[Previous entry: "Korean Baseball News: Foreign Signings in KBO for 2004"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Central League Draft Special Part II"]
01/11/2004 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Central League Draft Special, Part One"
Chunichi, Hanshin Winners, Hiroshima a Big Loser
Despite all the hype over Waseda University shortstop Takashi Toritani, none of the 2003 crop of draftees is likely to star right out of the box in the same way that Tsuyoshi Wada did for Daiei or Hiroshi Kisanuki did for Yomiuri. However, there is some longterm potential here and the Chunichi Dragons could be real force to reckon with in a couple of years, as they seem to be laying the groundwork for a substantial bolstering of their fortunes with their second consecutive strong showing in the November personnel sweepstakes.
So here is a rundown on just what fans of each of the Central League clubs can expect out of the new additions. This will be followed in two weeks by an assessment of the Pacific League rookie class.
Hanshin
Hanshin got what it wanted in its two top picks, with the snatching of Toritani from the Giants proving most satisfying to the team's faithful. Unfortunately, the four others are dicey to say the least. So we'll get to find out how well the Akinobu Okada administration can mold them into players who can contribute to the club in what was admittedly a relatively shallow talentwise draft. The grade was high due to the quality of those first pair of selections and the fact that I expect both to contribute significantly rightaway.
Name: Toritani, Takashi/SS
Born: 6/26/1981
Birthplace: Tokyo
Height: 5'10" Weight: 180 pounds
Bats: Left Throws: Right
High School: Seibo Gakuen High School
College: Waseda University
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: His baseball career started in second grade with a Higashi-Murayama club team. Played in Koshien Tournament as a high school senior, where he also pitched 3.1 innings of one run ball in relief (summer, 1999). According to scouts for Beyond Pacific, an independent Japanese scouting service, Toritani just seemed to get better and better as he progressed from high school to college and projects as a Derek Jeter-type winning player, setting off an almost comedic chase by Japanese pro clubs to pull him into the fold. The nadir of this was Yomiuri owner Tsuneo Watanabe's offer to trade Toritani to the New York Yankees by circumventing the NPB-MLB posting agreement should Toritani ask for it. The firestorm that incident setoff forced Watanabe to retract his statement and Toritani ultimately went with the Tigers, who former manager and now special consultant Senishi Hoshino expects to be their starting shortstop fot the next ten years. Toritani won a Tokyo Big Six University League Triple Crown as a sophomore (spring, 2001), leading Waseda to four straight league titles. Also grabbed a batting title his last campaign at Waseda (fall, 2003). His 115 lifetime hits in league action is seventh in curcuit annals and his 71 RBIs is sixth all time, tying him with hall of famer Shigeo Nagashima. Over all, he hit .333 with 11 homers as a collegian. As the most hyped player to come to Koshien Stadium since Akinobu Okada, who will, ironically, be Toritani's skipper, Toritani's plus tools are his aggressiveness on the basepaths and a cannon for an arm. Hitting-wise, he is a middle distance man who had a reputation as a clutch performer in college, working out of a somewhat open stance with his hands held high above his shoulders , which makes him look a little like a samurai warrior, says the Beyond Pacific observer. He has gone from a high leg kick when he strides to one that is a bit less pronounced. His head position through the ball and at the finish of his swing is perfect with nice balance overall. That is why he hits the ball right on the screws time after time and inside outs the ball superbly. However, he requires some work on the finer points of the mechanics of being a pro infielder, though that shortcoming is expected to be negated somewhat by good defensive instincts. With incumbent shortstop Atsushi Fujimoto being prone to bonehead mistakes, Toritani will likely push Fujimoto over to second base, providing that Gold Glove recipient Makoto Imaoka can be cajoled to go to third. Pocketed a $900,000 signing bonus and will make $135,000 plus another $450,000 in incentives in 2004. He will wear number 1. MPG File
Name: Tsutsui, Kazuya/P
Tsutsui, Kazuya/P
Birthplace: Iyo, Ehime Prefecture
Height: 6'0" Weight: 182 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Left
High School: Matsuyama Kita High School
College: Aichi Gakuin University
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Started playing baseball in first grade. Played Senior League ball in junior high. Cranked 15 homers in high school. Drafted on the fifth round thanks to his defensive ability, as he reportedly has a very efficient catch and throw that can get the ball to second extremely accurately in 1.9 seconds. Can throw it as far as 360 feet. With the Tigers very weak in backup catching, if Komiyama can hit at all, he may see frequent action with Hanshin when starter Akihiro Yano needs a rest or goes out with an injury. At the plate, keeps his weight and hands back well, but it is unlikely he will ever hit for a high average. A Hanshin scout was quoted in a Kanagawa area paper that Komiyama has a ways to go yet, but his defensive tools are a good start. Will wear number 60. As a side note, he is the first player ever from his high school to turn pro.
