"I am happy to say that I have become a member of the Tokyo Giants. It has been a very tough off season for my family and I. I am thankful for my 3 years in Yokohama, but today I start a new chapter in my life. I am excited to join a team that played very well last year. The Giants have a lot of talent and I hope to contribute to the success of the team. I want to thank the Giants organization for giving me the opportunity to join their team. The Giants have a lot of history and I hope I can become part of that history. When I get to Tokyo I will have a press conference and address all the questions that need to be answered. Once again, thank you to my fans in Yokohama who have supported me for 3 years. I hope I can get the same support while playing for the Giants. I am very excited to join the Giants family and I look forward to camp next year."I sure hope he doesn't get the same support from Yokohama fans when he's playing for the Giants ... unless, of course, he comes in and implodes in the 9th inning against them too. But that'll be, uh, a different kind of fan reaction.
This is a site about Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball), not about who the next player to go over to MLB is. It's a community of Pro Yakyu fans who have come together to share their knowledge and opinions with the world. It's a place to follow teams and individuals playing baseball in Japan (and Asia), and to learn about Japanese (and Asian) culture through baseball.
It is my sincere hope that once you learn a bit about what we're about here that you will join the community of contributors.
Michael Westbay
(aka westbaystars)
Founder
Kroon went 3-1 with 31 SV's and a 2.76 ERA in 43 games with the Yokohama BayStars last year.
Source: Japan Ball