Nori Signs with Dragons

There's more information on the "developmental" (or "educational") roster in today's (February 26, 2007) Nikkan Sports (paper edition).

The developmental roster is outside of the usual 70 man roster, and is meant to contribute to the development of young players. As many as 5 developmental players may be used in games at the ni-gun (farm) level, but not at the ichi-gun (top) level. Player may, however, change status and join the 70-man roster (ichi and ni-gun) up until the end of June.

Players who are drafted in the developmental draft may make a minimum 240-man yen, with a maximum starting pay of 300-man yen. Numbers for such players start at 100 (200 for Chunichi). If a developmental player has not been given a formal 70-man roster contract after three years, the player becomes a free agent.

Players who have been released form other ball clubs as well as foreign players may sign developmental contracts without the pay restrictions.

While the purpose of the development roster is player development, this borders on abuse of the system in my opinion. Nori isn't a developing player in any respect. I don't know if this was to knock his ego down a level or what, and I'm glad that the Dragons are giving Nakamura a chance. But I get this feeling that something is very wrong with signing Nori this way.

Still, the problem that is facing the Dragons is that they've already got 69 players on their 70-man roster. This is the most reasonable reason for signing Nakamura as a "developing" player. That 70th spot may very well go to Taiwanese left handed pitcher Wei-Yin Chen. That's actually a very good reason to not give Nori the last roster spot.

Of course, the real abuser of the system is the Giants. They've got 11 players on their development roster. Is this another case of hording players to prevent other teams from using them? How much chance do any of them really have of joining the top team while playing for a team that doesn't really grow their own talent in the first place? The prestige of being a Giant will only take you so far, and these 11 players have what looks like an insurmountable barrier to entry in front of them.

Nonetheless, if Nori makes the ichi-gun roster, the Dragons have guaranteed at least 1,500-man yen. That will go only a short way to paying his taxes of 8,000-man yen on last year's 2-oku yen salary, though.

Man, I feel bad for the guy. As if what you just wrote isn't enough, I'm reading that he's gonna be wearing number 205 [Nikkan Sports]. And making only 4,000,000 yen (US$33,000)! A pro yakyu player is in a lot of trouble if he makes less than I do. And on top of that, he ain't got a place to live, as the Dragons dormitory is full. Is he going to end up living in a 1K apartment and eating bentos from a nearby convenience store? （This is sounding more and more like my life. But I should feel less sorry since I didn't make 2-oku last year.)

- ... he ain't got a place to live [...] Is he going to end up living in a 1K apartment and eating bentos from a nearby convenience store? (This is sounding more and more like my life. But I should feel less sorry since I didn't make 2-oku last year.)

Right. It's not like Nori doesn't have any money after his years at the top.

If he could make his way to ni-gun then ichi-gun and make some kind of contribution to the Dragons, then good on him.

He wasn't flexible and ended up with a just reward to my mind. My Dragons fan friends are not happy about this anyway. What are the opinions of the Dragons fans on this board?

I'm a little perplexed by it, but if it's just an insurance move it seems safe and cheap. The Dragons cut Mitsunobu Takahashi, one of their regulars when they needed a right handed pinch hitter with power, so Nori could fill that gap. Plus Nori can play third base, so he could pinch hit, then go into the field. Takahashi only played first base, and it would be tough to dislodge Woods or Watanabe there.

Third base is Morino's to lose again this year, but Morino can also play second if Araki hits another dry spell. Kawai and Narahara have retired, so it's good to have more options.

But I think the Drags hope Ryota Asai (younger brother of Carp third baseman Takahiro Arai) can eventually take over at third base, so Nori would complicate that.

- Right. It's not like Nori doesn't have any money after his years at the top.

Yeah, I mean, he's Japanese like me, and he doesn't put at least a quarter of his earnings into his savings account? Hasn't he heard that the prime interest rate has been hiked up to a "whopping" 0.5%?