Irabu going back to MLB?

Irabu didn't do that bad of job as the Rangers' closer last season before his season was cut short by injury. However, if he wants to be a successful MLB pitcher, he needs to lose some weight and learn how to cover first base.

Tony, I can see how MLB teams might be interested in Irabu's services for next season, but I can guarantee you that he won't be playing in the major leagues this season. There is absolutely no way that Hanshin would allow him to jump to the U.S. during this season, especially considering the fact that he's won 10 games and is one of the big reasons why Hanshin is playing so well this year.

Even if Hanshin and Irabu were both doing poorly, I doubt that Irabu has an escape clause in his contract that would allow him to suddenly jump to the big leagues during the season.

Wayne Gracyzk writes in today's Japan Times that both Shinjo and Taguchi would be smart to return to Japan next season and follow the lead set by Irabu and Yoshii (Mac Suzuki doesn't count since he didn't play here before). I agree with Wayne. Shinjo proved that he can play in the big leagues and Taguchi gave it a good try. But it would be a wise move for them to give Japan one more shot.

- Tony, I can see how MLB teams might be interested in Irabu's services for next season, but I can guarantee you that he won't be playing in the major leagues this season. There is absolutely no way that Hanshin would allow him to jump to the U.S. during this season, especially considering the fact that he's won 10 games and is one of the big reasons why Hanshin is playing so well this year.

Yeah! And to think that any MLB club would be stupid enough to even think about approaching Hanshin this year. I mean they can't just waltz in, put a load of cash on the table, and take one of Hanshin's best pitchers. I'm just flabergasted that the issue even arose. The Tigers are chasing their first pennant in 18 years - they're not going to put that in jeopardy for all the money in the world.

It's about time the MLB people (and the American media for that matter) stopped treating the Japan leagues as just a minor league reservoir of talent that can be plundered at will by the bigs in the US!

mijow wrote:

- [...] I mean they can't just waltz in, put a load of cash on the table, and take one of Hanshin's best pitchers. I'm just flabergasted that the issue even arose. [...]

It's about time the MLB people (and the American media for that matter) stopped treating the Japan leagues as just a minor league reservoir of talent that can be plundered at will by the bigs in the US!

First of all, we don't know if anyone actually asked about him for this year. Even if someone did, GMs often make what seem to be ridiculous inquiries -- but then again, part of their game is seeing if the responder will actually do something stupid. Seen in that light, one can hardly blame them for asking.

The press, though, should realize the chances are quite slim that any such thing would happen. However, so many of the press still think of NPB as a minor league, rather than an independent league. The writers who think that way write all manner of stupid things for the consumption of American sports fans, which is most regrettable. The stupidity alone would be bad enough, but reenforcing (if not adding to) the ignorance of many American sports fans regarding NPB is even worse, IMO. Those fans have a right to look to those writers as the "experts" they represent themselves to be -- and true experts do not deal in idiocy or ignorance.

Jim Albright

- First of all, we don't know if anyone actually asked about him for this year. Even if someone did, GMs often make what seem to be ridiculous inquiries -- but then again, part of their game is seeing if the responder will actually do something stupid. Seen in that light, one can hardly blame them for asking.

There are ridiculous inquiries, and there are impossible ones. Since trades between NPB and MLB teams are not allowed (players under contract must be posted in the offseason or they must be free agents), one could blame them for asking, if they asked about Irabu for this year. A GM should be more familiar with the rules.

- [...] The writers who think that way write all manner of stupid things for the consumption of American sports fans, which is most regrettable. The stupidity alone would be bad enough, but reenforcing (if not adding to) the ignorance of many American sports fans regarding NPB is even worse, IMO. Those fans have a right to look to those writers as the "experts" they represent themselves to be -- and true experts do not deal in idiocy or ignorance.

Well one glaring error is the way they talk about players going to play for such and such a team of the Japan League. There's no such league. It's either the Pacific League or the Central League.

The other whopper I heard the other day from an American commentator on TV was that the National League is the only pro league in the world that doesn't use the DH. The guy even mentioned Japan and said that the pitchers don't get a chance to bat over here.

And they get paid for making these comments.

