Darvish Signs for 2011
For the third year in a row, I get to write that Yu Darvish has renewed his contract for another season with Nippon Ham. This year though, I get to write that he’s taken his rightful place as Japan’s highest-paid player. Darvish’s salary for 2011 will be 500m yen ($6m at January 6th’s rate), a 170m yen raise over what he made last season.
When asked about the possibility of using the posting system to move to the Majors next offseason or later, Darvish issued a “no comment“.
06/01/2011 at 11:58 am Permalink
There should be an absolute bonanza to see Darvish pitch, with everyone assuming he’s moving stateside after the season.
06/01/2011 at 6:41 pm Permalink
Poor guy. That salary isn’t enough for him. He has two kids to feed. Each costs him $5M yen per month for the next 20 years XD
Darvish has to go to MLB to earn that kind of money
06/01/2011 at 7:07 pm Permalink
Brian Bannister signed with YOmiuri Giants, according to Rosenthal.
Great news! Banny’s a great guy, and he loves baseball. I’m sure hardcore fans still recall his interview about his sabermetric approach.
Bid him well.
06/01/2011 at 11:24 pm Permalink
I remember this interview with Bannister: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/01/brian-bannister.html
I’m going to beat passerby to the punch and point out that Brian’s dad Floyd played for Yakult in 1990. So another father-son signing for Yomiuri, to go along with Ryal.
Yomiuri is going to be absolutely loaded with foreign players this year. Bannister’s going to have to compete with Greisinger and Carlos Torres for starts, and all the other guys for roster time. At least Ramirez no longer counts against the limit.
07/01/2011 at 12:30 am Permalink
What is this, a trivia contest?
The only other father-and-son couple is the Keoughs. Brian’s dad is overall No. 1 pick in 1976. 2002’s No. 1 pick Bullington is coming to the Carp next year. The other No. 1 pick is Bob Honer (1978). At the time of signing, Floyd Bannister had 133 wins in the MLB next to Don Newcombe’s 149 wins. Bill Gullickson had 101 wins (total 162 wins).
07/01/2011 at 2:36 am Permalink
I have this 1984 Topps card of Floyd Bannister where he looks just like Billy Bob Thornton from “Slingblade.” Seriously, google it!
07/01/2011 at 11:55 am Permalink
As usual, passerby does not disappoint.
07/01/2011 at 1:21 pm Permalink
A rare clip of Floyd Bannister (around 35 seconds in).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNGOW-5PNiU
07/01/2011 at 2:45 pm Permalink
Chan Ho Park has 124 MLB wins, so I guess he’s #3 on the list after Newc and Bannister.
07/01/2011 at 3:08 pm Permalink
Yes. Rich Gossage comes close with 113 wins (total 124 wins).
Here are other leaders (total number only).
Saves: 307 (Rich Gossage)
Hits: 2547 (Willie Davis)
HRs: 382 (Frank Howard)
07/01/2011 at 8:50 pm Permalink
Actually, Bullington will be the fourth former #1 pick to play in Japan. Besides Bannister and Horner, Danny Goodwin played for Nankai in 1986. Goodwin was actually the #1 pick twice – in 1971 out of high school (by the White Sox) and 1975 out of college (by the Angels).
07/01/2011 at 9:51 pm Permalink
I thought I forgot someone. The only player ever to be picked first twice.
Although the impact Horner had was something, none of the No. 1s played a full season. Goodwin’s last MLB game was in 1982, so he was far removed from any meaningful games.
08/01/2011 at 3:22 pm Permalink
With love, you folks do not disappoint.
🙂
09/01/2011 at 2:28 am Permalink
So Darvish gets paid his worth at last… or maybe just a clever rouse by the Fighters to post him without excuse at the end of this year.
That’s a huge raise, especially surprising because it came from Nippon Ham. But anyhow NPB is finally out of that weird situation where the top 3 most highly paid pitchers were all closers (Iwase, Fujikawa and Lim).
11/01/2011 at 12:31 am Permalink
“No comment” eh. People love to read into no comments.
11/01/2011 at 5:31 pm Permalink
That means “you got me” in most cases…