It turns out the real Yu Darvish was the friends we made in this thread

[UMFan83]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

Yu's twitter, which according to Google translate says that he met with the Cubs for three and a half hours (!!!) today.

 

Itshappening.gif

[Gilby]

lol his twitter pic is of him mind-bleeping Carl

 

Are any of those tweets about the Twins?

Edited December 19, 2017 by Gilby

[UMFan83]

Gotta love Twitter translations

 

1. so today was also reported to have cubs were meeting.

It was a very good meeting. Interpretation, to want to take the next step English 3 and half hours has been meeting ^_^ from the talk at first unfamiliar + strain to utter a word but makutta impatience from the middle was.

[MWV]

Theo delivered a lengthy, detailed, compelling pitch?

Sounds like he’s headed to Anaheim.

[UMFan83]

Theo delivered a lengthy, detailed, compelling pitch?

Sounds like he’s headed to Anaheim.

 

Does he also have a UCL tear?

[Bobson Dugnutt]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/kazuto_yamazaki/status/942965308179996672[/tweet]

[Brian]

and his next tweet, which starts with 2. so theoretically it's a follow up to the Cubs tweet.

2. I'm tired me so I just had a question / remark there, pretty much with the brain in the past 10 years the most tired. Also tomorrow I English (^^) still be scared quicker progress after challenging withdraw no more!. The gutter to the Dodgers was (^^)

 

Ah, that proper translation makes this second one make more sense, but I wonder what the Dodgers part is?

[r_mack]

and his next tweet, which starts with 2. so theoretically it's a follow up to the Cubs tweet.

2. I'm tired me so I just had a question / remark there, pretty much with the brain in the past 10 years the most tired. Also tomorrow I English (^^) still be scared quicker progress after challenging withdraw no more!. The gutter to the Dodgers was (^^)

 

Ah, that proper translation makes this second one make more sense, but I wonder what the Dodgers part is?

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Kazuto_Yamazaki/status/942967983592181760[/tweet]

[Bobson Dugnutt]

and his next tweet, which starts with 2. so theoretically it's a follow up to the Cubs tweet.

2. I'm tired me so I just had a question / remark there, pretty much with the brain in the past 10 years the most tired. Also tomorrow I English (^^) still be scared quicker progress after challenging withdraw no more!. The gutter to the Dodgers was (^^)

 

Ah, that proper translation makes this second one make more sense, but I wonder what the Dodgers part is?

 

[tweet]https://twitter.com/kazuto_yamazaki/status/942967983592181760[/tweet]

[MWV]

Rule of threes.

 

[tweet]https://twitter.com/kazuto_yamazaki/status/942967983592181760[/tweet]

[Cubswin11]

Any Japanese reference in there to Jager shots being taken?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Don’t forget Britton next year. He’s big time if he stays healthy, just not a SP.

 

Kimbrel is also a free agent next offseason.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

This doesn't appear to be behind the paywall: https://theathletic.com/189473/2017/12/18/cubs-pursuit-of-yu-darvish-wasnt-part-of-the-plan-but-now-he-might-be-their-best-option/

[Cubswin11]

Obviously the Cobb, and maybe others, asking price being higher than expected/wanted is playing a role but I think it's a fair assumption to think Darvish's price may be down a bit too. MLBTR had him at 6/160 and Fangraphs was 6/168 and median crowdsources was 5/125, where do we think it's dropped to or we think Theo/Jed think is the price point to be this far along in meeting with him? 5/130? 6/145? Could it potentially be down to 4/100-110? You have to assume the AAV is no higher than ~$25 for LT purposes and if I had to guess the years are down to 4 or 5 guaranteed.

[Backtobanks]

Obviously the Cobb, and maybe others, asking price being higher than expected/wanted is playing a role but I think it's a fair assumption to think Darvish's price may be down a bit too. MLBTR had him at 6/160 and Fangraphs was 6/168 and median crowdsources was 5/125, where do we think it's dropped to or we think Theo/Jed think is the price point to be this far along in meeting with him? 5/130? 6/145? Could it potentially be down to 4/100-110? You have to assume the AAV is no higher than ~$25 for LT purposes and if I had to guess the years are down to 4 or 5 guaranteed.

 

There's no indication that his asking price has dropped. Actually since a lot of the top SP are still available may strengthen his case for more money. When one or two sign, then FAs start to worry and possibly settle for less.

[WrigleyField 22]

Yu can't always get what yu want but if yu try sometimes well yu just might find yu get what yu need

I see what yu did there.

[biittner77]

All I want for Christmas is Yu

[David]

Obviously the Cobb, and maybe others, asking price being higher than expected/wanted is playing a role but I think it's a fair assumption to think Darvish's price may be down a bit too. MLBTR had him at 6/160 and Fangraphs was 6/168 and median crowdsources was 5/125, where do we think it's dropped to or we think Theo/Jed think is the price point to be this far along in meeting with him? 5/130? 6/145? Could it potentially be down to 4/100-110? You have to assume the AAV is no higher than ~$25 for LT purposes and if I had to guess the years are down to 4 or 5 guaranteed.

 

There's no indication that his asking price has dropped. Actually since a lot of the top SP are still available may strengthen his case for more money. When one or two sign, then FAs start to worry and possibly settle for less.

 

 

i don't disagree that his asking price hasn't necessarily dropped quite yet but...