Speaking of Taguchi, I don't think the Cardinals gave him a fair shot at the MLB level. Look at his career MLB batting average. I know he didn't play long, but those quality AB off the bench and hitting well over .300 just don't make sense for him to play in the minor league. He reminds me of Sang Hoon Lee, who didn't pitch that poorly with Boston, however was mostly known as a minor leaguer over here in the United States.

If a MLB team offers 15 million dolars for Irabu, I bet Hanshin will accept. With this money, Hanshin can reach Petagine to get a pennant this year and next year.

If Hanshin won't trade Irabu, the Giants would get his service next year. [Irabu will be a free agent this off season.] Thus, the best way is to trade him.

Don't mean to hurt your feelings, but this is the funniest thing I've heard since Sosa said he grabbed the wrong bat. No team is going to pay that kind of money on Irabu.

His weight problem, alcohol problem, and his attitude (when he said he would only play for the Yankees, ever) scare MLB teams away.

I think that it's best for Irabu to stay in Japan. America brings the worst out of him. There are too many burger shops, alcohol, and David Wells in America to mess up Irabu's fullest potential. I would suggest Irabu to stick with the sushi, sashimi, sake, etc. and play outstanding ball. MLB players are nothing but corked bats (cheaters), steroid junkies, wife beaters, alcoholics, and drug abusers. Irabu, please stay home!

Chiroman wrote:

- MLB players are nothing but corked bats (cheaters), steroid junkies, wife beaters, alcoholics, and drug abusers. Irabu, please stay home!

We've seen some serious claptrap knocking Japan on this site, but this is one of the rare times we've seen that kind of garbage going at MLB on this site. This kind of equality is precisely what we don't need here. I can only hope Chiroman isn't serious. There are plenty of sinners in NPB and MLB. However, many of the players in both places are hard working and honest. It does no one any good to pretend otherwise.

As to whether the States bring out the worst in Irabu, that may well be true, whatever the reason(s). However, that is no reason to defame all major league ball players. I'm sure if someone wrote a similar thing about NPB players, he'd rightfully get an earful here.

Dear Jim Albright:

I didn't mean to suggest that all major league players are drug addicts, alcoholics, or wife beaters, but realistically I can say that majority of MLB players are bunch of phonies or cheaters. Did you have a chance to read the June 3, 2002 issue of Sports Illustrated, "Steroids in Baseball" [CNNSI.com]? Ken Caminiti, a former MVP was quoted as saying, "At first I felt like a cheater. But I looked around, and everybody was doing it." Jose Canseco, another former MVP, estimated that 85% of major leaguers use steroids. SI confirmed that amphetamines (greenies) or other stimulants has been and is part of many players' pregame routine. Human growth hormone, another performance-enhancing drug, is on the rise.

Sammy Sosa, one of the greatest sluggers of all time in MLB, was recently caught using a corked bat and lying about it. Pittsburgh Pirates' Randall Simon swung his bat at a sausage mascot (an innocent 19 year old girl) thinking that it was funny, which was not. The examples are endless with the DUIs, wife battering, drug possession, etc. Look at the mess Darryl Strawberry is going through even today.

Albright-san, tell me a few "bad things" that's been happening to players in NPB recently. I think that most players in NPB are well disciplined and well behaved (majime).

My interest in Japanese baseball is new, so I do not know who you guys are such as Garland-san, 1908, CFiJ, and you. You people probably went to a few live baseball games in Japan or at most lived in Japan for a year or two and claim yourselves as experts in Japanese baseball. The only person that I think has credibility in Japanese baseball is Westbay-san, the founder of this website. He has been living practically all his life in Japan (25+ years) so I do believe what he is saying.

Albright-san, please tell me who you are and what makes you such a "guru" in Japanese baseball?

Thanks for your time.

Thank you for the evidence with the SI article. I do like to see documented evidence more than broad statements. Canseco's 85% of players are using and Caminiti's 40-50% estimations are just that, estimations. And do they mean "using" or "have tried"? Both are quoted out of context, making for great sound bytes, but no scientific study to back up the claims. Of course, they're both in the game, in the dugout, know the players on and off the field, so I don't discount their belief in what they've said, even if accuratly quoted. I know that my own world view is skewed by the company I keep and the news I recieve. Half of Caminiti's friends probably took steroids, and a large majority of Canseco's probably did.

