Yu Darvish Museum in the Works

Just in case you weren't aware how big of a star Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish is in Japan...this should convince you.

According to Japanese media reports, planning is underway for a Darvish museum in the Hyogo prefecture, in the southern part of the country. The tentative plan calls for a November opening

No word as to what would be included in the exhibit, but something tells me it won't be able to compete with the one dedicated to Ichiro Suzuki. Then again, the "Ichiro Exhibition Room" is run by the New York Yankees superstar's parents in his hometown of Toyoyama, Japan.

For the record, Ichiro's museum has an autographed Snoop Dogg poster. Your move, Darvish!

He's Got Yu-Mania...or Whatever

It's too early to tell if the mania surrounding Yu Darvish is going to reach Fernando Valenzuela-like proportions, but to this dude...the Texas Rangers hurler is already there.

I just hope his bag and hat lives up to expectations. 

***Stolen from Big League Stew***

Yu Darvish is Topps...Exclusively!

If you can't get your hands on a Yu Darvish autograph the old fashion way when the Japanese phenom hits the field for the Texas Rangers this season, you can cross your fingers hope to pull one from a pack of Topps baseball cards.

According to reports, the card company has inked the pitcher to an exclusive two-year deal putting his autograph in select packs.

"He's special," Topps spokesman Mark Sapir said. "He's a rookie that comes with already extraordinary success in Japan. He's already proven himself in Japan. He's someone collectors are excited to watch. We're excited to give baseball fans a chance to get his card an autograph."

But, in the grand scheme of things, how exclusive is his "exclusive" deal?

I reached out to The Hall's baseball card expert (yup, that's a real thing!) and he wasn't really all that impressed.

"Since Topps has the monopoly on MLB-licensed baseball cards anyway, I don't think it's a big deal," baseball card guru Bo Rosny said. "It just means he won't be in Panini, which is not licensed by MLB...but is by the MLBPA."

That said, any autographed card pulled from a pack can, potentially, bring in the big bucks.  Matter of fact, pre-orders on eight box cases featuring the Darvish signed cards are already fetching more than a grand on eBay.

For the rest of us, cards featuring the righty in Rangers gear will be hitting store shelves soon.

Yu Darvish to Get Ultimate Honor

Alright, this is kinda cool.

Instead of retiring numbers of their stars players like most teams do here in the States...Japanese teams go the other way.

According to NPB Tracker, Japanese clubs traditionally assign a number (usually 18) to their top pitcher.  This is their "ace number".  I did not know this.  Did you?

Here's the skinny.

Apparently, only one Japanese club has assigned the number 18 to a non-pitcher.  You'll remember that when Hideo Nomo, Hiroki Kuraoda and Daisuke Matsuzaka came over from Japan they all wore 18.

That said, future Texas Rangers ace Yu Darvish wore the number 11 while with the Nippon Ham Fighters...and this is where it gets cool.  The Fighters are planning on bucking the trend and making his 11 their new “ace number” as a way to honor his short, but legendary career.

The number will remain out of circulation until the team can develop another “absolute, Darvish-caliber ace.”

As for what number Darvish will wear when he hits the Arlington...who knows?  Number 11 is currently on the back of hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh.

Yu Darvish's Debut on Hold

There's been a ton of talk surrounding Japanese wunderkind Yu Darvish and whether or not he'll be making his Major League debut in 2012.

And according to Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest...odds are that the stud  hurler might not even be posted.

I’m hearing Yu Darvish likely won’t be posted because of his ongoing divorce proceedings.

Apparently, his soon to be ex-wife’s lawyer wants to make sure his MLB salary is counted towards her settlement, and has already filed two depositions delaying their court appearance. Obviously, Darvish and his agent don’t want to post until the divorce is final.

Baseball, apple pie...divorce?  See, who needs to be playing in America to have a future ex-wife cloud their future?

But just how good is the long locked, six-foot-five Darvish?

Damn good apparently.

Dude is the only pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball history to post a sub-2.00 ERA for five consecutive seasons and that includes his 1.44 mark this year. He owns a career 93-38 record and is a two-time league MVP.

Oh...and he's just 24.