Name: Sajikihara, Masashi/P
Born: 8/21/1982
Birthplace: Osaka
Height: 5'11" Weight: 187 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Osaka Toin High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: Shin Nittetsu Hirohata
Comments: Started playing baseball in second grade. Played in Boys League in junior high school. Never made it to Koshien Tournament. Went to a sidearm delivery in 2002 and has been clocked as high as 93mph. Fastball bores in on righthanders and he has a cutter, forkball and slider. Needs to polish his control. Not in the top class of industrial league moundsmen, Sajikihara was probably drafted for his velocity and delivery. He would seem to project as a reliever, though it is appears to me questionable how soon he will be able to contribute regularly with the top club. However, a Tigers scout was quoted by Sankei Sports as stating that Sajikihara should be able to help them in the very near future. He will wear number 40.
Komiyama, Shinji/C
Born: 11/26/1985
Birthplace: Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture
Height: 5'10" Weight: 171 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Yokohama Hayato High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Started playing baseball in first grade. Played Senior League ball in junior high. Cranked 15 homers in high school. Drafted on the fifth round thanks to his defensive ability, as he reportedly has a very efficient catch and throw that can get the ball to second extremely accurately in 1.9 seconds. Can throw it as far as 360 feet. With the Tigers very weak in backup catching, if Komiyama can hit at all, he may see frequent action with Hanshin when starter Akihiro Yano needs a rest or goes out with an injury. At the plate, keeps his weight and hands back well, but it is unlikely he will ever hit for a high average. A Hanshin scout was quoted in a Kanagawa area paper that Komiyama has a ways to go yet, but his defensive tools are a good start. Will wear number 60. As a side note, he is the first player ever from his high school to turn pro.
Name: Shoda, Takahiro/OF
Born: 11/9/1979
Birthplace: Sakurai, Nara Prefecture
Height: 6'0" Weight: 178 pounds
Bats: Left Throws: Left
High School: Chiben Gakuen High School
College: Meiji University
Industrial League: Shidax
Comments: Played in one Koshien Tournament (1995). Belted a total of 20 homers in high school. Batted leadoff for Shidax. Drafted on the sixth round. Lets the ball get in on him and sprays it around the field. Does an excellent job of keeping his front shoulder closed against southpaws. May have troubles with 150km/h (93mph) fastballs on the inner half of the plate, but will lace anything on the outer half down the leftfield line. Can bunt and has good strike zone judgement. However, he will produce little or no pop, especially since his weight tends to move forward when he finishes his swing. Has average speed and is only okay defensively. He is probably a career backup at best. Pics of Shoda at bat at: Photo
MPG File
Chunichi
Grade: B+
Like last season, the Dragons plucked their number one selection out of the high school ranks, overall coming up with another solid winner in this year's pick' em.
