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11/03/2002 Archived Entry: "New Nippon Ham Manager Hillman Arrives in Japan"
Mr. Hillman Goes to Tokyo
According to Sankei Sports, former Texas Rangers farm director Trey Hillman arrived in Japan earlier today via a United Airlines flight and will observe the Nippon Ham Fighters fall practice November fourth (Japan time). His hiring will formally be announced the day after that and he will then go to Kamogawa in Chiba Prefecture to run their fall camp. He will wear number 88. Here is a pic of him at the airport: http://www.sanspo.com/baseball/top/bt200211/image/02110407hirumanMT137B03.jpg
Also, here is a pic of him meeting Nippon Ham's Director of Personnel, a Mr. Misawa, at Narita at: http://www.sponichi.co.jp/baseball/kiji/2002/11/04/20021104004845.jpg also http://www.hochi.co.jp/site_content/media/11032002/4139183052_1103hirman.jpg
Of course, the reporters have brought up the language issue and to that end Hillman, who learned a few words before coming over, says that he wants to learn as much Japanese as he can. His soon to be charges on the team have also expressed a willingness to learn english, though both sides are already pretty conversant with baseball english. The Japanese press says that Hillman is considering hiring a Japanese language tutor. Nonetheless, he told the press that "this is the first time I've been to Japan. It's an honor to be here. I'm looking forward to managing in Japan and including learning Japanese, I hope to learn a lot."
On Hideki Matsui, Hillman remarked, "I haven't seen him personally, but I understand he is a lefthanded power hitter. Yankee Stadium has a short porch in right and that should be to his benefit."
Leon Lee New Orix Batting Coach
The Orix Blue Wave, in the hope of squeezing more production out of Scott Sheldon and whatever other foreign players they bring in for next season, have brought former Lotte Orions first baseman and Chicago Cubs Pacific Rim scout Leon Lee on board as a special batting coach for the non-Japanese players. Last season, the Kobe nine hit just .235 in finishing last for the first time in 39 years and were a team worst 37 games under .500.
Sheldon batted .256 with 26 homers and 59 RBIs, coming on strong at the end of the season as he adjusted to Pacific League pitching, but was benched for a time when manager Hiromichi Ishige thought that the former Texas Ranger was striking out too much.
The 50 year old Lee, who speaks Japanese and is well respected by Japanese fans and baseball officials, once worked as a special batting instructor for the Montreal Expos before taking his position with the Cubs. Orix also hopes that Lee will help them evaluate potential foreign additions. He is scheduled to arrive in Japan later this week.
As a mainstay of the Orions from 1978-1982 before moving over to the Taiyo Whales and then Yakult, Lee batted .308 with 268 homers and 884 RBIs in ten Japanese seasons, boasting a lifetime OPS of .902. His best campaign was in 1980, when he hammered 41 homers and drove in 116 runs while batting .340. Moreover, he walked 47 times while striking out just 48 in 486 at bats. He is also the brother of Leron Lee, a former Dodgers and Cardinals outfielder who tore the Japan leagues up as well.
Giambi, Bernie Williams Give Their Two Cents on Matsui
At a workout at Dodger Stadium in preparation of a series against both the Yomiuri Giants and an aggregation of Japanese all stars, Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams were besieged by Japanese reporters, who wanted to get the pair's thoughts on free agent outfielder Hideki Matsui. "He's got a big body," Giambi started. "I think he'll hit a few homers. I've looked at his stats and I can see that he's really grown as a hitter. He's no ordinary player, that's for sure. Right now, he's the most ideal hitter."
Williams averred, "I heard he's quite a player. Because I'll have a chance to see a lot of him in Japan, I can see what kind of player he is."
Art Howe also weighed in on this and while he had to pick his words carefully due to tampering concerns, he had this to offer: "when I saw him [as a coach on the 1996 MLB all star tour], he had some power, but it appears that he has added to that. Wherever he goes, a power guy can get by on his power." That's a rather strange way of putting it, but again, Howe had to be cautious.
As Matsui Leaves, Fans Rush in to Godzilla's Goods
According to Nikkan Sports, one effect of Matsui leaving is that his fans are rushing into department stores as well as the team story at Tokyo Dome and buying up anything that has his name or likeness on it. Nikkan Sports talked to one sech fan, Miho Sasaki, 33. As she stopped just short of crying while talking to a reporter, she said, "I came only to buy Matsui-related souvenirs. It's sad that he is going to go to the majors, but I'll still root for him." Ms. Sasaki laid down about $75 for nine Matsui items, including a plastic megaphone and a poster.
Indeed, there are approximately 20 items on sale with Matsui's name or visage on them, but the ones that are reportedly selling the most are telephone cards and signed balls and bats. A clerk at the Tokyo Dome outlet revealed that they are doing double the business the normally do after the Giants have won a Japan Series due to the slugger's pending exit.