But as an example of how statistics don't always contain the truth, when I was in college in Southern California, I knew of only 3 people who smoked. Of 45,000 students, I never saw more than 5 people smoking at any given time anywhere on campus. So I can say with a fair amount of certainty that there could very well have been about 50 smokers in all. That's just over 0.11%. So, if interviewed about smoking on campus, I would probably tell a reporter that hardly a 10th of 1 percent smoke. In my experience, this is true and reasonable. In reality? 15% of the dorm rooms were requested to be smoking rooms. 5% of enrollment applications claimed to be smokers.

What I'm trying to say is, I don't believe statistics unless I know how they're compiled. And while asking ball players who are literally on the inside of the game can be considered a valid source, it's a judgement call not based on any solid scientific processes. Testing would be the only way to know the percentage, but that isn't going to happen for a while.

As for recent similar NPB trouble, I don't suppose Mac Suzuki being fined and sentenced to picking up trash for DUI makes much of statement, does it? One writer, though, was very vocal about the light sentence and sounded as though he was ready to send Mac packing for the U.S.

Ah, omoidashita! Matsuzaka has had problems with illegal parking (and DUI according to unsubstantiated rumor). He had his license suspended for unpaid parking tickets. He was also caught driving with a suspended driver's license. (Or was it that his car got impounded, somehow being parked illegally while his driver's license was suspended? Something like that.)

I recall a Giants' pitcher getting into an accident several years ago with a motor cycle and the thing being covered up then exposed by some tabloid. Because of the nature of the exposition, though, there is a great deal of doubt among many people that it actually happened. The Giants are famous for being able to cover things up. But my selective memory can't recall what exactly it was that was covered. (I have a hard time remembering such bad things.)

As for Albright-san, Garland-san, 1908, and CFiJ, I trust them and value their opinions. They each know a great deal about the game, more so than myself in many ways. Each has his own insight to the game. Albright-san, if I remember correctly, has never set foot in Japan, but has reviewed the history of the game through statistical analysis. I know that some people don't put much value in purely statistical analysis, and if you don't, fine. You'll probably be better off skipping his comments if that's the case. I find his studies to be interesting and offer a great look at the history of the game.

As for my own creditials, I haven't quite be in Japan for 25+ years. More like 17 or 18, now. All but five years since I turned 16. I've lost touch with much of what is happening in MLB as I tend to just focus on this side of the Pacific. In that matter, I'm an awful source for comparing MLB and NPB - as most of my memories of MLB are of the San Francisco Giants of the 1970s. But until I started writing on the Web in 1995, I was mostly focused on the Tokyo Giants, like a majority of the population. After I started watching more teams to write about, I broke out of being a Giant lemming and learned a great deal more about the other teams.

Recently, though, thanks to contributions by a lot of people to the site, such as those mentioned above, I've been starting to revert to paying most attention to the BayStars and glancing over what else is happening around the leagues. Two kids require a lot more attention, and this is a hobby site. (Not to mention I have a non-baseball related day job that requires a lot of my time.) The guys you mention all put in a lot of time researching their topics, and have a good, broad view of all the teams - broader than my own knowledge, I'm sure. Add Seiyu and a few others to the list (sorry, names are drawing a blank right now) and you have a list of the people I would trust most to turn this site over to.

- The Giants are famous for being able to cover things up. But my selective memory can't recall what exactly it was that was covered.

I may be mistaken, but I recall reading an article about ex(?)-Giant Sugiyama being caught sexually harassing a girl. I don't know much more, but I think Sugiyama was consequently released by the Giants.

Chiroman:

I am glad to hear you do not literally believe all MLB players are scum. However, that is not what your earlier post would indicate.

I won't bother to debate how many steroid users there are in MLB -- frankly, I don't think either of us have sufficient information to tell. Perhaps there are more bad actors in MLB than NPB -- or perhaps a lot of the difference is in how publicly their misdeeds are aired. Within my lifetime, player misdeeds in the States were glossed over or even covered up. Mickey Mantle was a h*** of a ballplayer, but an alcoholic. Babe Ruth was a womanizer on a scale which would rival Wilt Chamberlain's claims and would outdo even Bill Clinton. Yet those facts were not given the kind of media attention they would receive today.

