Report: High bid for Darvish exceeds Dice-K’s

The top bid for Japanese pitching sensation Yu Darvish’s negotiating rights will exceed the $51.1 million bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2006 as the highest in the history of posting of Japanese players, according to SI.com.

Citing Japanese baseball officials, Saturday’s report contradicts the previously reported amount of about $48 million to be paid to the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Darvish’s current team in Japan.

The Blue Jays, Mariners, Marlins, Nationals, Rangers, Red Sox and Yankees are among the Major League teams that have been mentioned as possibly in the sealed bidding for the negotiating rights for the right-hander’s services.

After the Red Sox won the right to bid for Matsuzaka’s services, they signed him to a six-year, $52 million deal that expires after the 2012 season. Darvish made the equivalent of $6.4 million dollars (U.S.) in 2011, according to NPB.com.

The team that wins the bidding for Darvish will have 30 days to negotiate a deal with him. The winning bid will be announced Tuesday.

- John Schlegel