The Rangers are offering Yu Darvish “Dice-K money”

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Jon Heyman reports that the Texas Rangers are “offering about ‘Dice K money”” to Yu Darvish and that, as such, a deal is not close at the moment. Matsuzaka’s deal with the Red Sox was for six years and $52 million, and that seems way light of what most people have been projecting Darvish is worth.

Apropos of nothing, I think it’s kind of interesting how every Japanese player is compared to other Japanese players when scout-talk goes down.  That’s kind of silly on some level, but I sort of understand that insofar as the point of a comp is to quickly put someone’s mind on a certain track, and if you compare one Japanese player to another Japanese player you’re already going with some sort of flow the intended recipient of the comp is probably going with himself.

But money too? Money is fungible and Dice-K’s deal was years ago. From an age and contract-worthiness perspective, he and Darvish have little in common.  So I guess I’m wondering if someone with the Rangers really floated out a “Dice-K-type” of contract and actually used those terms in negotiations. Or if, rather, Darvish’s people are inferring that’s what’s going on here or simply going to that comp for the same reasons everyone compares Japanese players when talking about skills.

But there’s gotta be some other player who more recently got a ~$52 million contract we can use here, right? I say we go with “Darvish is being offered Mo Williams money.” Or maybe “Darvish is being offered Bell’s Brewery expansion-money.” Or Darvish is being offered “the cost of the Whitewater investigation-money.”

Let’s think outside the box, people.

Anthony Volpe, 21, wins Yankees’ starting shortstop job

Dave Nelson-USA TODAY Sp
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TAMPA, Fla. — Anthony Volpe grew up watching Derek Jeter star at shortstop for the New York Yankees.

Now, the 21-year-old is getting the chance to be the Yankees’ opening day shortstop against the San Francisco Giants.

The team announced after a 6-2 win over Toronto in spring training that Volpe had won the spot. New York manager Aaron Boone called the kid into his office to deliver the news.

“My heart was beating pretty hard,” said Volpe, rated one of baseball’s best prospects. “Incredible. I’m just so excited. It’s hard for me to even put into words.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, hitting coach Dillon Lawson and bench coach Carlos Mendoza were also present.

Volpe was able to share the news with his parents and other family members near the Yankees’ dugout and said it is something he will never forget.

“It was pretty emotional,” Volpe said. “It was just an unbelievable moment to share with them.”

Volpe, who grew up a Yankees fan, lived in Manhattan as a child before moving to New Jersey. Jeter was his favorite player.

“It’s very surreal,” Volpe said. “I’ve only ever been to games at Yankee Stadium and for the most part only watched him play there.”

Volpe is hitting .314 with three homers, five RBIs and a .417 on-base percentage in 17 Grapefruit League games. He has just 22 games of experience at Triple-A.

Spring training started with Volpe, Oswald Peraza and holdover Isiah Kiner-Falefa competing for the everyday shortstop job. Kiner-Falefa was shifted into a utility role midway through camp, and Peraza was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday evening.

“While certainly the performance was there, he killed it between the lines,” Boone said of Volpe. “All the other things that we’ve been hearing about showed up. There’s an energy he plays the game with, and an instinct that he has that is evident. He really checked every box that we could have had for him. Absolutely kicked the door in and earned his opportunity.”

Volpe arrived in Florida in December to work out at the Yankees’ minor league complex.

“He’s earned the right to take that spot, and we’re excited for him and excited for us,” Cashman said. “He just dominated all sides of the ball during February and March, and that bodes well obviously for him as we move forward.”

Volpe was selected out of high school with the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft from Delbarton School in New Jersey. He passed up a college commitment to Vanderbilt to sign with the Yankees.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get into the organization,” Volpe said. “This day, this feeling, this moment was kind of what I’ve worked my whole life for when I made that big decision.”

“Right now it’s crazy,” he added. “I don’t even know what lies ahead but Thursday I just want to go out and play, and have fun.”