The Seibu Lions of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League will post shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Legacy Sports will represent Nakajima in the U.S., according to Rosenthal.
In the summer of 2010, Patrick Newman of FanGraphs called Nakajima Japan's second-best hitter behind Norichika Aoki (who will also be posted). Nakajima asked to be posted last offseason, but the team denied his request. The 29-year-old shortstop hit .297/.354/.433 with 16 home runs and 27 doubles in 633 plate appearances for the Lions in 2011.
Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins headline a top-heavy trade and free agent market for shortstops. Many teams figure to bid for the rights for Nakajima if they're priced out of the market for Reyes and Rollins and intrigued by a possible alternative to the second-tier options.
Could see the Pirates in on this for sure.
No thanks
I agree. Those stats are weak after you adjust for MLB.
Where can I find this Japan to MLB conversion tool?
History.
Twins??
(just kiddin)
The D’backs will probably be all over him. They could always use 1 or 7 more extra infielders.
please, giants, do it!
no really though can we please have a single post that profiles all of the international free agents/posted players? i cannot keep track
+1
This doesn’t really seem like the Cardinals kind of thing, but it’s time to try to find a SS for the future. I would like to see them involved here.
** As long as he is a solid defender.
I can’t see the Braves trying for him, but i’d love to see it. We’ve had our own experiences with Japanese players.
I’m eating my words. He’s going to want many years. ^.^
Doubt this is an option but would he consider a one year deal? If so maybe Braves should take a look at him
hes old
not as old as Rollins.
Rumor has it that the Marlins are interested.
To play Buck Short?
I sure hope one of these NPB players excels here. I’m in need of a new outstanding Japanese star to root for with Ichiro and Matsui on the decline.
Kei Igawa is a star… in triple AAA!!!!
in triple AAA? so there is a 6-A team or do i multiply it and get a 9-A team?
Igawa is like the fourth Indy movie. No one talks about it or ever talks about it or acknowledges its existence.
I would also love to see a Japanese player succeed!
“Oh sure Ichiro, I’ll let him know.” Ichiro wants you to know that he has almost 2500 hits and if he had started his career in the MLB then he could easily break Pete Rose’s all time hits record. In fact, he still can break it.
“I’m sorry Ichrio, your the only one. Don’t worry, I’m sure another Japanese player will have a successful CAREER.”
Ichiro is probably the lone HOF player from Japan, but I think it’s a little harsh to say that no other player from Japan has had a “successful” career, guys like Nomo and Matsui have definately had successful careers, alough not HOF caliber.
I really think the Giants should invest in him. The Bay Area has a pretty large Japanese-American population, so if even he’s just an average SS, he could bring in more revenue. Not to mention, he’d be an upgrade over anything they had last year.
Who cares if they have a large Japaneese population? The Giants sign a crappy Japaneese player and all the sudden 1000000s of asians like baseball…
Is this guy a fit for the Mets if Reyes leaves?
I would think they’d have enough funds. Not sure how much this guy would cost, though…
No we have Chin-Lung Hu!!!
Pirates please
I put the name Hiroyuki Nakajima into the Scrabble Word Finder and the word “marijuana” came up. Sure I can get 54 points on a triple word score, but can I get a decent shortstop? Just say no.
Wow this is horrible.
Hopefully the Braves make a run for this guy.
This guy, unlike Aoki, didn’t have a numbers drop this year when the Japanese league switched to a MLB-style ball. So his pop should translate. He will still need to adjust to better pitching, and will probably have to move to 3B.
I would like to see the Mariners get him, I the price isn’t rediculous
Nakajima will soon be starring for some unlucky team in a bad movie called “Nishioka: The Sequel”. Nakajima is a AAA caliber player who will wind up in a major league roster because some team foolishly spent way to much money on him.
I could see the Jays putting in a bid in the hopes they can switch him to 2B. And I think whoever gets him will get a surprisingly good return. It’s not like he’s going to be an all-star, but his NPB numbers are more consistent and impressive than Nishioka’s. And because Nishioka was a dissappointment (in year 1 anyway), Nakajima’s winning bid and contract will probably be a tad lower.