Fighters manager says $112 mil too low for Darvish

Pathetic. Can we please stop paying these people absurd amounts and pay teachers, nurses... more?

Ichiro is the only big ticket player out of Japan so far to really be worth what they're paying him.

Darvish's 6 year $60 million is comparable to Gio Gonzalez 7 year $66 million with last two years as option for Gonzalez. A better pitcher would have negotiated a shorter deal and made more money on the next one. That's what Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander and Jered Weaver all did in recent years, and it's what Tim Lincecum will do now that his two-year, $23 million deal with the Giants has expired, making him eligible for arbitration heading into his walk year. Clayton Kershaw will likely do it as well, unless the Dodgers want to break Gonzalez's record in the coming weeks. After posting fee, I doubt Rangers would've offered shorter term contract. With the posting fee, it's costing the Rangers $18 million a year. This is three times more than Nippon Ham paid him last year.

"Even so, Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama told Japanese media Darvish was underpriced."

If they wanted to keep him Nippon Ham should have given him a contract equal to the $60 million he received.

paulinusaJAN. 20, 2012 - 09:04AM JST "Even so, Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama told Japanese media Darvish was underpriced." If they wanted to keep him Nippon Ham should have given him a contract equal to the $60 million he received.

Exactly. If he's such a bargain at that price then why did Nippon Ham offer him up to the higher bidder and not try and resign him themselves. They didn't have to post him. So, it's really kinda silly for Mr. Kuriyama to make any comment at all about Darvish's value. Nippon Ham sold Darvish to the highest bidder. The team got theirs so he should just leave it at that.

Has there ever been any NPB team that has offered any player (Japanese of foreign) an equivalent contract? Ever? Aren't the highest paid players in Japan only getting about $5-$6 million (USD) a year for a few years at best? Maybe Mr. Kuriyama should lament the fact that the owners of his team (or the owners of other teams) are unwilling to pay their star players enough to keep them home or offer enough to MLB star players to try and convince them to play over here.

It's too early to say how well Darvish will do. I hope he does well. The Rangers offered him what they felt was fair. He didn't have to accept that offer; he could have stayed in Japan (like Iwakuma did last year) if he felt they were screwing him around. If he has a good first year and helps the Rangers win the World Series (just like Matsuzaka did with the BoSox) then everyone will be saying what a bargain he is. If he does poorly and/or gets injured then some people may question the wisdom of this contract. We'll just have to wait and see how things go.

Who cares what Kuriyama said. He just became a manager and it's his first stint. He hasn't managed a single game yet. He doesn't know what he's talking about and his words carry little weight.

I actually had a high school classmate, Greg LaRocca that made it over to Japan majors for many years... and he considered himself 2nd rate and washed up for a million bucks. This manager is off his rocks.

If ten million a year is too cheap and Nippon paid him about six million a year, then I guess Nippon either really got a bargain or they screwed him over. Good luck in the majors, Mr. D.

Nope. I sometimes don't understand why people admire sports stars. Many of them are not good role models at all. After all, baseball is a game, a kids' game. Dress it all up with blood, tears, and sweat, but fundamentally, it's a kids' game where a bunch of grown ups are paid exorbitant amounts of money to play several hours a day. Sure, it is difficult to be in the major leagues and Pro baseball league in Japan, but nonetheless any notion that a baseball player is 'underpaid' is ridiculous.

He hasn't done squat in the Major Leagues. This guy got a serious raise compared to what he was earning in Japan and he's making more than most MLB players, yet he's 'underpaid.' Spare us. The vast majority of 'stars' who have crossed the Pacific from Japan have not even come close to being worth the money. With busts like Igawa, Johjima, Irabu, Little Matsui, and a whole host of others to base my argument on, I feel he's extremely lucky to get what he got. Let's see him make a real impact for at least 4 or 5 seasons.

If he is able to fulfill the 6 years without major injury then it is a bargain.

smithinjapanJAN. 20, 2012 - 12:02PM JST It's a shame he's losing a lot of the money to pay his ex-wife, but 112 Mil is MORE than enough until we see how he performs.

Actually, I don't think his ex-wife is all that much. All he has to pay is child support ("kyouikuhi") for his two kids. He's not paying any "isharyo" and there is no division of property and/or assets. Yahoo! Japan said that basically the divorce was decided on his terms.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20120120-00000053-spnannex-ent

Should be good, not too many pitchers bring 7 different pitches to the table

That's 7 pitches in the Japanese leagues, in MLB he is going to have to trim that number down and focus more on his money pitches. ML batters will tear him a new butt if he throws the junk pitches there that he got away with here.

Time will tell if he is worth the money, the wear and tear of a MLB season and pitching every 5 days and against lineups, even the worst one's being far better than anything he has seen in Japan, that will research and study his every move will add even more pressure on him.

I wish him luck, but the expectations that are going to be put on him will be enormous and wouldn't expect too much from him this year.

Yubaru, Good point (the wear and tear of a MLB season). Traveling within Japan easy compared to say, having a 4 game set in Seattle then having to say fly overnight to TB for another 4 games ect.

The loss of his star player, he said, would be “tough for our club, but I was prepared to face his departure,” according to Kyodo news agency.

lol ! believe in your heart !

