 |
|
|
| |
« Odds and Ends: Jacque, Lee Hak-ju, Tavarez | Main | Maddux-Braves Speculation »
Kenshin Kawakami Prefers Red Sox?
RotoWorld has done some translating of a Japanese Associated Press article. They learned that Japanese righty Kenshin Kawakami reportedly prefers the Red Sox as his 2009 destination (he'll be a free agent). The translation notes that the Yankees and Mets have scouted Kawakami.
Back in November of 2007, I asked Aaron Shinsano and Jackson Broder of East Windup Chronicle for a profile on Kawakami, among others. Here's what they wrote:
Kenshin Kawakami - Japan's highest paid starter for the champion Chunichi Dragons (he made around $3MM) mixes a fastball, cutter, and curveball. His fastball runs around 87 and his curve is very slow. He's known as a big game pitcher and always challenges hitters. He was 12-8 with a 3.55 ERA in 2007, but the K/BB ratio was an appealing 6.3 in 167 2/3 IP. He's a HR prone strikeout pitcher. Kawakami has been healthy for the past four seasons.
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515b9a69e200e5523c294c8834
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Kenshin Kawakami Prefers Red Sox?:
Comments
Top Stories
Search MLBTR
MLBTR Features
Recent Posts
Rumors By Team
Monthly Archives
Live Chats
Tuesdays at 2 p.m. CST
87 mph FB, slow curve, HR prone & likes to challenge hitters. Doesn't sound like he'd translate all that well in MLB.
Posted by: pinetarhand | May 14, 2008 at 09:24 AM
Sounds like Kei Igawa part 2.
Posted by: start_wearing_purple | May 14, 2008 at 09:48 AM
He'll only be Kei Igawa part 2 if someone invests 40 million on him and then finds out he's just a AAAA pitcher.
Maybe teams just tell him he's a reliever and pay him accordingly.
He was reliever/closer for most of his career.
Posted by: SierraM | May 14, 2008 at 09:55 AM
The infuriating part of Igawa is that he's HR but doesn't like to challenge hitters. He's the suck.
Posted by: Not Joe Morgan | May 14, 2008 at 10:41 AM
cool, but i dont know what it is with these Japanese pitchers and the high walk ratios, kind of scary. but it should be fun to see if the sox add him
Posted by: 04Forever | May 14, 2008 at 11:08 AM
"87 mph FB, slow curve, HR prone & likes to challenge hitters. Doesn't sound like he'd translate all that well in MLB."
Or to Fenway. This was my exact thought. I'll pass, thanks.
Posted by: asm | May 14, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Igawa is a AAAA pitcher??
Last I checked his AAA numbers werent very good
Posted by: curse_ended | May 14, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Might want to check again. 40/12 K/BB, less hits than IP ... he's fine in Columbus, just sucks in the Bronx.
(Let the mistake in there. I'm still not used to saying Wilkes-Barre.)
Posted by: Not Joe Morgan | May 14, 2008 at 12:42 PM
The cutter is what is interesting about him. If he can dart that thing around, he may be a Maddux type who can strike guys out with command rather than power.
As for the walks and Japanese pitchers (except for Saito, of course), I think it is the different strike zones. That makes a huge difference.
Posted by: AA | May 14, 2008 at 01:29 PM
Interesting point, AA. Would certainly explain a lot about Igawa if the Japanese strike zone skews higher than the US one. He works up way too often either around/above the letters for an easy to take ball or letters to waist for something that's landing 350 feet behind him.
Posted by: Not Joe Morgan | May 14, 2008 at 02:55 PM
Sounds kind of like El Duque from that one little piece on him.
Posted by: nrmax88 | May 14, 2008 at 04:19 PM
If he can pitch like El Duque does when healthy, he will make a fine major league pitcher. Hopefully, he will also be able to adapt to the ML strike zone the way Saito has, though without Saito's ability to consistently hit 93, he will really have to have some movement on that heater.
Posted by: AA | May 14, 2008 at 05:07 PM
The Japanese strike zone seems more lateral to me. So I would attribute Igawa's proclivity to pitch up more to his suckitude.
Kawakami is a nothing special pitch to contact guy to me. If he does land with a Major League team, a couple of years and back, back of the rotation money wouldn't hurt.
Posted by: onephine | May 14, 2008 at 05:10 PM
Kuroda's contract will almost certainly serve as a guide for Kawakami.
Posted by: AA | May 14, 2008 at 06:31 PM
Fair comparison but I wouldn't want my team throwing 3 years and 30 mil at guy coming into tougher competition for his 34-37 years that might be able to eat some innings. Though one of those teams might.
Posted by: onephine | May 14, 2008 at 07:24 PM