Things are quiet in the majors as we await Game 5 of the World Series, so here’s the latest from a pair of Asian leagues…
- Reliever Koji Uehara saw his major league career end after the 2017 season, when he headed back to his native Japan to pitch for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. Now, after a season in which Uehara pitched to a 3.63 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 1.3 BB/9 over 34 2/3 innings, the Giants are considering releasing the 43-year-old, according to the Japan Times. Uehara underwent left knee surgery on Tuesday, and if he’s able to bounce back from that, the Giants could re-sign him, per the report. Otherwise, considering his age, it’s possible the eight-time NPB All-Star has thrown his last pitch as a professional – even though the report indicates he’d like to continue playing. Uehara enjoyed an excellent major league career from 2009-17 as a member of a few teams – including the Red Sox, with whom he won a World Series in 2013 – posting a 2.66 ERA with 10.71 K/9, 1.46 BB/9, 95 saves and 81 holds in 480 2/3 frames. Those numbers are actually better than the stats Uehara has compiled with Yomiuri, the only Japanese team for which he has pitched. Across 11 seasons and 1,583 2/3 frames with the Giants, Uehara has notched a 3.02 ERA with 8.0 K/9 against 1.2 BB/9.
- Merrill Kelly, a righty for SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization, has “been talked about as a possible MLB arm” for 2019, Sung Min Kim of The Athletic and River Ave Blues tweets. Kelly has been pitching in the KBO since 2015, but he did garner some minor league experience from 2010-14 as a member of the Rays, who chose him in the eighth round of the 2010 draft. At the time of Kelly’s selection, Baseball America (subscription required) wrote that he gets by “with a lot of funk and deception,” adding that he “profiles better as a reliever in pro ball.” Now 30, Kelly has parlayed his fastball-changeup-curveball repertoire into a solid career as a starter in the hitter-friendly KBO, where he has amassed at least 180 frames in three seasons and combined for a 3.86 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9.
Anyone miss Kawasaki like me
O’s fan here. Very much so. Loved the way he hit spots, and what he was able to do over his MLB career.
Kelly seems like a good spot to use some of that excess piles of international money the O’s have to use it or lose it. Won’t cost much and doesn’t need much development. Right up their alley
From how I understand they dont need to spend international money on someone that age.
link to quotev.com was also published on fangraphs community research. Should be an excellent article to get more information on Kelly.
Wow! 43 already?
Dude was mid 30’s when he joined the O’s. Crazy transition to make I’m sure
Valuable member of The Red Sox, The only thing better than his results was his attitude and his enthusiasm for the game
I enjoyed having him as an Oriole too. Seemed like a good teammate with an infectious smile
Seemed impossible to dislike. Excellent pitcher too and the only reliable red sox reliever i’ve ever seen
I was in Japan in late April / early May and got to see him pitch…
Should have these more often looking at over seas players, guys who could come back to the show, guys who could make the jump, etc.
Yeah Miles Mikolas definitely proved there’s some big potential value overseas.
Henry Sosa, Josh Lindblom, Tyler Wilson, Hyeon Jong Yang, Jake Brigham, Dustin Nippert, Brooks Raley, Hector Noesi, Ryan Feierabend are all 4/5 starter quality guys in the KBO right now. Kikuchi, Norimoto, Sugano, Kishi are top NPB pitchers. Azuma and Choi are some NPB and KBO prospects who could come over after they get some service time.
Uehara should totally come down and pitch in the Australian baseball league, we need a few more big names and draw cards
When will Darin Ruf make his come back? Dude is tearing up the league.
Also Romak, Park and Kim
I believe Mel Rojas jr is also playing very well. Good way to potentially reboot your career.
link to statiz.co.kr here