Yakult Swallows Home Plate
Japanese Baseball News
Archives: December 1998 - February 1999

December 1, 1998

Orix chief scout Miwata plays his last hand

Unable to persuade top draft pick Nagisa Aragaki to sign a contract with the Orix BlueWave, chief scout Katsutoshi Miwata died of an apparent suicide November 27. He was 53.

Miwata's body was found on the first floor balcony of an apartment building in Naha, Okinawa. His shoes and wallet were left behind on the 11th floor, from which he apparently fell.

Despite Aragaki's refusal to sign a contract with any team except the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, the BlueWave selected him in the November 20 draft, and won exclusive negotiating rights to him. Immediately after the draft ceremony, the Okinawa Suisan High School pitcher announced his decision to enroll in college and wait three years to re-enter the draft.

The task of changing Aragaki's mind fell upon Miwata.

Aragaki refused to meet with Miwata the day after the draft, but had apparently decided to talk with him a week later in Naha, the pitcher's home town. A few hours before the scheduled negotiation, however, Miwata took his life.

According to The Daily Yomiuri, Miwata had been concerned about financial incentives that draft picks usually demand in contract negotiations. The paper did not mention whether Aragaki had made any such demands.

Aragaki has said little since the suicide. Unknown at this point is how the fallout from Miwata's high stakes negotiating tactics will affect Aragaki's decision.

Team-by-team acquisitions:

BayStars: Yokohama started the season with three foreign players, and it appears that second baseman Bobby Rose will be the only one returning. Outfielder Jose Malave got very little playing time after the first month of the season while pitcher Pat Mahomes spent most of the season on Yokohama's farm team. The BayStars announced the acquisition of infielder Arquimendez Pozo just after the Japan Series, but it's currently unclear what their other choices will be. After their first draft choice, Yokohama high school pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, was selected by the Seibu Lions, the BayStars may be looking to pick up a new foreign hurler.

Dragons: The Dragons will probably not make any significant changes in terms of foreign players. Third baseman Leo Gomez will probably be back, as well as shortstop Jeong Bum Lee, reliever Dong Yol Sun, and left-handed pitcher Samson Lee. In the draft, Chunichi picked up an extra infielder, Kosuke Fukudome which will offer more depth to the Dragons' infield, but may force Lee to learn to play in the outfield. The team also appears prepared to sign free agent right-handed pitcher Kazuhiro Takeda, who compiled a 3.62 ERA and a 13-10 record with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks last season.

Giants: While the Giants will retain pitchers Sung Min Cho and Balvino Galvez, and are rumored to be looking for another back-up hurler, Yomiuri may opt not to select any foreign position players. The key question is, where would they put any imports? From a batting standpoint, the only clearly weak position is catcher, and Japanese teams simply do not select foreign backstops. Yomiuri's infield will get a boost from draft pick Tomohiro Nioka who, along with college pitcher Koji Uehara, signed a contract with the team last week.

Swallows: The only Yakult import who may be returning for another season appears to be pitcher Mark Acre. All others have been released. The Swallows last week announced that they are picking up outfielders Robeto Petagine and Mark Smith. Described as a "AAAA" player, Petagine has been touted as a potential every-day player in the Major Leagues who never got much of a chance. Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu said predicted that he and Smith would add more firepower to the middle of the team's line-up. While the team did sign two eighteen-year-old Japanese-Brazilian prospects in October and drafted two decent amateur pitchers in the draft, these players will need time to develop. The Swallows need another foreign pitcher.

Carp: Pitching should be Hiroshima's top concern, but most of the team's acquisitions thus far seem geared toward their offense. Last weekend, the team announced the acquisition of infielder Eddie Diaz, a AA minor leaguer with the Red Sox organization. Pitcher Nathan Minchey will return for another season, but there hasn't been any word on the team's Domican players -- outfielders Timoniel Perez and Alejandro Quezada, and pitchers Leiby Gusman and Felix Perdomo. The Carp picked up two infielders as their top draft picks.

Tigers: Regardless of their acquisition of manager Katsuya Nomura, who led the Yakult Swallows to four pennants this decade, Hanshin is still fumbling around. Of the seven foreign players who appeared with the Tigers this season, only reliever Ben Rivera is certain of returning. Darrell May pitched well enough to earn a contract extension, but his unhappiness playing with the Tigers will likely be a factor in the team's thinking. Despite posting the second-best ERA in the Western League, Doug Creek was recently let go. Both Alonzo Powell and Desi Wilson were dumped before the end of the season. In Wilson's case, he was released after playing only a handful of games, all of them at unfamiliar positions. While the Tigers have not announced their imports for next season, whoever they choose will be kept on a short leash.

