2009 Int'l FA Market: Cubs Sign 6 For $250,000+ Bonuses

[1908]

Agreed. Saito is a good bet to be the next Japanese player to opt out of the NPB draft. And there will be angry rumblings about it from NPB teams if it happens. But nothing like there would be if a Koshien darling like Kikuchi signed with an MLB team immediately out of high school.

[Tryptamine]

Somewhat irrelevant, but I find it really odd that his name is Yuki which is traditionally a girl's name. It has to have a different Kanji than the usual Yuki which is "snow".

[Mephistopheles]

Saito is the Koshien deity.

[Mephistopheles]

Somewhat irrelevant, but I find it really odd that his name is Yuki which is traditionally a girl's name. It has to have a different Kanji than the usual Yuki which is "snow".

 

oddly enough there are two relevant yuki saito's in japanese baseball

[1908]

Saito is the Koshien deity.

I know. But he'll be four years removed from Koshien when/if he signs with an MLB team. Maybe that doesn't matter. I know he's still a media darling. But I can't help but suspect the outrage/astonishment would have been more pronounced had he jumped to MLB immediately after high school.

[Guest]

Supposedly in this article, Yusei Kikuchi is quoted as saying:

 

Going to the Majors straight out of high school is really risky. I was really faltering between which path to take: taking the risk by going to the Majors, or staying in Japan and building a solid foundation first. But with the way my high school career ended, I feel as if I have some unfinished business left in Japan.

[1908]

http://www.npbtracker.com/2009/09/kikuchi-to-visit-the-states/

 

Kikuchi to Visit the States

When we last left our heroes, Yusei Kikuchi had strongly suggested that he was going to start his professional baseball career in Japan, saying, “It’ll be after I consult with my parents and manager, but I’m thinking domestic. In the future I think I’ll go to the Majors if I can, but after building my strength domestically.”

 

Note, however, that he stops short of saying he’s filed for draft eligibility, which he still has yet to do.

 

Now, news has emerged that Kikuchi is planning on visiting the States in October, and wants to see the Majors once before he decides to proceed. The best quote I’ve seen so far was in Sponichi: “I like to do things that people say are impossible. To be showered in criticism makes me want to do it. I don’t have any unease with life in America. I want to speak English, and there is leading-edge training which is different from Japan, so that’s exciting.” Mainichi News puts his decision between NPB and MLB at 50/50.

[toonsterwu]

http://www.npbtracker.com/2009/09/mlb-scouts-watch-chen/

 

Don't think it's been posted yet, but supposedly, we're watching a Taiwanese southpaw pitching in Japan. Here's hoping our recent success helps, although considering the kid's older, it'll probably be a different dynamic.

[Guest]

http://www.npbtracker.com/2009/09/mlb-scouts-watch-chen/

 

Don't think it's been posted yet, but supposedly, we're watching a Taiwanese southpaw pitching in Japan. Here's hoping our recent success helps, although considering the kid's older, it'll probably be a different dynamic.

 

Perusing Taiwan Baseball Blogspot, there have been two mentions of him - one of them mentions he had elbow surgery in November 2006. Looks like he's bounced back since then.

[1908]

Chen's 2009 stats:

G 	W 	L 	SV 	HLD 	CG 	SHO 	PCT 	BF 	IP 	H 	HR 	BB 	IBB 	HB 	SO 	WP 	BK 	R 	ER 	ERA			
19	8	 3	  0	  0	   5	  4	 .727	553	142	97	  8	 31	  0	   2	122	  1	  0	26	 23	1.45		

[toonsterwu]

Chen's 2009 stats:

G 	W 	L 	SV 	HLD 	CG 	SHO 	PCT 	BF 	IP 	H 	HR 	BB 	IBB 	HB 	SO 	WP 	BK 	R 	ER 	ERA			
19	8	 3	  0	  0	   5	  4	 .727	553	142	97	  8	 31	  0	   2	122	  1	  0	26	 23	1.45		

 

Was there a site that did loose translations for J-League stats into MLB stats? I seem to remember there was a site, but in a few minutes of googling right now, can't find it.

