[Previous entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Iguchi, Johjima Power Hawks to Japan Series Triumph"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Nomo and Hasegawa to Yankees? Valentine Coming Saturday"]
10/30/2003 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Iguchi to Ask to be Posted Thursday; Igawa, Johjima MVPs"
Iguchi Will Ask to be Posted Thursday
According to Chunichi Sports, Daiei Hawks second baseman Tadahito Iguchi will ask team officials this Thursday to post him. The Fukuoka team's front office is expected to approve the request. Iguchi hit .340 with 26 homers and 109 RBIs and seized his second steals title with 42 in a career best campaign. Both Boston and the Mets are thought to be very interested and he would be a spectacular add for the Cubs should the Chicago outfit be looking Japanward. Iguchi can play short as well.
Iguchi, for the first few years of his career, was a righthanded pull hitter who racked up strikeouts and a mediocre batting average, a kind of infield version of Tsuyoshi Shinjo with a more aggressive attitude vis a vis stolen bases. However, in 2003, Iguchi, much like Brett Boone when he rejoined the Mariners three years ago, worked on hitting the ball back up through the middle and cutting his strikeouts down and had a breakthrough tour of duty, radically raising his average with runners in scoring position to .361.
One benefit of an MLB getting Iguchi now is that he is hitting his prime and since he has had only one true superstar season at the plate, he would be relatively cheap. In other words, it would be like getting a Boone in his present form for a fifth or maybe even a tenth of Brett's salary. Mind you, Iguchi will probably never hit 30 homers in the big leagues unless he plays at Coors or Wrigley. But there is no reason he can't hit .300 and steal 50-60 bases a season while being a Gold Glove candidate.
Iguchi has had a couple of surgeries, the most recent one just last season on his shoulder, so his durability in the longer MLB schedule is something of a question mark. But with all the focus on Kazuo Matsui this offseason, Iguchi could sneak in under the radar and be a nice surprise for someone next year. For those in the Cubs and Red Sox organizations who read this column, you need to get this guy, since he would both solve your needs for a leadoff or number two hitter and he will give you a few instant 1-0 leads during the year in addition to the airtight defense he would provide.
Igawa, Johjima Named MVPs
Hanshin Tigers lefthander Kei Igawa, who won 20 games this past season, and Daiei Hawks catcher Kenji Johjima, who slugged 34 homers and provided excellent leadership to a young starting rotation while playing every inning of every game, were named MVP of their respective leagues Wednesday. Igawa eeked out a four vote victory over teammate Akihiro Yano while Johjima was an easy winner over right ace Kazumi Saito.
Johjima is the first Pacific League backstop since now hall of famer Katsuya Nomura in 1973, a member of the Nankai Hawks, Daiei's predecessor, and is just the second in circuit annals. Johjima said that he thought that Saito would be bestowed with the hardware since he finished second in the RBI battle.
Igawa is the first Tigers moundsman to grab an MVP since 1962, when Yutaka Enatsu did it. In addition to leading the Central League in victories, the Tochigi Prefecture native also notched an ERA crown, enabling him to be named a Sawamura Award recipient. But even with all that, Igawa says that he really wasn't all that happy with what how he performed this season and hopes to become more of a strikeout artist next year. "I won because the team scored a lot of runs behind me," he humbly offered. "I was lucky." He believes that he should have used his changeup more.
In addition, the Rookie of the Year awards were handed out and carting those trophies off were Yomiuri rookie hurler Hiroshi Kisanuki and Daiei lefty Tsuyoshi Wada. Wada, who won 14 games and justified the comparisons with the great Kimiyasu Kudoh, was voted the prize unanimously, the first Pacific League player to be so honored since Nippon Ham pitcher Isamu Kida in 1980 and the fifth in PL annals ever. Lions ace Daisuke Matsuzaka reportedly called Wada up to offer congratulations.
Kisanuki wasn't as consistent as Wada, but if he can stay healthy, should have a long and productive career on the hill at Tokyo Dome.
That gives Daiei all the major post season awards, as Toshiya Sugiuchi doinked the Japan Series MVP, Saito had the most wins, and then you get to Johjima and Wada's citations.
Best Nine Teams Announced
The 2003 Best Nine squad was announced and, as one would expect, the Hanshin Tigers and Daiei Hawks dominated the selections. So here they are:
Central League:
Kei Igawa (P), Akihiro Yano (C), George Arias (1B), Makoto Imaoka (2B), Ken Suzuki (3B), Tomohiro Nioka (SS), Alex Ramirez (OF), Norihiro Akahoshi (OF), Kosuke Fukudome (OF), Alex Cabrera (DH).