Name: Nakagawa, Hiroki/3B
Born: 4/26/1985
Birthplace: Shiga Prefecture
Height: 5'9" Weight: 167 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Chukyo High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Played with a club team during junior high. Was just another teenage baseballer until seeming to suddenly blossom all at once. Played in two Koshien Tournaments. Drilled three homers in a prefectural tournament game this past summer. Nakagawa slammed 28 homers as a schoolboy in his team's four hole. He tended to hit early in the count and is a dead fastball hitter, but that doesn't mean he is a wild swinger, either. Has a strong arm, average speed and, one team scout thinks, could also play second if asked to. Is average with the glove. We'll have to see how he handles pro-level pitches inside since he is one of those hitters who likes to extend and hit pitches over the plate and away. Tends to open his front shoulder a little quick, though. In high school, he let that pitch get in on him and he would ram it back up the middle when he should have turned and burned on it. Has a strong upper body and should be able to bring even more muscle to the ball as he matures. His head is still and hands are above the ball even with a pronounced leg kick that he should probably shorten up for the quicker pro pitching. So is he the second coming , say, Akinori Iwamura? The same scout quoted above thought that Nakagawa was the number one high school position player in the draft. That may be optimistic, but we'll see. It's harder to tell with guys like Nakagawa who come into their own seemingly out of the blue. Signed for a $720,000 bonus and a $65,000 salary. MPG File
Name: Ishikawa, Satoru/P
Born: 6/1/1981
Birthplace: Hakodate, Hokkaido
Height: 6'0" Weight: 200 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Hakodate Kogyo High School
College: Hachinohe University
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Started playing baseball in second grade. Was a relief pitcher in both high school and college and is looked at as a potential closer. He features a 94mph max fastball (consistently in the low 90's), an okay slider , a forkball that is said to be very very good and a big overhand curveball. That fastball could develop more heat and perhaps more movement if he stays on the rubber a little better during his delivery. As you'll see in the MPG file, by the time he brings his arm up, his back foot is already off the rubber by a few inches, which will disappate his weight transfer. It is also arguably a balk. Moreover, it puts more strain on his front shoulder to generate his velocity. He otherwise has a nice. smooth delivery, though he falls off toward first base a little. But that can be corrected as he learns to throw over his front foot better. He is reportedly a very poised moundsman and keeps his pitches down while also being able to spot the heater on the corners. The Beyond Pacific scout, though, hinted that Ishikawa may need to to not be so fastball focused and use his forkball more to give pro level hitters something else to think about. He admires Kazuhiro Sasaki, so you may very well see him using that splitter more than what he indicated during his press conference. Notched a more than $900,000 signing bonus, a $135,000 salary with another $450,000 in incentives. MPG File
Name: Sato, Mitsuru/P
Born: 4/29/1978
Birthplace: Sakado, Saitama Prefecture
Height: 6'3" Weight: 176 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Sakado Nishi High School
College: Nittai University
Industrial League: Nihon Seimei
Comments: Started plaing baseball in fourth grade. Was originally going to play volleyball in junior high, but that program was cut and so he joined the baseball squad. He grew a full foot in one year as a ninth grader to 6'2."Went 19-4 as a collegian.Has a fastball consistently around 90mph (max 92mph) and accompanies it with a shuuto, changeup, slider and forkball. Sato, who has had some back trouble, can usually put the ball where he wants it and gets some nice tilt on his pitches, finishing everybody away and getting them out with the splitter after setting them up inside with the shuuto and fastball. However, against lefties, he tends to leave a lot of pitches up and on the outer half of the strike zone, those pitches usually leaving the yard. Furthermore, he has a tendency to drop his arm at times (not uncommon among pitchers) and that kills some of his movement. His mechanics are pretty decent otherwise out of a no windup approach, though he will need to make a few changes, some of them maybe being mental, to better handle lefties. At some point, he may get a rotation shot. Consequently, he is probably not going to help the Dragons this season, barring injury. Cadged a $900,000 signing bonus, a $135,000 salary and another $450,000 are available in incentives.
