Yu Darvish No deal yet, still waiting

$51.7 million is a substantial amount of money, even for a thick-walleted Major League Baseball team. It’s also how much the Rangers paid for the privilege of negotiating with Japanese ace Yu Darvish. And if 5 p.m. ET rolls around and circumstances haven’t changed, that $51.7 million could be making a return trip to the Lone Star State.


As it stands, the Rangers and Darvish have yet to agree on a contract that would bring the sub-2.00 ERA pitcher over to the States and away from the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. If Darvish signs and comes to America, his Japanese club pockets the posting fee, which, according to the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram, would cover their entire 2012 payroll. If not, the money is refunded, the Rangers are down a pitcher, and we do this all again later in the year. But the Star-Telegram report also says that “the Rangers are cautiously optimistic that Darvish will be signed,” and following the departure of C.J. Wilson to Los Angeles, they could certainly use his help. Team CEO Nolan Ryan has also expressed optimism, and a contract for Darvish would cap a multi-year flirtation that included a visit to Arlington and overtures from Rangers players, including Josh Hamilton.


Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and members of his staff worked much of the night (after working much of the day) with Darvish's agents -- Arn Tellem and Don Nomura -- in an effort to get an agreement. But as of this morning, there is no agreement with some issues to still work out, though sources said the club still thinks a deal will get done before the deadline (though likely right up to that deadline).


We'll see. Nothing is a sure thing until both sides have an agreement and they don't yet.


Many members of the Japanese media (one source put the number at about 25) were waiting in the lobby in center field for much of the night (the club provided pizza and beer to go along with the shelter from the cold, according to another report).


If the sides can't reach an agreement, Darvish would pitch in Japan in 2012 and the Rangers would not pay the $51.7 million posting fee to Darvish's team, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.