Yu Darvish

• Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters (2005 - 2011)
• Texas Rangers (2012 - present)

Yū Darvish (Japaneseダルビッシュ 有, Darubisshu Yū, Persian: یو درویش, Yū Darwish, born August 16, 1986 in Habikino, Osaka Prefecture, Japan ) is an Iranian- Japanese pitcher for the Texas Rangers. After he had been attained in his high school career national celebrity, he is considered one of the most talented players in Japan and has been excellent in his third season as a professional in 2007 with the Sawamura Award for the best pitcher in the league.

In the Asia Cup 2007, at the same time qualifying tournament for the 2008 Summer Olympics, he first played for the Japanese national team.

Life

Darvish was born as the eldest son of Farsad Darwish, an Iranian businessman and his Japanese mother Ikuko. The two had met at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, where his father had been active for the football team at Florida State.

High school career

First national appearances had Darvish during his high school years in Koshien four appearances for the Tohoku High School, in spring and summer tournament of his second and third Schuljehres. He became famous as him against the " Technical High School Kumamoto Prefecture " ( Kumamoto Kumamoto kenritsu Kōgyō Kōtō Gakko ) the twelfth no-hitter succeeded in tournament history at its last participation in the summer of 2004 - the first at Koshien for ten years. A total of 7 wins and 3 Losses him were credited in 12 tournament appearances, and he scored an ERA of 1.47.

Also international scouts great professional teams had already become aware of him: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Atlanta Braves from the North American Major League Baseball ( MLB ) subscribers had to watch him closely since the middle school years. The Japanese professional teams Nippon Ham, Hiroshima, Chunichi, Daiei and Orix sought him. When in autumn 2004 Draft Darvish was gedrafted in the first round of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

During his first Spring Training 2005 - the final year of high school still a minor (in Japan: under 20 years ) - he was suspended from the Fighters and his school and had to perform community service after being on a rest day while smoking a cigarette in a pachinko parlor had been caught.

Professional career

Because of his suspension had Darvish his first appearance as a professional until during the Inter League Series ( Koryu - sen) in a game against Hiroshima, where he recorded his first professional victory in eight innings pitched.

In his second season in 2006, he managed to throw his team in ten missions in a row to victory; He recorded a total of 25 inserts 12 Wins and 5 Losses and helped his team to reach the first place in the Pacific League and participate in the Nippon Series against the Chunichi Dragons. There he lost while the first game of the series, the Fighters brought but on his second deployment in the decisive fifth game to a 4-1 victory and for the second championship title after 1961. In the following, also victorious Konami Cup Asia Series 2006 against the best teams in the Republic of Korea, the People's Republic and the Republic of China, he was named the MVP and was regarded internationally as the largest Pitchertalent Japan.

Since then, the former star pitcher for the Lions, Daisuke Matsuzaka has changed to the Major League to the Boston Red Sox, Darvish is increasingly the focus of the Japanese public and to make up for a crowd puller Matsuzaka 's departure. Former Fighters manager Trey Hillman said Darvish have to surpass the potential Matsuzaka and ascend to the best pitchers in the world. Unlike Matsuzaka Darvish has told the Japanese press announced that he had no intention to seek a move to North America.

Since, according to Japanese law dual citizenship is provided only up to the age of 22 year, to Darvish had to choose between the Iranian and Japanese nationality. In order to participate with the Japanese national team at the Summer Olympics in 2008, he opted for the Japanese citizenship. His debut in the national jersey he gave during a game of baseball Asia Cup 2007 against the team Chinese Taipei (Republic of China). Japan won the tournament and thus secured the part in the Olympics.

On October 29, 2007 Darvish was honored for his performance this season with the Sawamura - Eiji - shō for the best pitcher. He was the first winner since Shinji Imanaka 1993, which met all seven Nominierungskritierien: 25 starts, 15 wins, 10 Complete Games, a winning percentage of .600, 200 innings pitched, 150 strikeouts and an ERA under 2:50.

Family

In August 2007, Darvish announced in a stadium interview at his wedding to actress Saeko. The two married in the same year and have a son.

Charity

In March 2007, he announced the establishment of a Yū Darvish Water Fund, to the construction and maintenance of facilities for drinking water supply in developing countries finance; the funds are to (日本 水 フォーラム, Nihon Mizu Fōramu ) are managed by the Japan Water Forum. Darvish himself wants to pay for each win in the regular season 100,000 yen ( around 600 euros ) in the Fund