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12/21/2002 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Kazuo Matsui Wants 40-40"
Hot Shots....
Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara said today that while no longer having Hideki Matsui in the lineup is cause for worry, his team will win anyway....Yomiuri proposed upping leftfielder Takayuki Shimizu's salary by $530,000 to about $1.4 million. However, the veteran was hoping for something in the $1.6 million range and held off signing. Second baseman Toshihisa Nishi accepted an $80,000 pay cut to $1.3 million, the first time in his seven year career that he has had his salary slashed. His other half around the keystone sack, shortstop Tomohiro Nioka, was granted a $290,000 rise to $625,000. Utilityman Daisuke Motoki saw his pay sink by $64,000 to $1.1 million....Seibu Lions shortstop Kazuo Matsui told reporters that he wants to join the 40-40 club next season. The Lions will also be staging a "Kazuo Day" on the seventh of each month, where they will invite little leaguers to see a game and get autographs from the great infielder. Why the seventh? That's Little Matsui's uniform number.... The Kintetsu Buffaloes say that they will decide what to do with closer Akinori Otsuka, who was posted but didn't garner any bids from MLB clubs, by the end of the current year. The options they are looking at are either keeping him, releasing him, or trading him to another team. Buffs officials insist that whatever they ultimately do will be done with Otsuka's feelings in mind....The Hanshin Tigers have signed infielder Teruyoshi Kuji, 33, who asked to be released by the Chunichi Dragons. He will make $200,000 and wear number 32. Kuji played with Hanshin six years ago. Hanshin's department store arm announced a big prize for the January 2nd reopening at its Umeda, Osaka store, the chance to win a drawing that would allow the lucky recipient to buy a $250,000 house for 2003 man yen (about $160,000) since it will then be 2003....Daiei Hawks second baseman Tadahito Iguchi signed for a 33% salary decrease to $640,000. He was also reportedly shaken by the lack of bidding on Otsuka since he himself will be posted to MLB after the conclusion of next season. "If you don't put up good numbers, nobody will claim you," he said. However, Otsuka had good numbers, but his timing may have been what killed his attempt to enter MLB....Chiba Lotte Marines outfielder Kenji Morozumi signed for the same amount he made this past year, around $445,000. Pitcher Naoyuki Shimizu wasn't happy with having his pay doubled to $380,000, positing that he should get more since he stopped a few losing streaks last season, including winning on opening day to halt an 11 consecutive defeat skein on the regular season's first day. Centerfielder Saburo Omura improved by $200,000 to $415,000....Nippon Ham number one draft choice Masaya Ozaki, 18, heeding the fact that his side now has an American skipper, introduced himself earlier today at a press conference presenting the Fighters rookies with, "My name is Masaya Ozaki. I hope to win the Rookie of the Year," in english. Manager Trey Hillman is back in the U.S., but you gotta give Ozaki points for trying....Chunichi gave outfielder Takayuki Onishi a $90,000 increase to $345,000 after batting over .400 with runners in scoring position in 2002 and just being a general pest. The team also disclosed that reliever Marc Valdes has signed a contract that will pay him $1 million plus incentives and he will wear number 36.
Nakamura Had Already Taken Physical For Mets Before Changing Mind
See story at: Associated Press Article
Rob Neyer Calls on Our Jim Albright to Answer a Question
See story at: ESPN Article
Kinki Nippon Tourist Already Selling Matsui Tours
See story at: Japan Today Article
Matsui Faces Daunting Task in the Bronx
See story at: Japan Today Article
Stars of the East Go West
Actually, not to put too fine a point on it, but New York is actually EAST of Japan: Newsday Article
Sasaki Makes Pitch as NGO Envoy
See story at: Yomiuri Shimbun Article
Lim Chang-yong Fails in Bid to Get to Big Leagues
See story at: Korea Times Article
Off Topic: Asians Excited About Yao Ming
See story at: Minneapolis Star-Tribune Article
Note to Readers:
As the Christmas holidays will soon by upon us, Sunday's article will likely, barring something really earthshaking, be my last one of the year. I will be spending time with my girlfriend, who is flying in from Japan, as well as my family. I will then, barring illness ro some other calamity, pick up where I left off on January 5th.
I would like to take this time to thank you all for your kind words, suggestions and questions. I think that we here at Baseball Guru have done a pretty good job adding to the volume of knowledge about our favorite sport and we are always looking for ways to expand that. For example, if you have well developed knowledge about Cuban, Korean or Taiwanese pro baseball and want to write about it, please feel free to contact the big man at the top of the Guru pyramid, Craig Tomarkin, and see what you can work out.
I would especially like to thank Jim Albright, who is doing pioneering work in statistical analysis of Japanese players that scouts, fans and writers are finding to be a valuable evaluation tool. Even though I'm in his shadow, his work has helped to generate interest in my submissions as well.
Finally, I would like to thank Michael Westbay, the webmaster of Japanese Baseball.com and the founding father of Japanese baseball-related english language websites, who first gave me a forum to share my interest in that field. Without him, I might not be doing this for you now. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all.
Replies: 2 comments
Merry Christmas & a happy new year.
Thank you Albright, Westbay, Latham & Gary Garland for all your hard work through the years. As a longtime follower of Nippon Pro Baseball I dreamed of the day when information in English could be accessed on a daily basis.
Posted by Robert Kiyoshi Shadlow @ 12/22/2002 02:52 AM EST
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from france ( toulouse in the south west )
Posted by thomas huppé @ 12/21/2002 11:42 AM EST