Michael has provided examples of NPB players who at least have fallen short of the ideal hero. However, I think we agree that most NPB players are solid citizens. I happen to believe the same is true of MLB players as well. I'll leave it at that.

As for my own qualifications, Michael is absolutely correct that I have never set foot in Japan and that my forte is statistical analysis. For more about me, see this page. It also provides links to the 20 or so articles I have done studying Japanese baseball history from the statistical record. I own the 1998 Japanese baseball encyclopedia and numerous other books on Japan. I have kept up on Japanese baseball through this forum and other web sites. The webmaster of the site almost all of my articles appear on is the one responsible for calling me a "guru." I'll leave whether or not I deserve such a designation up to those who choose to read what I have written.

I have also helped amass virtually all the statistics in the Japanese Data Archive of the baseballguru site. I think the record shows I am more knowledgeable about Japanese baseball than the vast majority of those in the States. Without reading my stuff, there are few places to learn about questions such as how to rank the greatest NPB players, managers, or teams. I have examined Sadaharu Oh's career in great detail, and have examined the differences between the NPB and MLB.

In short, I have spent a great many hours on these topics, and that is how I have come by my knowledge. I have chosen to share it for those who wish to consider issues such as these.

Jim Albright

- My interest in Japanese baseball is new, so I do not know who you guys are such as Garland-san, 1908, CFiJ, and you. You people probably went to a few live baseball games in Japan or at most lived in Japan for a year or two and claim yourselves as experts in Japanese baseball. The only person that I think has credibility in Japanese baseball is Westbay-san, the founder of this website. He has been living practically all his life in Japan (25+ years) so I do believe what he is saying.

I think you'll have a very hard time finding an instance when I've claimed to be an expert in Japanese baseball -- or baseball in general for that matter. I do love the game, though, and enjoy discussing and learning about it on this site. Like Westbay-san, Jim, Gary, and CFiJ have taught me many things about the Japanese game. How anyone can question their credibility after reading this site for over a year is beyond me.

Speaking of credibility, I don't recall any of them ever condemning hundreds of players based upon the actions of a select few.

- My interest in Japanese baseball is new, so I do not know who you guys are such as Garland-san, 1908, CFiJ, and you. You people probably went to a few live baseball games in Japan or at most lived in Japan for a year or two and claim yourselves as experts in Japanese baseball. The only person that I think has credibility in Japanese baseball is Westbay-san, the founder of this website.

*CFiJ closely examines thread...*

Okay, how exactly did I get brought into this? Weird.

FWIW, I make no claim on being a "guru" or an expert about Japanese baseball, just as I make no claim on being a guru or an expert about Major League Baseball. I am merely a fan of both, and contribute to this site and others as such.

My interest in Japanese baseball and my ability in Japanese tends to give me more information about Pro Yakyu than most fans and media in the States, but this is not especially a situation I find favorable. I would greatly prefer if more fans in the States were more knowledgable about Japanese baseball, and I think we would all like to see stories about Japanese baseball in the American media be free of basic errors and misinformation. So, given the age we live in, and both my interest in Japanese baseball and ability to understand and interpret the language, I spend some of my free time doing what I can to spread that information.

Okay! All that said, let's wade into the matter at hand. I disagree with the following statement:

...realistically I can say that majority of MLB players are bunch of phonies or cheaters.

I don't believe one can realistically say that the majority of MLB players are phonies, cheaters, alcoholics, etc. Ken Caminiti and Jose Canseco have next to zero credibility, and their "estimates" (which I would have difficulty believing in any case) are as likely to be attempts to justify their own actions as to be true.

The Randall Simon "Sausage Incident" was waaay blown out of proportion. The sausage herself has said this. The overreaction to this was ridiculous.

Sammy was caught with cork in his bat. Whether he lied about it has yet to be proven.

NPB players are not at all completely innocent when it comes to playing the game. In recent years we've had the Daiei Hawks sign-stealing scandals, and in his autobiography, Kazuhiro Sasaki suggested that sign-stealing and the like was pretty widespread in Japanese baseball.

