Who's Next?

The points you bring up are the positive aspects of this thread on the Pro Yakyu Mailing List.  While we're losing our stars, kids from around the world are getting new role models.  It's a give and take world.

In Nikkan Sports the past couple of days, former Seibu and Daiei club representative Sakai-san has been writing a short series on how much in the red Japanese (specifically the Pacific League) teams are.  The exidus of Japanese stars to the Majors is a very hot topic right now.

So, who's next?

• Ishii Kazuhisa (P) Yakult Swallows


• Matsui Kazuo (IF) Seibu Lions


• Matsui Hideki (OF) Yomiuri Giants

Nippon Ham's Kataoka qualified for free agency yesterday (5/11), but I don't think that he's got his sights set on the Majors.  But then, I didn't think Shinjo was serious either.

Of them, I think that "Little Matsui" (Kazuhisa) would best adapt.  It'd be interesting to see if "Big Matsui," aka Godzilla, stands up to Watanabe-owner and packs up and leaves against the wishes of the Japanese version of Steinbrenner.

The barriers for Japanese players coming to the US is more cultural than ability. I've been saying all along that Nippon-jin can really play ball since 1995 when Nomo crossed the barrier. Yesterday, Lou Pinella told the ESPN reporter that its a shame that we (in US) didn't get to see Sadaharu Oh in his prime against the Major Leaguers. He also said that he is convinced that he will be a productive hitter if he played all his career in the US. Granted the situation is a little different but this reminds me of people saying the same thing for Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa bell and others in the Negro Leagues. In fact Oh-san hit over .400 against Major League pitching during the off-season Major League tour. He smashed some big one against the likes of Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, and Bob Gibson. But no one in the States knows about this. I can say now that most Japanese players probably could hack it in the Major, no problem.. IF...and only IF they have no fear of living in the US. Now this is a big problem. I have been living in US for almost 19 years now and one thing I can tell you about Japanese ex-pats in the US is that some people never get used to living in the US. Yes, they have sushi bars and samurai-streak joints, but that isn't enough for some people. I would say that 50% of Nippon-jin in the US gets home sick. They just don't get used to the lifestyle, language, people and FOOD. The Commish probably know but it is also true in reverse. Some major leaguers can't hack it in Japan. For anyone to be successful overseas, the most important factor is to get used to the new waters, "Mizu ni au" (this is a Japanese saying). As Shinjo said in the interview with ESPN few days ago, "if you are brave enough, you can make it". Yes he has really become a true New Yorker.

I guess one would have to give way to the other. But on the bright side, the movement of star players to MLB will open more opportunity for younger hidden talent & late bloomers who would never have gotten a chance.

Kazuo Matsui does seem like the kind of guy who would adapt to the US more than a guy like "Big Matsui". Though, Godzilla, player wise, would be a perfect fit for a number of MLB teams. Lets say he switched from the Yomiuri Giants to the S.F. Giants. Take Marvin Benard out and put Godzilla in CF. With the loss of Ellis Burks, the S.F. Giants could really use him in the 5th slot!!!

-Just an idea from an excited fan.

So what are the chances of Kazuhisa Ishii making the move to the U.S.A.? As a fan of MLB, I know little about him? Who would you say he is most like in the MLB right now?

Unfortunatly, I know little about who's playing in the Majors, so I can't very well compare him.

Essentially, he's a high strike out pitcher (averaging about 1 per inning this year - which is low for him) with occasional control problems (leads the league with 10 wild pitches). Ishii has currently (end of 9/6) struck out 140 batters while walking 62. His 3.51 ERA places him in 15th for Central League pitchers, but his 10-4 record is amongs the leaders.

IBM BIS (Baseball Information Server) has more on his progress this season in their Qualifiers for Earned-Run Average Title page. Look around there and you should be able to find a bit more on his past seasons.

Hope this helps.

Please post Tomoaki Kanemoto's career stats. The guy had a walk to strikeout Barry Bonds could be proud of last season. Is he a five tool guy? He's played long enough that I would have thought he would be coming upon the crossroads. Any reason his name hasn't garnered as much attention as the other premier players?
Thanks,
Oliver

I'm not sure about his defesive skills, but offensively he's as well-rounded as they come. Personally, I think he hasn't gotten a lot of attention partially because he plays in the Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, which is one of the smallest in Japan. He's been a 30/30 guy multiple times but that doesn't seem to be as special to Hiroshima players as you would think. Speedy players such as Maeda (well, once speedy), Nomura, and Ogata, have all hit 30+ homeruns in a season at some point in their careers. My bet is that the stadium has something to do with it. Although if someone can find Kanemoto's home vs. road HR breakdown, then we can be sure...

Let's not forget that Asian kids had a role model in the '80s when Lenn Sakata played for the Orioles and Yanks. I've told people all along that if Sakata could play in the majors, a lot of Japanese position players who might not have Ichiro's ability could play there. Anyone who plays in the majors is talented, but Sakata was not only small, but he was marginal at best yet he lasted in the majors for almost 10 years!