Name: Nakamura, Koji/OF
Born: 5/6/1981
Birthplace: Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture
Height: 6'1" Weight: 182 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Takikawa Number Two High School
College: Tohoku Fukushi University
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Started playing baseball in second grade. If Alex Ochoa can't boost his RISP numbers in 2004 over the two bucks he hit (and that only after a big spurt in September), he may give way to Nakamura, a speedy (though more of an acceleration type runner rather than a guy who explodes out of the box) centerfielder with a good gun and a potential power bat, like the second coming of Kosuke Fukudome. Indeed, the Dragons paid through the nose by Japanese standards for a fifth rounder, giving Nakamura a $900,000 signing bonus and a $110,000 salary plus incentives. He is apparently one of those hitters who, if he gets a pitch he can handle, won't miss it and will drill the bejesus out of it, though he isn't going to hit everything that is thrown at him. This type of hitter tends to succeed in the Japanese leagues. Before his senior year, Nakamura had shown problems handling pitches down and away mainly due to tending to end up on his front foot, but has since altered his approach and was seen wacking those pitches the opposite way with authority recently, hammering a big jack to right in a fall college tourney. Nonetheless, he still needs to do some work keeping his hands back and using his legs better. He does keep his front side closed, very well. Manager and former Triple Crown winner Hiromitsu Ochiai's personal instruction helped turn Norihiro Nakamura into a more well rounded slugger and there is no reason that he can't do the same with another Nakamura. If he develops quickly, Chunichi may have the best throwing outfield in all of Japan with Fukudome and Ochoa in center and right respectively and Nakamura supplanting the relatively weak hitting Koichi Sekikawa in left.
Name: Donoue, Takahiro/3B
Born: 5/27/1985
Birthplace: ?
Height: 5'11" Weight: 193 pounds
Bats: Left Throws: Right
High School: Aikodai Meiden High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: His father, Terushi "Jumbo" Donoue, was once a pitcher for the Dragons. Slammed a homer into the leftfield seats at Nagoya Dome off of Kosuke Fukudome during a fan appreciation day event. He is also said to have topped another Aikodai alumn, Ichiro Suzuki, in the hitting department at that school. Slugged 46 homers as a schoolboy. Played in the Koshien Tournament this past year. Is thought to have outstanding power to all fields, but has trouble handling pitches away unless he is looking that way. The reason is that his front side from his open stance tends to stay open more than it should. However, he is strong enough to muscle balls into the outfield if he makes contact on that outside pitch when he is fooled. In fact, he looks like Ichiro when he flares the ball to left one handed. He has an outstanding eye, aided by him letting the ball get in on him before hammering it, but he might want to shorten up his stride and stroke a bit. It is believed that he will hit well with RISP when he matures. In the field, he has plus arm strength and soft hands, but has a tendency not to stay on top of the ball when he throws and thus he will keep his first baseman moving around a lot unless he can correct that fault. He is probably a couple of years away, but if Norberto Semanaka develops, the Dragons could have an intimidating first-third combination roundabout 2006 or 2007. MPG File
Name: Kawagishi, Tsuyoshi/P
Born: 9/12/1979
Birthplace: ?
Height: 5'8" Weight: 154 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Toin Gakuen High School
College: Komazawa University
Industrial League: Toyota Motors
Comments: A sidearmer who tops out at about 90mph (most usually between 85-88mph), with a slider and sinker.. He also has a changeup that moves into righthanded hitters. Will work them in and out and keeps the ball down. Will try to jam lefties with his slider and then throw the changeup away. Is the type that aims to keep the ball off the fat part of the bat as opposed to going for strikeouts. Will surrender quite a few hits, though. Some think he might make the Opening Day roster, but I wouldn't count on it since the Dragons pen may be the best in the circuit. Kind of drags his backfoot off the rubber before he delivers the ball. May be able to put a little more giddyup into his fastball if he stays on it longer to get more explosiveness toward the plate. As it is, he looks like he is literally reaching to the plate with his body. See MPG file at: MPG File
Name: Ogawa, Masatoshi/C
Born: 1/18/1979
Birthplace: ?
Height: 6'2" Weight: 190 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Urawa Gakuin High School
College: Toyo University
Industrial League: Nihon Tsuun
Comments: Supposed to have some pop and can really throw, but needs to work on blocking pitches in the dirt and speeding up his footwork when he goes to throw somebody out. At best, a career backup unless he can hit enough to keep himself in the lineup. If he doesn't hit in the minors and can really throw as well as advertised, they might see what he looks like on the mound ala Troy Percival, who was also once a catcher.
