Trade: Terahara (FSH) - Tamura (YBS)

What's wrong with the BayStars? They had no offense this year and they trade the only Japanese player that could hit 40+ homers in a season. I know that he has the T. Suzuki syndrome, but I think he still has many good years ahead of him. Who will be the #4 hitter for the BayStars now? Murata is streaky and the BayStars are scared to have a power gaijin hitter (Woods). Looks like the basement is where they want to stay.

Murata or Yoshimura could end up batting cleanup. Though to me, Murata strikeouts way too much for a cleanup hitter and Yoshimura is still too young to be a cleanup hitter. Though those look like the two choices.

Yes indeed, a good trade by Softbank management. If Tamura returns to his form of old, this will be a bargain. And there is little to lose since Terahara has been a disappoint so far. Alongside Matsunaka, Kokubo, Buchanan, and Hyzdu, Softbank looks very good so far. I'm starting to like their chances some more in 2007.

I was going to say, this trade comes with huge question marks on both sides, though it definitely favors Softbank, at first glance.

From an abstract standpoint, it makes sense, as Softbank is overflowing with starting pitching, and lacking in guys who can actually hit a baseball with a bat, and Yokohama is, well, not overflowing in either area, but lacking in the starting pitching department moreso than bats (I too was thinking that Murata or Yoshimura could continue to make an impact).

It's sort of a gamble on both sides, I guess. Tamura's likely to run into a wall and kill himself, and Terahara's likely to spontaneously combust. But one side or the other could come out significantly ahead; maybe it'll help Terahara to not be "just another awesome Hawks pitcher" and to have a change of environment, and maybe Tamura can DH a bit to reduce the injury chances.

I think it's totally in Softbank's advantage. Terahara has proven nothing since high school. Yokohama got a career 4.75 ERA pitcher and Softbank got a 30 home run guy. One team is hoping a player comes around and becomes good, the other is a proven all star.

Interesting. Trades like this in NPB are rare, so I should be happy that it happened at all. Tamura should be in the midst of his prime, as long as he can stay healthy (he's only played more than 100 games twice in his career). And Terahara's still 24 and a high draft pick, so I suppose he has a higher upside. Will be interesting to see how this plays out over the years.

I've been holding off commenting on this until I find if Terahara was the Hawks' pitcher who punched the dugout wall after a poor outing, had Johjima tell him he better not do that with his pitching hand, then promptly hit the wall with his pitching hand, fracturing bones in both. Does anyone know, was that Terahara?

If Tamura can stay out of automobile accidents, he should be fine.

All negatives of the two players aside, the BayStars need a starter. They had only two starters win 5 games last season, Miura and Kadokura. Kadokura wants to leave Yokohama, so we're down to just one solid starter. We need a few more starters to come around.

Today's (December 6, 2006) Nikkan Sports says that Ohya-kantoku was against this trade, this is Yokohama's front office's brain child. As an aside, it was disagreements with Yokohama's front office which was why Ohya didn't continue as manager in 1998, after pulling the 'Stars up to second place in 1997. It's a different owner now, but there still seems to be friction between the front office and the manager on how the team should field its players.

Still, I think that the front office is working in the right direction. We do need some starting pitching. Middle relief settled down during the 2006 season, giving me a lot more confidence in them than I had the previous 6 years or so. They actually kept many games close (unfortunately, after the starter was behind and the offense never got started).

In the mean time, Ohya-kantoku says that Yoshimura will become the regular first baseman. Between Yoshimura and Murata, unless Murata can gain some plate discipline this Spring, I think that I'd like to see Yoshimura become the #4 batter.

I have faith in Ohya-kantoku that he'll put the best nine out of the field every night. He'll find a way to make things work with what he's got. And unlike the past few managers we've had, I think he can motivate the players to perform better. I liked Gondoh-kantoku (1998-1999), too, but there was some friction between him and some players (similar to the complaints about Ochiai-kantoku) on top of friction between him and the front office. Yea, Ohya-kantoku will fix what ever the front office breaks.

I have this feeling that Tamura was dealt because he'd be qualifying for FA soon and it seems like Yokohama are making some big salary cuts.