There is no preferential treatment for being a veteran with a total of 189 wins in major league and Japanese professional baseball. Darvish Yu (San Diego Padres) also revealed a unique mindset for the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Japan’s ‘Full Count’ delivered an interview with WBC coach Hideki Kuriyama on the 27th (Korean time). And in the process, director Kuriyama brought up a story about Darvish and said, “There is no special treatment.”
Darvish, like Masahiro Tanaka (Rakuten Golden Eagles), is called a ‘living legend’ in Japanese professional baseball. Darvish started his professional career after being nominated by the Nippon Ham Fighters in the first round of the 2004 rookie draft, and stood out with a 5-5 record of 3.53 ERA in 14 games in his debut season.
From the second year onwards, Darvish has completely established himself as an ‘ace’. Darvish recorded an average ERA of 2.89 with 12 wins, 5 losses and 1 hold in 2006, and by 2011, he had double-digit victories for 6 consecutive years. And in 2007, he won 26 games (12 complete games, 3 shutouts), 15 wins, 5 losses, and an average ERA of 1.82, winning the Sawamura Award.
And in the 2009-2010 season (1.73, 1.78), he ranked first in the average ERA for two consecutive years, was the strikeout king three times (2007, 2010, 20211), and had the highest win rate once (2009), playing 167 games in seven seasons in Japan. After leaving the mound with a phenomenal record of 93 wins and 38 losses and an ERA of 1.99, including 55 complete games and 18 shutouts, he stepped onto the major league stage. His performance continued in the big leagues as well.
Darvish went 16-9 with a 3.90 ERA in his first year in the Texas Rangers uniform, continuing his double-digit win record through 2014. Afterwards, he recorded 95-75 with an ERA of 3.50 in 242 major league games, including playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres. got the score. 안전놀이터
Darvish is a player who has never competed in an international competition since entering the major leagues. However, last year coach Kuriyama visited the United States and had time to persuade Darvish, and Darvish, who obtained FA (free agent) qualifications after the 2023 season, decided to compete in the WBC after much consideration. However, it is expected that there will be no special treatment for Darvish.
According to ‘Full Count’, coach Kuriyama said in a meeting with Darvish last year, “I honestly told Darvish, ‘If you start as a starting pitcher and struggle from the first inning, you can go down the mound.'” Darvish also responded. Director Kuriyama explained, “Darvish smiled and said, ‘Please change’.”
Darvish, who was struggling to participate in the WBC, seems to have moved his mind in the end with coach Kuriyama’s attitude toward the tournament. Coach Kuriyama said, “Darvish said, ‘I’ll do anything. If the manager wants, I can even start as a finisher.'”
For Darvish, the WBC is full of good memories. In particular, Darvish appeared as a closer at the WBC in 2009 and secured Japan’s championship by maintaining a lead in the 10th overtime in the final match with the Korean national team. What kind of image can Darvish, who has come to the WBC after much thought, show this time?
