Japan's Darvish AL Rookie of Month

Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish, living up to the expectations in his jump from Japan to US baseball's major leagues, was named the American League Rookie of the Month for April. Darvish posted a perfect 4-0 record with a 2.18 ERA, including 33 strikeouts and 17 walks, over 33 innings on the mound in five starts to earn the award announced on Wednesday. Darvish became just the sixth rookie starter since 1957 to win at least four games without a loss in April and tied for the American League lead in wins. In his first month as a Ranger, Darvish participated in just the seventh all-time Major League meeting between Japanese-born starting pitchers in a duel with Hiroki Kuroda of the New York Yankees on April 24. In that game Darvish threw 8 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out 10. Other players receiving votes included Oakland Athletics center fielder Yoenis Cespedes, Tigers pitcher Drew Smyly and Orioles pitcher Wei-Yin Chen of Taiwan. Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was named the American League Player of the Month in the voting by baseball writers and broadcasters. Hamilton's month included an American League-leading nine home runs, 25 RBIs, 64 total bases and a .744 slugging percentage. The Rangers, who led the American League West division by six games over Seattle after the first month of the six-month regular season, spent $107.7 million to obtain Darvish from the Nippon Ham Fighters. Darvish, a two-time Japan League Most Valuable Player, signed a six-year deal with Texas for $56 million and the rest of the money went to the Hokkaido-based Fighters just for their right to negotiate with Darvish.