The Yu Darvish Sweepstakes is over, and it looks like the Japanese Phenom will be heading to the Texas Rangers.  Major League Baseball announced that the Rangers had beaten out the New York Yankees and The Toronto Blue Jays with a winning bid of $51.7 Million Dollars.

The system for acquiring Japanese players is completely different than in the United States, which uses a draft system.  In Japan, players sign with their teams for ten years and only become free agents in their late 20′s.  If a player wishes to go to the US and play in the big leagues his team in Japan has to agree to “Post” him.  The posting process requires any team wishing to negotiating rights with the payer posts a blind bid to the team.  The MLB team with the highest bid earns the exclusive right to negotiate with and sign the player with thirty days of the winning bid. If an agreement isn’t reached the team refunds the money and keeps the player (although this rarely happens).

So while The Texas Rangers have won the bid with $51.7 million dollars, they now have to sign Darvish, which could cost them another $60-$70 million.

The previous high bid for a Japanese player was the Boston Red Sox, who posted a $51 million dollar bid for starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.  It cost them another $52 million dollars to sign the pitcher to a six year contract for a total investment of $103 million dollars.

Yu Darvish will probably wind up costing the Rangers a lot more to sign the pitcher, than any previous Japanese pitcher, but then again no other Japanese pitcher has posted an impressive 18-6 record with a 1.44 ERA and 276 strikeouts in 28 games for the Nippon Ham Fighters last season.

Do you think the Texas Rangers will get a superstar in Yu Darvish?

The Yu Darvish Sweepstakes is Over, The Texas Rangers Win Negotiating Rights is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jimmy Rollins, 33, has agreed to a three-year, $33-million dollar contract with a vesting option for a fourth year with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rollins, the 2007 National League most valuable player and three-time All Star shortstop, has been with the Phillies since initial second-round selection in the 1996 draft. He originally sought a five-year deal, but reached the three-year agreement with the Phillies once the market for Rollins died down.

Though the agreement has not been officially announced, Rollins has always expressed a desire to stay with the Phillies, and it can be argued that although seemingly apprehensive, the Phillies know that keeping him would be in their best interest, as Rollins has led the team to five consecutive NL East titles as well as the 2008 World Series. Rollins’ Twitter activity also seems to confirm his status. He wrote,

“Gotta deal with me for 3(4) more years!!!”

There has been no official announcement as of yet, as the agreement is merely pending a physical.

Are Rollins’ best years behind him, or will this new contract translate into more successes for the Phillies?

Phillies to Re-Sign Jimmy Rollins is a post from: The Inquisitr

The MLB has revealed the broadcast schedule and announcers for this weekend’s playoffs. All games will air on TBS with the exception of Saturday’s Tampa Bay Rays / Texas Rangers clash, which is is on TNT. All times are EST, remember:

Friday: The Rays will kick things off against the Rangers in Arlington at 5pm, before the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees face off in the prized 8.30pm slot.

Saturday: The National League series gets started today, with the 2pm slot going to the Arizona Diamondbacks / Milwaukee Brewers game, while St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies are on at 5pm. The Rays and the Rangers then start their Game 2 at 7pm.

Sunday: The Diamonds and the Brewers get a second pop at one another at 4.30pm. At 8 p.m., the Cardinals and Phillies take the field with a half hour head start against NFL’s Sunday night games.

Monday: Both American League series resume Monday, when the Rays host the Rangers in St. Petersburg at 5pm. Over in Detroit, the Tigers host the Yankees at 8.30pm.

