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2005 Year Draft

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2005 Year Draft
The NPB draft for the 2005 season took place yesterday (November 17, 2004). The two big headlines were:

Nippon Ham Drafts Kochien Ace Darvish Yu in First Round

Hanshin Drafts 15 Year Old Tsujimoto Kento

I'm afraid I hadn't gotten around to the news that Rakuten got Ichiba Yasuhiro in the "jiyu" round last week, so I'll state it here.

I'll post the full draft results after work this evening - unless someone beats me to it.
Comments
2005 Year Central League Draftees
[ Author: Jingu Bleacher Bum | Posted: Nov 18, 2004 3:18 PM | YAK Fan ]

Here is a list of the Central League teams and their draft picks that I translated, according to the Nov. 18 morning edition of the SanSpo Sports paper. If you want to use it you can, but if somebody has a better way of writing it out, I won't be offended. I'll be using this list for my own purposes anyways.

Chunichi Dragons
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Tatsumi Higuchi P 28 183 83 L/R JR Kyushu
2nd Kenichi Nakata P 22 180 80 R/R University of Kita-Kyushu
4th Susumu Kawai P 24 178 70 L/L Nippon Express
5th Yoshihiro Suzuki P 21 187 85 R/R Chubu University
6th Yuuya Ishii P 23 178 69 L/L Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Yokohama
Baseball Club
7th Issei Nakamura OF 22 185 85 R/R International Budo University
8th Yoshio Koyama C 24 181 80 R/R East Japan Railway Company
9th Hiroki Kongou P 25 181 81 R/R Nippon Express
10th Keiji Kamata IF 25 162 64 R/L Toyota Motor Corporation
11th Michihisa Sawai IF 25 175 75 R/S Tokai Rika
12th Junichi Fukuhara OF 21 177 78 R/S Hosei University

Yakult Swallows
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Hiroyasu Tanaka IF 22 177 77 R/R Waseda Univeristy
Pre Kenichi Matsuoka P 22 181 80 R/R Kyushu Tokai University
4th Ryohei Kawamoto C 22 178 78 R/R Asia University
5th Kojiro Uehara P 21 177 75 R/R Okinawa Electric Power
6th Takashi Maruyama P 18 182 78 L/L Aikodai Meiden High Shool

Tokyo Giants
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Takahiko Nomaguchi P 21 183 86 R/R Shidax Corporation
Pre Hitoshi Miki P 22 179 80 R/R Hachinohe University
4th Yoshiyuki Kamei OF 22 178 76 R/L Chuo University
5th Shota Kimura P 18 179 79 R/R Ichinoseki Daiichi High School
6th Takanori Hoshi C 22 176 81 R/R Tohoku Gakuin University
7th Shun Tono P 18 185 85 R/R Hokota Daiichi High School

Hanshin Tigers
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Atsushi Nomi P 25 180 70 L/L Osaka Gas
Pre Taiichi Okazaki C 21 180 82 R/R Matsushita Denki
4th Kentarou Hashimoto P 24 191 85 R/R Nippon Shinyaku
5th Masanori Ohashi C 18 181 80 R/R Hokuyo High School
6th Masato Akamatsu OF 22 182 72 R/R Ritsumeikan University
7th Yusuke Takahashi OF 18 178 75 R/R Saibai High School
8th Kento Tsujimoto P 15 181 75 R/R Mater Dei High School (CA, USA)
9th Yutaka Tamaki P 18 181 71 R/R Shiwakayama Shougyou High School
10th Nobuaki Mizuochi P 19 183 82 R/R Shinoda High School

Hiroshima Carp
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
1st Tsuyoshi Satou P 18 185 84 R/R Akita Shougyou High School
3rd Choji Mori P 22 184 84 R/R Kansai Gaidai University
4th Yui Maruki P 18 180 72 R/L Wajima High School
5th Shinjiro Kojima P 22 183 85 L/L Kokushikan University
6th Tomohiro Umetsu P 21 191 85 R/R Kokugakuin University
7th Usuzunosuke Kinjo P 18 187 92 L/L Chubu Shougyou High School
8th Hiroto Tanaka P 25 185 77 R/R JFE Steel West

Yokohama Baystars
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Takumi Nasuno P 22 192 84 L/L Nihon University
Pre Kensaku Someda P 22 183 82 R/R Doshisha University
4th Kazuya Fujita IF 22 175 71 R/L Kinki University
5th Hideki Kishimoto P 22 189 81 R/R Kinki University
6th Takehiro Ishikawa IF 18 183 82 R/R Yokohama High School
7th Taro Hashimoto P 18 183 82 R/R Osaka University of Health and Sport
Sciences Namisho High School
8th Yoshiyuki Kuwahara OF 22 180 86 R/R Nihon University
9th Takahiro Matsuka P 22 184 85 R/R University of Tokyo
10th Toshio Saito C 20 180 84 R/R Mitsubishi Motors Okazaki Baseball

Re: 2005 Draftees
[ Author: Guest: John Brooks | Posted: Nov 18, 2004 11:22 PM ]

You can find a list of the 2005 draft picks here. [Link - Daily Yomiuri]

[by westbaystars: Great! I see this right after I finish translating them!]
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: torakichi | Posted: Nov 18, 2004 4:54 PM | HT Fan ]

Here's something interesting about Hanshin's 15-year-old signing Kento Tsujimoto: He appeared in a movie when he was a kid. Apparently he played (drum roll please) a kid baseball player. He even got a few lines, too.

