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Mariners Sign Munenori Kawasaki

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | January 4, 2012 at 9:22pm CDT

The Mariners have signed Japanese shortstop Munenori Kawasaki to a minor league contract, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America. MLB has confirmed the move, Eddy notes. Kawasaki, 30, was a free agent and could sign without a posting fee.

Kawasaki posted a .267/.310/.327 with 31 stolen bases in 655 plate appearances as Softbank's shortstop in 2011. The Mariners, who are also nearing a deal with Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, have been linked to Kawasaki since last month.

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Munenori Kawasaki Seattle Mariners Transactions

D’Backs Notes: Parra, Montero, Drew
Main
Cubs Notes: Garza, Wood, LaHair, Marshall
42 comments
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Comments

  1. redsx968

    7 years ago

    Meh. Decent I guess. Can he play anywhere else in the infield?

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  2. CaseyMcLain

    7 years ago

    If he can play SS he can probably play 2b at least, if not 3b also. Maybe not 3b at MLB level. 

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  3. Jorge Yazpik

    7 years ago

    Yes, Japanese pile!!! Iwakuma, Kawasaki!

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  4. Tony Matias

    7 years ago

    Neat..

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    • soxfan123123

      7 years ago

      your picture is disgusting haha

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      • Tony Matias

        7 years ago

        I thought it was an appropriate pic for what I think the M’s have done in the off season. :)

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  5. Kendall Adkins

    7 years ago

    BIGGEST NEWS OF THIS OFFSEASON!!!

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    • redsx968

      7 years ago

      AYYY! Nice one! haven’t heard that before!

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      • Dan_O62

        7 years ago

        I think Ted Baxter fumbled that one 36 years ago.

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  6. EdinsonPickle

    7 years ago

    I’m excited to see the M’s turn into the ragtag group of Japanese All-Stars that will catch lightning in a bottle and win 117 games en route to the franchise’s first WS title before fading away into mediocrity and obscurity. Seriously, this is going to be like Seven Samurai, but with baseball.

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  7. Timothy J. Franklin Williams

    7 years ago

    Great move for the Seattle Supersonics.

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  8. Jon Melton

    7 years ago

    Sub 700 ops in japanese leauge,  watchout cal ripkin

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    • JohnnyHamer

      7 years ago

      Watch out spelling and capitalization.

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      • Jon Melton

        7 years ago

        If yuse dont lies it goto an English grammar blog or is it to much to focus on sports in a sports blog

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        • Jon Melton

          7 years ago

          I see you are an O’s fan so I would say any hope of contention  is out the window in Jan. anyways keep up the spelling and capitalization.

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          • Ken Leder

            7 years ago

            You do notice that you are saying that to yourself right?

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    • Kurisu Rg

      7 years ago

      It’s the Mariners. He’ll probably bat third in that lineup.

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  9. cards2WS

    7 years ago

    Yuck. .267/.310 in the Japan league translates to .220/.290 i’m guessing. His 30 steals probably means 10-13 here. Don’t know how good his D is though…

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    • vertigoman

      7 years ago

      Stolen bases translate pretty well actually. His defense is said to be plus plus.
      Hits LHed and evidently knows how to bunt quite well. Juan Pierre esque at SS.
      I’ll take it. It’s a no risk contract and he could contribute. Look at what Punto got.
      Kind of a no brainer move.

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      • Fifty_Five

        7 years ago

        Juan Pierre actually has some offensive value though. More of another Brendan Ryan with worse D

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        • vertigoman

          7 years ago

          Except Ryan bats RHd, isn’t a good bunter and isn’t a great base stealer.
          But yeah, their skill sets match up almost perfectly.

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    • Rene Szeywerth

      7 years ago

      They changed the ball in Japan last year and hitters struggled mightily. The new ball is more similar to the one used in MLB and generally hurt power numbers. That’s what always has been observed: guys who hit 30-40 homeruns in Japan just hit 10-20 in the MLB. Only Matsui (who had something like 50 homeruns in Japan) put up decent power numbers. That’s also why they changed the ball: Japan lacks real power hitters.
      That being said – Kawasaki has never been a power threat in Japan (max 4 homeruns a season) though he had an avg above .300 in 2004, 2006-2008 and 2010. Seeems like he relies more an speed (especially infield singles) just like Ichiro.