Also, there are many half-Asian players in MLB right now. Johnny Damon is half-Thai, but pitchers Danny Graves of the Reds and Jim Parque of the ChiSox are also half-Asian, although I'm not sure what origin their Asian blood is from.

> Also, there are many half-Asian players in MLB right
> now. Johnny Damon is half-Thai, but pitchers Danny
> Graves of the Reds and Jim Parque of the ChiSox are
> also half-Asian, although I'm not sure what origin
> their Asian blood is from.

I did a bit of research, and it looks like Jim Parque is part Korean, and Danny Graves is half Vietnamese.

http://www.oxy.edu/~thepaper/archive/issue000421/stories/sport8.htm
http://www.japanpub.com/la_walker/sports/sports_3.html
http://www.ncmonline.com/in-depth/1999-08-13/pitcher.html

Wow, great job with the research. I'm very impressed. I knew that Parque and Graves were part Asian, but I couldn't find any information on them.

That one article brought up another mystery. What in the world is David Tanabe of the Carolina Hurricanes? Is he a quarter-Japanese? He looks to me like he's almost 100% Caucasian.

I forgot to mention that in the '80s, there was not only Lenn Sakata, but half-Japanese pitcher Atlee Hammaker of the Royals and Giants and half-Chinese pitcher Ron Darling of the Mets in the majors. Both were very productive and were good role models for Asians everywhere.

Just a sidenote: Jim Parque is half/part Japanese.

Jim Vo Parque is Vietnamese-American. He also won a bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Here is his biography: Link - Wikipedia

Danny Graves is also Vietnamese-American. His biography link: Link - Wikipedia

I read on mlb.com that Hanshin Tigers right-hander Tetsuro Kawajiri could become the next Japanese player headed to the Major Leagues. He didn't have a very good record last year but I know he played against MLB competition during the NPBvsMLB series in 2000.

I had searched mlb.com for "Kawajiri" without any success. Could you please post the URL to the article?

Nonetheless, Kawajiri has been nagging to be posted, but Hanshin's front office has refused to listen to him. They were at a stale mate in negotiations for quite a while, Hanshin waiting for Kawajiri to schedule an appointment for contract negotiations and Kawajiri waiting to be posted.

I belive that the problem is that Kawajiri was 1 and 6 in 21 appearances (48 innings) last season, with an ERA of 6.38. What kind of price will that bring? Will it bring any offers? On the other hand, Kawajiri does have a winning record every other year: .591 in 1996, .667 in 1998, and .588 in 2000, ranked 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively in ERA in the league. So, if history is any indication, this will be a good year for the right hander.

Nonetheless, I believe that he finally did make an appointment to speak to Hanshin officials today after the bad PR he got for not contacting them for the longest time. (That's one tactic ball clubs use to put players in line, release something to the press that makes the player look like he's being unreasonable.)

So, we should know more tomorrow.

Here it is:
http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=mlb_20020122_roundup_news&team_id=mlb

It was under an article about the difficulties the Dodgers have in signing Ishii

The Tigers have refused to post Kawajiri according to CNN's online sports (Sports Illustrated).

Well, Hanshin does not have good pitchers other than Igawa and Kawajiri.... So, Hanshin will not let him go until he becomes a free agent. It is unfortunate for him to be a Tiger.
The Tigers' front office is mud and the owner, Mr. Kuman does not care about winning. He cares only money he can get from the baseball business. Mark Cuban should buy the team.

As Cub Fan got from CNNSI, today's Nikkan Sports reported that a humbled Kawajiri accepted a 1,700-man (17,000,000) yen pay cut signing for 6,800-man and stating that he would be a Hanshin Tiger until he becomes a free agent in 2004 at the earliest.

1,700-man is more than twice what I make in a year, and about how much short I am from getting a loan to buy a nice little plot of land on Nojima for building a home. Ah, someday.

Is Kazuo Matsui thinking of playing in the states this year?

Nope, not this year. He was dissatisfied with his personal performance last year and declined to be posted.

Hey. Can anyone name some Asian infielders in the MLB? I only know the first baseman for the Cubs, but I need more. I've already got the outfield... so I need the infield.

[Edited by: Admin on Apr 26, 2003 8:59 AM JST]

Only Kaz Matsui.

Incomplete All-Asian MLB line up:

C ?
1B Hee-seop Choi
2B ?
3B ?
SS Kazuo Matsui
LF Hideki Matsui
CF Johnny Damon / So Taguchi
RF Ichiro

[From Admin: What does this have to do with "Who's Next?" Kazuo has already gone to the MLB, as have the others you mentioned (don't know where Damon came from, though).]

Doesn't Danny Graves of the Cincy Reds have an Asian parent (or two) as well?

Graves was born in Saigon, Vietnam. His dad was in the military.

I see your point. But how does Johnny Damon tie into Asians in baseball?

- But how does Johnny Damon tie into Asians in baseball?

He doesn't - he was born in Fort Riley, Kansas. [Profile - Baseball Reference]

- I see your point. But how does Johnny Damon tie into Asians in baseball?

According to the Asian-Athlete.com, he either had one Thai parent or both his parents were of Thai descent.