[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

What does everyone think of Yu Darvish? Do you think he'll live up to the hype, or do you think he'll end up being like DiceK(who never did end up living up to that huge contract)?

I think Darvish will succeed or fail not according to how he is managed. In my view, the fact that Daisuke Matzusaka "never did end up living up to that huge contract" is a failure of the Red Sox management and an unwillingness to let the pitcher work more closely to the manner in which he had in Japan. This is something Bobby Valentine pointed out when he was a commentator. Now Bobby V is the Red Sox manager, speaks fluent Japanese, and knows the Japanese "system" for pitchers like the back of his hand, having been a manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines. Daisuke is going to be more successful this year when he comes back from his Tommy John surgery than he ever was under Terry Francona.

If Ron Washington and the Rangers "do right" by Darvish, he will thrive in the Majors.