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11/22/2002 Archived Entry: "Yamauchi Has Big, and Controversial, Plan for Mariners"
Mariners Owner Wants to Truly Make Club Japan's Team
Kazuhiro Sasaki met with former Nintendo owner Hiroshi Yamauchi (Yamauchi is now acting as an executive consultant to the company) earlier today at the company's Kyoto headquarters and Yamauchi made a mind blowing statement. He said that by 2004, he wants "four or five of the nine regular players" to be Japanese and that he wants the M's to be the team that Japanese players will come to first when they leave their home country. "Out of the 30 MLB teams, the only one Japanese have a share in is the Mariners," he reasoned, going on to use the words "Japanese all star team" about how he sees the future of the Mariners. The first step in this process, according to the Hochi Shimbun, will be a campaign to get Kazuo Matsui on the roster. Moreover, Yamauchi admitted that there are no more open spots for an outfielder on the team, effectively saying that the team is bailing out of the Godzilla Matsui sweepstakes even though the M's were said to have requested a meeting with the Yomiuri Giants free agent. Wow!
Post Season Possibilities for Japan and MLB
With MLB turning its attention to Japan, is it time to perhaps play an MLB AAA all star game in Japan one of these seasons? Unfortunately, given the travel and the long schedule, sending a team of MLB all stars over in mid-season is unworkable, but that isn't true for the shorter season AAA contingent, who could play against Eastern and Western League all star clubs, which would raise the profiles of all concerned. Another possibility would be having them all play in Hawaii, which used to have a AAA farm team, or do it on an alternating basis.
The presence of Hawaii also opens another possibility for MLB-NPB interaction. Once the MLB post season is over, MLB and NPB could send all star teams to play there every other year, alternating with MLB all star tours of Japan, for a seven game series. That way, U.S. fans and writers will get a chance to get aquainted with Japanese players and, since it will be played on American soil, it will keep MLB in the news for an additional week or so. Of course, it would help if ESPN or Fox (again, I must send my regards to them for allowing us to miss the recently finished series in Japan since we obviously can't handle the excitement) can be cajoled into televising it. And MLB players are probably not going to turn down a free chance to experience the fabulously beautiful Hawaiian islands.
But then again, we have Bud Selig running things, so I doubt either of the above proposals will come to fruition. It's a nice thought, though.
Hot Shots....
The Yokohama Bay Stars are reportedly interested in Tsuyoshi Shinjo....It appears that Shinjiro Hiyama, who received no offers from other teams despite being a free agent, has agreed to a three year deal for an average of $1.5 million a season plus incentives....Orix officials met with Makoto Suzuki's agent for three hours earlier today. They agreed that the former Royal and Mariner wouldn't play winter league ball and that he would be allowed to decide his own training routine. In an odd development, his contract, if he accepts one from the club, will be written in english even though Suzuki is Japanese-born....Nissho Gakuen High first baseman Norberto Semanaka, a Brazilian of Japanese decent who has some monster pop in his bat, has turned down an offer from the Seattle Mariners to sign with the Chunichi Dragons. he says he intends to take Japanese citizenship and build a home in Japan. He became the talk of the high school baseball scene in Japan when he slugged a 420 foot homer to right at Koshien Stadium earlier this year....Another teenage Brazilian- Japanese, outfielder Konomi Sakurai, who was drafted on the third round by the Nagoya outfit, was paid a courtesy visit today by a Dragons scout, with negotiations to follow in the coming days....The Dragons also announced that they have signed their number one draft choice, infielder Ryosuke Morioka, for an $800,000 signing bonus. He will make $80,000 next season plus another $500,000 in incentives. Not bad for an 18 year old....Cuba won the Intercontinental Cup by beating Korea 2-1. Barbaro Canizeras was named MVP of the tournament....Yakult has locked up their fourth round draft choice, Utsunomiya Gakuen High righthander Masayoshi Izumi, whose fastball maxes out at 93mph. He says that if he faces ex-Swallow Roberto Petagine, he will eat him up with fastballs on his hands....The Seibu Lions have also secured fourth round draft choice Chikara Onodera, a 21 year old pitcher with a low 90's heater whose mother, Hatsue, died of lung cancer at age 53 in April. His older brother, pitcher Minoru Shindo, was released by Yomiuri last year at age 28 after injuring his shoulder. Onodera says that he would like to avenge his brother, who he thinks got a raw deal.
Let's Play Two---in Japan
See story at:San Francisco Chronicle Article
See related story at: Article from the Olympian
Godzilla Creates Chaos
See story at:Yomiuri Shimbun Article
Cuba Beats South Korea to Win Intercontinental Cup
See story at:Reuters Article
Hanshin Loses Lawsuit Over Payment to Nomura Sibling
See story at:Japan Times Article
Today in Japanese Baseball History
This report is for November 21st and on that date in Japanese baseball history in 1974, Shigeo Nagashima, who had just retired as a player, was named the new manager of the Yomiuri Giants. He took them to a last place finish, the first cellar showing in the team's history, forcing Nagashima to issue a humiliating public apology.
Replies: 1 Comment
Gary,
Good idea for a MLB vs NPB all-star series in Hawaii. Aloha Stadium was used by the Padres (vs the Mets ?) for a regular season game a few years ago.
Also, I've mentioned for years that this would be perfect for the MLB champion to play the NPB champion but thanks to people like Bud, this would be less probable than your all star scenario.
Posted by Robert Kiyoshi Shadlow @ 11/22/2002 11:24 AM EST