He went to middle school in Japan and goes to high school in California.
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: torakichi | Posted: Nov 18, 2004 5:25 PM | HT Fan ]

The movie was Kishiwada Shonen Gurentai Yakyudan (2000), which I would tentatively translate as "The Badboy Baseball Team of Kishiwada." (NB: Kishiwada Shonen Gurentai is a wildly popular - well, it's popular in the Kansai region, anyway - comic and movie franchise. I've seen a number of translations of its title: "Young Thugs," "Bad Boys," etc.)
2005 Year Pacific League Draftees
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Nov 18, 2004 11:18 PM | YBS Fan ]

That format worked for me. Here's the Pacific League draftees from today's Nikkan Sports.

Seibu Lions
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
1st Wakui Hideaki P 18 184 76 R/R Yokohama High School
3rd Kataoka Yasuyuki IF 21 176 77 R/R Tokyo Gas
4th Yamagishi Minoru P 22 175 74 R/R Aoyama Gakuen University
5th Hoshi Hidekazu C 18 180 74 R/L Maebashi Industrial High School
6th Fujiwara Koki P 18 195 80 R/R Kotooka High School

Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
1st Egawa Tomoaki P 18 181 79 R/R Ujiyamada Commerce High School
3rd Takahashi Tooru P 17 184 73 R/R Yokohama Sougakukan
4th Nakanishi Kenta C 18 177 76 R/R Kitaohtsu High School
5th Takahashi Hideaki P 22 181 77 R/R Kyushu Kyoritsu University
6th Katoh Ryota C 22 174 83 R/R Aoyama Gakuen University

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
1st Darvish Yu P 18 195 83 R/R Tohoku High School
3rd Hashimoto Yoshitaka P 24 182 75 R/R Honda
4th Michael Nakamura P 28 178 77 R/R Toronto Blue Jays
5th Ichikawa Suguru IF 18 185 90 R/L Komono High School
6th Kikuchi Kazumasa P 22 181 74 R/R Jyobu University
7th Nakamura Wataru P 25 183 85 L/L Mitsubishi Paper Hachinoe
8th Ugumori Atsushi OF 17 187 80 R/R Saiba High School
9th Kudoh Takahito OF 23 171 73 L/L JR East Japan

Chiba Lotte Marines
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Kubo Yasutomo P 24 181 82 R/R Matsushita Denki
Pre Tejima Satoshi P 22 185 80 R/R New Nippon Sekiyu
4th Takehara Naotaka OF 24 193 88 L/R Mitsubishi Automobile Okazaki
5th Ohmatsu Shoitsu OF 22 183 85 L/L Tokai University
6th Kikoh Takuya P 18 177 74 L/S Hokkaido Sakae High School
7th Aomatsu Keiyo C 17 185 79 R/R Uenomiya Taishi High School

Orix Buffaloes
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Kaneko Chihiro P 21 180 77 R/L Toyota Automotive
2nd Mitsuhara Atsuhiro P 24 184 86 R/S JR East Japan
4th Machi Katsumasa P 22 183 88 R/R JR Kyushu
5th Tanaka Akira IF 22 186 85 R/R Hosei University

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Rnd Name Pos Age Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Thr/bat School/Team
Pre Ichiba Yasuhiro P 22 183 84 R/R Meiji University
2nd Watanabe Koki P 26 176 70 L/L NTT East Japan
4th Nishitani Hisanori IF 22 178 77 R/L Meiji University
5th Shiokawa Tatsuya IF 21 180 79 R/R Tohoku Fukushi University
6th Ohhiro Shoji IF 22 183 85 R/R Toyo University
7th Hiraishi Yosuke OF 24 176 75 L/L Toyota Automotive

Re: 2005 Year Pacific League Draftees
[ Author: Guest: Tony | Posted: Nov 19, 2004 8:42 AM ]

Can you guys give me more info (like stats, position, when he'll get signed) on this Tsujimoto Kento guy? He sounds pretty interesting.
Re: 2005 Year Pacific League Draftees
[ Author: Guest: John Brooks | Posted: Nov 20, 2004 9:28 AM ]

- Can you guys give me more info (like stats, position, when he'll get signed) on this Tsujimoto Kento guy? He sounds pretty interesting.

