Braves Could Trade Kawakami Back To Japan
by gondeee on Oct 21, 2010 7:44 PM EDT
in Braves Trade News
Email
PrintFrom Mark Bowman comes this wonderful bit of news about how the Braves can rid themselves of a mistake free agent and get some salary relief in the process:
It sounds like at least one Japanese team has shown strong interest in acquiring Kenshin Kawakami from the Braves. The club is believed to be willing to assume approximately $3 million of the $6.67 million the Braves still owe the Japanese right-hander next year.
One Japanese reporter indicted the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters have shown some interest. But it's believed the Braves might have found at least one other more attractive suitor from the Japanese League.
Before signing with the Braves back in 2008, Kawakami drew major interest from the Hanshin Tigers in the Japanese League. It may be wishful thinking, but if Hanshin still has interest in Kawakami, perhaps a trade could be worked out that would send KK there in exchange for former Georgia Tech outfielder Matt Murton, who is currently in the middle of a two-year contract with the Tigers. Murton almost broke the single season home run record in Japan this year, and he did break Ichiro Suzuki's single season hits record while posting a slash line of .349/.395/.499.
This would involve a lot of speculation on my part, but Murton could help solve the Braves left field problem and its Kawakami problem. Make it happen Frank!
115 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
he broke the record in like 8,12, 14 more games, something like that, still very impressive but who knows how it would translate. Im not saying he couldnt help but I think he has much more value to them then any mlb team, and probably more value to them than kk.
"IN THE AIR LEFT FIELD- THAT'LL DO IT!... AND IT KEEPS ON GOING; THAT IS A HOMERUN!"
"Placido Polanco? That guy’s a pussy" -Joe Simpson
Ichiro needed 8 additional games
To break George Sisler’s record.
No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.
well depending on how many he broke it by then, he may or may not have had a better season for hits than sisler did. other than that im not sure what that has to do with the deal, i shouldn’t have mentioned it myself, it was pointless
"IN THE AIR LEFT FIELD- THAT'LL DO IT!... AND IT KEEPS ON GOING; THAT IS A HOMERUN!"
"Placido Polanco? That guy’s a pussy" -Joe Simpson
+1
"If you were going to make a Mount Rushmore of managers, Bobby's one of them."
-Mike Scioscia
by The Keith Lockhart Era on Oct 22, 2010 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions
This sounds like a solution that would please all parties.
KK would be more comfortable back in Japan and the Braves would get a bit of salary relief.
As to acquiring Murton in the deal, I’d be all for it, but there’s no way that’s happening unless we pay all of KK’s salary. Murton is a bit of a hot property right now and his Japanese team is not just going to trade him for peanuts (no offense to KK). We should also be somewhat cautious about Murton’s potential in MLB. He may end up being a good regular, but he’s very unproven and doesn’t constitute a “solution” to the LF problem.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
he is essentially Matt Diaz…or at least that my opinion…
"No. Lonely people mixing with one another? Breeding? Creating an even lonelier generation? You're not even allowing natural selection do its work. Pssh. You're like the guy who invented the seat belt."
Dwight Schrute
i can go with that….but its not like his power is a lot more and the Diaz’s defense wasnt horrible in left…if it costs us a lot more money its really probably not even worth it…but if for some reason we get KK fro Murton and only have to chip in some cash….then its a pretty solid deal.
"No. Lonely people mixing with one another? Breeding? Creating an even lonelier generation? You're not even allowing natural selection do its work. Pssh. You're like the guy who invented the seat belt."
Dwight Schrute
Is he a righty?
and while $3m wouldn’t help much, it can’t hurt.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
Question
I know teams can sale players to Japan but I didnt know that they could actually trade players with Japanese teams.
Clearly you never watched Mr. Baseball.
"They should just give two ROYs in the NL and skip the AL this year." - KLaw
Can Tom Selleck play left?
"If you were going to make a Mount Rushmore of managers, Bobby's one of them."
