ARLINGTON, Texas — Yu Darvish is visiting Texas for the first time during a 30-day window the AL champion Rangers have to negotiate a contract with the pitcher.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels confirmed reports from Japanese media that Darvish was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Tuesday. Daniels wouldn’t discuss the state of negotiations with Darvish or any plans for meetings during the visit by the 25-year-old right-hander.

The Rangers put out a statement later Tuesday that said Darvish was visiting Texas for the first time and was with his representatives. The team said it was releasing no details about the visit and not commenting during the negotiation process.

“He felt it was appropriate to make the trip at this time,” the Rangers said.

The Rangers, who have won consecutive AL pennants, put in a record bid of about $51.7 million for the right to negotiate with Japan’s best pitcher. A 30-day negotiating window began when their bid was accepted Dec. 20 by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. They only pay the fee if they sign the player.

Darvish, the son of an Iranian father and a Japanese mother, went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA last season. He had 276 strikeouts to lead the Pacific League.

Darvish pitched in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was a member of the Japanese team that won the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Darvish, who turned pro in 2005 at age 18, has superb control and throws seven effective pitches.

Texas has lost its No. 1 pitcher in free agency after each of the last two World Series.

Cliff Lee left after the 2010 season to return to Philadelphia, and left-hander C.J. Wilson agreed to a $77.5 million, five-year contract with the AL West rival Los Angeles Angels last month.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Yu Darvish is visiting Texas for the first time during a 30-day window the AL champion Rangers have to negotiate a contract with the Japanese pitcher.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels confirmed reports from Japanese media that Darvish was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Tuesday. Daniels wouldn’t discuss the state of negotiations with Darvish or any plans for meetings during the visit by the 25-year-old right-hander.

The Rangers put out a statement later Tuesday that said Darvish was visiting Texas for the first time and was with his representatives. The team said it was releasing no details about the visit and not commenting during the negotiation process.

“He felt it was appropriate to make the trip at this time,” the Rangers said.

The Rangers, who have won consecutive AL pennants, put in a record bid of about $51.7 million for the right to negotiate with Japan’s best pitcher. A 30-day negotiating window began when their bid was accepted Dec. 20 by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League. They only pay the fee if they sign the player.

Darvish, the son of an Iranian father and a Japanese mother, went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA last season. He had 276 strikeouts to lead the Pacific League.

The 6-foot-5 Darvish pitched in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was a member of the Japanese team that won the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Darvish, who turned pro in 2005 at age 18, has superb control and throws seven effective pitches.

Texas has lost its No. 1 pitcher in free agency after each of the last two World Series.

Cliff Lee left after the 2010 season to return to Philadelphia, and left-hander C.J. Wilson agreed to a $77.5 million, five-year contract with the AL West rival Los Angeles Angels last month.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Featuring the likes of Neftali Feliz, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Nelson Cruz, and Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers will play 13 home games and 17 away games during the 2012 Cactus League Spring Training.

Note: All game times for Central Standard Time. Schedule is tentative. (SS) represents split squad game. All games are part of Cactus League Spring Training and home games are played at Surprise Stadium, the Spring Training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals.

Texas Rangers 2012 Spring Training Schedule

Sunday, Mar. 4: vs. Kansas City Royals, 1:05 p.m.

Monday, 5: at Kansas City Royals, 2:05 p.m.

Tuesday, 6: at Arizona Diamondbacks, 2:10 p.m.

Wednesday, 7: at San Diego Padres (SS), 2:05 p.m.

Thursday, 8: vs. Chicago White Sox, 2:05 p.m.

Friday, 9: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 2:05 p.m.

Saturday, 10: at Chicago White Sox (SS), 2:05 p.m.

Sunday, 11: vs. Cleveland Indians (SS), 3:05 p.m.

Monday, 12: at Seattle Mariners, 3:05 p.m.

Tuesday, 13: at Cleveland Indians, 3:05 p.m.

Wednesday, 14: vs. Colorado Rockies (SS), 3:05 p.m.

Thursday, 15: vs. Oakland Athletics, 3:05 p.m.