Another fan, Junichi Kawabe, 56, went over to the store because he was afraid they would run out of the Matsui-related goods. He took home a mousepad and a calendar. But he had good reason to be concerned about Matsui items becoming scarce, as the Mitsukoshi department store chain reported that their shop in Nihonbashi kept selling out of Matsui merchandise. The Nikkan Sports piece goes on to state that indeed they will stop selling those goods once Matsui signs a big league contract. Consequently, the demand should continue to be high and even if he will no longer be a Giants player, the team will realize the bulk of the monetary benefit since Japanese clubs own their players' merchandising rights.
Hot Shots....
In addition to the more than $3 million a year the Hanshin Tigers are going to pay him, outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto will be allowed to bring along Masahito Tada, who will work as Kanemoto's personal batting practice pitcher. It's hard to believe something like that would happen in the hidebound Japanese baseball sphere (no pun intended), but I guess times are a changin' after all....Yokohama Bay Stars manager Daisuke Yamashita doesn't just work his players, he's been working himself, putting in laps after practice sessions in the hope of getting his weight down from his present 210 pounds to about 190....Yamashita is having some trouble with shortstop Takuro Ishii, who he wants to workout at second base. Ishii has refused....Waseda University lefthander Tsuyoshi Wada struckout two more in a relief appearance and will end his college career with 476 strikeouts, a league record. He then declared that he will turn pro and acknowledged that strikeouts at the pro level will be harder to obtain. Instead, he says he wants to be the kind of pitcher than get out of jams....The proposed trade between the Yomiuri Giants and the Kintetsu Buffaloes that involved sending pitcher Hitoshi Ono and infielder Yasuo Nagaike from Tokyo to Osaka in exchange for outfielder Hiroyuki Nakahama and infielder Motohiro Yoshikawa has formally been executed....Seibu has reportedly locked up Keio University hurler Shuichi Osada for the November draft. He features a 92mph fastball. The Lions are also negotiating with Hosei University third sacker Masatoshi Goto....Yokohama also said to be willing to spend in the $8 million for Roberto Petagine....Congratulations to Kintetsu Buffaloes pitcher Hironori Fujisaki, 22, and infielder Tadatoki Maeda, 25, who are both getting married December 14th. Fujisaki is stepping down the aisle with radio program assistant Maki Sawada, 26, while Maeda will be saying "I do" to Akane Taketsugi (I hope I've transliterated that correctly), a 25 year old nurse....The Buffs also announced that they have signed righthander Naoya Shimada, 32, who was released by Yakult....Shaken by the Matsui defection, Yomiuri is going to ask all of its players when they sit down to negotiate next year's salary if they plan to go to the major leagues some day....Despite his declaring free agency, Matsui says he intends to keep previously made promises to attend team events and personal appearances, including the team's victory parade in Tokyo's Ginza district....Hanshin Tigers righty says he is sorry to see Matsui go, but perhaps for a different reason. He has owned Godzilla the last five years to the tune of an average around .200 and hasn't been taken deep by the Giants slugger....The Daiei Hawks have expressed interest in Nihon University catcher Ryuji Ono, a Fukuoka native who has both Koshien and internatinaol experience. Ono has said that he won't sign with anyone other then Daiei, threatening to go to school in the U.S. if another team drafts him. He reportedly has a gun and is defensively sound with soft hands....Hanshin rightfielder Shinjiro Hiyama, a free agent who intended to remain with the club, said that he is very unhappy with the offer the Tigers made him and will now listen to proposals from other teams....Hanshin batting coach Koichi Tabuchi has told third baseman Atsushi Kataoka that he had better show something this spring offensively or he will end up on the bench when the regular schedule starts....Daiei has signed former Yokohama righthander Tomoyoshi Sekiya, 23, who runs a lightening quick 5.57 50 meters, so the Hawks are going to convert him into an infielder....Tomohiro Kuroki threw 60 pitches in a workout earlier today for Lotte and manager Koji Yamamoto thought that he could get by on the stuff he showed. But we'll have to see how the ace's injured shoulder reacts.
LG Twins Advance to Korea Series With 8-2 Win Over Kia; Fans Set Stands on Fire
See Korea Times story at: http://www.hankooki.com/kt_sports/200211/t2002110315204147110.htm
Elvira, Kang Lead Samsung Over LG 4-1 in Game One of Korea Series
See Korea Times story at: http://www.hankooki.com/kt_sports/200211/t2002110318225647110.htm
Today in Japanese Baseball History
This report is for November 4th and on that date in Japanese baseball history in 1960, the Japan Series winning Taiyo Whales had to cancel their victory trip to Hawaii since the Japanese government ordered restrictions on the export of the yen.
Also on that date in 1961, the Nishitetsu Lions appointed third baseman Futoshi Nakanishi, 28, player-manager while shortstop Yasumitsu Toyoda, 26, was made his player-assistant manager. 24 year old hurler Kazuhisa Inao was made a player-pitching coach. But even with that "brilliant" strategy, the Lions lost out to the Toei Flyers in the 1962 pennant race, who then went on to beat Hanshin in the Japan Series. Nishitetsu did win the Pacific League in 1963 under Nakanishi's leadership, though. Inao won 25 games and Toyoda slugged 23 homers.