-Mike Scioscia
by The Keith Lockhart Era on Oct 22, 2010 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Naw man
He had the knees of Troy Glaus during his stint with the Dragons. Plus, I think he’s still hitting coach of the Tigers. Wait a second…….we have an opening at hitting coach!
Coming soon: winningugly visits Atlanta, takes dump in royhobbs’ Braves hat.
He was the manager. At the end the guy called him “chief.”
DON'T GO TO SLEEP EARLY OR JEFF FRANCOEUR WILL HAUNT YOUR DREAMS AND LOWER YOUR OBP. - Scott
I'm sorry,
I don’t speak Spanish.
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
Two Words
Tuffy Rhodes, he was also trying to break the HR record in Japan. He was never much of a player in teh MLB, there havent been any american stars in Japan who have come over and been stars in the Majors.
uhhhhh I got a name for you
Ciciel Fielder….below average player in the bigs….went to japan where he got to learn how to hit a curve ball. He said he could not hit one before…hmmmmm there are a few…I believe there was a pitcher…a Gaijeen…that came back over here and produced. I think he plays for San Diego?
it just felt right and the chance to go to the postseason is hard to pass up. I’ve always respected their orginization… and Bobby…I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it...Derrek Lee (at press conference sayiing he had been traded to the Braves)
Colby Lewis
SUCKED in the bigs, went to Japan and dominated, and now he’s pitching game 6 of the ALCS after a damn good year.
by Undocorkscrew on Oct 21, 2010 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions
matt mourton sounds like a steal if we could send
KK over! But I doubt they’d let hitting and homerun champ go for what an earlier thread called =peanuts..
and I doubt mourton would cure our hitting woes…we still need to go get a goodRH bat!
JuniorFamilia.com for my BJJ Journey.
Great, now I have to get a Krabs Medallion jersey.
"If you were going to make a Mount Rushmore of managers, Bobby's one of them."
-Mike Scioscia
by The Keith Lockhart Era on Oct 22, 2010 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I always figured this would happen.
'Terrible preview...pretty weak, didn't learn anything new. pretty sad." - mastermike
by Scott Coleman on Oct 21, 2010 8:43 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Cautiously optimistic
But it would be nice to see KK land somewhere he can be used regularly… I think the Braves just have better, cheaper options right now… Personally, i’m not worried if this affects the club in signing Japanese players going forward because it seems like the guys who come over here have trouble living up to the $$$ (a few exceptions of course)
"I wasn’t thinking about it. That’s the worst celebration of all time. I didn’t know what to do. I got lost in the moment." - Brian McCann
by HansonManCrush on Oct 21, 2010 8:50 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Playing up to the $$$ i mean
"I wasn’t thinking about it. That’s the worst celebration of all time. I didn’t know what to do. I got lost in the moment." - Brian McCann
by HansonManCrush on Oct 21, 2010 8:50 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
started as a Red Sock, or at least thats who drafted him
"No. Lonely people mixing with one another? Breeding? Creating an even lonelier generation? You're not even allowing natural selection do its work. Pssh. You're like the guy who invented the seat belt."
Dwight Schrute
They traded him to the Cubs in the Nomar Garciaparra deal in 2004
"The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you." ~ David Foster Wallace
i went to tech
so i knew he went there and kinda kept up with his performance…and i watched his lil brother luke play while i was at tech…
by forgotten_glory on Oct 21, 2010 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Make the trade- However could create more problems knowing the Braves like I do we would settle.
Whether we get Murton or not is a true bonus. Murton would be a great replacement for Diaz/Cabera platoon situation we suffered through this year. Still only thing that is gonna suck is if we acquire Murton we would then in turn offer Diaz a one year deal worth about $2 million and go with that into Spring training in LF and that is not GONNA CUT IT.
Braves need power and speedy leadoff man. Still dumping KK back to japanese league where he is still high – mid level value is a good move. Braves need to be rid of this terrible free agent sigining. I could care less about Murton, personally don’t like him or Diaz as LF options for next year. Also prefer to have M. Young (still going strong in AFL fall league) as our 4th OF.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Oct 21, 2010 9:15 PM EDT reply actions
Still hate to say it.
