Length of contract apparently only major sticking point between Rangers/Darvish...

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Report: Yu Darvish wants 5 years; Texas 6
By Richard Durrett

The biggest sticking point in negotiations between the Texas Rangers and Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish is the term of the contract, according to a report by Yahoo! Sports.

Darvish wants five years and the Rangers want him under team control for six years, according to a source in the report. Why would Darvish want the shorter contract? Because he could become a free agent sooner, possibly commanding even bigger bucks than he would from this initial contract with the Rangers, who have already agreed to pay a $51.7 million posting bid and apparently want a deal similar to what the Red Sox gave Diasuke Matsuzaka (six years, $52 million).

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[cowboyeric8]

I'm fine with either 5 or 6. Just get it done.

I'm definitely ready for some Rangers baseball though.

 

[Mike_45]

I'm fine with either 5 or 6. Just get it done.

I'm definitely ready for some Rangers baseball though.

Agreed, this needs to get done. Will be interesting when/if he signs what will happen with the pitchers.

 

[MC KAos]

so do you guys think we will hear something by the deadline? or is it one of those things where they can work past it to some extent?

 

[Mrdude108]

I think with this situation, they have to have a deal by the deadline or he's off to Japan but I do not know that for sure, just what I hear.

They seem to be getting closer according to multiple sources on twitter but still have things to work out. The length still seems to be the biggest obstacle, I prefer 6 because of what we had to give for the posting fee.

 

[Mrdude108]

Jon Heyman via Twitter

darvish deal will get done, sources say.

Darvish agreement with #rangers expected to be 6 years. #rangers

Jim Bowden via Twitter

Arn Tellem & the Rangers have done a terrific job in the negotiations on a deal for Yu Darvish who is expected to agree by the deadline

 

[YosemiteSam]

so do you guys think we will hear something by the deadline? or is it one of those things where they can work past it to some extent?

If we don't hear anything by the deadline, that means it went all the way to the deadline. At that point it's 50/50. It means one of them was trying to wait the other out.

It's better if we hear something just prior to the deadline.

 

[TheCoolFan]

They got him. I'm kinda skeptical about him but with Greg Maddux helping out now, it does make it a little better.

 

[danielofthesaints]

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/texas-rangers/headlines/20120118-report-rangers-will-sign-japanese-pitcher-yu-darvish-today.ece

 

[YosemiteSam]

Star-Telegram (got this via TR Sullivan) says that it's a five year deal with a 6th year player option.

The only way the Rangers should accept that is to make him take a discount on the five years. With one less year, the Rangers have to spread the $51.7M out over five years rather than six.

EDIT: Adding the following

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Star-Telegram: Rangers, Yu Darvish nearing deal

The 4 p.m. deadline to sign Yu Darvish arrives in two hours, and the Rangers and the agents for the right-hander are closing in on a deal that will span five years with a player option for a sixth year.

Major-league sources confirmed the length of the contract, and another said that the financial terms are more friendly to the Rangers than had been anticipated from the outset of the 30-day process to get the Japanese ace signed. The Rangers still have to pay a $51.7 million posting fee to Darvish's team in Japan, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

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