Pacific League:
Kazumi Saito (P), Kenji Johjima (C), Nobuhiko Matsunaka (1B), Tadahito Iguchi (2B), Michihiro Ogasawara (3B), Kazuo Matsui (SS), Tuffy Rhodes (OF), Yoshitomo Tani (OF), Kazuhiro Wada (OF).
Team Reports
Yomiuri According to Sports Nippon, the Giants, after indicating last week that they had given up on trying to acquire Seibu Lions free agent shortstop Kazuo Matsui, have apparently reconsidered that position and now say that they will move incumbent shortstop Tomohiro Nioka to third if they can lure the PL Gakuen High School grad to Tokyo. They had pondered putting Matsui in centerfield, but the superstar infielder insists that he wants to remain at short. What is really funny, though, is that the Sports Nippon article portrays Cesar Izuturis as somebody the Dodgers would be unwilling to nudge out of that slo, thus giving Yomiuri and opening.t. And cows can fly. Anyway, you will get a preview of what a Matsui/Nioka leftside of a Giants infield will look like at the upcoming Asian olympic qualifying tourney, as that combination will be in evidence there....Junya Sakai is being given a chance to be the team's closer. Junichi Kawahara has gotten lit up in instructional league action, so now manager Tsuneo Horiuchi is apparently casting about for an alternative....There is talk in the Giants camp about putting Tuffy Rhodes in right and sending Yoshinobu Takahashi back to center, where he isn't particularly comfortable, if they can bring the Buffs slugger to the kyojin.
Yakult The Swallows have improved their offer to closer Shingo Takatsu to one year plus an option year and that is apparently going to be enough to mollify Japan's all time saves leader. However, Catcher Atsuya Furuta is still thinking over his future with the team, reportedly being disappointed with the club's salary offer.
Hanshin Under new manager Akinobu Okada, reliever Yuya Ando will go back into the rotation, presumably supplanting Keiichi Yabu, who may be let go, while outfielder Osamu Hamanaka will be in the cleanup role....Now former manager Senichi Hoshino visited the city halls of Nishinomiya, Ozaki and another town in the vicinity of Koshien Stadium to thank the inhabitants of those areas for their support. 1500 fans piled into the office at Nishinomiya to send Hoshino off....Hideki Irabu is going to declare himself a free agent and apparently wants to go back to MLB. He's kidding, right? He reportedly told friends that Japanese players seemed to know what he was going to throw next and so, "if possible, I would like to return to America." Well, Hideki, let's see if we can help you here: you sucked the last month and a half of the regular season, your velocity has pretty much disappeared and you had your head handed to you in the Japan Series. Yep, with a resume like that, MLB clubs will just be knocking your door down. Operators are standing by. Irabu bought a house in L.A. and his wife and child still live there.
Chunichi Yoshimi Sakurai, normally an outfielder, had his first full workout as a first baseman Wednesday and had an understandably rough time. The Dragons still reportedly have no plans to hire any new foreign players and are hoping that the Brazilian-Japanese 18 year old will develop into a cleanup hitter.
Hiroshima Catcher Yoshiyuki Ishihara and infielder Takahiro Arai will be special targets of batting instructor Junzo Uchida's endeavor to bolster the club's offensive production. "I'm going to work them endlessly," he vowed....12 players from the Carp's Dominican academy will be invited to the club's fall camp. Six of those are outfielders, five are pitchers and the other one is an infielder.
Daiei Centerfielder Arihito Muramatsu, who had a career year in 2003, says he may decide to use his free agency rights to negotiate with other teams. He says that he will wait until right up before the November 6th deadline to make a final decision....The Hawks may be getting a hold of another good young arm, as Takehiro Mahara, who throws it up there around 94mph, is going to sign with them for the November draft. He will reportedly be paid about $130,000 plus incentives and a $900,000 signing bonus. Mahara is from Kumamoto, which, like Fukuoka, is on the island of Kyushu. He stands 5'11" and 156 pounds and has a slider, changeup and forkball to accompany the heater. Manager Sadaharu Oh suggested that the youngster may be used in either a setup or closer role.
Nippon Ham Pitcher Kazuyuki Atsuzawa, 31, who has yet to get a win in his nine year career, will be made a minor league coach. Atsuzawa, while a mediocrity on the hill, is said to have a lot of raw knowledge that he can impart to junior players.