Kento is a pitcher, he's only 15 years old, and has a fastball that goes over 140 kph. [Link - JapanBall.com]
Kento Signs for 440-man
[ Author: Guest: John Brooks | Posted: Nov 22, 2004 1:05 AM ]

Kento signed a provisional contract, with a first year salary of 4.4 million yen ($42,650), and had a 10 million yen ($96,932) signing bonus. [Link - JapanBall.com] [Exchange Rate]
Michael Nakamura?
[ Author: Jingu Bleacher Bum | Posted: Nov 19, 2004 11:45 AM | YAK Fan ]

One question I have, why did the Nippon Ham Fighters use a draft pick on Michael Nakamura? Couldn't they have just signed him to a contract like any other foreigner? Or would that cause them to lose a first and second round draft pick because they made a pre-draft agreement?
Re: Michael Nakamura?
[ Author: Guest: John Brooks | Posted: Nov 19, 2004 8:57 PM ]

- One question I have, why did the Nippon Ham Fighters use a draft pick on Michael Nakamura?

Nakamura is of Japanese descent, he was born to a Japanese father, and was born in Nara, Japan.
Re: Michael Nakamura?
[ Author: Jingu Bleacher Bum | Posted: Nov 20, 2004 12:18 AM | YAK Fan ]

- Nakamura is of Japanese descent, he was born to a Japanese father, and was born in Nara, Japan.

So even though he played in the Majors, they still have to pick him through the draft? What about Sasaki, Shinjo, Yoshii, and Mac Suzuki? I don't remember their teams using a draft pick them.
Re: Michael Nakamura?
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Nov 20, 2004 10:01 AM | YBS Fan ]

- So even though he played in the Majors, they still have to pick him through the draft? What about Sasaki, Shinjo, Yoshii, and Mac Suzuki? I don't remember their teams using a draft pick them.

Well, Sasaki was the number one draft pick by the Yokohama Taiyo Whales in 1990.

Yoshii was the number two draft pick by the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1984.

Shinjo was the number five draft pick by the Hanshi Tigers in 1990.

The three of them had already gone through the Japanese system and were free agents. When they returned, they were free to sign with whomever they wished.

However, after playing in the Majors, Mac Suzuki was the number two draft pick by the Orix BlueWave in 2003.

What I belive that it comes down to is whether or not a player is considered Japanese for foreign (against the foreign player limits). Players of Japanese descent may be drafted and will be excluded from foreign player limits. For the ball clubs, this allows them to have more tallent available to them, and it essentially locks said players into their system for nine years. If Nakamura could contract as a foreign player, he'd be able to have an escape clause in two or three years.

So, to a player of Japanese descent, is it more adventagous to enter through the draft or as a suketto? That all depends on one's ability above the other foreign players to whom one will be competing. By not being tied to the foreign player limit, Nakamura will have more chances to prove himself early on than he would have otherwise. Otherwise, it's perform from the start or be released next year. From such a player's stand point, it's a matter of job security vs. personal control.
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: matteo | Posted: Nov 19, 2004 11:02 PM ]

Also, does anyone know the background of Darvish Yu? I gathered he has been to a Japanese school, however where is he from?
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: Guest: John Brooks | Posted: Nov 20, 2004 3:20 AM ]

- Also, does anyone know the background of Darvish Yu?

Darvish is of Iranian-Japanese descent. He is from Japan to the best of my knowledge.
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Nov 20, 2004 9:28 AM | YBS Fan ]

Darvish was born in Osaka to an Iranian father and Japanese mother. To the best of my knowledge, he grew up in Japan, integrated with other Japanese kids, just as my kids are doing.

Other than being the tallest player ever drafted (at 195cm), pitching at Koshien twice, and being sought after by a number of Major League teams as well, Darvish is like any other Japanese high school baseball player.
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: InterestedAmericanObserver | Posted: Nov 20, 2004 9:41 AM ]

Can anyone give me any information on Egawa, whom the Hawks drafted in the first round?

This site [NishiSpo - Nishi Nippon Sports] has lots of information on the whole Hawks' draft, but because I am only beginning to learn the Japanese language, I can read very little of it. Could anyone just give me the basics about each player? Or, just Egawa if you only have time for one?

Thanks!
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Nov 20, 2004 10:25 AM | YBS Fan ]

Egawa pitched in the 2003 Summer Koshien Tournament, has fast ball in the 140s, and hit 33 home runs in high school. He can run 50 meters in 5.8 seconds, which is a very good time compared to most of the other draftees, the mean being above 6.0 seconds range. And he can throw the ball 120 meters, which is from the center field fense to home plate. [Source: Nikkan Sports Draft Report]

The Hawks are going to have to evaluate if they want his arm or his bat. There are a number of players drafted as pitchers who turn into excellent fielders (Yokohama's shortstop Ishii is one example, and wasn't Seibu's Matsui Kazuo drafted as a pitcher?).
Re: 2005 Year Draft
[ Author: Guest: Jay | Posted: Nov 24, 2004 6:55 PM ]

Hey guys.

I figured I'd say something here about Kent since I caught a few of his bullpen sessions here in the States where he trained at. He is not a bad ball player with upside to his potential, yet what I liked best about him is his delivery which will throw off some hitters. I know it threw me off the first time I caught him, I almost got hit, since I was distracted by the double pump with slight hesitation he has during his windup.

I guess they didn't mention Clyde Wright as being his pitching coach - former big leaguer and father of current big leaguer Jaret Wright. I thought I'd mention him here.

Keep me posted as to how he does over there in Japan, 'cause I'd sure like to know.
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