Nobody ever likes admitting when they are wrong, but maybe I was too quick to judge Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish.
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article questioning if Darvish can handle Major League quality hitters after having command troubles, allowing four walks in three innings and giving up two runs on three hits. I was quickly ready to write him off as the next Hideki Irabu or post-rookie season Hideo Nomo, but his last spring training start could have proved my prediction wrong.
In Darvish’s last spring training start on March 30 the Rockies had most of their regulars in the lineup and Darvish mowed them down, striking out 11 in five innings pitched. His fastball was clocked in the upper-90s and he had command of the strike zone. The timing was perfect to have his best start with the regular season around the corner.
You can never predict how a player is going to do in a given season based on a few spring training starts, but helps to have confidence in someone trying to adjust to the Major Leagues like Darvish. Only time will tell if Darvish will carry the momentum into his first regular season start this week.