Trading D.Lowe whe his value is high may be a wise move this offseason and free up some cash and try to make a run at Crawford. Then re-sign J. Vasquez for one year with mutual option for 2012 season.
STILL MAKE THE TRADE WREN and BE RID OF KK NOW !
Only reason I am thinking about trading D.Lowe is that I have been thinking about numurous posting on different blogs and money we are paying D.Lowe even with his great finish and postseason this year is alittle much to say the least and he is not getting any younger.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Oct 21, 2010 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Hmm.
Dammn RIGHT~ SHAFT, He’s a very sexy HE’ SHAFT,
DAMNNNN RIGHHHHTTTTT!
LOL.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Oct 21, 2010 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
you have disgraced shaft….there is a circle of hell dedicated to those who have disgraced shaft.
"No. Lonely people mixing with one another? Breeding? Creating an even lonelier generation? You're not even allowing natural selection do its work. Pssh. You're like the guy who invented the seat belt."
Dwight Schrute
And baby, you don't wanna end up in THAT circle.
"If you were going to make a Mount Rushmore of managers, Bobby's one of them."
-Mike Scioscia
by The Keith Lockhart Era on Oct 22, 2010 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions
To hell with Shaft.
Anyone who watched those movies are pure morons. You guys cannot tell what sacarism is can you. IMAO.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Oct 24, 2010 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Here's what the Braves need to do...
Re-sign Saito, trade for Daisuke and Fukudome, and then send them to Japan for Yu Darvish and Nakajima. Japanese clubs have to cover all of Kenshin, Daisuke, and Fukudome’s remaining salary.
After that’s done, flip Darvish, Jurrjens, and Delgado for Pujols with the Cardinals paying all 3 players remaining salary. Decline Alex Gonzalez’s option, sign Cliff Lee.
If Lee has more than 10 BB by the break, flip him, prospects, and Nakajima for Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, and a robotic left arm for Johnny Venters.
If they can manage that, I like their chances for the division.
All the Japanese league talk
Time to go and start researching the Japanese leagues ASAP.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Oct 21, 2010 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Allow me
Yu Darvish= closest thing Japan has to a Felix Hernandez; a young phenom that is head and shoulders above his peers.
Nakajima= a guy whose career since ’06 looks roughly like the season J-Hey had this year. Moderate power, but great on base skills; career OPS of .845
Honestly
Darvish has the nastiest split-fingered fastball I’ve ever seen. 4-seam tops out at 95mph, but that splitter is filthy. When thrown to RH hitters, it has big movement, tailing away, and is almost unhittable.
No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.
Especially
by my hot, Canadian girlfriend.
If he’s really that awesome, I wonder why he isn’t here making tons of money.
Carrying on Bobby's Legacy!
by FrediGonzalez on Oct 22, 2010 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions
He doesn't want to come here...
at least not yet.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Oct 22, 2010 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Not everyone is driven by money
In Japan, Darvish is a demi-god. You’d think I’m kidding, but he’s idolized, on the covers of magazines, and has all these endorsements. And then, all of that again, this time, as it pertains to baseball. And it’s not like he’s paid chump change out there, either. No reason for him to even want to leave Japan. There’s plenty to bilk out of Japan before he has nothing left to prove, and maybe, he’ll decide to come to America if he’s not too old and can still throw that splitter.
No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.
Don't you know
Cliff Lee plays a great shortstop!?
Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand.
And he plays it from the mound.
He’s that good.
"If you were going to make a Mount Rushmore of managers, Bobby's one of them."
-Mike Scioscia
by The Keith Lockhart Era on Oct 22, 2010 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions
it’s….perfect!!!
