Fukudome Meets With Giants

It's looking like it might still be possible for Fukudome to stay in Japan. The move by Iwase to stay probably helped those chances a lot more. I don't think Fukudome would want to become a 15 homer guy. Tokyo Dome could help boost his power numbers even more.

It most certainly will be interesting, as the Cubs with the recent trade of Jacques Jones have an open slot in their outfield and have publicly stated their intentions of perusing both Kosuke and Kaz. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see an announcement regarding Kaz as early as this weekend.

Fukudome met the Tigers' representative on Friday in a meeting that could best be described as businesslike. Unlike the Giants' meeting, though, the Tigers did make an offer (20-oku yen over four years) which translates as an increase of 1.15-oku per year.

Fukudome would definitely fill a big hole in the outfield for Hanshin, and provide them with much-needed pop in the middle of their lineup. I don't think Hanshin wants to go through another year with the uncertainty of using lesser players who also have shoulder problems like Lin and Hamanaka. Kanemoto is an iron man, but he's not getting any younger, either.

If they could add both Fukudome and Arai, it would definitely help them reduce some of the burden on their pitching staff, which can't be expected indefinitely to keep up the same workload/performance of the past few years without some major breakdowns.

Current talk is that Hanshin wants to offload Hamanaka to Orix. They have Sakurai who can fill right field and is injury free, but adding Fukudome would be a big plus.

If Hamanaka goes to Orix, that's huge for the Buffaloes. They get a very popular Hanshin player, and those fans don't even have to leave the area to see him play. I just don't know how they'd get him regular at bats with a healthy Kiyohara and Rhodes, though. Rhodes in the outfield at his age could possibly be a disaster. Kiyohara is either a DH or a pinch hitter. If his body stays in one piece, I'm betting on the latter. We know by now that Hamanaka's body will break down with regular time in the outfield.

I think they'd go ahead and make Hamanaka the regular DH, take a gamble with Rhodes in left, and let Kiyohara be the most expensive pinch hitter in the game.

What I want to know is, who would they give up in return? Hanshin needs starters, but Orix can't afford to give up any decent starters.

Is Hamanaka going to Orix in a trade, cash deal, or free agent signing?

It's not decided yet, and Hamanaka wants to stay. However, there is a big faction (of which Okada is part) who thinks that Hanshin has persevered enough and it is time to get rid of him. If he goes to Orix it won't affect support at all. Hamanaka shirts will be retired, but Tigers fans will not defect - it is the team that is important, not the player. Like Igawa, he will disappear off the radar screen.

Hamanaka in the PL makes sense because I don't think he will ever hold up physically to play the OF regularly again, and he certainly can't throw anymore.

Speculating about Kiyohara doing anything other than cashing paychecks in 2008 is a waste of time. Kiyohara and his BarryBondsesque body has played in more than 100 games in just two seasons out of eight this decade. He's played in 67 games for Orix over two seasons getting a reported 500 million in combined salary, yet some people think he's still worth it because he somehow puts fans in the stands and sells stuff in the gift shops. Will he have another TV CM this New Year's with Bonds like a couple of years ago saying he's pursuing the same training regimen to stay on top of his game nearing age forty?

Like Bonds said, "Gambare, Kiyohara!"

Talk about "Orix Intelligence," Kiyohara is a fraud and an utter waste of money.

Hamanaka will be traded for Kawagoe according to today's Daily Sports.

Hamanaka for Kawagoe? Did Orix get robbed again?

That's what I was expecting. Hamanaka is still young and could have a nice career as a DH. Kawagoe could possibly be on the decline, but could also give Hanshin a decent season next year.

I'm very impressed by Hanshin's front office right now. They had a lot of issues with the starting rotation and they went out and got two quality starters via trade. They're trading like an MLB team right now. Could this be the start of a new mentality in NPB?

Dan,

I can't agree with you more. Kiyohara is a cartoon character wearing a baseball uniform. Why Orix management year after year falls for the lame act is amazing. As long as the fools in Orix management do not wisen up, Kiyohara will play them as such and extend his career years beyond its natural end. And yes, if anyone in NPB is using the clear, it's Kiyohara.

Fukudome is a great add defensively and helps their OBP, but he also makes the offense more left handed. The lineup would be something like:

Fukudome or Takahashi
Nioka or Tani
Ogasawara or Fukudome
Seung-yeop Lee or Takahashi or Ogasawara
Shinnosuke Abe or Lee
Abe or Tani or Lee
Abe or Tani or Nioka
Whoever's on second (Wakiya, Sakamoto, a foreigner)
Pitcher

Wakiya switches, so you are looking at six left hand hitters when a right hander is on the hill and five when a southpaw starts. The problem with that is that Chunichi pitching kills left hand hitters dead, and keep in mind that they didn't even have Fukudome most of the past season in the batting order.

Yomiuri needs a right handed outfield bat bad, and that will be exacerbated if Tani deteriorates, as I expect him to. So it could be that it will be a blessing in disguise for them if Fukudome ends up in MLB.

Hanshin is going to re-up Vogelsong. What a bad idea that is. They should have looked to add a left handed arm to replace Shimoyanagi and to help bolster their chances against the Giants. Dumb.