Yomiuri
Minami could be the sleeper of this draft. Utsumi is one of the three big industrial league draftees, but I don't find his stuff as exciting as, say, Daisuke Mori's. Three of these selections are going to spend a lot of time in the minors and may not pan out at all, especially Sato. A couple of others need some time to develop. If Utsumi and Nishimura go nowhere their rookie years, the Giants are in trouble since you can't win if your bullpen looks like an old Angels or Mariners convention of pryomaniacs.
Name: Utsumi, Tetsuya
Born: 4/29/1982
Birthplace: Fukui Prefecture
Height: 6'1" Weight: 176 pounds
Bats: Left Throws: Left
High School: Tsuruga Kehi High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: Tokyo Gas
Comments: Arguably the prime industrial league pitching pick, Utsumi started playing baseball in second grade. His grandfather played for Yomiuri for two seasons in the late 1930's and will wear the same number, 26, as gradad did. After taking up a 20 strikeout game in high school, he was drafted on the first round by Orix in 2000, but hoping to play for Yomiuri, turned that team down and signed on with Tokyo Gas, where he has spent the last three seasons. His fastball tops out at 91mph and he is most consistently in the 88-89 range. Supplementing that is a big slow curve ball that Giants scouts compare to Kimiyasu Kudoh's in its movement and a slider. Reportedly has outstading finish on his breaking pitches and he can spot them on the corners. Will back off of using his slider against lefthanders and instead tries to jam them up and in. He holds on to the ball a long time before releasing it, which will throw off hitters timing. Has good balance and weight trainsfer, though it is unlikely he will be adding any more velocity since it hasn't changed much since high school. Tends to get in a rut in how he approaches hitters, so how catcher Shinnosuke Abe calls games in which Utsumi pitches will be a factor in his success or lack thereof. May need to add a forkball or another sinking pitch. His smooth mechanics should keep his arm healthy.Signed for a $950,000 bonuns, a $135,000 salary and a $450,000 incentives package. MPG File
Name: Nishimura, Kentaro
Born: 5/10/1985
Birthplace: Hiroshima Prefecture
Height: 6'0" Weight: 173 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Koryo High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Started out playing softball in fourth grade before playing in Senior League in junior high. Lead Koryo to a Koshien Tournament win in the spring of last year as its ace while becoming one of the most hotly pursued high schoolers in this draft. His Koshien record lifetime in four such tourneys is 9-3 with as 1.97 ERA. He features a 91mph fastball, a slow curve and a hard slider. However, he kind of goes into a crouch when he delivers the ball, which eats up some of the explosion he should be getting. If Giants coaches can correct that, he could gain a little more pop on that fastball. But even with that problem, Nishimura has excellent command and control and has shown tenacity and good mound presence. Keeps the ball down. His tendency to throw so many strikes, though, could be a problem and he may need to work more on luring hitters in chasing that slider out of the zone rather than attempting to fool them within it.Took a $750,000 signing bonus and a $60,000 salary. He will wear number 12. MPG File
Name: Hiraoka, Masaki/P
Born: 7/1/1985
Birthplace: Kaifu-cho, Tokushima Prefecture
Height: 5'10" Weight: 160 pounds
Bats: Left Throws: Right
High School: Tokushima Shogyo High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Started laying baseball in first grade. Played in one Kohsien Tournament (spring 2003). Fastball has been clocked as high as 91mph. Along with it, he has a slider, a changeup and a forkball. He tends to leave that fastball about belt high when he attempts to spot it on the outer half of the plate. His slider is a solid pitch, but he can't really throw it consistently for strikes, so more patient pro hitters may lay off it and sit either on his decent change or his heater. His forkball is okay. His curve ball is a little flat and he will need to get tighter rotation on it to change the plane of hitters eyes. His breaking pitches are consistently down, but right as he is delivering the ball, he pulls his left shoulder off toward first base and even if his finish is good, he ends up somewhat off balance. So expect that to be a focal point for Giants coaches in spring training, especially since it is going to lead to shoulder problems if he doesn't correct it.. He's thus still a bit on the raw side and is unlikely to help the Giants for a couple of years, but that's understandable. He was able to get high school hitters out up in the zone, but that pitch will be hammered in the bigtime. at: MPG File
Name: Iwadate, Manabu/SS
