JAPAN: BASEBALL - Japanese fans say they are proud and happy that star baseball pitcher Yu Darvish is headed for the Texas Rangers

Record ID: 466147

  • Title: JAPAN: BASEBALL - Japanese fans say they are proud and happy that star baseball pitcher Yu Darvish is headed for the Texas Rangers
  • Date: 20th January 2012
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 19, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF "JINGU BATTING DOME" JAPANESE PITCHERS ON PROJECTED SCREENS SCREEN FLASHING: "DARVISH" AND PHOTO OF JAPANESE PITCHER YU DARVISH STANDING ON MOUND VARIOUS OF JAPANESE BUSINESSMAN YUJI MINAMIYA BATTING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 27-YEAR-OLD JAPANESE BUSINESSMAN AND AMATEUR BASEBALL PLAYER YUJI MINAMIYA SAYING "He's the number one player in Japan, so I have no doubt that he can perform well in the Major League." SCREEN SHOWING DARVISH PITCHING AND BALL FLYING THROUGH SCREEN MAN BATTING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 37-YEAR-OLD JAPANESE BUSINESSMAN MITSUTERU HIRAYAMA SAYING "I hope he makes a record 15 wins in the coming season." MORE OF PEOPLE BATTING EXTERIOR OF MEIJI-JINGU BASEBALL STADIUM PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 24-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN TAKUMI NAKATA SAYING: "I think Darvish deserves such a large payment, so I just wish he can perform well to pay off the money he receives without any injuries." TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 03, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MATSUZAKA AND JAPANESE PITCHER YU DARVISH THROWING BALL
  • Embargoed: 4th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9TU2ZHVFAG4XMFQJWLWEI4KZL
  • Story Text: Japanese said on Thursday (January 19, 2012) they were happy and proud for their star pitcher Yu Darvish even if they were losing him to the U.S. Major League Baseball's (MLB) Texas Rangers.
    The American League champions agreed to terms on a six-year deal with the Japanese pitching ace just as the negotiating window was set to close, the team said on Wednesday (January 18).
    At a batting centre in Tokyo, the talk of the day was all about the Darvish deal and people expressed high hopes for him to perform across in the United States.
    "He's the number one player in Japan, so I have no doubt that he can perform well in the Major League," 27 year-old Japanese businessman Yuji Minamiya said.
    "I wish him a record 15 wins in the coming season," 37-year old Japanese Mitsuteru Hirayama added.
    Financial terms of Darvish's deal were not disclosed but a report on MLB's website said the contract is worth about $60 million U.S. dollars, a sum most Japanese said he was worthy of.
    "I think Darvish deserves such a large payment, so I just wish he can perform well to pay off the money he receives without any injuries," 24-year old Takumi Nakata said.
    Darvish is expected to travel to Texas later this week and be introduced during a news conference at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, the team said in a statement.
    The Rangers posted a bid in excess of $51 million U.S. last month just to land exclusive negotiating rights with Darvish and had until 5 p.m. ET (2200 GMT) on Wednesday to reach a deal.
    The 25-year-old pitcher has spent his entire professional career with the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Pacific League and is a strikeout specialist, boasting a 96 mph fastball.
    Considered the best pitcher in Japanese baseball, the two-times Pacific League most valuable player has a 93-38 career record with a 1.99 earned run average over seven seasons.
    Born to an Iranian father and Japanese mother, the 6ft-5in (1.96m) starter has never had a losing season and enjoys an overall winning percentage of .710.
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