So, to make for simpler reading:

Friday
5.00pm — Rays – Rangers (Game 1)
8.30pm — Tigers – Yankees (Game 1)

Saturday
2.00pm — Diamondbacks – Brewers (Game 1)
5.00pm — Cardinals – Phillies (Game 1)
7.00pm — Rays – Rangers (Game 2)
8.00pm — Tigers – Yankees (Game 2)

Sunday
4.30pm — Diamondbacks – Brewers (Game 2)
8.00pm — Cardinals – Phillies (Game 2)

Monday
5.00pm — Rays – Rangers (Game 3)
8.30pm — Tigers – Yankees (Game 3)

Meanwhile, here are your announcers for the next four days:

Tigers – Yankees: Brian Anderson, John Smoltz and Ron Darling
Rays – Rangers: Don Orsillo and Buck Martinez
Diamondbacks – Brewers: Victor Rojas and Joe Simpson
Cardinals – Phillies: Dick Stockton and Bob Brenly

Full details at the official MLB site!

MLB Playoff Schedule Announced is a post from: The Inquisitr

Okay, well when you put it like that, it sounds totally awkward.

Baseball Practice Rage is a post from: The Inquisitr

Okay, he did drop his kid but come on, that foul ball totally could have been his!

[Video] Dad Drops Daughter at Dodgers Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

Brian Kingrey is one lucky – and now rich – gamer. The 25-year-old from Hammond, Louisiana picked up a check for a million bucks after becoming the first person to pitch a perfect game in MLB 2K11, the latest annual update from videogame baseball specialists 2K Sports.

2K announced the contest earlier this year, revealing the competition would kick off on April 1st. It took Kingrey around two hours after the contest’s start to succeed. However, don’t go thinking Kingrey is a baseball nut. Speaking to Kotaku, he revealed: “This is the first Major League Baseball videogame I ever played in my life.”

To Kingrey’s credit, he came prepared. In the build-up to the contest he analysed real-life stats, averages, and pitcher strengths, and (obviously) played the game itself to death. He pulled off his feat with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Roy Halladay, pitching against the Houston Astros, apparently one of the weakest hitting teams in the game.

So any plans for that money, Brian? “We have picked out a new fridge already.”

‘Atta boy.

[Via Kotaku]

Gamer pitches perfect game in MLB 2K11, claims $1m prize is a post from: The Inquisitr

The folks at 2K Sports are offering an eye-watering $1 million jackpot to the first person who can throw a perfect game in their latest MLB title. If this rings any bells, it’s probably because they ran the exact same contest last year, when a 24-year-old gamer from Alabama seemingly fluked a million buck prize in a heart-warming tale.

This year, the rules have been tweaked slightly for MLB 2K11. Pitching the perfect game is still the key to victory and that fat check, but this time the contest is open to anyone aged 13 or up (last year it was over-18s only).

Also, while last year gamers could throw for the prize from the game’s launch date, this time you get to practice your pitching. MLB 2K11 launches on March 8th, but the competition opens April 1st, the day after the 2011 baseball season kicks off.

This is certainly a canny promotion from 2K Sports, and yeah, I realize I’m sort of feeding this PR monster by posting this, but it’s a novel and exciting way to get people playing your game. Anyone going to give this a try?

[ESPN, via Destructoid]

$1m prize for first perfect game in MLB 2K11 is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s playoff time again in Major League Baseball and the MLB Playoff Schedule 2010 has just been published.

TBS has the earlier games with the World Series appearing on Fox at the end of October.

The full MLB Playoff Schedule with times/ dates as follows; note times are EST.

American League Division Series

Game 1: NYY @ MIN, Wednesday, Oct. 6 (TBS) — 8:37pm
Game 2: NYY @ MIN, Thursday, Oct. 7 (TBS) — 6:07pm
Game 3: MIN @ NYY, Saturday, Oct. 9 (TBS) — 8:37pm
Game 4: MIN @ NYY, Sunday, Oct. 10 (TBS) — TBA
Game 5: NYY @ MIN, Tuesday, Oct. 12 (TBS) — TBA

Game 1: TEX @ TBR, Wednesday, Oct. 6 (TBS) — 1:37pm
Game 2: TEX @ TBR, Thursday, Oct. 7 (TBS) — 2:37pm
Game 3: TBR @ TEX, Saturday, Oct. 9 (TBS) — 5:07pm
Game 4: TBR @ TEX, Sunday, Oct. 10 (TBS) — TBA
Game 5: TEX @ TBR, Tuesday, Oct. 12 (TBS) — TBA

