Chicago Cubs: Is Yu Darvish Worth a Monumental Posting Fee?

With free agency talk in full swing, much of the chatter has concerned Prince Fielder and C.J. Wilson. The issue with paying big money for either is that you're wasting at least one, if not two years of their prime.

Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish is 25 and his numbers are almost boring in consistency, and the Chicago Cubs can provide the perfect scenario for him to thrive.

If Darvish does decide to offer his services to the highest bidder, the Chicago Cubs must be that bidder. New GM Theo Epstein has experience in posting and negotiating a contract.

Unfortunately, that player was Daisuke Matsuzaka, whose career arc is a cautionary tale in bringing players over from Japan. Epstein must forget that because Darvish has a higher ceiling than Matsuzaka.

From 2005-11, Darvish has started 164 games. He has completed 55 of those games, with 18 shutouts.

His 2011 season was Cy Young Award caliber: 232 innings, 276 strikeouts, 10 complete games and six shutouts.

The potential is limitless.

Chicago is the ideal situation for Darvish. With an eye on 2012 for rebuilding and little to no expectations, Darvish would have a year to learn the nuances of Major League Baseball, along with low levels of stress while acclimating to American culture.

With Darvish, the Cubs get their potential ace of the future and the acquisition allows them to focus on other glaring needs within the organization, all while building the Chicago Cubs brand.

Ichiro Suzuki left Japan for Seattle in 2001, and with that, brought the Seattle Mariners increased exposure and marketability. While paying $13 million just to negotiate seemed absurd, ownership viewed it as a business move, and the benefits of that investment paid off rather quickly.

Darvish is a bigger star than Suzuki. Paying upwards of $100 million for a player who has never started a game in the majors is asinine when viewed strictly in a baseball sense.

Viewing the investment when combined with the marketability and established fan base that Darvish possesses? It makes too much sense to ignore.

He fits the mold of what the new culture of Cubs baseball is: he is young, possesses limitless potential and would be pitching under contract in his prime.

Whatever the cost, the Cubs must pay it.