Lions: If Seibu released their top slugger, designated hitter Domingo Martinez, what chance does the team's other foreign players stand of returning for next season? Probably not much. Who the Lions will acquire to take their place is anyone's guess. Although the Lions selected Daisuke Matsuzaka in the November 20 draft, the high school hurler is leaning toward spending three years in the corporate leagues so that he can join the Yokohama BayStars through the "reverse designation" system.

Fighters: At present, it appears the Fighters will replace two of their foreign players. The team announced last month they would not renew the contract of pitcher Kip Gross and there it seems a foregone conclusion that the team will release Jerry Brooks, though no formal announcement has yet been made about him or possible replacements. Nigel Wilson, Erik Schullstrom and Rafael Orellano should all be back for another season.

BlueWave: Orix has been rather silent on which of its foreign players will be back next season. Willie Fraser and James Bonnici were released earlier this year, and often-injured infielder Chris Donnels seems to be another who probably won't return. The BlueWave will also need to find a head scout who's afraid of heights.

Hawks: Daiei last month decided to dump all four foreign players. There have been no announcements yet as to who will take their place. But with the loss of Kazuhiro Takeda, who appears headed to Chunichi after declaring free agency, the Hawks will need more pitching help.

Buffaloes: With the exception of Brian Shouse, all of Kintetsu's foreign players will be back next year. The team is also trying to bolster their pitching staff by acquiring both Carlos Valdez and Fernando De la Cruz. The Buffaloes also hit pay dirt in the draft, acquiring top catching prospect, Akihito Fujii, and right-handed pitcher Shinji Udaka.

Marines: With the exception of highly successful reliever Brian Warren, none of Lotte's other foreign players will be returning next season. Julio Franco's leadership, not to mention his batting, will be missed. The team has already moved to acquire Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Brent Brede. Among their top two draft picks, the Marines picked up solid Teikyo University catcher Tomoya Satozaki and right-hander Masahide Kobayashi, who pitched for Tokyo Gas last season.

January 5, 1999

Hawks Spy Scandal investigation drags on

In early December, sports papers across Japan began splashing headlines alleging that three Fukuoka Daiei Hawks player participated in a scheme to steal signs from opponents. A subsequent in-house investigation by the Hawks found no evidence of wrongdoing, but popular mistrust of the findings and the aroma of a cover-up prompted the Pacific League to organize its own independent investigation, which is still underway.
According to published reports, the intricate scheme included at least three people in addition to the players. One person operated a television camera located near the Fukuoka Dome's center field scoreboard while a team official watched the catchers' signs on closed-circuit television. In turn, the official would communicate by walkie-talkie with a college student seated in the center field stands. Depending on how the student held the megaphone, according to the allegations, he could inform the batter what pitch would come next. If, for example, he held the megaphone in front of his face, the pitch might be a fastball, but if he held it over his right shoulder, the next pitch would be a slider or a curve.
According to the allegations, the scheme was employed from May 1997 to June 1998. The three Hawks players accused of participating in the scheme were designated hitter Koichiro Yoshinaga, infielder Shikato Yanagita and outfielder Noriyoshi Omichi. All have denied wrongdoing.
The day after the story broke, Daiei outfielder Koji Akiyama expressed profound skepticism about the reports, saying that it would be nearly impossible for a player to watch for signs in the center field bleachers while concentrating on the pitcher's delivery. According to the allegations, the student holding the megaphone, which is slightly smaller than a plastic two-liter soft drink bottle, was seated in a crowded area over 150 meters (nearly 500 feet) from home plate and surrounded by others holding similar megaphones. A player would have to have extremely keen vision to locate a single person at that distance, much less identify how he was holding a megaphone.
In their investigation, the Hawks said they tried to recreate the scheme but found it nearly impossible to do. Any reasonable person would likely agree. However, in their rush to bring the investigation to a quick conclusion, the Hawks failed to interview either the official or the college student allegedly involved, casting suspicion on the inquiry.
Three days later, on December 14, the Pacific League announced that it would set up an independent three-person panel to investigate the sign-stealing allegations. Within one week, the league announced the candidates who had been selected for the committee: former Chiba Lotte Marines general manager Tatsuro Hirooka, former Prosecutor General Eiichi Kakei and Teikyo Heisei University professor Moriyuki Torii.
The panel met for the first time on December 25 to hear the Pacific League's report of the known facts. While Kakei noted that the case would be extremely difficult to investigate, he pledged that the panel would travel to Fukuoka if needed. The panel is scheduled to meet again on January 7 before reaching a conclusion later this month.

