei-Yin Chen hold any value? (Joseph from Richmond) | His numbers in Japan were very strong, but not exactly Yu Darvish territory, and Japanese starters don't have a great track record of transitioning into MLB rotations. I'd take a flier on him in an AL-only league, but purely as a lottery ticket. (Cory Schwartz) |
| 2012-01-26 13:00:00 (link to chat) | For their big league (MLB) careers, who do you like long-term between Gerrit Cole, Yu Darvish, and Trevor Bauer? (Sara from Tacoma) | Darvish, Cole, Bauer in that order (Jason Parks) |
| 2012-01-18 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Yu Darvish gets posted, and Team X doesn't want him, but doesn't want any other team to get him either. So Team X bid $75 million bucks and wins the right to negotiate with Darvish's reps. Team X then sits on its hands for 30 days, and Darvish doesn't sign with anyone, and Team X gets its $75 million back.
There is a problem here ... right? (dianagram from VORGville) | Well, I know we've all heard that if the Rangers don't make a significant effort to actually close the deal, and placed their bid just to block Darvish from showing up somewhere else, that they will pay a price with the commissioner, with other MLB teams, with the public, etc.
That said, a lot of what's been said about Texas and Darvish amounts to "well, that's just not done", and sooner or later, someone gets around to doing just about everything that's "just not done" until that point. I mean, who's to say that Texas hasn't made a Herculean effort but Darvish and his representatives have decided that he's a $126 million pitcher and they won't take a penny less? I agree with your general point, though--the posting system makes about as much sense as the BCS, and there's got to be a better way to do it. -- Dave (Best of BP with Ben and Dave) |
| 2012-01-10 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Rapid Fire: Ten fantasy rookies who will make impacts in 2012 (5 pitchers, 5 batters): _______? Go! (Francois from Toronto) | Okay, rapid fire...
P: Yu Darvish, Matt Moore, Addison Reed, Julio Teheran, Brad Peacock H: Jesus Montero, Yoennis Cespedes, Mike Trout, Devin Mesoraco, Tyler Pastornicky There are certainly others that will have impacts too. I actually have an article about fantasy-worthy rookies in the Fantasy Baseball Index magazine that will hit newsstands this preseason, if you're interested in my take on other guys. (Derek Carty) |
| 2012-01-10 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Is there a chance that by waiting for Texas to sign Yu Darvish, Scott Boras is losing the momentum that had us all sure Prince Fielder would join the Nationals? He certainly got many of us Nats fans excited and ready, but as we wait, there has been more time for reflection that perhaps can contend a little later but longer without him. If Texas drops out, doesn't he lose most of his leverage, as well? +1/2St. (HalfStreet from Fairfax VA) | It seems that no one is offering the kind of deal Fielder wants right now, even if Boras is trying to use the Rangers as leverage ("if they don't sign Darvish, they're getting Fielder guys!"), so his best route may just be to let Darvish play out. If Darvish doesn't sign, then there's another team in the Fielder bidding. If he does, well, then Texas might at least make a modest offer, but worst case is that he's basically where he is now. As far as Washington potentially backing out, it's certainly possible (they do have LaRoche), but as I said in a previous response, I think it could just be posturing. For the kind of deal Fielder seems likely to have to settle for, I imagine Washington would still make a competitive bid. Of course, I'm not a beat writer, but that's the impression I get. (Derek Carty) |
| 2012-01-10 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Dynasty League 8x8, 28 man rosters. I have the first 2 picks in the Free Agent draft. All things being equal, who are you taking between Anthony Rendon, Manny Machado, Yu Darvish, and Gerrit Cole? Thanks (CharlieWerner from York, PA) | First question: are you competing this year? If so, Darvish is automatic first pick. Then it's tricky, but I probably go Machado or Cole and probably land on Cole. If Machado's moves to third, he loses value, and Cole is a potential ace. (Derek Carty) |
| 2012-01-10 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Sorry, Cespedes is also available to go with Gerrit Cole, Yu Darvish, Anthony Rendon, and Manny Machado. Dynasty League, all things being equal, who do you take if you could pick 2? (CharlieWerner from York, PA) | If you're looking to win this year, Cespedes after Darvish. Otherwise, I might pass him up for Machado/Cole. (Derek Carty) |
| 2012-01-12 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Who you got as your breakout/surprise pitcher of the year? (yankeesbg13 from Indianapolis) | Can I answer Yu Darvish? He probably won't be as good as the highest expectations for him, but I do think he will outperform the median expectation given all the negative. comparisons to Dice-K and Igawa.