Nor is Japanese baseball untouched by scandal. There was a minor scandal with Ichiro shortly before he left Japan. He had been involved with another woman while he was still dating and/or engaged to his current wife. After breaking off the relationship (supposedly before the marriage took place), Ichiro paid this girl money to keep it quiet.

Back in 1997, if I remember right, Kazuhiro Sasaki was involved in an altercation on Saipan.

But those are both currently MLB players. What about purely NPB players? Well, I recall at least one of the Giants catchers being arrested for sexual assault back in 2000 or 2001. Cheating and heavy drinking is hardly unheard of for Japanese players. Kiyohara was a known carouser, and some even think he uses steroids, although I think that's just idle speculation (much like with steroids in MLB). Domestic abuse is notoriously underreported in Japan, so we'll probably never know how many Japanese ballplayers beat their wives. Income tax evasion is not an uncommon charge, either (Ichiro, again). Underage drinking and sex with groupies has been known to take place in the hotel rooms of players in the Koshien high school tournament, and these are the future stars of NPB.

In both MLB and NPB there are a few bad apples, a few overblown stories, and a majority of players who go about their business with hardly any problems.

Chiroman wrote:

- [...] tell me a few "bad things" that's been happening to players in NPB recently. I think that most players in NPB are well disciplined and well behaved (majime).

Others have provided some examples, but I'll add two. Kokubo, at least to my understanding, served prison time for tax evasion. Also, see this thread on Kazuhito Tadano.

I'll concede the general point about NPB players being solid citizens, though. I suspect you may be right to the extent misconduct may be a little more widespread in MLB. What we do seem to disagree about is whether or not the majority of MLB players deserve to be viewed as solid citizens. I think they do, you apparently do not.

Jim Albright

I meant to follow this up earlier. The spiel about "MLB players are ..." was a bit of an over statement. I saw an awful interview on CNN last week about Kobe Briant where the reporter insulted the agent she was interviewing by saying that all pro athletes were "bad boys" and thus such behavior was taken for granted. The agent told the reporter that he took offence to her statement and that it's really a small percentage that have problems.

Albright-san is right. Such overly broad statements don't belong here. I would like to use this as an example of how low CNN has sunk recently (and not just with sports coverage), and as yet another sample of how the press is really letting people down in an attempt to entertain rather than inform.

It's true that sports has bad people in it, such as Mike Tyson, Ty Cobb, Bill Laimbeer, etc. However, I always look at the good players who play the game with grace and for the love of the game, such as Jerry Rice, Cal Ripken Jr, Jackie Robinson, etc.

I mentioned that Irabu won't come back to the U.S. because MLB general managers are scared of his weight, alcohol, and attitude problems, which all happend during his 5 disappointing years here. But he can come back, just not for 15 millions dollar like someone mentioned above. He'll more likely sign as a free agent in a minor league contract like Masao Kida, and I'm sure Irabu would rather stay in Japan making a few millions dollar a year instead.

I agree with Frank's comments that there are a lot of jerks in the world of sports in North America, but there are some very good people who no doubt make following sports fun and worthwhile.

However, I must disagree with Frank's selection of Cal Ripken Jr. as one of the good guys of sports. Don't get me wrong though - I don't know him personally, so I can't say for certain that he's a jerk, but I had a bad experience with him. Now I'm sure that he is a decent man, but I waited for autographs outside the gates after a game back in 1989 when the Orioles were the visitors, and he came out of the gate like a bat out of h*** and zoomed past all the kids and autograph seekers there. He was walking so fast that I thought he was running from a fire. He didn't sign one autograph and he reluctantly shook one man's hand before taking off.

Jim Palmer was there also, as a broadcaster, and he took off Ripken-style until he reluctantly signed one autograph. The only Oriole who really took the time to sign autographs for everyone there was none other than former Yomiuri Giants outfielder(1991) Phil Bradley.

I think Ripken only started to work on his good guy image just before he broke Lou Gehrig's record. It was only after the strike in 1994 that I think he started to go out of his way for fans. In my book he's a phony though, since he was a bit of a jerk to the fans when I saw him in 1989.

My list of the good guys in sports would include guys like Luis Gonzalez, Jeff Garcia, and Steve Kerr. Now these guys sign for just about everyone and are accomodating with the media.