National League Division Series

Game 1: CIN @ PHI, Wednesday, Oct. 6 (TBS) — 5:07pm
Game 2: CIN @ PHI, Friday, Oct. 8 (TBS) — 6:07pm
Game 3: PHI @ CIN, Sunday, Oct. 10 (TBS) — TBA
Game 4: PHI @ CIN, Monday, Oct. 11 (TBS) — TBA
Game 5: CIN @ PHI, Wednesday, Oct. 13 (TBS) — TBA

Game 1: ATL @ SFG, Thursday, Oct. 7 (TBS) — 9:37pm
Game 2: ATL @ SFG, Friday, Oct. 8 (TBS) — 9:37pm
Game 3: SFG @ ATL, Sunday, Oct. 10 (TBS) — TBA
Game 4: SFG @ ATL, Monday, Oct. 11 (TBS) — TBA
Game 5: ATL @ SFG, Wednesday, Oct. 13 (TBS) — TBA

American League Championship Series

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 15 (TBS) — TBA
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 16 (TBS) — TBA
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 18 (TBS) — TBA
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 19 (TBS) — TBA
*Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 20 (TBS) — TBA
*Game 6: Friday, Oct. 22 (TBS) — TBA
*Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 23 (TBS) — TBA

National League Championship Series

Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 16 (FOX) — TBA
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 17 (FOX) — TBA
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 19 (FOX) — TBA
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 20 (FOX) — TBA
*Game 5: Thursday, Oct. 21 (FOX) — TBA
*Game 6: Saturday, Oct. 23 (FOX) — TBA
*Game 7: Sunday, Oct. 24 (FOX) — TBA

World Series

Game 1: AL @ NL, Wednesday, Oct. 27 (FOX) — 7:57pm
Game 2: AL @ NL, Thursday, Oct. 28 (FOX) — 7:57pm
Game 3: NL @ AL, Saturday, Oct. 30 (FOX) — 6:57pm
Game 4: NL @ AL, Sunday, Oct. 31 (FOX) — 8:20pm
*Game 5: NL @ AL, Monday, Nov. 1 (FOX) — 7:57pm
*Game 6: AL @ NL, Wednesday, Nov. 3 (FOX) — 7:57pm
*Game 7: AL @ NL, Thursday, Nov. 4 (FOX) — 7:57pm

MLB Playoff Schedule 2010 is a post from: The Inquisitr

That up there is Wade McGilberry, a 24-year-old gamer who’s just pocketed $1 million for pitching a perfect game in Major League Baseball 2K10, after playing said title for one and a half hours.

According to McGilberry, he purchased MLB 2K10 at midnight on the day it launched, after learning that publisher 2K Sports was offering a cool million for the first perfect game.

He discussed with his wife Katy taking the day off work, though decided to show up for work in the end. Upon returning home, at around 4pm, Wade turned his Xbox 360 on, logged on to Xbox Live (a requirement to verify the achievement), and set up a webcam to record his perfect game.

90 minutes later, after just six attempts, McGilberry was a millionaire.

“I called my wife, who was at work, and said, ‘Honey, I’m done. I don’t need to play anymore,” McGilberry said. “The funny thing is I haven’t even come close since then. There must have been something special about that day.”

[Via CNBC]

Gamer wins $1m for playing baseball videogame well is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Phillies’ pitcher Robin Roberts, who also played for the Astros, the Orioles and the Cubs, died of natural causes today at the age of 83.

