Japanese Players

[texascub]

I was looking through rosters for japanese baseball teams and was wondering how hard it is to get a player from a Japanese team? The one player in particular that I was looking at is Shinnosuke Abe. 26 year-old catcher, very good defensively, averages 20 HRs a year, and has a career OPS of .885 (.492 slg, .363 obp).

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I was looking through rosters for japanese baseball teams and was wondering how hard it is to get a player from a Japanese team? The one player in particular that I was looking at is Shinnosuke Abe. 26 year-old catcher, very good defensively, averages 20 HRs a year, and has a career OPS of .885 (.492 slg, .363 obp).

 

I think that's the same Abe that 1908 was keeping tabs on in the Japanese Prospects thread last year. 1908 is the person to ask, but the most likely way he'll come stateside is being posted.

[1908]

I was looking through rosters for japanese baseball teams and was wondering how hard it is to get a player from a Japanese team? The one player in particular that I was looking at is Shinnosuke Abe. 26 year-old catcher, very good defensively, averages 20 HRs a year, and has a career OPS of .885 (.492 slg, .363 obp).

Abe is years away from free agency (think 2010) and I don't think we'll ever see the Yomiuri Giants post a player to MLB.

 

Kenji Johjima will be a free agent after this season. He'll likely be the next Japanese superstar to take a shot at MLB.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I was looking through rosters for japanese baseball teams and was wondering how hard it is to get a player from a Japanese team? The one player in particular that I was looking at is Shinnosuke Abe. 26 year-old catcher, very good defensively, averages 20 HRs a year, and has a career OPS of .885 (.492 slg, .363 obp).

Abe is years away from free agency (think 2010) and I don't think we'll ever see the Yomiuri Giants post a player to MLB.

 

Kenji Johjima will be a free agent after this season. He'll likely be the next Japanese superstar to take a shot at MLB.

 

Johjima's a catcher too, right? How's he doing this year?

[1908]

Johjima's a catcher too, right? How's he doing this year?

Yep. .308/.388/.575.

[Bruno7481]

speaking of Japanese imports, is it safe to label Kaz Matsui as a bust yet? I know a lot of people were clamoring for him a couple years back, seemed like a good idea at the time, but I'm glad the Cubs didn't invest that kind of money in him.

[Tim]

Johjima's a catcher too, right? How's he doing this year?

Yep. .308/.388/.575.

Can you give us a rundown on potential OF's for next year when you have a chance?

[Tim]

speaking of Japanese imports, is it safe to label Kaz Matsui as a bust yet? I know a lot of people were clamoring for him a couple years back, seemed like a good idea at the time, but I'm glad the Cubs didn't invest that kind of money in him.

I was one of his strongest backers, and yes, he's a bust at this point.

 

I'm not sure if it's the back and other problems that have put him on the DL periodically that have sapped his speed & power or if his skills just didn't translate well to MLB.

[Bruno7481]

speaking of Japanese imports, is it safe to label Kaz Matsui as a bust yet? I know a lot of people were clamoring for him a couple years back, seemed like a good idea at the time, but I'm glad the Cubs didn't invest that kind of money in him.

I was one of his strongest backers, and yes, he's a bust at this point.

 

I'm not sure if it's the back and other problems that have put him on the DL periodically that have sapped his speed & power or if his skills just didn't translate well to MLB.

 

I guess that is just part of the risk/reward when it comes to acquiring players from Japan. There really haven't been a whole lot to date. With Hideki Matsui and Ichiro being the obvious success stories. Although, Iguchi is having a pretty solid ML debut as well.

 

I'm really interested to see how this trend will develop over the next few years.

[1908]

speaking of Japanese imports, is it safe to label Kaz Matsui as a bust yet?

I think he's been a huge disappointment. I still think he has the talent to succeed if he could ever get healthy and get out of NY, but I don't think that's very likely at this point.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

speaking of Japanese imports, is it safe to label Kaz Matsui as a bust yet? I know a lot of people were clamoring for him a couple years back, seemed like a good idea at the time, but I'm glad the Cubs didn't invest that kind of money in him.

I was one of his strongest backers, and yes, he's a bust at this point.

 

I'm not sure if it's the back and other problems that have put him on the DL periodically that have sapped his speed & power or if his skills just didn't translate well to MLB.

 

I guess that is just part of the risk/reward when it comes to acquiring players from Japan. There really haven't been a whole lot to date. With Hideki Matsui and Ichiro being the obvious success stories. Although, Iguchi is having a pretty solid ML debut as well.

 

I'm really interested to see how this trend will develop over the next few years.

 

While certainly not an extremely reliable source, ESPN.com's scouting report of Matsui said that he didn't adjust well to two-seam fastballs, a pitch not often thrown in Japanese leagues. Anyone else hear or see anything like that? I wonder why Kaz struggled so mightily if that is the case, while a slap hitter(Ichiro) and a power hitter(Godzilla) have both had success coming over.

