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11/05/2002 Archived Entry: "Nippon Ham Enters Fall Trey-ning"
Hillman Officially Takes Over at Nippon Ham
Tuesday afternoon, Trey Hillman officially became the sixth American-born manager of a Japanese professional team, as he signed a two year deal offered by the Nippon Ham Fighters for a reported $800,000 a season and then took questions from reporters at a press conference, wherehe revealed that he had been comtemplating a Japan assignment for around five years. He will take the reigns of the club tomorrow, as he supervises its fall camp. See related story below and pics at:
Hillman Pic 1
Hillman Pic 2
See related story at:Yomiuri Shimbun Article
See another related story at: Japan Times Story
By the way, you should indeed look at both. They are excellent.
Japanese Media Wrong About Dodgers' Matsui Interest?
This week, the Japanese sports media had reported that the L.A. Dodgers had sent Assistant to the General Manager Don Welke to Japan to perhaps make contact with Matsui. However, a source within the U.S. baseball media has informed me that the Welke has not been sent to Japan and hasn't been there since earlier in the season. Moreover, as has indeed been reported, they are more interested in Kazuo Matsui. A Dodgers scout in Japan is quoted in Sports Nippon as firmly stating that L.A. has no room for Godzilla in the outfield and that they are putting an emphasis on pitching and defense.
So we'll have to see how this ends up playing out.
Shinjo on Matsui
San Francisco Giants outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo, 30, despite news of earlier grumbling in the press about not being a full time starter, nonetheless pronounced the 2002 campaign "a very enjoyable year." He also made history when he became the first Japanese to play in a World Series game.
As for the Matsui matter, the former Hanshin Tiger remarked that the Yankees "is a club that every MLB player would like to be part of sometime in his career." His expectations for Godzilla? "I wonder how much he'll hit before the all start break. If he hits 30 homers, that would be great. Because pitchers get the call on sliders away a lot, he will have to be able to go to left."
Hot Shots....
Yokohama free agent closer Takashi Saito apparently wants to play on the west coast, with Seattle rumored to be his number one choice. Saito is a righthander and the Mariners are looking for a southpaw for the pen, so it is hard to see how he fits with them. Thus, he may end up in Arlington instead. Sports Nippon says that the Dodgers are interested, too, with one of the team's Japanese scouts having kept a close eye on the former Japan Series MVP over the years. Both Saito and Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki are alumni of Tohoku Fukushi University and he has trained with M's middle man Shigetoshi Hasegawa. He also revealed that he had contemplated asking to be posted before last season....Hanshin Tigers manager Senichi Hoshino says that the compensation rule for free agents may prevent them from aquiring Norihiro Nakamura.... Meanwhile, Tomoaki Kanemoto, is pretty much signed, sealed and delivered to the Tigers, encouraged Nakamura through the media to come to the Central League....Daiei Hawks reliever Shuji Yoshida is going to stay with the team even though they want to cut his pay by $250,000 after an all star season. Yoshida is 35 and it is thought that his age may have made teams wary of making offers to him....Hideki Matsui participated in a wake earlier today for recently deceased former Yomiuri batting coach Shiro Takegami, vowing to comeback with some good news for him at the end of next season. Takegami had spent time in the Padres system as a visiting coach in the mid-1980's.... Yokohama ace Daisuke Miura said he wants to finish out his career with the team and is said to be hoping for an eight year contract....Hard charging workaholic Seibu Lions owner Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, one of the world's richest men, called his team's being swept by the Giants in the Japan series "an embarrassment to the Pacific League" and urged manager Haruki Ihara to apply the whip to the team so that it wins the championship next year....Kazuo Matsui says he still sees himself in a Seibu uniform next season, but he wants to talk to the team's management about it before making any concrete decisions about remaining in Japan....Tom Evans got some good news from Sankei Sports, as they quote a Lions official as saying it is likely the former Detroit infielder will be back next season after all. But Scott McClain is indeed being let go....Alan Newman, who was cut loose by Yakult, may end up in Hiroshima, says Sankei Sports. He would be a definite improvement over anybody they have in the pen now save Kanei Kobayashi....Asia University number two starter Katsuhiro Nagagawa, who will probably be in a Carp uniform next season, finished off his regular season college career by striking out 15 in a two hit shutout to clinch the fall Tokyo Metroplitan University League title for the school. The team's number one guy, Hiroshi Kisanuki, who will join the Giants, was named league MVP....Yoshinobu Takahashi is likely to become the Giants player rep now that Matsui is going, says Nikkan Sports....After suffering an ankle fracture in spring training, Lotte shortstop Makoto Kosaka has now broken a rib, according to Hochi Sports. No cause was given for the injury, but he is expected to be out of action for the next month....The commissioner's office has announced that Yokohama pitcher Shane Bowers has been released....
Seattle Playing Matsui Matter Close to the Vest
See Seattle Times story at: Seattle Times Story
Hillman Serves Notice the Fighters Will Be Running
See Associated Press story at: Associated Press Story
Nakamura Formally Declares Free Agency
See Mainichi Shimbun story at: Mainichi Shimbun Story
Macha's Japan Career
Wayne Graczyk at the Japan Times talks about new A's manager Ken Macha's stint with the Chunichi Dragons as well as a host of other matters at: Japan Times Story
Puerto Rican Winter League Play Gets Underway
See Puerto Rico Herald story at: Puerto Rico Herald
Sang-hoon Lee Pitches LG Twins to Victory; Series Even at 1-1
See Korea Times story at: Korea Times Story
Prokopec Back With Dodgers
See L.A. Times story at: L.A. Times Story
Taiwanese Baseball History: A Short Primer
For those curious, ETaiwan News wrote up a short introduction in both english and
Chinese about how baseball spread to Taiwan: Taiwan Baseball History