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
by MBL1 on Oct 22, 2010 12:00 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
ESPN just reported that after those moves, the Braves become the favorite for the Wildcard, Phillies still the favorites to win the division and the World Series after sweeping the Braves in the NLCS.
by king of games on Oct 22, 2010 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Just sell him
Sell him for around 10 million,that would give the Braves all the financial freedom they need to get that elusive RH bat in left field,sign a veteran bullpen arm,find a leadoff hitter, and find a backup for Freddi
lol what?
'Terrible preview...pretty weak, didn't learn anything new. pretty sad." - mastermike
by Scott Coleman on Oct 21, 2010 11:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
So you're proposing that we....
Try to sell him for $10 Million….even when the said Japanese team has asked us to pay $3M of his remaining $6.67M….hmmmm, interesting idea but I don’t see it working.
That would be like going to the car dealership, and telling the sales person that you want to buy the $30,000 car on the lot for $40,000…..interesting strategy
I think you’re on to something
He’s just freeing up money for Xavier Nady.
'Terrible preview...pretty weak, didn't learn anything new. pretty sad." - mastermike
by Scott Coleman on Oct 21, 2010 11:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
We could sell him
He was a star over there until coming over here and im sure some Japanese team would love to have him and would probably pay atleast 8 million for him
No disrespect
But that makes no sense at all. There are a few teams interested in him, and asking the Braves to pay $3M of his remaining $6.6M salary. Why in the world would someone pay $8M for him? If anything wouldn’t they just tell the Braves they’ll pay the $6.6M remaining on the salary?
No team is going to pay $1.4M more than they have to for a guy, and the Braves would never put a price tag like that on the guy, they’d be ecstatic to get rid of him at his current salary.
Im confused at why you think we could get more for him than what his contract is worth, that’s all.
Except how much did the Red Sox pay
just to negotiate with Dice K?
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
First of all
Dice K was one of the best pitchers over there, so it’s not as if they were willing to just give him up for “salary relief” like the Braves are.
You want to tell me that you think the Braves would put him out there for more than what his contract is worth, especially when they want to get rid of him as bad as they do. There is no possible scenario in which Wren would do such an absurd thing, and for those who think he would, lay off the nose candy
Would you like some tweezers
to get those panties out your ass?
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
Interesting
Lose and argument, so instead of admitting being wrong, you take a shot at the person. Stay Classy!
First of all, it’s “Lose AN argument.”. If you don’t know the difference, you might want to take some remedial English lessons.
Second of all, I was merely pointing out the fallacy in YOUR argument that a team will never overpay to sign a player. Yet, the Red Sox paid how many millions just to negotiate a contract with Dice K. So, since I didn’t “lose”, it’s perfectly reasonable to take a shot at someone who’s behaving like a complete douchebag.
And since your complete lack of reading comprehension will keep those panties wadded up, let me directly quote you. “No team will pay 1.4M more than they have to for a guy”. Remember what you say before you go run your mouth.
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
Human trafficking is illegal
"I am here to be real and state the things you are all to scared to say because you don’t want to get your feelings hurt or you don’t want to hurt these bloggers feelings. I mean did you read this garbage preview? I mean seriously, it was a pile of crap." - Mastermike
YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT??!!??
Bobby Cox, advising Jeff Francoeur about being thrown out of a game: "you’ll probably have to write a $500 check. Or you can do what I do, write a $10,000 one and tell them when it runs out, let me know."
If what I read is true...
it sounds like the Cubs handled Murton even worse than we handled KK.
'Terrible preview...pretty weak, didn't learn anything new. pretty sad." - mastermike
by Scott Coleman on Oct 21, 2010 11:59 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Hopefully Wren can pull it off
In other news I saw Heyward at the Hawks game tonight dude is super slender! He jinxed my Heat lol!!!
Murton put up Chris Coghlan-like numbers during his MLB career. Course, Murton has only had 1 MLB season with over 500 PA, but his upside looks a lot like what Chris Coghlan can do. Not a power hitter per se, but good BA, OBP, and SLG numbers.
