Being a Yankees fan born and raised in Queens, New York City and now living in Dallas, writing about the Rangers feels like being a Russian matryoshka doll. It offers a unique perspective.
Let's face it: baseball is, compared to the East coast, a relatively new concept in the state of Texas. Being able to see the impact of a major potential transaction of a player like Yu Darvish, arguably the hottest baseball topic today, through the eyes of a baseball fan with a Yankees heart, on what could be called a "budding" Texas baseball team, could be like trying a new restaurant for the first time - you'll either hate it or keep coming back for more.Let's get the stats out of the way: In seven seasons with the (Japanese) NPB's Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, the young Darvish posted a 93-38 record, with an overall ERA of 1.99. If you're not already impressed, he has recorded 1,250 strikeouts over 167 games and 55 complete games. Ostensibly, the NPB's regular seasons are shorter (anywhere between 130 to 140 games) but his numbers reflect stamina and an aggression that has his pitches averaging 94.67 mph.
There are a number of concerns that Darvish will not be ready for the American majors. You can barely utter his name before someone throws out the name Daisuke Matsuzaka or, as he is best known, Dice-K. Picked up by Boston in 2007, many have considered him somewhat of a disappointment, as Red Sox fans watched his starting job slip away along with his ERA, which fell from a career-best 2.90 in 2008 to a dismal 5.30 through 7 starts. Since undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 10th, Dice-K has been a non-factor in the Boston rotation. No one can predict the future: if this is to be Darvish's fate, then so be it. In the words of John Sterling and everyone else who quotes him, "You can't predict baseball."
As many teams lined up to bid on Darvish like nerds waiting outside a Green Lantern premiere on midnight, many were surprised when the Texas Rangers won first rights with an offering of approximately $51.7 million.Coming off a disappointing World Series loss for the second year in a row, many Rangers fans are left wondering, "What went wrong?" Fingers immediately point at their starting rotation, which was strong during the regular season but seemed to falter in the postseason, notably a disappointing CJ Wilson, who recorded a loss in all three postseason series: the Division Series, League Championship series and World Series. The potential acquisition of Yu Darvish literally has Rangers fans awaiting with bated breath to see if their team, which started as a Washington, DC expansion in 1961 and moved to Arlington, Texas in 1971, will win their bid by the 4:00pm deadline on January 18, 2012.
(In Photo: Ted Williams, Denny Mclain, Curt Flood)Picture this: April 9, 2012 at the Ballpark in Arlington, starting pitcher Yu Darvish, who would most likely sport his current number 11 jersey, faces the Seattle Mariners' lead off hitter - Ichiro Suzuki - the pride of Japan. Smart Rangers players will see this as the promised land of baseball in the south. Financially, almost every baseball television set in Japan would be tuned in, no matter the time. Darvish/Rangers gear would fly off the shelves, domestically and overseas. Moreover, the star power added to the Rangers could make them comparable to the Los Angeles Angels in their American League West division, whom have acquired their now-Texas hated CJ Wilson and future-Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, who comes off his second World Series win.
Above all else, how does this affect us, the awesome, wonderful, amazing Yankees fan base? If you're like me, you're still looking for a rematch against the Rangers since our elimination in 2010. Texas' increased viability in the American League would make them a worthy contender, as it is this author's opinion that they enjoy the benefit of an easy schedule and a lackluster division, with the Angels fell short of even making the playoffs in 2010-2011 and the A's being an absolute non-factor. The addition of Darvish might be the puzzle piece that the Rangers need that would finally shut their critics up, me, who make statements such as, "Yeah, they're an okay team." Give credit where credit is due; they may have lost both times but the Rangers have become a championship team. If there is a fan out there of the "bigger" teams, the Phillies, Yankees, or Red Sox, that isn't worried about them, they would be highly deluded. I remember a while ago Casey wrote a piece titled WHY A NEW RIVALRY IS EMERGING and with good reason...the Rangers are competitors now.
I would love to see Darvish in pinstripes playing in Yankee Stadium alongside CC, Joba, DRob and, the greatest of all time, Mo. However, his addition to the Texas Rangers will mean good things for the Dallas area, Texas sports and baseball in general. The Yankees showed the Rangers that the 2010-2011 ALCS was a thing of the past, winning the regular season series 7-2 (recording two consecutive 12-4 wins). With the addition of Darvish, a 2012 Yankees-Rangers ALCS showdown would be a rematch worthy of prime time viewing. Consider this my Russian nesting doll unveiling: if I'm forced to be a Yankees fan in Dallas, I am determined to be excited about baseball, no matter what.
--Fox Luu, BYB Guest Writer
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