Irabu probably was corrupted by guys like David Wells, although in his book, Wells only says one thing about Irabu. Wells wrote, "When Irabu first walked into the clubhouse, the first thing I thought was, 'Wow, he's got a double-chin.'" When I read that, I thought to myself, "Look who's talking."

Not signing is not good? He was busy or not happy that day because of his wife? He is just a human being, not a robot.

So, who are good guys in Japan?

No one signs autographs every time. You might have just got him at the wrong time.

I forgot another one of good guys, Lance Armstrong! What a way to win his 5th straight tour.

Since I want this to be my last post on the topic, all I have to say is that Irabu will not be coming back to the U.S. because there is no way he'll get paid more than he's what he getting in Japan.

Good point Frank. Lance Amstrong must be a gentleman. He had been waiting for rivals when they fell. Ulrich is too. LA has been learning French, and answered in French to please fans.

He is doing so well in Japan that methinks he should stay and enjoy his success. He wasn't so hot for the Yanks. Why waste his talent as a reliever?

Oy! There is so much drivel and outrage here. Please let me clarify a few things from the gaijin perspective.

Most MLB fans have no interest or much awareness of Japanese baseball, other than the novelty of a few strong players being able to leave to play overseas after lockup contracts in the Japanese bigs. It is not ethnocentricism so much as having the bandwidth to follow baseball on a global basis. Fine ball is played in Mexico, Venezuela, and elsewhere, but because we don't follow it doesn't mean it isn't good. Most fans just follow their favorite, usually home town team.

The pages and electrons devoted to Japanese players' daily exploits in the U.S. is really surprising. It is like a mania. Frankly this mania in Japan with the hourly MLB performance (from multiple camera angles and several replays) of Matsui, Ichiro, et al is a bit strange. Heck, just let them play ball.

Methinks it is a bit ethnocentric and unreasonable to expect Americans to be avid followers of Japanese baseball. We don't expect Japanese to be avid followers, but we are pleased that you are. It's your choice, let us make our own choice.

U.S. teams don't pillage Japanese teams for players any more than the Giants seeks out the best. From one of you it sounds like they are being kidnapped. MLB is open to all comers with the talent. I salute any player who leaves his home country chasing his/her dream, especially when leaving is difficult and the culture so different. Perhaps Japanese baseball ought to open up a bit more to more foreign players to field the best and most exciting team it can field and afford.

The U.S. spoiling Irabu is drivel. Irabu spoiled Irabu. Bad boys of the MLB, ... maybe a few, but such behavior is often uncovered and put in the open. Is the same openness available here? I sense in some comments an air of superiority in local players, which is rather unbecoming.

Lastly, I wish that if a gaijin batter ever has the chance to break another so called sacred home run record, that the baseball powers-that-be have the cojones to pitch to him rather than walk them for days. Only then will Japanese baseball be truly world class.

Shitsuri-shimashta. The truth will set you free.

- The truth will set you free.

Funny words from somebody claiming to be George Steinbrenner. Thanks for the clarity, though, Georgie.

- Lastly, I wish that if a gaijin batter ever has the chance to break another so called sacred home run record, that the baseball powers-that-be have the cojones to pitch to him rather than walk them for days. Only then will Japanese baseball be truly world class.

Hey, your wish came true the last couple of years!

- Lastly, I wish that if a gaijin batter ever has the chance to break another so called sacred home run record, that the baseball powers-that-be have the cojones to pitch to him rather than walk them for days.

Right, exactly. And you know what else? I wish the American League pitchers would have the guts to pitch to Ichiro and let him chase the AL home run record. (Ichiro led the AL in 2002 with 27 intentional walks.)

[Admin: Please read with irony glasses on.]

Ichiro can get a lot HRs? Maybe he is better than Godzila.

Well, just imagine if Ichiro were intentionally walked in every at bat for the last week or two of the season, so that a foreigner would not win the batting title. We're not talking about strategic walks, we're talking about giving him nothing to hit to keep his average from possibly going up. Would that be fair baseball and good sportsmanship?

Not pitching to Tuffy Rhodes and the other gaikokujin for so many consecutive at bats at the season's end over the past couple of years, for the sole purpose to ensure that they could only tie, not beat, the home run record were shameful marks on baseball. Just unbelievable! Don't expect many fans outside of Japan with such unfair behavior.

