Texas Rangers: Will Yu Darvish Be Able to Handle Pitching in MLB?

In some ways, the publicity Japanese star Yu Darvish has garnered before ever throwing a major league pitch makes his meteoric rise as a Texas Ranger somewhat unbelievable.

Sure, he could very well turn out to be the next Tim Tebow or Jeremy Lin. Dare the sports gods give us three internet-crashing heroes in one calendar year?

But in other ways, Darvish seems to be just what the Rangers need, especially in the midst of the most exciting time in the history of the franchise. His presence alone has created a buzz that stretches internationally, and he's just the type of player that can handle that sort of situation.

Predictions on what he will accomplish during his time in Texas are already surfacing, and those predictions won't stop until the 2012 season is in the books.

What the Rangers haven't fully experienced yet, and what the rest of MLB soon will, is the idea that Darvish is an icon in Japan.

According to his father, Farsad, his son has been dealing with media pressure since he was in middle school. It's no surprise, then, that his demeanor and answers during his press conferences are poised and thoughtful, even though he is dealing with a language barrier and answering through a translator.

Remember that Josh Hamilton alcohol incident? On Thursday, the 2010 AL MVP arrived in Surprise, AZ, don't be surprised, however, if Darvish is able to take some of that media tension away from Hamilton and put it in his ability to face MLB hitters.

After his first session with live hitters Wednesday afternoon, every player or coach that saw any of his 19 pitches to those minor leaguers were impressed. He showed an assortment of pitches, including both a four and two-seam fastball, curveball, changeup and a slider. He also showed a splitter in his 30-pitch bullpen session.

Aside from giving Darvish a trainer and translator for the transition to the United States, Texas has also given him the tools to succeed by surrounding him with players that have experience both as MLBers and in Japan.

Colby Lewis, Koji Uehara and Yoshinori Tateyama are in place to provide Darvish with veteran insight and leadership. Tateyama is a former Nippon-Ham Fighter, and it's no coincidence that the Rangers were able to add three pitchers with Japanese ties before making their big play for the ace.

All the signs point to the 25 year old being able to handle the stigma of signing a deal that set the Rangers back $107.1 million in guaranteed money.

His demeanor, skill set and humble attitude will allow him to be successful in MLB. Just how successful is the question that doubters should be asking.