If we do happen to make this trade, I don’t see Matty D coming back. Murton bats right-handed and seems to hit lefties better (.907 OPS against lefties compared to .710 against righties) and would essentially take Matt’s place as lefty killer/4th OF.
Morton hit Heyward with an offspeed pitch. Early indication is that the baseball survived the impact.
I think you’re aiming way to high to think that we’d get a top player back in return for KK. The Tigers are a good team that are going to be contenders next season, I can’t imagine that they’ll give up their top hitter for a guy that our coaches preferred to waste a roster spot on rather than let into games, no matter how solid his reputation is in Japan.
"They should just give two ROYs in the NL and skip the AL this year." - KLaw
I'd settle for sending KK to Japan, assuming we pay half his salary....
for some high quality sushi for the team to eat during spring training, and some kobe beef steaks to be grilled outside Turner Field before opening day next year for everyone to enjoy. DO IT WREN!!!!
CYBORG HANSON: SHALL SIMULTANEOUSLY CONSUME HUMAN MOVIEFILM TRILOGY "MIGHTY DUCKS" TO OBSERVE SCRAPPY PLAYOFF TACTICS AND EXPLODING GROUP HIGH FIVES.
Moving KK is a good thing....
and Murton might be a good bench contributor. However, it would be a mistake to assume that offensive production over there…means offensive production in MLB. (Please see Orestes Destrade and Tuffy Rhodes).
Plus if he is playing that well over there…why would a Japanese team want to let him go? There is a high likelihood
If we can get someone to take KK and at least 4 million of his salary I think you take it…..even if you get nothing more then a bag of balls and a glass of saki…
I didn't see the word "could" at first
Now I have to clean the man-yogurt out of my work slacks.
I think that if Kawakami stood on an oil rig in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico
and threw a baseball into the sea, that a batter would rise out of the water and smash it before it could land in the water.
BREAKING NEWS: ESPN has several sources reporting that the University of Alabama's 1st string waterboy will be declaring himself eligible in the 2011 NFL draft. He projects as WR with 4.29 speed and a vertical of 12....feet.
by WarEagle86 on Oct 22, 2010 10:19 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Well played, sir.
Carrying on Bobby's Legacy!
by FrediGonzalez on Oct 22, 2010 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions
I know it happens
but not too often when a player gets traded to a Japanese team. What are the restrictions for that? I mean, could any team just ship off a player they don’t want to Japan? If it’s to another country, does the player have to accept or do they have no choice? Just curious how that works..
by WeStillHaveBobby on Oct 22, 2010 11:57 AM EDT reply actions
Murton almost broke the single season home run record in Japan this year…
Hmm. I thought he hit only 17 home runs this years.
Yeaaaah, 17 can't be a record
Seong-Yeop Lee of the Yomiuri Giants once hit 41 HR in a season, and holds the Asia Pro Baseball single-season record of 56 HR. Murton’s never touching either of those.
No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.
He broke the hit record not the HR record.
You are correct about the 17 HRs.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
So if Kawakami is good enough to be a 3 for some...
and a 4 for most, why are we having to ship him back to Japan? Maybe he’s not at that level as a pitcher.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
Or maybe it’s because teams still rely a lot on traditional things like W-L records which makes KK’s contract much less appealing.
"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton
we aren't ...
smarter than GMs and front offices around the league. He’s pitched enough, if it was felt he could be a team’s 3, they’d ask for him.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
You're right.
GMs never make mistakes.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
BTW
How do we know that there are no teams that want KK? It’s not like the Braves can trade him right now.
You also ignore stuff like his salary. I mean, let’s say hes good enough to start for the Pirates. But would the Pirates pay $7M for him when they have so many other holes and no money to play with? Probably not.
"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"
"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."
I disagree with that sentiment that some people around here are not smarter than GMs.