The New York Times ran a quote in a piece about Roberts’ life and career today, made to Time magazine during Roberts’ 1958-1961 stint with the Phillies:

“You don’t have to make a big study of batters beforehand,” (Roberts) told Time magazine in 1956. “When I have good stuff I throw four fastballs out of five pitches. When you take up a hitter in a clubhouse meeting, no matter what his weakness is, it’s going to end up low and away or high and tight, and the curveball must be thrown below the belt. That’s the whole story of pitching. Keep your life and your pitching real simple and you’ll get along.”

Roberts hit the majors in 1948, and in 1950, he helped the Phillies win their first National League pennant in 35 years. (The team was nicknamed the Whiz Kids because they were cumulatively very young.) Roberts was sold to the Yankees in 1961, and in 1962, the Phillies announced that his number, 36, would be retired by the team. He was only the second player (after Babe Ruth) to have a number retired while he was still active. For the rest of the season, the Phillies will wear commemorative #36 patches on their uniforms and display his jersey in dugouts during games.

[Image]

Hall of Fame baseball player Robin Roberts dies at 83 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Talk about adding insult to injury.

Not only did Matt Holiday take a careening baseball to the nads, but the 9th inning error lead to a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers.

Video of Matt Holiday’s error, below:

[Source]

Video: Cardinals’ Matt Holiday catches line drive with his crotch is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Phillies fan high fived nearby people and looked generally thrilled to catch a foul ball at a Phillies vs. Nationals game last night.

The man passed the ball to his confused toddler, and the girl promptly threw it back. No ebay for you, Daddy!

Watch the video, below:

Video: Dad catches foul ball, girl throws it back is a post from: The Inquisitr

Top SF Giants pitching prospect Madison Bumgarner has been called up to the team today in favor of injured Tim Lincecum.

Madison Bumgarner was selected 10th overall by the Giants in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft and was the first high school pitcher to be selected by the Giants with their first pick since Matt Cain in 2002.

Bumgarner pitched for the Augusta Greenjackets, the Giants’ Low-A minor league affiliate, in 2008 and began the 2009 season with the Giants’ high-A affiliate, the San Jose Giants. Bumgarner has played with other top Giants’ prospects Buster Posey, Angel Villalona, and Nick Noonan.

According to the SF Chronicle who broke the news, “the Giants might want to see how Bumgarner handles himself this month because he might be a candidate for a rotation spot next year. At Double-A Connecticut, the lefty was 9-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 107 innings, striking out 69 and walking 30.”

Madison Bumgarner called up by Giants is a post from: The Inquisitr

The pitch careened at about 95mph at his head, but Wright apparently just suffered a concussion from the incident.

Giants pitcher Matt Cain was booed for the duration of the game by Mets fans.

Below is a video clip of the pitch/helmet symposium if you’d like to see it:

[Image: NJ.com]

Mets’ David Wright gets fastball to the head is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hamilton has a well documented history with drugs and alcohol, but apparently found god and mended his ways back in October 2005. Hamilton returned to form in 2008, being named to the American League All Star team and participating in the Home Run Derby, where he hit a record 28 home runs in the opening round.

The new Josh Hamilton drunk pictures were taken in January this year show Hamilton groping women and having cream licked off his naked torso by the very same naked women. He actually looks like he’s having a lot of fun, except that its probably not the best way to behave in public when you’re married and a star athlete.

Hamilton told the media that “I’m embarrassed about it. For the Rangers, I’m embarrassed about it. For my wife, my kids. It’s one of those things that just reinforces about alcohol. Unfortunately, it happened. It just reinforces to me that if I’m out there getting ready for a season and taking my focus off the most important thing in my recovery, which is my relationship with Christ, it’s amazing how those things creep back in.”

“Honestly, I hate that this happened. But it is what it is. You deal with it. I realized that, obviously, I’m not perfect, in this on-going struggle, battle, that is very real. A lot of people don’t understand how real it is.As soon as it happened, I called my support system — my wife, the Rangers, MLB and told them what had happened. I was absolutely open and honest about it.”

