Info on some 2008 International free agents

[jbb21]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=733

I hope the Nats are in on them this year.  They don't have as many draft picks, so perhaps they'll spend more on IFAs.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Here is an interesting tid-bit from rotoworld.com:

Sankei Sports in Japan reports that the Nippon Ham Fighters might be willing to post 21-year-old right-hander Yu Darvish after next season if he's interested in playing in the majors.

Darvish won't be eligible for free agency until 2014 and has previously said that he's not interested in coming to America, but the Fighters could let him leave before then given a posting fee that some feel could rise beyond the $51 million that the Red Sox paid to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka. A Mariners scout told Sankei Sports that Darvish is as good or ahead of Matsuzaka at the same age and Darvish could become more interested in coming to America if he thrives in this summer's Olympics.

[Dave B]

So this guy "projects" to be at least as good as Matsuzaka's decent 4.40 ERA, for the bargain price of 100 or so million dollars. Please, wehere do I sign?

Matsuzaka was merely good last year at age 26.  This guy is 21 and isnt as good as Matsuzaka at 26. He is as good as Matsuzaka was at 21, which I'm assuming is worse than Matsuzaka at 26

[jbb21]

I can't see the Nats posting for a player like that.  Read about that Inoa kid.  I'd rather they spend 3-5 million on him than 100+ on Darvish.

People that know more than me say this will be the best International Free agent class ever.  I hope the Nats get some good prospects out of it.