Born: 4/14/1981
Birthplace: Narita, Chiba Prefecture
Height: 5'10" Weight: 167 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Narita High School
College: Toyo University
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Is a solid defensive player who makes all the plays that he should make, but his range and arm are average at best. His future is probably as a backup second baseman. Has a pretty good line drive hitter's swing, can launch pitches on the inner half of the plate on occasion and hits the ball back through the middle with authority, but has a tendency to try to pull the outside pitch too much. The Beyond Pacific scout, while comparing Iwadate to Kintetsu shortstop Masahiro Abe, also wondered that given his low collegiate batting average, wouldn't it be better for him to head off to the industrial leagues? Good question. But a Yomiuri scout had a more optimistic assessment, saying that Iwadate makes solid contact, has good wrist action and is very athletic. MPG File
Name: Yamamoto, Kenju/P
Born: 4/8/1981
Birthplace: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture
Height: 6'1" Weight: 158 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Yokusuka Municipal Kogyo High School
College: Teikyo University
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Well, here's to hoping this guy puts on some weight. Reportedly has a maximum 92mph fastball, a pretty good curve and a solid forkball with good control. There is some expectation that Yamamoto will add some velocity. Mechanically, he is said to resemble a younger Daisuke Matsuzaka. Was able to get hitters to chase his fastball above the strike zone in college. The question is, will pro hitters be suckered into doing the same thing?
Name: Sato, Kosuke/C
Born: 11/29/1985
Birthplace: Wakayanagi-cho, Miyagi Prefecture
Height: 6'1" Weight: 173 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Tohoku High School
College: N/A
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Wanted to be a pro baseball player since elementary school. Played in two Koshien Tournaments (spring, summer 2003). Mother died several years ago and father and grandmother both died in the last year, leaving just him and his 19 year old sister to fend for themselves. He had expected to play in the industrial leagues before being surprised by his draft selection. Has decent footwork and gets the ball to second in under two seconds. Had problems handling the pitches of former teammate Yuhei Takai (now with Yakult), but has made rapid strides with the glove since. Unfortunately, he is kind of a mess with the bat and with still young Shinnosuke Abe the incumbent backstop, Sato is unlikely to see any time at the top level for the next three or four years while he sorts himself out offensively and learns how to handle pro pitching behind the plate. He tends to drop his hands when he starts his swing and doesn't get his legs and hips into the ball well at all. But it should also be said that he is a smart game caller and his amiable personality enables him to communicate well with his pitching staff. So if he develops with the bat and becomes an okay hitter, he could have a nice career for himself. But his batwork will be the signal issue and he will have plenty of motivation to work at it given his living circumstances. He said to reporters that he wants to face his old batterymate and that he would be sitting on Takai's slider and would take him deep. Can heave the ball 360 feet. Signed for a $440,000 signing bonus and a $47,000 salary.
Name: Minami, Kazuaki/P
Born: 8/27/1981
Birthplace: ?
Height: 6'0" Weight: 185 pounds
Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: Shinko Gakuen High School
College: Fukui Kogyo University
Industrial League: N/A
Comments: Has gained 33 pounds in college, which has helped to increase his velocity to 91mph. His other weapon is a sharp slider. However, he tends to tip his curve and it isn't a very good one anyway. He has tried to pattern himself after Daisuke Matsuzaka by burying hitters inside and has tremendous control. Will still have to keep the ball down, though, to succeed. Will probably be asked to add a forkball. Threw a 12 inning, 19 strikeout complete game last fall with no walks. His mechanics are pretty orthodox and he has good balance, keeping his front shoulder closed toward the plate and coming up in textbook fielding position. However, I would like to see him get his back a little more through the ball since it will help him keep his pitches down. I also believe, though, that he has a couple more MPH in that arm, too, if he is taught correctly. His fastball has some pop on it, so don't be surprised if he ends up actually having a better career than Nishimura, who, I feel, is somewhat overrated. Studying some film of Mark Mulder might be a good idea for this kid. MPG File
