Orix Close To Signing Dodgers' Jason Grabowski

Unfortunately, it is not the outfield that they need another player, it's their grossly inept infield. Too many times the Orix infield has made lazy plays and costly errors. Brumbaugh, and all-around player, has played every thing from first base to right field, and Garcia has a sniper rifle arm, which the infield typically misjudges for a relay ball because of the lack of height that it needs, resulting in more errors. If Orix signs another outfielder, here is what needs to happen:

Garcia in center, Grabowski and Kitagawa flanking him.

Infeild, I wouldn't be too out of order to say Brumbaugh at second or short, with reasonable talented players like Shimoyama (who had a terrible season), and Gotoh somewhere in there. They desperately need to get rid of Tani, who proved that any ball near the wall deserved to be a home run, and consistently refused to jump. Furthermore, he couldn't hit a ball to save his life.

My money says that if this new guy doesn't crack up to expectations, Orix will be competing with Rakuten for the honorable position of dead last.

I thought Shiozaki and Hirano had fairly good defense. Couldn't they use them instead of the Kintetsu duo of Abe and Mizuguchi?

Anyway, there's no way they're going to give up on Tani. He's too important to the franchise. Same goes for Muramatsu. Also, Orix released Brumbaugh.

Personally, I see the outfield staying the same. We'll see Tani in left, Muramatsu in center, and Garcia at right. If the two have another awful season, then I could see Orix moving Muramatsu to pinch runner or trading him. If Tani has another bad season, I still see Orix sticking with him. He's the face of the team.

I see Gotoh or a big foreign bat at third, Shiozaki or Gotoh at short, Hirano at second, and Kitagawa at first. If the pitching is solid, which is very doubtful, this offense is enough to get them in A class. The pitching has to be Marines level, though.

Hirano was alright, but he plays like a one-hop catch is an out. Muramatsu was awesome in the outfield and has some pretty good speed. But Tani was awful. I think his wife has been beating him pretty regularly.

I meant Hirano (this year he is a rookie) the pitcher not the second baseman.

This could be an interesting signing. Orix expects Grabowski (4) to hit about 30 HRs, but they said that about Brumbaugh (19) and Garcia (21). I'm not that convinced that mananger Nakamura is a good judge of talent.

The infield is bad defensively, and now I just read that Jeremy Powell is leaving. So Orix has little starting pitching. Also, their hitting is weak. I guess they will be fighting it out with Rakuten for the bottom.

Orix released Brumbaugh? I can't find that information anywhere. Where was it reported?

AFAIK, Brumbaugh will be back with Orix, but Garcia and Orix couldn't get together on a new contract and so Karim is probably going back to MLB.

On Grabowski, it is too hard to project how players would do in Japan until they actually play (the horses for courses thing). But given how he performed in MLB, it is speculative at best to expect 30 dingers. We'll just have to see.

Gotoh has been a defensive adventure. Shiozaki, though, doesn't have much of a stick, so Nakamura is between a rock and a hard place. Muramatsu used to be a pretty good outfielder, as was Tani. But neither man hit in 2005, and if both the batting average and defense head for the deep south at once it is usually indicative of players on their way out.

Thanks for the infomation. Geez, if Tani and Muramatsu have lost it, then Orix has really had it.

At shortstop, I'm wondering if Makoto Moriyama (a player Orix drafted) could take over. He played for Yamaha and was highly rated.

As for high ratings, Yoshihisa Hirano (drafted out of college) looks very good. Could he be the ace of Orix's staff? Orix better come up with a couple of MLB pitchers.

To go with Grabowski over Garcia will be devastating for the Orix Buffaloes. You can't make up what Garcia brings to the line up. With Grabowski's hitch in his swing, he should be safely back in the States by June 15th.

- To go with Grabowski over Garcia will be devastating for the Orix Buffaloes.

I seriously doubt it. Garcia struggled many times this year. Grabowski has shown potential in the minors and in the majors. Garcia's attitude is what turns him off for me. Orix made him a very attractive offer to come back, $1.3 million, he refused.

Personally, I was dissapointed with Garcia. Orix won't be devastated. Grabowski could match Garcia's stats easily and for half the salary. Garcia was in the minors and his 60 RBIs were nothing to write home about. If Orix gets Davey, Grabowski, Serafini, and Kiyohara with the money saved from Powell and Garcia, I say good for Orix.

Remember, Orix had the best draft this year. Adding P Hirano (#1 college pitcher), P Kishida (highly rated), SS Moriyama (highly rated), and OF Okada (aka. Naniwa Gojira, 55 HR in high school). Orix will be fine.

The Dodgers released OF Jason Grabowski today (December 16th). [MLB Article]

According to Nikkan Sports (in Japanese), Orix officially announced they have signed Grabowski on December 19, 2005 to a one year contract. No salary details were released.

Grabowski signed to a 1 year deal worth $600,000 (USD), combined for annual salary and signing bonus. [Japan Ball Article]

whatever happend to grabowski? i couldn't find his stats anywhere.

Jason Grabowski is playing for Kobe Surpass. It's the Orix Buffaloes minor league team.http://www.buffaloes.co.jp/surpass/score.asp

Grabowski is batting .304(7-23) with 1 HR and 2 RBI with the Surpass Kobe.

http://bis.npb.or.jp/2006/stats/idb2_bs.html

wow, he went from being the first outfielder off the bench for the 2004 division winning dodgers to an oversees farm system? that's unfortunate, i thought he was pretty athletic and showed signs of legit power that season.

Outfielder Jason Grabowski was called up to the top club Monday. Grabowski was hitting .250 with a homer in the Western League.