[1908]

Here's one: http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/analysisjalbright19.html I suspect there have been more predictive ones put together since.

[1908]

http://www.npbtracker.com/2009/09/npb-bullet-points-nichibei-special/

It doesn’t look like Wei-Yin Chen is going anywhere any time soon, according to Chunichi Dragons president Junnosuke Nishikawa. “He can’t move unless he’s willing to break our agreement. We don’t have those conditions (to allow him out after the season) in our contract,” said Nishikawa. Commenting on a possible move to the majors, Nishikawa said, “even if that’s out there, that’s only if the team grants him to be posted.” Of course, there’s no indication that Chen even wants to leave, only that MLB scouts are watching him.

More noise about Kikuchi waffling between NBP and MLB: http://www.npbtracker.com/2009/09/kikuchi-rocks-the-draft/ My favorite quote to date, "there has not been a high school player who directly went to the MLB without going through the NPB, so there is a part of me that wants to be the pioneer."

[Outshined_One]

Aroldis Chapman is soon to be a FA. Link

[Guest]

Aroldis Chapman is soon to be a FA. Link

Andorra? Maybe I'll defect.

[wvcbxl]

Aroldis Chapman is soon to be a FA. Link

Andorra? Maybe I'll defect.

 

Well if someone hits a home run in Andorra it's likely to end up in a different country. 8-)

It probably won't happen, since Andorra isn't listed on the Confederation of European Baseball website, which suggests no baseball is played there.

[TruffleShuffle]

Aroldis Chapman is soon to be a FA. Link

Andorra? Maybe I'll defect.

 

Well if someone hits a home run in Andorra it's likely to end up in a different country. 8-)

It probably won't happen, since Andorra isn't listed on the Confederation of European Baseball website, which suggests no baseball is played there.

 

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/nation_of_andorra_not_in_africa

[Outshined_One]

Aroldis Chapman is soon to be a FA. Link

Andorra? Maybe I'll defect.

 

Well if someone hits a home run in Andorra it's likely to end up in a different country. 8-)

It probably won't happen, since Andorra isn't listed on the Confederation of European Baseball website, which suggests no baseball is played there.

 

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/nation_of_andorra_not_in_africa

 

Well, to be fair, it is now a war-torn region.

 

Link

[Guest]

Aroldis Chapman is soon to be a FA. Link

Andorra? Maybe I'll defect.

 

Well if someone hits a home run in Andorra it's likely to end up in a different country. 8-)

It probably won't happen, since Andorra isn't listed on the Confederation of European Baseball website, which suggests no baseball is played there.

 

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/nation_of_andorra_not_in_africa

 

Well, to be fair, it is now a war-torn region.

 

Link

I just liked the fact that he had health care and pension before he's even worked a day.

[davell]

Wagner Mateo had his contract voided by the Cards today.

[Outshined_One]

Wagner Mateo had his contract voided by the Cards today.

 

That's a hell of a bombshell.

 

Link

[jersey cubs fan]

Physical defects, ouch.

[radarluv1]

so someone else will sign him, right, presumably for a bit less?

[Rob]

so someone else will sign him, right, presumably for a bit less?

 

Given his obvious talents, it's likely he latches on somewhere. But he's losing a buuunch of money.

[Guest]

I'm not sure on the specific bonus numbers (and it's obviously a bit different with a pitcher who gets hurt) but when Angel Guzman failed his physical with the Royals and ended up signing with the Cubs soon after, I want to say he got 10%-20% of the bonus he originally was offered by the Royals.

 

From BA:

 

Sean (La Crosse) Wagner Mateo contract was voided for eye problems. Now what for him and the Cardinals? Is his condition career threatening or will he sign on with a team a "reduced" cost

 

Jim Callis (2:04 PM) Mateo will perform for scouts at an October showcase in the Dominican Republic. I assume he'll undergo a battery of vision tests so clubs know what they're dealing with, and the results will play a large role in determining his new market value.