Rhodes, LaRocca, Davey To Return

Thanks, Brooks-san, for keeping up with the latest signings. It's very helpful while I'm busy with other things.

I'd like to add that Nikkan Sports (paper version) did have more contract details.

Rhodes got a huge pay increase, from 7,800-man to 2.35-oku yen, approximately 3 times his 2007 salary. He also gets an additional 1-oku yen in incentives, Rhodes having reached and surpassed his 2007 goals for an extra 1-oku yen this past season as well.

LaRocca goes from 7,200-man to 1.4-oku yen, nearly doubling his 2007 salary. While the Dead Ball King does not have incentives for being hit by pitches, he will get additional bonuses based on his performance in 2008.

Davey will be getting 1-oku yen for 2008.

Tom Davey probably deserves more for how consistent he's been through the years. He could realistically be Orix's ace next year.

While these salaries are always up for debate, it looks as if Orix has a strong nucleus of American guys here, and remember Rhodes counts as a Japanese player. If only they could acquire better Japanese talent.

As for Davey, he's been the ace over his 2 seasons with Orix. He has had the best stats of any starting pitcher over his 2 seasons with the Buffaloes. Hirano has been the next best guy. I look for him to be the ace this season, too.

You're right, but Kawagoe has always been considered the ace by NPB fans since the BlueWave and Buffaloes merged. Gaikokujin are rarely considered aces unless they put up years like Greisinger just had.

Why would anybody consider Kawagoe the ace? He hasn't put numbers up.

Anyway, before Davey, JP was the ace. I thought the best pitcher was the ace, not just someone they give the title to.