Probably more in line with the question you were asking, I'd say Jerome Williams. I really liked the improved command that he demonstrated in his short stint with the Angels last year. (Mike Fast) |
| 2012-01-30 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What are your expectations for Yu Darvish this season? (SDILincoln from Colorado) | Unscientifically, I think he'll be quite good based on scouting reports and the stats. You have to discount for the shallower quality of Japanese lineups and other differences between the games, but his performances have been SO good that I think a lot of that will wash out. I do wonder about our more intense schedule and the Texas heat, though. (Steven Goldman) |
| 2011-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat) | When do Yu reach your breaking point with the puns? (Matt2pt0 from LA) | For most of my adult life, I've struggled with the question of whether humans are basically good or basically bad, and whether we are getting better as a species. Lately, I've leaned toward "bad" and "not getting better." I remember hearing Ozzy Osbourne on Fresh Air a while back and he talked about how, before he became a rock star, he was a burglar and mugger. That struck me: Here was Terry Gross treating Ozzy Osbourne like a totally normal and respectable dude, but Ozzy hadn't changed; his circumstances had changed, and his incentives had changed. If he were still poor, and he could get away with it, he totally would have robbed Terry Gross! Most of us feel like good people because we don't generally do bad things, but we don't generally do bad things because we're all like Ozzy Osbourne: Generally affluent, generally risk-averse, and fairly rational. We don't need to steal; we have a great deal to lose if we do steal; so we don't steal. That doesn't make us good people.
I feel like a lot of good work had been done recently reducing puns in baseball writing. (Not on MLB.com headlines, but among wittier writers.) But then, over the past month, I've just been overwhelmed by Yu Darvish puns. Like, 25 a day? Probably 25 a day, for three weeks, which is nearly one thousand Yu Darvish puns. I have also made (two) Yu Darvish puns. Everybody has made Yu Darvish puns, because the social barriers against them have crumbled, and because Yu Darvish puns are just so eeeeeeasy, and at our cores we can't resist puns that are so eeeeeeeasy. Yu Darvish puns are like steroids in the 1990s: When it gets easy enough, and when nobody is legislating against it, we all lose sight of the individual responsibility to resist evil. And this: http://yupuns.tumblr.com/ That said, I believe there is exactly one great pun for every name, and eventually somebody will discover the perfect pun for Yu Darvish. Usually the perfect pun is surprising, so in Yu Darvish's case it probably won't have anything to do with You/Yu. Or even Yu/U. I suspect it will probably have something to do with the Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidate). (Sam Miller) |
| 2011-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat) | The only acceptable Yu Darvish pun will come if Toronto signs Chad Qualls and it can be said of their offseason, "Q And Not Yu." (bradleyankrom from Space) | One of my two was "queue and not yu" but it never really came together. (Sam Miller) |
| 2011-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Ok, I get my season ticket invoice in the mail and it's up 4% or so. My favortie team let aramis ramirez and carlos pena go, and have signed david dejesus and trade for ian stewart. No Yu Darvish. No Albert Pujols. Prince Fielder is a pipe dream. Is there any reason I should pay near the highest ticket prices in baseball for a team that's obviously going to be just better than astros awful in 2012? (Look Like I'm 3k Richer from Chicago) | No, unless you like going to baseball parks and watching baseball. Terrible baseball. (Sam Miller) |
| 2011-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat) | I am tripping out right now because of the Yu Darvish situation? Where was the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Cubs? Aren't the Red Sox obligated to bid on Yu considering their investment on Dice-K? Isn't it wise to spend good money chasing bad money in order to right a ship? Isn't Yu Darvish the mysterious Japanese pitcher we always knew existed, not Dice-K? (Tim from Seattle) | It really is the weirdest thing to have an entire offseason with no Yankees rumors.
OK. That's all. I'm going away now. Go away, everybody. (Sam Miller) |
| 2011-12-14 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Everybody has been hearing all of this hype about Yu Darvish. Daisuke Matsuzaka got all this hype too, and look what happened to him. Do you think Yu will be the real deal? (yankeesbg13 from Indianapolis) | I think Matsuzaka was the real deal as well. He just couldn't maintain it. I think people forget that he had a couple good seasons. Was he everything that was advertised? No. Will Darvish be the real deal? I think he has a more realistic chance of sustainable success. A see a very good #2 starter. (Jason Parks) |
| 2011-12-02 14:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Yu Darvish currently or project to be a #1 or #2? (Roger from Toronto) | More of a 2, but again, 1s are such a rare group, Almost impossible to project anyone as a pure 1. (Kevin Goldstein) |
| 2011-10-17 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Hi Kevin, thanks for the chat. I know you don't like speculating on trades but if Wilson leaves can you see Texas trading Kinsler for a TOR replacement? I think Texas is conservative with prospects but Profar seems intent on forcing the issue so he may yet share the infield with Andrus imo. (chewbalka from CAN) | Whether Wilson stays or goes, the Rangers will be among the favorites to sign Yu Darvish. (Kevin Goldstein) |
| 2011-02-28 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Where would Yu Darvish rank on this list? (Matt from MD) | He's not really a prospect is he? That's why I don't do Japanese guys who are finished products. (Kevin Goldstein) |
| 2010-06-07 18:30:00 (link to chat) | If Yu Darvish were in this draft, would he go 1 or 2 (just based on talent, forget $)? (nomarshaus from Bmore) | Great question. I say one, others might say two. (Kevin Goldstein) |
BP Roundtables
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PITCHf/x Pitcher Profile
A Collaboration between BrooksBaseball.net and Baseball Prospectus - Pitch classifications provided by Pitch Info LLC
Yu Darvish has thrown 28,132 pitches that have been tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2012 and 2024, all of them occuring in Spring Training. In 2024, he has relied primarily on his Slider (84mph) and Fourseam Fastball (94mph), also mixing in a Curve (76mph), Sinker (93mph), Splitter (88mph) and Cutter (91mph).
BP Annual Player Comments
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