"I'm not sure the timing this offseason puts us in a position to be the most aggressive team, but he's a good pitcher," Cherington said. "I have a lot of respect for him. We'll certainly discuss it and see if a post makes sense."
The passive approach is logical with the amount of cash already owed within Boston's current starting rotation.
But no one should judge Darvish based on Daisuke Matsuzaka's turbulent five-year run in Boston. Matsuzaka's situation shouldn't have any bearing on Darvish.
Yes, they're both Japanese natives entering Major League Baseball with booming expectations. That's about the only similarity between the two.
While Matsuzaka has struggled — recording a total of 16 wins in the last three seasons — Darvish shouldn't shoulder the backlash just because they share the same nationality.
Think about it. Should the Red Sox really write off future Canadian players because Erik Bedard didn't pan out? Should the Red Sox really rule out future Dominicans because Manny Ramirez was a headache? No way.
It's a double standard if applied to Dice-K and Darvish. Darvish is an impressive talent in his own right, owning a bevy of breaking balls with the potential to fire pitches in the upper-90s when necessary. Don't forget he's 6-foot-5, too.
Plus, unlike former Yankees pitcher Kei Igawa, Matsuzaka can still rewrite the rest of his story in Boston. It's well-documented that pitchers can sometimes develop into more effective threats after Tommy John surgery.
"He was in Florida, doing well, and we fully expect that within the time frame of the surgery, within a year, he'd be back and ready sometime this summer," said Matsuzaka's agent, Scott Boras, at a news conference in Dallas.
And keep in mind Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine's influence. Since he speaks Japanese and understands the culture, the former Chiba Lotte Marines skipper could revitalize Matsuzaka's career in ways that Terry Francona never could.
"Certainly Daisuke has a familiarity with [Valentine]," Boras said. "I think the two of them will have a lot in common, and I'm sure Bobby will take Daisuke to his favorite sushi restaurant."
Although a reunion with Davish isn't likely because the bidding war — let alone his price tag — will be expensive, the final decision shouldn't be impacted in any form by Matsuzaka's history.
