Yu Darvish/Rangers Deal Reaction Blowout

The Texas Rangers signed Yu Darvish to a roughly $60 million six-year deal yesterday. Today, the dust has settled a little bit -- some are seeing the real cost to the team ($111M-$117M, depending on the source), while others are seeing the opportunity. Buster Olney in particular points out that with the $52M posting fee and the $60M contract, Darvish is not one of the most expensive pitchers of all time, but is the most expensive RHP in baseball history.

Then there's the details of the steak dinner that impressed Nolan Ryan (we're all hoping that wasn't really it, right?), the interesting information on the years of scouting the Rangers conducted on Darvish, and that pesky question -- "who else (and how many other elses) could they have brought in for the same amount of money?"

Here are some of the best reactions for this amazing megadeal, the fallout of which is still not completely known:

• Twitter / @Buster_ESPN - "Yu Darvish is now the most expensive right-handed pitcher in the history of the major leagues."

• How Good Will Yu Darvish Be, Really? - Rob Neyer | Baseball Nation
  "Not many top Japanese starting pitchers have joined Major League Baseball while still in or near their primes. But maybe we get a handle on Yu Darvish's future by looking at his predecessors."

For Darvish, Small Shoes to Fill - Phil Coffin | NYTimes.com
"According to Baseball-Reference.com, 38 Japanese natives have pitched in the major leagues (a few were sons of American servicemen). Only six of them have made as many as 100 major league starts, roughly three full seasons in a rotation. Only one, Hideo Nomo, has won 100 games, and only one, Hiroki Kuroda, has posted an earned run average below 4.00."

• Rangers don't let Japanese pitching star get away - Star-Telegram
  "The Rangers have been looking at Darvish for several seasons, but intensified their scouting the past two. They had 12 scouts and front-office members watch him pitch in 2011."

If Yu Want It, Yu Got It -- The Rangers Bust a Move, Sign Darvish - Lone Star Ball
"Darvish will reportedly wear #11, his number in Japan, but he is apparently not going to start on Opening Day, as Ron Washington has already stated that he expects Colby Lewis to be his Opening Day starter. Reasonably, the Rangers appear to want to give Darvish a chance to experience the major league game in uniform but as a spectator before throwing him out there."

Texas Rangers signed Yu Darvish to a historic six-year deal - Buster Olney | ESPN
"In the world of MLB accounting -- the assessment of payroll and possible luxury tax implications -- the $51.7 million posting fee won't count. Darvish will account for $10 million of the Rangers' payroll. But the total cost to the Rangers' organization is greater than any other right-hander -- more than Kevin Brown's $105 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, or the $103 million that Daisuke Matsuzaka cost the Boston Red Sox, or the extension that Roy Halladay received when he signed with the Phillies."

• Yu Darvish brings rock-star status to Texas Rangers - Star-Telegram
  "From the Rangers' perspective, they gathered as much information on him as possible to ensure a smooth transition. They have scouted him for the past several seasons, and have gotten to know him as much off the field as on the field."
• A good steak fed Ryan's confidence in Darvish - Randy Galloway | Star-Telegram
  Yu Darvish ordered a steak, and along with his demeanor and talent, convinced Nolan Ryan he was a good investment.

• Texas Rangers, Yu Darvish Agree to 6-year, $60M Deal - MLB Daily Dish
  The deal came down to the wire, with minutes left to go before the deadline. Failing to sign would've kept Darvish with the Nippon Ham Fighters -- and the Rangers would've kept their $52 million posting fee. Now, though, they have their phenom.