[1908]

I guess that is just part of the risk/reward when it comes to acquiring players from Japan. There really haven't been a whole lot to date. With Hideki Matsui and Ichiro being the obvious success stories. Although, Iguchi is having a pretty solid ML debut as well.

Don't forgot all the pitchers, either. The only elite Japanese players to fall flat on their faces to date have been Kazuo and Irabu.

[1908]

I wonder why Kaz struggled so mightily if that is the case, while a slap hitter(Ichiro) and a power hitter(Godzilla) have both had success coming over.

Ichiro wasn't a slap hitter in Japan. He adjusted his style when he came over to be a more effective leadoff hitter in his mind.

 

I think the injuries and the NY spotlight took their toll on Kazuo. He isn't and never was as good a hitter as either Ichiro or Hideki, but I still expected him to hit at least as well as Iguchi has this year.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

I think the Japanese posting to the bigs has on the whole been quite successful, I don't know that any teams would shy away from a legit player. For every Kaz and Irabu there has been an Akinori Otsuka or Tad Iguchi who has exceeded expectations. Iguchi for example is no all-star, but I think, IIRC, the Sox are only paying him $2MM/year too, correct? He's a nice little 2B for $2MM, just as good if not better than Walker for similar dough.

[TheDude]

I wonder why Kaz struggled so mightily if that is the case, while a slap hitter(Ichiro) and a power hitter(Godzilla) have both had success coming over.

Ichiro wasn't a slap hitter in Japan. He adjusted his style when he came over to be a more effective leadoff hitter in his mind.

Likewise, H. Matsui adjusted his style during his "rookie" season in MLB.

 

I can't imagine the talent it takes to alter your play style after 7+ years of being a pro, and still matching the expectation that being in a major market in the MLB brings. I'm actually surprised we have huge success stories like Ichiro and H. Matsui.

[texascub]

Any chance that Kosuke Fukudome is posted this year? He looks like a good player.

 

Tatsuhiko Kinjyoh also looks like a good leadoff hitter.

[Outshined_One]

What ever happened to that 3B everyone was giddy about this past season, Iwamura?

[1908]

Can you give us a rundown on potential OF's for next year when you have a chance?

Sure, I'll do some research this week and try to put something up this weekend

[texascub]

What ever happened to that 3B everyone was giddy about this past season, Iwamura?

 

Through today he is hitting .312, 15 HRs, 66 rbi, .904 ops. He does have 11 errors though.

[1908]

Any chance that Kosuke Fukudome is posted this year? He looks like a good player.

He's expressed an interest in MLB but I haven't heard any rumors about him being posted or even asking to be posted. Doubt we'll see him in MLB next year.

 

Tatsuhiko Kinjyoh also looks like a good leadoff hitter.

Meh, he's almost 29 and has never produced an OPS over .800 across a full season. He's also 3 years from free agency.

 

The BayStar I covet is Hitoshi Tamura. 28 years old. .305/.363/.624 last year, .344/.418/.688 so far this year. It's a shame he's 4+ years away from free agency.

[1908]

What ever happened to that 3B everyone was giddy about this past season, Iwamura?

 

Through today he is hitting .312, 15 HRs, 66 rbi, .904 ops. He does have 11 errors though.

Yep, his full line is .312/.379/.525. The Swallows had promised to post him after last season. They "changed" their minds come November, much like the Hawks did to Iguchi after 2003. The Swallows did say they would consider posting him after this season but I understand their reluctance to part with their 26-year-old star.

[texascub]

Tamura is an interesting player too. I have a question about him though, early in his career was he injured alot or did he just not get enough playing time? The first 4 years of his career he really struggled but has turned it on since then.

 

Also, with Iwamura; do you think he'd be interested in a move to LF? I know he played a little OF in '03. If he was posted, I'd love to see the Cubs get him and put him in LF.

[1908]

Johjima Declares Intention to Go to MLB

 

Gary Garland just threw that last paragraph in there to tease me.

[1908]

Tamura is an interesting player too. I have a question about him though, early in his career was he injured alot or did he just not get enough playing time? The first 4 years of his career he really struggled but has turned it on since then.

He was blocked early on in his career and then took a couple years to figure things out. He has an .300+ IsoP over the past couple years, though. So who cares? :D

 

Also, with Iwamura; do you think he'd be interested in a move to LF? I know he played a little OF in '03. If he was posted, I'd love to see the Cubs get him and put him in LF.

He played 15 games in CF last year but I think Iwamura's bat would play much better at 3B or 2B in MLB.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Johjima Declares Intention to Go to MLB

 

Gary Garland just threw that last paragraph in there to tease me.

 

Is he going to stay at catcher? The idea of a foreign catcher will scare away a lot of teams I think. Especially since the Cubs haven't been proactive with Japanese players, and have 2 catchers under contract for next season.