Best Americans in Japan?

I would say that if you had to go with a starting pitcher that would be JP (Jeremy Powell), then guys such as Tom Davey and Rick Guttormson. Relievers Jeff Williams [Austrailian], John Bale, and Mark Kroon.

As for power hitters, wow, there are many: Alex Cabrerra [Venezualan], Julio Zuleta [Panamanian], and Tyrone Woods just to name a few. Pure hitters Andy Sheets, Adam Riggs, and Greg LaRocca are solid.

Defensively Alex Ochoa is a great outfielder.

Am I missing anybody? These are all solid names. I guess I'm forgetting Alex Ramirez [Venezualan], it's hard to argue with the consitency of his numbers every year.

Yes, you are missing Sheets from the Hanshin Tigers.

No, Sheets is in there. Just read a bit closer.

Larocca is the best pure hitter! He is a very professional hitter. Hits to all fields with power and is patient at he plate.

Of the names above, Davey, Kroon, Sheets, Riggs, and LaRocca all had a cup of tea with the Padres.

Sheets had more than a cup of coffee with the Padres. He played in 88 games, batting 194 times [Baseball-Reference]. The rest of them, though did all only recieve cups of coffee with the Padres.

Sean Douglass just won his league leading 9th game for the hapless Carp. Worthy of consideration.

Defeintely, I guess when he said he was going to win 15 at the beginning of the season he wasn't kidding. Go get 'em Sherminator. He should be an all star.

Davey played parts of 3 seasons there, so I would hardly call his and Sheets' time there a cup of tea. Riggs, LaRocca, and Kroon had a cup of tea.

Yea, LaRocca is a professional hitter, but he is a liability in the field.

He makes up for it at the plate. I would rather have him playing second than a slappy hitter that may have less errors. I will take my chances as the Swallows are doing well, and so far it is paying off.

The Swallows seem to have the best group of foreign players. They have done a nice job. I think one of the strongest pitchers in the league right now is Rick Guttormson. It's too bad that they keep deactivating him.

Yes, LaRocca does make a fair number of errors at second. But he has also made a number of amazing plays in the field, too. Those plays, combined with his exellent hitting, more than make up for those errors.

I also think that the foreign players this year are the strongest Yakult has had since 2001, when we had Petagine and Ramirez along with the pitcher Kevin Hodges. In many ways I think this year's group is stronger. We have 3 guys in Ramirez, Riggs, and LaRocca who are on course for 30 homers each this year. Plus Guttormson has really found his feet, too.

That was also the last year we won the CL and Japan Series. Hopefully, this group of foreign players can emulate the class of 2001.

It is going to be fun to watch, or in my case read, about since I live in the States.