It's better to wear glasses of irony than glasses of rose.

With all respect, Ichiro is a great player, has a beautiful swing, but he will never lead the AL in homers, even with no intentional walks. He is not a raw power hitter. He is more of a finesse hitter with some long ball potential. Nevertheless, he is one of the best players in MLB.

Do you really think those intentional walks are to deprive Ichiro of some record? (Or in this case, give him one?)

Perhaps glasses of sarcasm, not irony, is what the Admin meant.

This has been covered on threads at the end of the past two seasons. If you want to discuss it again, please find those threads and continue there.

"George Steinbrenner" wrote:

- Methinks it is a bit ethnocentric and unreasonable to expect Americans to be avid followers of Japanese baseball. We don't expect Japanese to be avid followers, but we are pleased that you are. It's your choice, let us make our own choice.

Speaking only for myself (another States-side gaijin, I might add), "George," I don't expect American fans to be avid followers. I don't expect the American sporting press to be avid followers, either. However, I expect the press to make reasonable efforts to be accurate. All too often, the American sporting press fails this basic test with respect to Japanese baseball. All I want, really, is to get Americans to understand that there is fine baseball played in Japan, and that, no, NPB is not some "minor league," but rather a well-financed independent league of nearly major league quality -- and stars who can play with almost anybody. Ideally, I'd love to see major league baseball go global, but that's more of a dream at this point.

Jim Albright

OK, that fat toad comment on Irabu-san was made by my evil twin brother. Sometimes he can be rude, but he has a good heart. I can recall some other really fat pitchers who did fine. Remember Mickey Lolich? Much bigger than a toad. Bottom line, Irabu just didn't cut the mustard in MLB. Maybe he was hurt. Nomo spent a few years in the briar patch until he regained his dominance in the past couple of years.

I agree with you totally, Jim on the NPB. We are also entitled to accurate reporting. Perhaps these reporters are getting bad or second hand info. If so, it's their responsibility to check out the facts. A global league is an interesting idea, but like MLB on the west coast in the U.S. in the 1950s, it won't happen until the travel time is reduced in half. In the meantime, I suggest liberalized player movement so fans on both sides of the Pacific can see exciting baseball.

OK, 33 replies, Irabu is not going to the U.S. this year, that is for sure and has posted and commented on in detail.

A lot has been said of Irabu's weight. Some players play better (or at least say they do) when they are a little overweight. Cecil Fielder was a great example. And there have been some great overweight pitchers (Fernando Valenzuela was my personal favorite).

At 193 cm and 108 kg. Irabu is not that fat, he is a big guy and would be slim at 98 to 100 kg. He holds the Japanese record for the fastest fastball ever thrown (158 kilometers per hour) and he probably had love handles when he threw it that fast a few years ago.

He still can throw 156 kph!

So why all the comments about his weight? Maybe it is because George Steinbrenner called him "a fat toad" a few years back. Remember that George Steinbrennernot?

Also fans of other sports like soccer say baseball players are fat. And it is a bit difficult to accept aesthecially I'll admit. But these guys can play ball. Irabu was a starting pitcher in the all star game.

I'm new to this board, and I would like to defend my favorite team, the Yankees. Someone (I regret, I didn't check his/her name) blamed David Wells and other American ballplayers for Hideki Irabu's troubles on the Yankees. I doubt this very much. According to Wells in his book, Hideki was not accepted by the others on the team, as they resented his salary, and some "openly shunned" him. Other reports have described Hideki Irabu as being on his own in the clubhouse, etc. so any problems he might have had were not likely as a result of Yankee peer pressure. Also, the Yankees of the 90's were supposedly clean-living (at least as compared to the 70's Yankees).

While Hideki Irabu was on the Yankees, he lost weight, pitched very well for most of his 2 full seasons, and won over at least a few reporters and announcers (including Ken Singleton), so I think the other Yankees were a good influence, David Wells notwithstanding.

Remember, Hideki Irabu didn't get alcohol poisoning until he was on some minor league team in Canada. If he drank a lot before, he at least wasn't hospitalized because of it.