Friday, 16: at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:05 p.m.

Saturday, 17: vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (SS), 3:05 p.m.

Saturday, 17: at Chicago Cubs in Las Vegas, NV (SS), TBD

Sunday, 18: at Milwaukee Brewers (SS), 3:05 p.m.

Sunday, 18: at Chicago Cubs in Las Vegas, NV (SS), TBD

Monday, 19: vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 3:05 p.m.

Tuesday, 20: at Chicago Cubs (SS), 3:05 p.m.

Thursday, 22: vs. Chicago Cubs (SS), 3:05 p.m.

Thursday, 22: at Cincinnati Reds (SS), 9:05 p.m.

Friday, 23: at San Francisco Giants, 9:05 p.m.

Saturday, 24: vs. Los Angeles Angels, 3:05 p.m.

Sunday, 25: at Los Angeles Angels, 3:05 p.m.

Monday, 26: vs. Cincinnati Reds, 8:05 p.m.

Tuesday, 27: vs. San Diego Padres (SS), 3:05 p.m.

Wednesday, 28: at Kansas City Royals, 8:05 p.m.

Thursday, 29: vs. San Francisco Giants, 8:05 p.m.

Friday, 30: at Colorado Rockies, 9:10 p.m.

Saturday, 31: at Cleveland Indians, 9:05 p.m.

Sunday, Apr. 1: vs. San Diego Padres, 3:05 p.m.

Sources:

Texas Rangers Spring Training Tentative Schedule, texasrangers.com

Texas Rangers Spring Training Ballpark, texasrangers.com

More from this contributor:

San Francisco Giants 2012 Spring Training Schedule

New Orleans Hornets 2011-12 Regular Season TV Schedule

San Antonio Spurs 2011-12 Regular Season TV Schedule

Philadelphia 76ers 2011-12 Regular Season TV Schedule

Oklahoma City Thunder 2011-12 Regular Season TV Schedule

Follow this contributor on Twitter @_austinchang.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Reported by: Vertex News

Tuesday, September 20 2011

The Texas Rangers try to get one step closer to winning a
second straight American League West title this evening when they open a
three-game series with the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum.

The Rangers come into tonight’s opener holding a five-game lead on the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim with a magic number of five to clinch the division.

Texas won for the sixth time in seven tries on Sunday, as Adrian Beltre hit a
two-run homer to back 6 2/3 scoreless innings from Matt Harrison, helping
Texas defeat the Seattle Mariners, 3-0.

Harrison (13-9), who gave up six hits, won his third straight start for the
Rangers. The Rangers have five pitchers, all starters, with at least 13
victories in 2011 for the first time in franchise history.

“He kept the ball down, did a good job of changing speeds,” Rangers manager
Ron Washington said of Harrison. “He handled the left-handers pretty good
today in that lineup and got us where we needed to get in that game.”

Elvis Andrus went 3-for-5 with an RBI double for the victors. He extended his
hitting streak to 12 games.

Heading to the hill for Texas tonight will be lefty Derek Holland, who is 14-5
with a 4.02 ERA. Holland won his third straight decision on Wednesday against
Cleveland, as he allowed a run and six hits in seven innings.
Holland beat the A’s the last time he faced them and is 2-1 in eight games
(five starts) against them with a 2.03 ERA.

Oakland, meanwhile, will counter with righty Rich Harden, who is 4-3 with a
4.76 ERA. Harden lost to the Angels on Wednesday, as he surrendered three runs
and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Harden, who pitched for the Rangers last season, is 5-3 lifetime against his
former team with a 4.78 ERA in 14 games, 13 of which have been starts.

Oakland split a four-game set with the AL Central-champion Detroit Tigers over
the weekend, but dropped a 3-0 decision to Justin Verlander in Sunday’s
finale.
Guillermo Moscoso (8-9) lost despite giving up only one hit — an Austin
Jackson homer to lead off the sixth.
It wound up being Moscoso’s last frame. He walked two while fanning eight.