Lotte Outfielder Derrick May and reliever Brian Sikorsky, who have been released by the club, are reportedly fielding offers from other Japanese teams. No word, though, on the prospects of infielder/outfielder Rick Short, who has also been let go....Sports Nippon says that Lotte is mulling the addition of Tsuyoshi Shinjo in endeavoring to strengthen their outfield and it may be a long term offer.
Orix Manager Haruki Ihara has tentatively designated Kazuo Yamaguchi as his closer for 2004. Yamaguchi was clocked at 98mph two years ago, but then blew out his elbow and missed all of the past campaign. He has appeared in four instructional league matches and has hit "only" 92mph on the gun. Ihara also indicated that Jun Hagiwara, who was largely ineffective, and Daisuke Kato will see a lot of action in setup roles....According to Sports Nippon, Orix will indeed have Leon Lee back as its batting instructor and may formally announce something by this weekend....Koo Dae-sung is bring asked to take a 24% pay cut to $900,000 and Koo was not pleased despite the fact that his numbers tanked this season thank in part to a back problem. Yomiuri is thinking of making a run at him, but Orix has first negotiating rights at this point.
Miscellaneous Mariners middle reliever/closer Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who dazzled AL hitters upon stepping into the breach left by the injured Kazuhiro Sasaki, filed for free agency. You can't blame him. He is one of the most underpaid pitchers in baseball....The Japanese olympic qualifying team held a practice game Wednesday at Fukuoka Dome against Daiei's minor league affiliate. Third baseman and eight hold hitter Tomohiro Nioka slugged a two run homer, though he said he got jammed a little on the pitch. He had no defensive chances. Centerfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi also went yard on a slider for two RBIs and Koji Uehara toosed a pair of hitless innings with four strikeouts in a 7-1 win. By the way, the total salary of that starting nine? A by MLB standards laughable $16 million. Uehara will start November 7th against Korea....Kazuo Matsui was part of that as well and doubled and scored a run in the fourth and then made a Derek Jeter-like backhanded stab and throw on a basehit bid between third and short....Second baseman Shinya Miyamoto did some damage from the two slot, banging a pair of hits and stealing a base....Hiroki Kuroda went three innings and surrendered the lone run on two hits in three innings.....Masahide Kobayashi fashioned a perfect ninth to close it out....Centerfielder Norihiro Akahoshi's elbow ligament is bothering him and he may not be able to play in that tournament. Despite that, manager Shigeo Nagashima plans to go with the players he already has rather than call in a replacement for the speedy Tigers outfielder....Daisuke Matsuzaka threw 70 pitches int he bullpen. "Nagashima told me to throw, so I said 'yes sir!,' the righthander told the press....The Japanese Masters League, made up of retired pro baseball players, has opened its season....Expos righthander Tomokazu Ohka is currently majoring in business management at Ritsumeikan University in Shiga Prefecture. This semester, among the classes he is taking is one in corporate accounting. One wonders if Ohka plans to become an agent after his playing days are over.
Kazuo Matsui Files for Free Agency
See story at: Yomiuri Shimbun Article
See related story at: MLB.com Article
Yankees Maintain Interest in Little Matsui
See story at: Newark Star-Ledger Article
....And So Do the Mets
See story at: Newark Star-Ledger Article
Meanwhile, Godzilla Matsui Looking Forward to Time Off
See story at: New York Daily News Article
This Year's Japan Series a Classic
See story at: Asahi Shimbun Article
See related story at: Japan Times Article
Zuleta to Reup with Hawks
See story at: Japan Times Article
Hoshino Formally Hands Tigers Over to Okada
See story at: Mainichi Shimbun Article
Hoshino, Oh Receive Shoriki Award
See story at: Yomiuri Shimbun Article
Kintetsu Sends Players to Dodgertown
See story at: MLB.com Article
Seung-yeop Lee Receives Fifth MVP
See story at: Dong-A Ilbo Article
Taiwan Pro League Bestows Awards
See story at: Taipei Times Article
Off Topic: Bin Laden and Bush
I try to stay away from politics in this column, but I think that you should check out this transcript of a broadcast from Wednesday's edition of the Canadian Broadcasting System's investigative news program, The Fifth Estate. What it does is that it begins discussing (and largely discredits) various conspiracy theories surrounding the September 11th, 2000 terrorist incidents, but then goes on to discuss in detail the cozy relationship between the Bin Laden family, the Bush family and how the Bushies are essentially acting to blunt investigations into the Saudi contribution to Sepetember 11th. I mean, "Bandar Bush?" You can see the transcript at: CBCArticle
Today's Pictures
Koji Uehara Displays Some Intensity in Practice Game
