Friday night links, as Jered Weaver takes over the AL strikeout lead in Texas….
- The Blue Jays received permission to interview Ron Roenicke, the Angels' bench coach, for their managerial opening, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
- Buck Showalter says that potential free agents from other clubs have expressed interest in coming to Baltimore, tweets MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli.
- Jim Riggleman tells MASN's Ben Goessling that he's comfortable with the Nationals' starting pitching even if the club doesn't land a top starter this winter.
- Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post wonders if the Nationals could target Yu Darvish as that potential impact arm. There's no guarantee Darvish will be available this offseason, but the Nats have scouted the Japanese righty in person "at least nine times."
- The Rangers should sign Jon Daniels to a contract extension, according to Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News.
- Bobby Jenks tells Dave van Dyck of the Chicago Tribune that he's anticipating a "weird offseason" in Chicago.
- Jim Leyland knows that if the Tigers don't have a good year in 2011, he could be done in Detroit, as John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press writes.
After seeing Darvish pitch for the Fighters a few times I have become a HUGE fan. I’m not saying he will be the next Stephen Strasburg or anything but something about the way that guy pitches just amazes me. Darvish always said that he wanted to play his whole career in Japan to show the kids that you don’t have to go to North America to be a star. Japanese baseball is…different…but it’s a good different. They took an amazing sport and put their own twist on things. I have really started to love and respect the way that the Japanese have…not necessarily improved the sport…but put their own twist on it and embraced it. To see Japan become a AAAA feeder league to the MLB would be a shame and you have to commend Yu Darvish for wanting to preserve that. Would I like to see him come here and play for my favorite team? Of course! BUT I think that Darvish leaving would just put another nail in the NPB coffin which really is a shame. I would love to have a guy like him play here. But to me personally I think he would be much off staying in Japan and being a role model that Japanese children really need with the likes of Hideki Matsui and Ichiro leaving their home country for more fame and money. For that Darvish has earned my respect not only as a baseball player but as a human being and role model to others in his home country.
Note: I am a Canadian who has never seen a Japanese game in person and has never even been to Asia. I just love baseball in all of it’s forms and believe it should be preserved.
I’m assuming Buck Showalter was referring to Willie Bloomquist and Dave Bush.
If Darvish said he doesen’t want to go to North America, then why are teams paying attention?
If I understand it correctly the player doesn’t get a say in being posted
True, a team can post a player regardless of that players intentions, but Yu wouldn’t be forced into agreeing to any contract offered. So teams have to believe that he’s at least considering playing in North America, because the posting fee is non-refundable.
Yes and no. Teams can and regularly do reject players’ requests to be posted, but I have never heard of an NPB posting a player against his will.
The posting fee is non-refundable, but it is only paid if the player signs with the bidding team.
Gammons comment about Boston fearing Ortiz going either NY, or Tampa is pure nonsense.
New York will bring up their young phenom, and Tampa is cutting salary. Gammons should write for the World News.
Bad comment, wrong story. Well done.
*CORRECTION* Yankee fans hope they bring up their young phenom. “Bringing up a prospect” means anything now a days to the Yankees FO.
? Not really sure what that meant… If you want to watch a guy, Brackman should get an inning at some point (probably today with the double-header).
FYI: Ron Roenicke is Josh Roenicke’s uncle.
really?
That’s pretty sick.
Wonder how Josh would feel if Ron was hired.
And what would happen when Ron had to cut Josh?
With all the money the Nats have been spending on the draft and the possibility of resigning Dunn, you really have to wonder if a last place team has the budget to make a big bid for Darvish.
Mike Socosia is Bill Walsh of the MLB. All of our coaches are poached consistently and go on to kick butt as manager.
Also, stop poaching!