Nakamura question

- I heard that Sankei Sports is reporting that Nakamura will visit the Mets? Is this true?

Nikkan Sports confirms this, yes.

- What info do you have about Nakamura and the majors?

Well, there's quite a bit in a number of recent threads. How about reading through some and come back with any more specific questions.

I get the impression that not many people read the current and/or recent topics before posting questions. You regulars don't notice because of so many I've thrown out, like one today asking about Jae Hong Park which was similar to this post from yesterday.

If information is hard to find, tell me how I can improve it. I've been critisized for having the bar to entry placed too high sometimes with my use of Japanese terms. But I expect people to do some research before asking questions. Not to pick on you in particular (I'm probably scaring you away now), but I really don't see browsing the active threads of the past week to be too high a bar to entry.

No you didn't scare me away. Is there a English web site for Sankei Sports? I ran a web search and found one however it was in Japanese.

SanSpo in English? Not likely. Mind you, the broadsheets' English versions are fairly pitiful; perhaps tabloids like SanSpo could do a bit better.

Here's a thought: although the main English daily papers are English versions of Japanese papers, they generally try to follow journalistic practices of English-speaking countries. I wonder if that would translate to the tabloids? Whereas Japanese tabloids' front pages usually feature baseball news or celebrity scandals, I wonder if the English ones would have headlines like "Richard Nixon gave birth to space alien's offspring!" or "Elvis arrested for Walmart hold-up!" or something like that?

Nah, those are the real loony tabloids. The American equivalent to SanSpo would be the like New York Post. For Focus or Josei-sebun, those would be rags like the National Enquirer or The Star.

> Nah, those are the real loony tabloids.
True, perhaps there isn't a market for the World Weekly News in Japan

But I digress...

A question (slightly) related to Nori: as you all know, Hanshin are after Nori. SanSpo reports today that as an "insurance policy" in case they don't get him, they're pursuing a guy called Michael Tucker (mind you, they said that about Todd Greene didn't they? Whatever happened to that?).

I had a look at the espn site, and he appears to be pretty good. Can anyone tell me anything about him? Anything we Hanshin fans should know about this guy?

I wrote about this in one of my BaseballGuru.com articles. Tucker would likely be put in center field for Hanshin, giving them more speed, pop, and defense at that position than Norihiro Akahoshi, who will likely then be worked out at shortstop or second (depending on whether Makoto Imaoka still refuses to play short like they want him to). However, they are apparently looking at him as a power guy, which he isn't even with his 14 homers this past season. Moreover, like Akahoshi, he isn't particularly a good on-base guy.

Hanshin gave Nakamura what is little short of an ultimatum, telling him to make up his mind quickly after their next negotiating session on the 17th or they are pulling out. They need him more than he needs them, so he basically just shrugged that demand off.

However, they are apparently looking at [Tucker] as a power guy, which he isn't even with his 14 homers this past season.

You never know. Rhodes hit 13 home runs in 590 MLB at bats (1 in every 45). Tucker has hit 93 homers in 2906 at bats (1 in every 31).

Hanshin should forget about Michael Tucker. He sucks. He's a former 1st round pick turned journeyman who made his second go around with the Royals this year and absolutely stunk up the joint. He has no power, no pop, and no speed anymore. He was so bad that the Royals were talking about having him play 2nd base next season. He was originally signed as a shortstop. It would be a typical Hanshin move to sign a loser like Tucker though.

BTW, the Royals have signed former BayStar Jason Turman and former Daiei Hawk Morgan Burkhart. Both are long shots to make the big league roster.

Expect the New York Mets to be front runners in their bid for Norihiro Nakamura as I learned today that the New York Mets have officially ended their ties with Edgardo Alfonzo.

> It would be a typical
> Hanshin move to sign a loser like Tucker.

I beg to differ. That would have been true under Nomu-san (e.g., Jason Hartdke, Micah Franklin, Ivan Cruz, etc.) but things have been different under Hoshino. While he was taken on late in the last off-season, and thus had his squad players for him, the first thing he did this off-season is throw out the bath-water. He's since made a point of choosing people who actually seem to have a bit of promise.

I see it more as a typical SanSpo move to make such a big deal out of the whole issue - one which I don't think will come to fruition.

I notice that Chunichi has signed Cruz. SanSpo reports that Tom O'Malley said that Cruz can't hit, and Chunichi's Yamada-Kantoku was thoroughly annoyed.

Not satisfied with Todd Greene or Michael Hunter, Hanshin are now chasing some guy called Tyler Houston just in case they don't get Nori Nakamura.

Who?!

Apparently this guy can play 1st, 3rd, and cover as catcher, as well as hit 61 MLB HRs... which is all very well, but why can't Hanshin just get their act together?

Sheesh...

Can anyone shed light on Nakamura's fielding prowess? With Glavine added to the staff and hoping to induce many ground balls, they need a good fielder at 3B.