Kida and Oka cross the Pacific

Masao Kida recently signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers, making him the latest Japanese pitcher to test his arm against major league opponents. But the fastball pitcher will not be the only Japanese hurler crossing the Pacific this year. Last month, the Boston Red Sox announced that they had acquired pitcher Tomokazu Oka, who had been recently released by the Yokohama BayStars.
Oka, a 22-year-old, compiled a 1-2 record and 5.65 career ERA in 34 games with Yokohama from 1994-1998. Appearing on the team's minor league squad in 1998, the right-hander posted a 7-8 record with 2 saves, a 2.70 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 126 2/3 innings. Yokohama's no. 3 pick in the 1993 draft, Oka never lived up to the team's expectations.
Meanwhile, several players with Japan league-experience have been in the news. Former Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Rob Ducey has inked a contract with the Phillies while the Nikkan Sports has reported that 1998 Hanshin third baseman Dave Hansen will wear Dodger blue next season. Ex-Hanshin players Scott Coolbaugh and Desi Wilson have both signed minor league contracts with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lenn Sakata, a former coach with the Chiba Lotte Marines, will manage the San Jose Giants next season. And Robinson Checo, a once highly-touted prospect in the Carp organization before he bolted Hiroshima, has been released by the Boston Red Sox.

Japan Pro Baseball, MLB ink agreement
on bidding scheme

A much anticipated agreement between Japanese and Major League Baseball was finally reached last month which offers a guideline for big league teams hoping to acquire Japanese players. Under the new accord, Japanese free agents would be able to cross the Pacific as they have in the past. But players still under contract or reserve clauses would auctioned to the highest bidder.
Here's how the system would work. A Japanese team wishing to auction a player will have the option of posting his availability between November 1 and March 1 for the following season. Within four days, any major league team interested in the player could submit a bid to the MLB commissioner, which would represent the money paid to the Japanese teams for the exclusive negotiating rights with the player. Unless the team which places the highest bid signs the player in 30 days, his rights revert back to the Japanese team. The player will then have to wait one year before the process can be started again.
While no agreement is perfect, one flaw in the new plan is that it will prohibit small-market teams from signing Japanese players. Nor would players have much choice over which teams they could join. The plan would also, apparently, forbid Japanese and major league teams from engaging in player trades. Moreover, the pact appears to be silent on other key points, such as whether foreign players are bound by the agreement. Nor does the agreement stipulate terms by which major league teams can negotiate with amateur players, or players that have been drafted but refused to sign with their teams. Without clear wording on these issues, chaos will likely follow.

Ichiro Suzuki first 500 million yen player;
other players envious, some satisfied

Just one week after the Yokohama BayStars made Kazuhiro Sasaki the largest monetary deal in Japanese baseball history, a 480 million yen pact for one year, the Orix BlueWave reached an agreement with Ichiro Suzuki worth an estimated 500 million yen. The three-time MVP earned an unprecedented fifth straight batting title in 1998 and has apparently gained the attention of several major league teams, making him one of the likeliest players to benefit from the new MLB/JPB bidding agreement.
Meanwhile, Yomiuri Giants center fielder Hideki Matsui signed a 280 million yen deal -- a 60 million yen raise -- less than three months after earning his first home run crown. Depending on which story you believe, Matsui was either grateful for the Giants generosity or miffed at their stinginess.
In a story that appeared in the Yomiuri Shimbun, the newspaper that owns the Giants, Matsui was portrayed as willing to accept any deal: "I wasn't going to haggle over getting more (money)." But a Kyodo wire story that appeared in the Asahi Evening News the same day portrayed him as clearly disappointed, saying, "There was no genuine assessment (of last year) and nothing was said about my numbers. . . Well, maybe I'll get there (to 300 million yen) next year."
Matsui is apparently not the only player feeling he was paid below his value. Several other players have rejected their teams' offers, deciding to hold out for more money. Among them are Tigers first baseman Yasuaki Taiho, Yakult infielder Takehiro Ikeyama and pitchers Tomohito Ito and Kenjiro Kawasaki, Giants pitcher Yusaku Iriki and infielder Daisuke Motoki and several others. Yokohama outfielder Takanori Suzuki and pitcher Takashi Saito were among several BayStars' players who evidently felt that Sasaki should not be the only one rewarded for the team's championship season. Even middle reliever Hideyuki Awano (4-1, 4.67 ERA) came to the table demanding a raise. Surprisingly, he got it.
Along with Awano, several other players have recently received hefty pay raises. Though he balked at the team's first offer, Lions MVP shortstop Kazuo Matsui eventually inked a deal worth 135 million yen. Hiroshima reliever Kanei Kobayashi received the largest raise for a rookie in team history, a 30 million yen contract which tripled his earlier salary. Pacific League Rookie of the Year Tatsuya Ozeki inked also inked a 30 million yen deal, a deal five times larger than his previous contract. A week after 1998 Central League Rookie of the Year Kenshin Kawakami signed a contract for 43 million yen with the Chunichi Dragons, Yomiuiri's Yoshinobu Takahashi inked a 40 million pact with the Giants. For both rookies, the new deals represented 30 million yen pay raises.

