The Darvish Diary: Behind the scenes of Yu Darvish’s Toronto debut

Yu Darvish struck out 10 while allowing only three hits over seven innings for Texas, and the Rangers had their biggest inning of the season in a 7-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. (AP/Ted S. Warren)

It’s not every day that one of the biggest coulda-shoulda-woulda been Blue Jays in recent memory makes his Toronto debut, so we thought we’d take a different approach to documenting the occasion.

By now, you probably know what happened Monday night on the field, so here’s a look back at some of what went down behind-the-scenes before and after Yu Darvish’s first start in Toronto…

3 p.m. — The Rogers Centre press box is a little busier than usual for this time of day thanks to the half dozen or so Japanese media members working away on their computers as Blue Jays vice president of communications Jay Stenhouse dutifully greets those as they arrive. I ask Stenhouse how many Japanese media have been credentialed for tonight’s game and he points me in the direction of the media seating chart. The total: 13.

3:20 p.m. — I run into (OK, corner at the drink fountain) Nobi Kuga, who is here working as a coordinator for Japanese public broadcaster, NHK. He tells me the travelling media contingent for Darvish is much smaller than it was for Dice-K and Hideki Matusi when they came to North America and he knows because he was there. He adds the smaller numbers are not due to a lack of interest back home. “The economy was much better then,” he explained, pointing to last year’s devastating tsunami.

3:45 p.m. — A much larger than usual Toronto media contingent — the Toronto newspapers have sent their own staff aces down for this game — is milling about a surprisingly-barren Blue Jays clubhouse awaiting John Farrell’s pre-game scrum. Meanwhile, some national U.S. baseball writers (looking at you Jon Morosi and Tim Kurkjian) chat it up with the likes of Edwin Encarnacion.

4 p.m. — The Toronto media squeezes into Farrell’s office. As per usual, the Blue Jays skipper is seated at his desk in full uniform as a large major-league depth chart in the form of a baseball diamond hangs on the wall behind him. The size of Monday’s gathering is not lost on Stenhouse.

“Biggest crowd yet,” he said. “Go ahead guys…”

4:10 p.m. — When asked, Farrell concedes he has considered dropping the struggling Yunel Escobar down in the lineup. He’s then asked what kind of challenge he expects to face from Darvish:

“We’ve faced pretty good pitching so far, regardless of what team or who or what his last name is (or) where he hails from,” he said.

“We’ve faced some very good pitching so far. We’re looking forward to the challenge tonight, as we do every single night.”

Not exactly the quote the reporters were hoping for, but Farrell did later serve up this:

“As someone who works in the game, but also a fan, a talent such as his, sure, looking forward to seeing him.”

Much better, thanks.

4:30 p.m. — The media horde now shifts to the field where the Blue Jays are doing their stretches and taking BP. Some, myself included, head over to the Rangers clubhouse for manager Ron Washington’s pre-game scrum.

4:40 p.m. — As you might expect, the Rangers clubhouse is much smaller (and far less opulent) than Toronto’s. The ripped leather couches and folding steel chairs give the visitors’ clubhouse a frat-house, mancave-like feel. On the clubhouse TVs the Manchester Derby between Manchester United and Manchester City is playing. Judging by the general disinterest on the part of the Rangers players, a roller derby would have been a more popular choice.

4:50 p.m. — Washington’s scrum is now 20 minutes or so behind schedule. A quick glance over my right shoulder reveals Darvish seated on a couch in the middle of the Rangers’ clubhouse surrounded by some Latin teammates. He looks relaxed and is engaging with his Spanish-speaking teammates.

4:55. p.m. — A few feet away from Darvish in the Rangers clubhouse, Sportsnet’s Tony Amborgio snares a one-on-one with pitcher Derek Holland, who is resplendent in a Chuck Norris “Champions” T-shirt.

When asked whether Darvish’s outlandish hairstyle embarrassed him, the mullet-sporting Holland grabs the back of his long locks and replies, “No. Hair’s good around here.”

5 p.m. — At last, Washington is ready and the 20-plus awaiting media members squeeze into his office, with some left to eavesdrop from the hallway. Washington, like Farrell is seated at his desk in full uniform, but unlike the Blue Jays skipper, he is loose, smiling, leaning back in his chair — and dare I say it — perhaps even looking forward to the exchange.

