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11/07/2002 Archived Entry: "Yankees Mafia Japan Bound"
Cashman, Afterman, Levin to Arrive in Japan Next Week
According to Nikkan Sports, NY Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman will be arriving in Japan next week to directly negotiate with Yomiuri Giants centerfielder Hideki Matsui. Also along for the ride will be his assistant, Jean Afterman. Cashman will head to the land of Godzilla after the end of the General Manager meetings that will be held in Arizona starting this weekend.
Yomiuri May Aquire Cory Bailey
According to Sports Nippon, the Yomiuri Giants are just about to pick up Kansas City Royals righthander Cory Bailey. Bailey, 31, saw his first MLB action in 1993 with Boston before being traded to St. Louis in 1995 and then moving on to San Francisco for 1997 and 1998. He wasn't in any more games at the top level until 2001, when he got into 53 games with the Royals and then 37 more this past season. He has been in 172 career games (207 total innings), going 9-10 with one save and a 3.96 ERA. He has average 6.5 K/9 against 5.0 BB/9, not too good.
He will be used to shore up the Giants mediocre middle relief.
Also, the same paper is saying that Yomiuri is in negotiation with former Daiei Hawks closer Rodney Pedraza.
Japanese Press in a Tizzy Over Hillman Tossing Batting Practice
While fans of MLB teams have seen their managers throw batting practice (Tommy Lasorda made it a habit) before, this was apparently so novel a concept to both sportswriters in Japan as well as Nippon Ham Fighters players that it set off a bit of a buzz earlier today. Trey Hillman threw for about 15 minutes, sending 148 pitches up to the plate. Commented infielder Takaya Hayashi, "I was blown away. Because he's displaying so much enthusiasm, I would like to meet his expectations."
For his part, Hillman said he just wanted to get a good look at the players. When asked how his arm was after hurling so many pitches, the ex-Yankees minor league field boss revealed, "I used to throw 30-40 minutes a day in America, so I'm fine." See pic at:Pic
Hot Shots....
Hideki Matsui says that any MLB team that hopes to sign him must have natural turf. He has personally attended games at Qualcomm Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, Dodger Stadium and Bank One Ballpark, all of which he says he likes....It was also announced by NPB team manager Tatsunori Hara that Matsui will play left and bat cleanup when they faceoff against the MLB contingent. He may also see some action in right. He played left with Yomiuri in 48 games and started for three seasons in right before moving to center in 1997....According to Sankei Sports, it is appearning more likely that Yomiuri Giants rightfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi will be moved over to centerfield while first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara will be elevated into the four hole in the batting order. If they get Roberto Petagine, he will be the new rightfielder. But Petagine's wife Olga likes Hanshin, say press reports due to the large foreign community in Kobe, which is near Koshien Stadium, as well as that park's natural turf that will be easier on the slugger's knees....Giants ace Koji Uehara says he feels sorry for some of the other position players on the club if Norihiro Nakamura comes on board, since it will intensify the competition for spots on the roster. In addition, he expressed his interest again in playing in the majors. He acknolwedged that Yomiuri probably wouldn't heed a request to be posted. The 2002 Sawamura Award winner will be eligible for free agency in 2009...Meanwhile, Mr. Giants, Shigeo Nagashima, says that Matsui will hit "30 homers easy"....The MLB all star team has arrived in Japan.... Ichiro took some batting practice earlier today at an Orix practice facility, with Blue Wave players looking on. A team official hopes that Ichiro will provide a good example for the club's players....Yokohama Bay Stars outfielder Takanori Suzuki will have arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder Friday....Tokai University ace Yuya Kubo has signed with the Yomiuri Giants....Ryukoku University pitcher Naohisa Sugiyama has signed with Hanshin....33 year old backup catcher Satoshi Nakajima has asked Seibu to trade him....Hiroshima Carp pitcher Hiroki Kuroda is hosting a once a week 30 minute radio program called "Kuroda Index: on a station in that city. He is reportedly taking to it like a fish to water (no pun intended). Earlier today, he gave a baseball clinic for youngsters Pic and Pic 2....36 recently released players took part in a tryout for all 12 pro teams at Yokosuka Stadium earlier today. Aside from the castoffs, there were also hopefuls from Taiwan and Japan's industrial leagues. There will be another big tryout like this on the 26th at Koshien Stadium....Chunichi Dragons starter Eddie Gaillard was named Central League Fireman of the Year while the Pacific League bestowed the same accolade on Seibu Lions closer Kiyoshi Toyoda. Each man was also given about $12,000 and a crystal trophy....Kintetsu Buffaloes free agaent third baseman Norihiro Nakamura will bat fourth for the Kansai nine in the East-West all star game Friday and will start at shortstop.... Former Lotte batting coach Yasumasa Takabatake has qualified for his teacher's license and will work at a Fukuoka area high school. He majored in Information Systems at Nihon University. If he becomes that high school's baseball coach, he will be the first in Japanese history to do so after being a professional coach. Nine former players have managed at the high school level, says Sports Nippon....The Japanese baseball Master's League opened its season today....Hanshin minor leaguer Hiroo Sakurai, 19, wowed the press and other players with some big bombs in batting practice at the Tigers fall camp....The proposed trade of Seibu reliever Denny Tomori to Yokohama for pitcher Kazuyuki Maeda has been executed....Daisuke Matsuzaka will start for the east in the east-west all star game.
Giambi to Matsui: Why Not Yankees?
Yankees Jason Giambi says he would like to see Godzilla in pinstripes at: ESPN Article
Kudoh Still Thinking MLB
Yomiuri lefthander noted that he's not much older than Randy Johnson. Jim Allen gives his take on this at: Yomiuri Shimbun article
Ichiro Looking Forward to Playing as a Mariner in Japan
And he tells Giambi to "shut up" at: Yomiuri Shimbun Article
Unload Clemens, Bring in Matsui
Dom Amore has some advice for George Steinbrenner on how he can more wisely use his money at: Hartford Courant Article
