Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The $pecial One and $ir Alex

It reads like a who's who of managers: Sir Alex, The Special One, and Carlo.  The group heads the  best-paid football managers in the world, list according to a Brazilian sports marketing group.  The interesting thing about the list is some of the out of way clubs that employee these high priced managers, from Anzhi to Guangzhou to Swiss National Team. The list shows the impact that new money is having on the game.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Prospects Plus: Yu Darvish


During the course of the baseball season, the OTWT's scouting staff will take a look at different prospects, from minor leagues, colleges and big leagues,  that we have seen either on TV or in person. We start our series with Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish. Darvish made his debut on Monday night and struggled early but showed some signs.

Stat line against the Mariners: 110 pitches; 5 2/3 innings, 8 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks and 5 k.

Positives: After a rough first two innings, Darvis slowed down and showed commands of his pitches. Pitch speed range from 95 mph fastball to 69 mph curveball. Average fastball was clocked at 93.5 mph, not bad. Watching him face Ichiro was really cool, two of the best players of the last two generations in Japan. Ichiro got three hits off of Darvish. Beisdes his stuff, Darvish showed his toughness by overcoming a first inning in which he gave up four runs, he could have packed it in but did not.

Negatives: The first inning has to be a concern. Darvish seems like the type of pitcher that is going to throw a ton of pitches, which is something that the Rangers will have to watch.

Overall: He has really good stuff and the Rangers may have one of the best imports ever.