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  10. tdot32

    7 years ago

    .267 in japan? ouch.

    that’s the equilivalent of .002 in the majors, so good thing they only inked for a minor league deal.

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  11. MadisonMariner

    7 years ago

     Meh..as an M’s fan, this is nothing great, but nothing terrible.

    It’s a minor league contract, so no huge committment on the M’s part, and looking at his stats, a minor league contract with an NRI to spring training seems about right for Kawasaki.

    He’ll likely compete with Luis Rodriguez(who, after being on the team last year, was given an outright assignment to AAA in October or November, refused it, became a free agent, then re-signed with the M’s on a minor league contract).  One of them will likely earn the job of primary utility infielder.  Or, perhaps both make the team if Chone Figgins is miraculously traded before Opening Day and Kyle Seager earns the starting 3B job as a result.

    Good depth move, but nothing more.

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  12. Eric

    7 years ago

    It will be interesting to see how Kawasaki and Iwakuma affect Ichiro. Kawasaki is a good bet to become the back-up for Seattle’s middle infield. And if Ryan is traded, Kawasaki could be the bridge between Brendan Ryan and Nick Franklin.

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  13. Jorge Yazpik

    7 years ago

    Can we buy some Hattori Hanzo swords now? Should be fun for the clubhouse…

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  14. CrustyJuggler

    7 years ago

    I doubt he breaks with the club.  His bat really looks completely worthless.

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    • Eric

      7 years ago

      link to baseball-reference.com
      Take a look at his career numbers. He is a quick middle infielder, and is a good bet to get more than a few at bats with the M’s in 2012.

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      • sonofsnake

        7 years ago

        Also Japan just entered the equivalent of the dead ball era.

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  15. m4r1n3r

    7 years ago

    Nothing special here no but its not a terrible signing either.

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  16. Eric

    7 years ago

    I think that Munenori Kawasaki is going to be a bit of an underdog due to his poor 2011 season with Softbank. But remember that he is only 30, and in 2010 he had 190 hits. His career numbers are .295/.344/.377; he isn’t going to hit for power, but you can count on him for speed (he has 147 stolen bases over 5 seasons).

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  17. Weighed

    7 years ago

    I think this signing was just to please the Jap crowd that follow the M’s. Won’t hurt any one. He sounds excited to come and play for the M’s so he should be a welcome team member. 
    We have a Suzuki, Kawasaki… but we really need a Harley. 

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  18. Guest

    7 years ago

    since his name is kawasaki, maybe his teammates are looking for a hook up for free motorcycles

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  19. Joshua Thompson

    7 years ago

    HOLY HELL! THIS IS GREAT NEWS! We signed Munenori Kawasaki! He’s the most coveted left handed, middle career, short stop coming out of Japan this year! And think of all the revenue possibilities! The Mariner’s sales department will finally land the big Kawasaki of Tukwila advertising deal that they’ve been holding their breath on. 

    I was holding out on supporting the M’s till they made an off-season move that showed they were serious about putting a championship caliber team on the field. They started out good when they acquired Jaso, and started to peak my interest when they hooked big time free agent George Sherill to solidify the pen. But Kawasaki! Damn! This is SO AWESOME!

    And to think that in our small, four team division, Texas is just riding on the lorals of two consecutive World Series appearances. And the Angles? Picked up a couple of no names. Albert and some guy named C.J. something. Well guess what AL West! Look in the rear view mirror baby. Cause the M’s are back in business!

    …

    On a serious note. Oakland spent more money on one player than the M’s have all off season. Coco Crisp. Jesus. Oakland has topped us in the off season so far by signing Coco Crisp. 

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    • Guest

      7 years ago

      think about it….ichiballs riding a kawasaki….awesome marketing!!!

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      • Joshua Thompson

        7 years ago

        Maybe if he need’s a Kawasaki. Ichiro’s ability to beat out an infield single last year tanked from his career average. 

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    • seajtl

      7 years ago

      Please stop being a Mariners fan.

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