Analysis Of Japanese Free Agents

by Al Yellon on Dec 22, 2008 5:31 PM CST

Jim Albright, who runs an excellent site on NPB, has posted this analysis of Japanese free agents.

I can't say I know a whole lot about any of these players or how they'd do in the USA, but Jim will tell you more on this page. Since one of Kosuke Fukudome's problems last year seemed to be that he was homesick, maybe it would be worth investigating whether signing one of these guys -- only if they'd be a useful addition to the team, of course -- would be something helpful to Dome.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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first finally

I am now a Rays fan, can anyone blame me?

by Reed's Johnson on Dec 22, 2008 5:51 PM CST reply actions

What if

we sign another Japanese import, and BOTH of them get homesick?

by JodyDavis on Dec 22, 2008 5:52 PM CST reply actions

Sign a third?

Its the law of averages right?

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Dec 22, 2008 5:54 PM CST up reply actions

that's easy - we platoon them. ;-)

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 23, 2008 1:06 AM CST up reply actions

Mitsui and Takahasi seem to fit our LOOGY role

Particularly if Marshall is moved to the rotation, and seem to be fairly cheap. Obviously Darvish is the crown jewel on that list, but that could be a few years away….cant wait to see him in the WBC, yet another reason to watch.

From what Ive read about Uehara, he’s better than Kuroda, and we all know what he did to us this year, compounded by the fact we almost had him the year prior

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Dec 22, 2008 5:58 PM CST reply actions

If we traded Marquis

and the price was right, I’d like to see Uehara as our #5.

The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.

by DGU on Dec 22, 2008 7:17 PM CST up reply actions

Same here

Would that be more of a gamble than taking a chance on Randy Johnson’s health or Marshalls foray into starting?

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Dec 22, 2008 7:49 PM CST up reply actions

I don't know about more of a gamble

because it’s different gambles each way.

I don’t think it’s really realistic, though. I think if the Cubs were looking to Japan again, we’d have heard by now. I’m not sure a certain segment of Cubs managment expects Fukudome to have much of a role going forward anyway.

by DGU on Dec 22, 2008 8:12 PM CST up reply actions

Well if that segment is Lou, youre probably right

Id hate to think theyve soured from that market after one experience

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Dec 22, 2008 8:41 PM CST up reply actions

I don't think you can't argue against this

Okijima’s presence on the Red Sox definitely helped out Matsuzaka’s change of flags.

BCB Works Miracles: It saved my English grade!

by Chanman25 on Dec 22, 2008 6:01 PM CST reply actions

Homesick, what a concept---emotional needs regardless of the contract's figure

An athlete must be on at a high level, in fact all high level professionals must be there. I just lost a loved one and cannot concentrate more than a hour…This goes when I used to travel and could never really sleep in a foreign, even familiar bed. When they allowed my wife to travel a few times I could concentrate…

funny about these things

and why I think Kosulke will have a strong year and again have many fans going go-figure!

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Dec 22, 2008 6:04 PM CST reply actions

A bit off-topic, but...

…ESPN just said it’s 0 degrees at Soldier Field right now! My God, those poor fans

"I never drink water because of the disgusting things fish do in it" -W.C. Fields

by calicubfan on Dec 22, 2008 6:10 PM CST reply actions

Zero?

It’s 11 degrees outside my window. Doubt it’s that much colder on the lakefront downtown.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Dec 22, 2008 6:13 PM CST up reply actions

The woman doing an on-field interview...

..had a thermometer in her hand and it said 0 degrees. Turn on ESPN and you’ll see

"I never drink water because of the disgusting things fish do in it" -W.C. Fields

by calicubfan on Dec 22, 2008 6:16 PM CST up reply actions

I believe you.

Whatever it is, it’s pretty damn cold.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Dec 22, 2008 6:29 PM CST up reply actions

I went to a Bears-Falcons game in December 2005...

The temperature was below zero and the wind was HOWLING off the lake…. the wind chill was about 20 below. Didnt help that I sat on the west side of Soldier Field with that wind in my face.

I can definitely feel for these fans but they were lucky the game wasn’t last night. Whew.

I remember the warmest place was in the bathrooms.

by EJThunder on Dec 22, 2008 11:33 PM CST up reply actions

I'm sure the fans did that haha

BCB Works Miracles: It saved my English grade!

by Chanman25 on Dec 22, 2008 11:40 PM CST up reply actions

Don't athletes not see their family

half of the season anyway?

Chicago Cubs Humor, News and Parody at The Cubs Brickyard

by Brett Taylor on Dec 22, 2008 7:32 PM CST reply actions

It's different when you are 10,000 miles from home in a different culture.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Dec 22, 2008 7:41 PM CST up reply actions

You're right

But still, I doubt he was away from them that much more than the typical player who plays in NYC but lives in Cal. The culture thing, though, I can’t argue with that.

Chicago Cubs Humor, News and Parody at The Cubs Brickyard

by Brett Taylor on Dec 23, 2008 6:59 AM CST up reply actions

I think getting another Japanese import should

be on the short list under our LH bat situation.

It should definitely be thoroughly explored.

by EJThunder on Dec 22, 2008 11:35 PM CST reply actions

If we're going japanese again...

We may as well go get Matsui…trade DLee for Matsui & Igawa (giving us the three Japanese players needed to keep Dome from being home sick…then sign Tex to play first…there, problems solved.

How funny would that be, Chicago sports franchises would have had two guys named Matsui/Matt Suey.

by Glen Bishop on Dec 23, 2008 11:55 AM CST reply actions