Just because someone has a certain job doesn’t mean that they are good at it, or that there aren’t better options.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Oct 24, 2010 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
So GMs judge pitchers by W-L record
as UMD said? I strongly doubt that.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
John Garland.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Oct 26, 2010 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions
No h, just Jon...
and you may want to look at his numbers before throwing his name out there.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garlajo01.shtml
Dude has been a horse with 190-200+ innings 9 of the last 10 years. That kind of durability and realiability is desired, especially by teams who struggle putting together rotations. But while he hasn’t been a stud, he has pitched pretty well in those innings too. A career sub 4.5 era pitching mostly in the AL, even better when he’s been in the NL the last two years. His career ERA+ is 104, so better than average. His career FIP is 4.69, xFIP is even better at 4.58. He’s as good as your boy KK, so by your logic a 3/4, and by mine a 4/5. Either way, he’s a solid starter than is a lot more than W-L record. Joe Saunders might have been a better name for you to throw out there, because Garland looks solid (and should have been our choice over Lowe imo).
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
by Mr. Sanchez on Oct 26, 2010 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions
So, did Garland get his big contract in his career low FIP/xFIP year or his career high wins year?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Oct 27, 2010 5:45 AM EDT up reply actions
He got it...
at 26, buying out arb and post arb years, after helping his team win a World Series, with a track record of lots of innings and solid production.
Nice spin though.
http://sportsandgrits.blogspot.com/
based on…?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Oct 24, 2010 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Dang…I missed the part where we sent him back. I also missed the press conference held by MLB GMs that said none were interested in him. Can you enlighten me on the details?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Oct 24, 2010 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
I think part of the problem with Japanese imports...
Is the big culture gap. These guys probably get a little homesick. They get tired of speaking through a translator. They have difficulty adjusting to the new surroundings, and that includes a somewhat different brand of baseball and conditioning as well.
I wouldn’t want to live and work in Japan for an extended period. Vacation or brief work trip, fine. But living day in and day out and my work product would probably suffer too.
Hitters have fared better, but I think so much of pitching is mental, that it just starts to overwhelm them. In other words, I wouldn’t be surprised if KK has been pushing for a return to Japan. Pure speculation on my part, but It wouldn’t surprise me.
Something to do with it
Yeah, I can sympathize for the culture shock, but really, it has a lot to do with where you’re playing still. Seattle is a perfect example, with its gigantic Japanese population, proximity on the Pacific coast, and it can’t hurt that the Mariners are owned by Nintendo, ultimately a Japanese company. Back before the Braves got KK, I verbalized why any Japanese players would want to come to the City of Atlanta, where there’s very little Japanese community aside a segment of the northern tip of the city and probably wouldn’t market him properly? Looking back at the last two years, the lack of support, marketing, and missed opportunity the Braves could have done, I can’t help but feel a little right on that assessment.
But more importantly, especially when it comes to pitchers, the problem is so many of them are junk ball pitchers to begin with. There is a grace period when their funky, hesitation-filled deliveries, and wide pitch varieties garner results, but once the league has seen a few games, their tendencies documented, and a book developed, so many of them collapse – especially the starters. Kawakami, Matsuzaka, and Baltimore’s Koji Uehara are good examples – they were all legendary pitchers back in Japan, started off okay in the States, but after the honeymoon, they all fell back to earth hard. Nomo is like the only exception. Their junk craftiness ends up being more effective out of the bullpen typically; Uehara moving to the pen saved his career, and there have been plenty of solid Japanese relievers throughout the years, looking at Saito for one, but guys like Hideki Okajima, Kaz Sasaki, and Hisanori Takahashi have enjoyed some success out of the bullpen.
No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Talking Chop
Related FanShots on Talking Chop
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Get a grip: Reds’ Todd Frazier loses bat, still connects for home run (Video)
- Eric Hosmer redefines the Baltimore chop with infield double (Video)
- College player makes impossible over the fence catch to save tournament game (Video)
- Security!: Camden Yards guard collides with Royals’ Mike Moustakas
- The Juice: Nelson Cruz matches career high eight RBIs, Pujols stays hot in Seattle