That is crazy cash. Now welcome to the IRS. Divorced with two kids, agents and a needed translator...the costs add up. Good arm on this kid however and I look forward to seeing you when I buy Gillette razors.

Geez, A Japanees manager whining about MASSIVE contracts -- go figure. This guy should take a page from Iwakuma's history book and realize managers only hurt those they represent when they make outrageous demands. He's getting TEN MILLION US per year, for six years. After that, assuming he does well, he will be in a position to demand more.

I'm sick of all these Japanese managers and/or players demanding so much when they've yet to prove themselves in the (US) majors, and then in many cases amount to a hill of beans and get sent home.

It is a mystery to me why people are protesting about compensation in finance and not about the compensation in sports. These salary levels are absurd. And these numbers do not even include endorsements. If $112 million is too low, how much is enough?

Should be good, not too many pitchers bring 7 different pitches to the table. If does as well as expected, then they got a huge deal. With 4 pitchers in the MLB already over $20 million, if he can be at their standard or better, then hes a definite bargain...and will be bought out by the Yankees or Sox at a $20 mil tag once his contracts out.

If 18 million is so cheap then why didn't the Japanese teams offer him more?

I wonder what Billy Beane would say about this

Too much for him...

yagura JAN. 20, 2012 - 01:17PM JST Actually, I don't think his ex-wife is all that much. All he has to pay is child support ("kyouikuhi") for his two kids. He's not paying any "isharyo" and there is no division of property and/or assets. Yahoo! Japan said that basically the divorce was decided on his terms.

Meant to write "Actually I don't this his ex-wife is getting all that much."

@Moderator: How about an edit/delete button for these comment boards? :D

Need to ham out more money Nippon Ham ^_^ being an athlete during a recession would be cool

Bargain..and he's a right result with his divorce.

Davish is worth more but you (Hideki Kuriyama ) paid him less? Sounds a bit hypocritical.

He's not even thrown a pitch in the Majors and he's getting paid just as much as the best in the US. It's a big risk Tex are taking.

a little over 10 million dollars a year for six years!!! cheao?? no way.

He should be glad he got that. Aside from Ichiro and Matsui the others have been a mere flash in the pan at best. You know I'm right. This is a country that sells a melon for 10,000 yen. The last decade showed us that Japan will sell us expensive lemons as well. Matsuzaka....all busted up.

What's done is done...now go have fun.

By age 25, if you are not a good pitcher, you will never "become" a good pitcher. Pitchers, like hitters, basketball players and quarterbacks are born with talent. Their abilities can be coached and tweaked, but hard work and long practicing cannot make a mediocre player great. There are only so many pitches in that arm. The clock is ticking the moment you throw that first pitch. Consider this: if Darvish makes 30 starts per year over his 6-year contract and management only lets him throw 100 pitches per outing, that figures out to be approx. $3,300 per pitch -- not a bad wage and too cheap by no means!!!

** smithinjapanJAN. 20, 2012 - 12:02PM JST It's a shame he's losing a lot of the money to pay his ex-wife, but 112 Mil is MORE than enough until we see how he performs.

Actually, I don't think his ex-wife is all that much. All he has to pay is child support ("kyouikuhi") for his two kids. He's not paying any "isharyo" and there is no division of property and/or assets. Yahoo! Japan said that basically the divorce was decided on his terms.** Well perhaps if he had kept it in his pants... Dekichatta and a cheater... Seems sex ed was lost on him.

Let's see, 10 million a month, minus 2 million for child support, 1million to uncle Sam, and about 2.3 million in expenses and such., donations to the Yu Darvish Water Fund. leaves him 4.7 to 5 million a month in spare change, not to mention his current savings and investments. i'd say he won't be hard up for cash anytime soon. Good luck Darvish, earn it.

MLB hitters will have his number by the start of his second season.

This Kuriyama fellow seems to think money is what sport is all about. Players should be paid and paid well - the revenue from pay TV is simply mind-boggling and sport is a business I agree - but to state that a bloke needs more than $10 Mill a year will put him offside with the fans. I mean, I'm sure Darvish will still be able to afford the Rolls Royces, daily caviar, chauffers, butlers and maids - he isn't going to go hungry! And the Nippon Ham officials and staff will probably soon be seen driving Ferraris around Hokkaido I'd imagine...

cheap

Wurthington: I agree with you 100%. Darvish has a lot of potential, and I hope he realizes it and becomes one of the MLB's better pitchers. Matsuzaka also had a lot of potential and got a MASSIVE contract after a lot of negotiating, and we all know what happened to him. Back to Iwakuma and HIS whining (and his manager's), you'll notice this time around when he got a contract they did not mention how much they agreed to (at least not at first). My guess is it was not near what he was demanding before.

It's a shame he's losing a lot of the money to pay his ex-wife, but 112 Mil is MORE than enough until we see how he performs.

This manager is being unreasonable. There are huge risks in signing pitchers from Japan, no matter how talented they are. Most do not dominate longer than 2 years in the MLB once other hitters figure them out. $10 million a season for 6 years is quite a good deal if you ask me. There are also some issues with the ball not being the same weight and size and, of course, how well the player adjusts to the new country. Darvish was at least smart enough to escape the home situation with his wife, so starting over might be easier for him than others. I hope he does well, but the deal he got was fair.