Is Rakuten Likely to be Competitive?
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Is Rakuten Likely to be Competitive?
I don't really even have a good idea of which players Rakuten has on their team, but IIRC, Orix had first dibs on players from both Orix and Kintetsu, leaving Rakuten with the leftovers. I suspect that makes Rakuten the preseason favorite to finish last in the Pacific League. Does anyone see it differently?
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Re: Is Rakuten Likely to be Competitive?
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Feb 11, 2005 11:56 PM
| YBS Fan
]
Due to pressure from the players, Orix was unable to keep ace pitcher Iwakuma. Also, they avoided Player Representative Isobe, who was very outspoken about the merger. "Full Swing" Nakamura preferred to take a huge pay cut and a minor league contract to going over to Orix. Even with "first dibs," Orix did not make out like bandits.
Rakuten's first draftee was Meiji University ace Ichiba. Under the table money involving him and scouts from the Giants, BayStars, and Tigers saw the three "owners" take responsibility and turn over their teams to new chiefs. But Ichiba remained the pick of the crop of collage pitchers, and he chose to go to the new club that couldn't have had anything to do with the scandal at the time.
As mentioned, Iwakuma won his battle against Orix to become a member of the new team.
Rakuten has got a good combination of young and veteran players. Rakuten avoided drafting high school students in the 2005 draft (held in November of 2004) because they wanted players who didn't need too much development to reach the top team. I think that strategy is going to work for them in the near future.
Personally, I still think that Orix are the favorite to finish in last yet again this year. The whole merger issue last year has really taken its tole on the atmosphere there. Rakuten, on the other hand, has an energy about them, coming from being something new.
Rakuten's first draftee was Meiji University ace Ichiba. Under the table money involving him and scouts from the Giants, BayStars, and Tigers saw the three "owners" take responsibility and turn over their teams to new chiefs. But Ichiba remained the pick of the crop of collage pitchers, and he chose to go to the new club that couldn't have had anything to do with the scandal at the time.
As mentioned, Iwakuma won his battle against Orix to become a member of the new team.
Rakuten has got a good combination of young and veteran players. Rakuten avoided drafting high school students in the 2005 draft (held in November of 2004) because they wanted players who didn't need too much development to reach the top team. I think that strategy is going to work for them in the near future.
Personally, I still think that Orix are the favorite to finish in last yet again this year. The whole merger issue last year has really taken its tole on the atmosphere there. Rakuten, on the other hand, has an energy about them, coming from being something new.
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