Should the M's bid on Yu Darvish after all?

But the posting process is such crap that I’m not really getting my hopes up. Even if we want him and are willing to spend what it takes to get him, we may not be able to get him because we don’t know for sure what it takes to get him.

But I’d much rather see them spend that money on Fielder or stash it away.
In my opinion the Mariners aren’t in a position to gamble that much money on a player with as many question marks as Darvish.

Lots of pitchers have come over to the states and been in over their heads. If the M’s were to commit serious money to Darvish, I would hope that Jack and his scouts have gone over him with a fine toothed comb and be pretty damn sure he’s the real deal. Remember when people were proclaiming Daisuke Matsuzaka to be the next Nolan Ryan?

I’m all for signing Darvish but I also want the M’s to sign Fielder. Your blind assumption is that the M’s are going to, in a year or two, be in a position to trade some package of Hultzen and/or Paxton or Pineda for a hitter of Fielder’s caliber is not necessarily true.

Further, the idea that you’re willing to spend $120 million for a player that’s never played a game in the Majors (and a pitcher, no less, a player likely to be more prone to serious injury) but you don’t want to spend that much (or a bit more) for the hitter that we need NOW.

My best guess is that Fielder signs for 7 years, $150 million. If Darvis costs $120 million, that’s probably a $70 million posting and a five-year deal for $10 mil a year.

It’s patently ridiculous for you to suggest that signing Darvish instead of Fielder is the way to go. If they sign both, they can contend in 2012. But wait, you’re going to tell me the the Mariners can’t afford both, aren’t you? Which is of course, based on the M’s telling their fans they can’y afford it, while they pocket the $60 mil a year in TV money from Root Sports.

Thank you for putting the dash in “Nippon-Ham Fighters.” I always wondered why any self-respecting baseball team would want to call themselves the Ham Fighters.

But then they fail to come to terms and get their money back, but Darvish stays in Japan, and doesn’t go to Texas or Boston.

Tone it down?!!?? Wait, did I just walk into the “library” of Mariners blogs? No need for passion here folks. Sign Fielder, sign Darvish and remain relevant in your division. It’s pretty simple. The M’s have lost half their attendance in the last decade. Do they want those fans to come back or not?

just from the point of view that Ichiro is coming towards the end of his career. I lived in Japan for 5 years, the Mariners have a huge following there because of Ichiro. Not just in merchandise either. Most people who have been to the US end up going to Seattle. It’s close in terms of distance, and it is also familiar to Japanese people because that is where Ichiro plays. Most Mariners games are broadcast on Japanese TV each morning, so Japan sort of wakes up to Seattle everyday.

What would become of this market if Ichiro is no longer on the team? I guarantee they won’t be showing Mariners games anymore. When Matsui was with the Yankees, it was a similar story. Always a Seattle and Yankees game, if they clashed one would be delayed. As soon as Matsui went to the A’s there was all of a sudden less Yankees games. Yes, there were still Yankees games because of all the Yankee fans all over, but instead we ended up seeing more A’s games. So no Ichiro = no Mariners games. No Mariners games = less exposure of Seattle and the Mariners to the Japanese public.

I’m not saying that Seattle should make a Matsuzaka like bid for Darvish, but I think they should make a good run of it. If they get outbid they get outbid. I just think there is a lot of non-baseball reasons to go after Darvish.

Oh, he is also a pretty good pitcher. I remember watching him at Koshien back in the early 00s.

I feel like I laid out an ok rational argument in this fanpost, but seriously, I just want him on an emotional level now. If the M’s sign him I’m buying the northwest green jersey day 1.

If it’s not at all (as I’ve often heard), then I think a Darvish contract could be a downright steal. If it does affect payroll, then he’s not so much of a steal.

Either way, a massive risk and it’s gonna make me nervous as hell if it happens (even though I buy into the hype).

“The source said Darvish’s preference is to play for a team on the West Coast, and one source pegged the Mariners as a darkhorse candidate, especially if they worry the price for Fielder will become prohibitive.”

I don’t know Passan, so I don’t know if he is particularly reliable.

Interesting at least

Didn’t realize how much I’d actually like to see him here until I noticed how much I’ve been looking for Darvish news since the deadline passed.

Did anyone else hear this?

I’m surprised the Mariners weren’t in on Buehrle. They want a veteran presence in the rotation. The guy pitches 200+ innings every year. Works fast. Is a good fielder. Maybe a bit pricey – but I think he would have been worth it. Maybe we didn’t want the years he wanted.

Obviously I don’t know if Buehrle would have any interest playing for us. Maybe we did kick the tires, but that news never came out. But it seemed like a guy that would have been worth trying for and we seem to be linked to everyone else.

Toronto’s bid said to be 40-50 million which is below the record bid of 51.1million. Yankees/Cubs seem not too interested. We don’t know Rangers bid but apparently they scouted Darvish a ton and they have a lot of money. The signs in my head are pointing toward them unfortunately.

About 5 or 6pm PST.

I’d like it to be not-Rangers. Wouldn’t be sad if it were Toronto or Chicago. Could get behind it if it was M’s.

Seems like a good investment. Go for it M’s!