Many Texas Rangers fans were looking for answers after the first inning of Monday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

The 60 million dollar man, Yu Darvish, had just pitched his first inning in the Major Leagues. It took 42 pitches for Darvish to get through that first inning. During those 42 pitches, the Rangers biggest offseason aquisition allowed 4 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks.

It couldn’t have started much worse for Darvish, but it certainly got better. Manager Ron Washington stuck with the starter, and over the next 4 and 2/3 innings Darvish allowed only one more run on 68 pitches.

Of course it also helps to have some bats behind you. The Rangers hit four home runs in the game and Darvish much needed run support en route to the Rangers 11-5 win over the Mariners. It wasn’t his best start, literally or figuratively, but Darvish got the win, and it won’t be his last.

Many pitchers that make the transition from Japan to the Major Leagues are highly coveted, but don’t live up to expectations.

The most recent example of such a pitcher is Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Red Sox paid about 51 million dollars just for the rights to him, and then signed him to a 52 million dollar contract.

In his rookie year of 2007, he won 15 regular season games and recorded a win in Game 3 of the World Series against the Colorado Rockies. His 2008 season was even better as he won 18 games, and finished fourth in American League Cy Young award voting.

In 2009, however; injuries started to plague Matsuzaka. He went on the Disabled List multiple times in 2009, and it was revealed after the season that he had hid injuries from the Red Sox. Dice-K started 25 games in 2010, but recorded only 9 wins. Last May, Matsuzaka was again injured, and had Tommy John surgery in June, ending his season.

Despite the World Series victory and two 15 plus win seasons, Matsuzaka has not been the 103 million dollar pitcher the Red Sox had imagined. He currently is still rehabbing from the surgery, and many analysts think that the Red Sox should try to trade Dice-K while he still has a little value.

All that being said, Darvish was a risk for owner Nolan Ryan and the Rangers. I have to think, though, that Ryan, being a Hall of Fame hurler, knew what he was doing in signing Darvish. A lot remains to be seen of the 25-year old Japanese phenom, but the grit and grind that he showed on Monday was a good start in the right direction.