“He threw the ball really well,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of his starter’s
performance. “You know when you go out there against a guy like Verlander,
you’re going to have to pitch well and you’re going to have to keep runs to a
minimum. And he did.”

Texas is 11-5 versus the A’s this season.

(Sports Network) – The Texas Rangers try to get one step closer to winning a
second straight American League West title this evening when they open a
three-game series with the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum.

The Rangers come into tonight’s opener holding a five-game lead on the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim with a magic number of five to clinch the division.
Texas won for the sixth time in seven tries on Sunday, as Adrian Beltre hit a
two-run homer to back 6 2/3 scoreless innings from Matt Harrison, helping
Texas defeat the Seattle Mariners, 3-0.

Harrison (13-9), who gave up six hits, won his third straight start for the
Rangers. The Rangers have five pitchers, all starters, with at least 13
victories in 2011 for the first time in franchise history.

“He kept the ball down, did a good job of changing speeds,” Rangers manager
Ron Washington said of Harrison. “He handled the left-handers pretty good
today in that lineup and got us where we needed to get in that game.”

Elvis Andrus went 3-for-5 with an RBI double for the victors. He extended his
hitting streak to 12 games.

Heading to the hill for Texas tonight will be lefty Derek Holland, who is 14-5
with a 4.02 ERA. Holland won his third straight decision on Wednesday against
Cleveland, as he allowed a run and six hits in seven innings.

Holland beat the A’s the last time he faced them and is 2-1 in eight games
(five starts) against them with a 2.03 ERA.

Oakland, meanwhile, will counter with righty Rich Harden, who is 4-3 with a
4.76 ERA. Harden lost to the Angels on Wednesday, as he surrendered three runs
and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Harden, who pitched for the Rangers last season, is 5-3 lifetime against his
former team with a 4.78 ERA in 14 games, 13 of which have been starts.

Oakland split a four-game set with the AL Central-champion Detroit Tigers over
the weekend, but dropped a 3-0 decision to Justin Verlander in Sunday’s
finale.

Guillermo Moscoso (8-9) lost despite giving up only one hit — an Austin
Jackson homer to lead off the sixth.

It wound up being Moscoso’s last frame. He walked two while fanning eight.

“He threw the ball really well,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of his starter’s
performance. “You know when you go out there against a guy like Verlander,
you’re going to have to pitch well and you’re going to have to keep runs to a
minimum. And he did.”

Texas is 11-5 versus the A’s this season.

The Sports Network

By JP Starkey

– Associate Editor

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Dallas on Facebook.

Sep 16, 2011 – The Texas Rangers quest for a second consecutive AL West crown heads to Seattle on Friday night, as the Rangers open up a three game series against the lowly Mariners. 

Headed into Friday’s games, the Rangers hold a three and a half game lead over the second-place Los Angeles Angels. The Angels, like the Rangers, are opening up a series against a weak opponent this weekend as the Orioles play host to the Angels. 

C.J. Wilson starts for Texas on Friday night, looking to add to his already career-high win total of 16. Wilson has been phenomenal as of late, allowing just two runs in his last three starts – and no runs in his last two starts. During that three-game span, Wilson has pitched 23 innings, allowing two runs on 12 hits while issuing just five walks and striking out 25. 

Wilson’s numbers on the year are fantastic as well. Wilson has eclipsed his career high in WAR, as he’s posted a 5.3 WAR through his first 31 starts. Wilson’s ERA sits comfortably at 3.01, with an xFIP of 3.31. Wilson is also likely to eclipse 200 strikeouts this year as well, as he’s struck out 190 in 209 innings so far on the season.

Texas’ offense will face off against former Ranger farmhand Blake Beaven. Beaven, who is a Texas native, has gone 4-5 in 12 starts for the Mariners, with a 4.32 ERA, .288 BAA and 1.31 WHIP. Beaven, though, does not miss bats, as he’s struck out just 31 in 77 innings. 

First pitch in Seattle is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. CDT, 7:10 p.m. locally at Safeco Field.

Read More: C.J. Wilson (P – TEX), Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Dallas on Facebook.

Do you like this story?