Local TV gets first dibs with a brief one-on-one on camera during which it’s revealed the Japanese media presented Washington with a birthday cake prior to Sunday’s game.

“I even gave them a group hug,” Washington joked.

With the TV interview now over, attention turns to injured slugger Josh Hamilton. Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram asks for an update.

“I saw you around his locker, Drew,” Washington playfully replies. “It’s a muscle. I guess it just depends on when those big muscles in his body decide they want to give.”

As for Darvish, Washington had no shortage of praise for his prized, young starter.

“I’m impressed with his work ethic; I’m impressed with the way he fits in my clubhouse; I’m impressed with the way he interacts with his teammates,” he said. “I’m impressed how quick he makes adjustments on the fly. He’s a quality pitcher, he has quality stuff. He’s a quality kid and I could keep talking and talking and talking.”

And he did.

“I’ve been impressed with his stuff. He can sink it. He can run it. He can hop it. He can slow it down. He can make it quick. He can cut it. He can split it. He can do everything with the baseball. It’s just a matter of using that stuff at the proper time.”

Q: How are you doing learning the Japanese language? Are you making some progress?

Washington: “No, they’re doing a good job of learning my language,” he said to big laughs. “I wouldn’t try to speak their language. Yeah, I got Rosetta Stone, but if I decide to speak Japanese I’d like to go to Japan.”

Now focusing his attention in the direction of the Japanese media, Washington leans back and asks, “You guys don’t have any questions about Yu Darvish?”

Japanese Reporter: “We have to wait until after and see how he does, is that OK?”

Washinghton: “Yeah,” he said smiling. “That’s OK.”

5:45 p.m. — The Japanese media is now huddled outside of the Rangers dugout as their Toronto counterparts approach in search of interviews.

“He’s taking care of his own business pretty well. He seems to have blended in with the team,” said Sam Onoda, who’s on the Darvish beat in North America for NHK. “I hear that his English isn’t that bad and that he jokes around with his teammates in English… and Spanish. He hangs out with the Latino players a lot.”

So we’ve noticed.

6 p.m. — Sportsnet’s Michael Grange and Shi Davidi stake out Rangers GM Jon Daniels on the steps of the Rangers’ dugout. You can read what Daniels had to say to them here in Grange’s post-game column.

7 p.m. — Game on, and judging by the lack of noise being generated by the 20,000 or so in attendance, I’ve quickly come to this conclusion: the only buzz in this building surrounding Darvish’s debut is emanating from the press box. As for the game itself, Shi Davidi has all the details for you here.

10:10 p.m. — The Blue Jays media centre is packed with reporters, TV cameras and Japanese photographers. But before Darvish can speak, an impressed John Farrell addresses the masses:

“Just an outstanding pitched game by Darvish and their bullpen tonight,” he said. “We had a couple of opportunities against Darvish, but it seemed like he could get a strikeout when needed.”

As for Drabek, and the decision to pull him after six innings in place of rookie lefty Evan Crawford — who promptly gave up a pair of solo homers to put the game out of reach — Farrell explained it this way:

“He was at 106 (pitches) and we’re in that grey area where in the month of April we felt like he had done his job tonight,” said Farrell. “With Moreland coming up — left-handers have attacked (Drabek) with some success — we were looking to bridge to the leadoff spot and Kinsler to go Frasor in that situation and unfortunately it didn’t work out here tonight.”

10:25 p.m. — Followed by his translator, His Yu-ness arrives. First impression: This is one large man.

Q: What was it like to pitch at Rogers Centre?

Darvish: Honestly, it was kind of awkward because rumour had it that this was a team that could have, might have posted for me. There was some chance that I might have played here. Playing against the Blue Jays … it could have been my teammates.”

The scrum lasts about 10 minutes during which Darvish looks as cool in the media room as he does on the mound. Does anything upset this guy?

“The biggest thing is just getting used to the atmosphere; the atmosphere of being in the major leagues,” Darvish said through his interpreter. “I think I’m just getting comfortable.”

If that’s the case, it’s bad news for the rest of baseball.

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