[David]

internet commenters never fail to frustrate the hell out of me

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc2__Dbh3O7/

 

so much dumb in these...it's like they don't actually read any of the content of the blog they're following. and there's a real "chocked in the playoffs" in there which is pretty sweet.

[jersey cubs fan]

[UK]

Did NCCubfan hack into several accounts this morning?

 

:)

[Backtobanks]

Obviously the Cobb, and maybe others, asking price being higher than expected/wanted is playing a role but I think it's a fair assumption to think Darvish's price may be down a bit too. MLBTR had him at 6/160 and Fangraphs was 6/168 and median crowdsources was 5/125, where do we think it's dropped to or we think Theo/Jed think is the price point to be this far along in meeting with him? 5/130? 6/145? Could it potentially be down to 4/100-110? You have to assume the AAV is no higher than ~$25 for LT purposes and if I had to guess the years are down to 4 or 5 guaranteed.

 

There's no indication that his asking price has dropped. Actually since a lot of the top SP are still available may strengthen his case for more money. When one or two sign, then FAs start to worry and possibly settle for less.

 

 

i don't disagree that his asking price hasn't necessarily dropped quite yet but...

 

Obviously someone has to be the first to sign, but usually the first pretty much sets the market. The top SP might sign first, but I doubt that he would take a discount. If Arrieta and/or Cobb signed at a reduced rate first, it might force Darvish to rethink his asking price.

[craig]

This doesn't appear to be behind the paywall: https://theathletic.com/189473/2017/12/18/cubs-pursuit-of-yu-darvish-wasnt-part-of-the-plan-but-now-he-might-be-their-best-option/

 

Thanks, cal, that's a good article.

 

What struck me as most interesting was this part:

 

It's that desire to stay under the luxury tax this year that may be depressing Darvish's market in general. Usual big spenders like the Dodgers and New York Yankees are dangerously close to going back over the tax for 2018, which they would prefer not to do. Staying under would allow them to avoid the suddenly harsh penalties that come with being a repeat offender. They're doing all this with their eyes squarely set on being aggressive next winter when big names like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and others will be available.

 

That leaves the Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins as the two biggest competitors for Darvish's services, two teams hardly known for their financial might. Suddenly, the artificial salary cap is giving the Cubs an opportunity to pounce on a target once deemed too expensive or unattainable.

 

Not sure how subtracting Dodgers and Yankees reduces it to Twins and Astros, but Sharma is smart and it's his job to think and analyze, so perhaps he's right.

 

Beats me. Why not Cardinals or Giants, or Rangers or Rockies or DBacks or Red Sox or Washington or Angels or Seattle? Beats me, I don't know everybody's payrolls or team priorities.... But I'm hoping this is kinda correct, that for whatever confluence of circumstances, that Darvish's market just hasn't gone wild, and you've got a good shot to get a decent-value deal.

[David]

This doesn't appear to be behind the paywall: https://theathletic.com/189473/2017/12/18/cubs-pursuit-of-yu-darvish-wasnt-part-of-the-plan-but-now-he-might-be-their-best-option/

 

Thanks, cal, that's a good article.

 

What struck me as most interesting was this part:

 

It's that desire to stay under the luxury tax this year that may be depressing Darvish's market in general. Usual big spenders like the Dodgers and New York Yankees are dangerously close to going back over the tax for 2018, which they would prefer not to do. Staying under would allow them to avoid the suddenly harsh penalties that come with being a repeat offender. They're doing all this with their eyes squarely set on being aggressive next winter when big names like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and others will be available.

 

That leaves the Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins as the two biggest competitors for Darvish's services, two teams hardly known for their financial might. Suddenly, the artificial salary cap is giving the Cubs an opportunity to pounce on a target once deemed too expensive or unattainable.

 

Not sure how subtracting Dodgers and Yankees reduces it to Twins and Astros, but Sharma is smart and it's his job to think and analyze, so perhaps he's right.

 

Beats me. Why not Cardinals or Giants, or Rangers or Rockies or DBacks or Red Sox or Washington or Angels or Seattle? Beats me, I don't know everybody's payrolls or team priorities.... But I'm hoping this is kinda correct, that for whatever confluence of circumstances, that Darvish's market just hasn't gone wild, and you've got a good shot to get a decent-value deal.

 

I don't think that part is his opinion or analysis. The Astros and Twins are just the other teams rumored to be interested, IIRC.

[craig]

It's common wisdom to avoid long-term deals, particularly for pitchers. At the same time, it's common wisdom to covet club-control years. Obviously the latter particularly applies to when those club-controlled years are at favorable or at least reasonable price, and also where you can get out in case of debilitation injury.

 

But I think there is also some value in club-control just in terms of roster stability and in the ability to plan ahead. I think that *if* the Cubs got Yu, they'd have a lot of long-term contract definition. Might make it a lot easier to plan ahead and build. That's harder to do with a lot of short term expiring deals.

 

And that's also especially nice *IF* the long-term guy you've got ends up being good value and worth the money. Heyward, it kills you when the money is down the drain. But showing my age, Bulls had Michael Jordan on a forever long-term deal, and he was a bargain year after year. Ryne Sandberg signed a long-term deal which seemed substantial at the time, but then it became a huge bargain as inflation left it in the dust. Washington has no regrets about signing Scherzer to a long-term deal.

 

So it's possible that *if* Darvish signed at 5 x $25, and stayed healthy and pitched at a high level, that could end up looking like a really solid value.