Josh Hamilton finds drunk photos embarrassing is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jared Remy, self-confessed steroid user and son of Boston Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy, has become one of the primary figures in the Major League Baseball investigation into steroid abuse at the Red Sox by players including – allegedly – Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz.

Remy was one of two security personnel fired by the Red Sox organization last September and more recently questioned by MLB investigators, the other being Nicholas Alex Cyr. Cyr has now told the Boston Globe that Remy has been questioned about being a supplier.

Remy’s case was not helped by the fact that he has supplied steroids to Cyr himself. Then again, neither man is new to police records. Remy wascharged with assault and battery and resisting arrest in 2005 in an incident with a previous girlfriend, and Cyr was found asleep at the wheel of his car in the middle of Quincy Shore Drive in Boston last summer with the steroid Anadrol in his car.

The Globe’s own investigations have brought up associations with a friend of Ortiz, but no hard evidence of the two star players’ own drug usage.

Jared Remy moves to center of Red Sox steroid probe is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ryan Garko is heading to San Francisco with the Giants swapping left hander Scott Barnes for the Indian’s first baseman.

Garko, 28, was batting .285 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs in 79 games for Cleveland. Barnes, 21, has a 12-3 record with a 2.85 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 98 innings.

Garko will strengthen the Giant’s offensive line up, one that has struggled with some of the worst stats in the competition.

According to unconfirmed reports, the Indian’s will call up Andy Marte to take Garko’s place on the roster.

Ryan Garko heading to the Giants is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly set to sign 37 year old right-hander Pedro Martinez.

According to reports, Martinez underwent a physical today (Tuesday) and the announcement of the deal hinges on the veteran passing that test. Martinez has been a free agent since leaving the Mets at the end of the 2008 season, and has being playing in the Dominican Republic since.

Martinez is considered to be one of the top pitchers of his era and has won three Cy Young Awards. At the time of his 200th win in April 2006, Martínez had the highest winning percentage of any 200-game winner in modern baseball history (he has since slipped .006 behind Whitey Ford). In 2007, Martínez became the 15th pitcher to reach 3,000 career strikeouts.

A Philles spokesman said that Martinez’s arrival “would not preclude them from making other moves.” The team is rumored to be chasing Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay.

Phillies set to sign Pedro Martinez on Wednesday is a post from: The Inquisitr

Major League Baseball’s worst record will generally get a coach fired by the All-Star break, and that is exactly what has happened to Manny Acta whose 25-61 record at the Washington Nationals has seen him replaced by bench coach Jim Riggleman.

After two and a half seasons as manager, one might wonder why Acta didn’t get the hook last season as the Nationals also had the league’s worst record in 2008 of 59-102. The Nationals fired all but Acta and pitching coach Randy St. Clair of the seven-man coaching roster on the last day of the 2008 season, and also sent St. Clair on his way on June 2, but the team hasn’t improved since then.

Then again, this is the Nationals we’re talking about, hardly a bastion of winning culture. Acta’s 158-252 record at the Nationals at a .385 winning percentage is good (or bad) for 10th-worst all time.

Acta’s only half-decent season was 2007, and that was after the club let the likes of José Guillén, Ramón Ortiz, Alfonso Soriano and José Vidro, with four starting pitchers in all leaving, and signed up very few free agents to replace them.

Washington Nationals fire Manny Acta, hire Jim Riggleman is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Mets have traded Ryan Church to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur. Details of the deal aren’t immediately available however it’s believed The Mets received an significant amount of cash along with Francoeur.

Church is believed to have had a tenuous relationship with manager Jerry Manuel, so the trade isn’t completely surprising, although Church denied any tension, telling reports that “I’d go to war with that guy any day of the week.”

Francoeur is a talented player who sadly was never able to top his rookie season. In his rookie season in 2005 he hit .300/.3336/.549 and seemed poised for greatness, however his OPS has never been higher than .782 since that year, and he’s struggled to crack a .650 OPS in the last two seasons.

Mets Trade Ryan Church to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur is a post from: The Inquisitr