Former major leaguer Kazuo Matsui has rejoined his first professional team, the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (hat tip to Kyodo News). The 42-year-old was not offered a contract by his previous team, the Rakuten Eagles, and will now reportedly take on both outfielder and coaching duties for the Lions. “I felt strongly about continuing my playing career,” Matsui said. “I know the competition will be tough but I’ll get more motivated playing against younger players.” Matsui hit .267/.321/.380 while stealing 102 bases across 2,555 major league plate appearances with the Mets, Rockies and Astros from 2004-2010, with whom he played mostly second base. During his Japan career, however, Matsui put up fantastic offensive numbers (including 201 career homers). He earned four Gold Glove Awards as well as the 1998 Pacific League MVP Award.
Some other things happening in foreign territory…
- Former Phillies outfielder/first baseman Darin Ruf has found some success in Korea, hitting 31 homers and leading the entire Korean Baseball Organization with 124 RBI. According to the Yonhap News Agency, the Samsung Lions recently re-signed him for the 2018 season on a $1.5MM deal. During his career in the U.S., Ruf played at the MLB level during parts of five seasons, bouncing back and forth between the Phillies and their Triple-A affiliate. Across 833 major league plate appearances, he played at roughly replacement level, showing poor plate discipline (8.2 BB%, 27.5 K%) but decent power (.193 ISO).
- Elsewhere in the KBO, the NC Dinos have inked former major league pitcher Logan Verrett to a pact worth $800K (also via the Yonhap News Agency). Verrett had a 4.62 ERA during his major league career with the Mets and Orioles. A whopping 15.5% HR/FB rate may have done him across his 150 career MLB innings, along with a very low 6.84 K/9.
- According to a tweet from ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, multiple MLB teams have shown interest in former Padres pitcher Jay Jackson. Crasnick notes that Jackson has been one of the best setup men in Japan over the last two seasons. Jackson only pitched 4 1/3 innings at the major league level in 2015, but did flash a 95.1 MPH fastball. He also put up a 2.54 ERA in 63 2/3 innings with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate that same season.
Chris Carter strikes me as a guy who become an absolute legend in Korea.
He might hit 80 HR in a season and strikeout 45% at this same time. Haha
if Felix Pie can be a power legend there I’m sure a guy like Carter or Pedro Alvarez would dominate.
Kaz Matsui played for the Mets not the Dodgers.
Lol I thought there was another kaz matsui or something at first had to go to baseball ref because I knew a kaz matsui played for mets
Love scouring over KBO and NPB rosters every year to see those obscure names you never thought you’d hear again from the majors.
agree. you will see guys like Carlos Villanueva, Héctor Noesí, David Huff, Michael Choice, and others you’d thought you’d never hear of again.
First thing I thought was he was a Met not a Dodger. He was great on MVP Baseball 2005, just decent in MLB
After his call up in 2012 and hot start (for about 2 weeks) in 2013 some fans on the Phillies MLB site gave Ruf the nickname “Babe” Ruf. That fell apart fast.
He was poorly mismanaged, tbf. They overpassed him by giving everyday OF ABs to Delmon Young
@ Brixton In 2013? He came up on July 6 and played in 73 of the teams remaining 74 games. He played 1B or LF with Young in RF until Young was benched Aug. 8 and then released on the 14th. They brought Ruf up to replace Howard when he tore his knee. Ruf took over in RF for Young for the next few weeks and then played LF, RF and 1B. He didn’t lose anything to Young.
Exactly what’s going to happen to Judge in NY. Right now he’s already reached legend status but by the end of next season they will be debating if he should be DFA
Lol wrong.
Congratulations on winning Salty post of the year.
At least Judge isn’t even arbitration eligible yet.
How’s retaining Machado going?
Ruf got the nickname “babe” ruf when he was on the reading phillies in 2012 because he broke Ryan Howard’s home run record there hitting 38 to Howard’s 37. Reading also had a t shirt give away with babe ruf on it.
@ Beanball I was unaware and stand corrected. I just remembered the name being used on the Phillies site and thought it was jumping the gun a bit.
Soooo…why the photo of Pedro Florimon?
he paid them off hahahaha
Rug was the victim of a lousy GM RAJr