A look around the leagues:

BayStars: The big news for the BayStars this off-season is how they are going to afford all the pay raises their players are demanding (hint: they could earn enough to pay half their roster by auctioning off Kazuhiro Sasaki to the biggest major league bidder). Now that the team has finally gotten a championship, nearly every player is demanding a raise.
Fortunately for Bobby Rose, he got that taken care of before the Japan Series, inking a one-year contract extension. He'll be joined next season by Arquimendez Pozo, a AAAA player who split his time last season between Boston and AAA Pawtucket. Jose Malave and Pat Mahomes have both been released. A new foreign pitcher wouldn't hurt, but the only problem for Yokohama is figuring how to pay for one.

Dragons: It's been a fairly quiet off-season for the Dragons who appear to be retaining all of their foreign players. The only significant new face is ex-Hawks pitcher Kazuhiro Takeda, who declared free agency in November. The two parties reached agreement on a three-year deal which will pay Takeda an estimated 450 million yen. Although the 33-year-old hurler has never been an exceptional pitcher in the past, Chunichi's improved defense will likely help him as much as an extra right-handed starter will help the Dragons.

Giants: Unless they suddenly switch strategy, 1999 will be the first time in a quarter of a century that Yomiuri will go with an all Nihonjin line-up. The only foreign players they are currently looking at are pitchers. The team has already re-signed Korean right-hander Sung Min Cho and Dominican hurler Balvino Galvez. But since Cho was sidelined after the all-star break with a sore arm and Galvez suffered a melt-down, the team is also looking for some backup arms. Leading the list is Jose Parra, a 30-year-old Dominican right-hander who compiled a 6-9 record and 6.59 ERA with the Los Angeles and Minnesota from 1995-96 before finding success in the Korean league.
Although the Giants signed their top draft pick, pitcher Koji Uehara, the team will need all the pitching help they can get. Their three marquee starters -- Masaki Saito, Masumi Kuwata, and Hiromi Makihara -- have all begun to show signs of age. Fortunately, that problem is limited to their pitching staff.
The reason Yomiuri is not considering foreign position players is because of the strength of their Japanese roster. The Giants led the Central League in almost all batting categories last year while their only foreign player, Mariano Duncan, spent much of the season sidelined. While Duncan played all the infield positions except first base last season, the Giants have apparently solved their middle infield question by acquiring Kinki University shortstop Tomohiro Nioka. Ideally, Nioka could play short allowing Toshihisa Nishi to play third while Daisuke Motoki works second and Masahiro Kawai backs them up.

Swallows: In 1999, the Swallows will face their biggest change in nearly a decade. In addition to new road uniforms (similar to Yokohama's and Seibu's road jerseys), the team will have a new manager, Tsutomu Wakamatsu, and several new players.
In a trade with the Orix BlueWave last month, Yakult acquired slugger Satoshi Takahashi, who hit 29 home runs for the Pacific League team in 1992 but hasn't done much since. In addition to retaining pitcher Mark Acre, the team also announced that they had signed outfielders Mark Smith and Roberto Petagine to one-year contracts, along with pitcher Jason Jacome.
In 1998, Petagine batted .331 with 24 home runs and 30 doubles at AAA Indianapolis. Although he batted .258 with 3 home runs in Cincinnati last season, the 28-year-old left-hander has excellent plate discipline and is one of the most highly regarded players who will come to Japan next year. A hard-working first baseman and outfielder, Smith batted .264 with 3 home runs with Pittsburgh in 1998. But in 24 games at AAA Nashville that season the 28-year-old right-hander batted .355, down slightly from .372 he hit in 39 games a year earlier at AAA Calgary. A 28-year-old lefty with the AAA Buffalo, Jacome was one of the top International League pitchers in 1998 (14-2 record, 3.26 ERA). Petagine's contract calls for $600,000, Smith's $500,000, and Jacome's $700,000. Acre's salary remains unchanged at $500,000.
For the first time the team has hired two Brazilian nissei (children of Japanese immigrants). Right-handed infielder Jiro Sato and left-handed outfielder Yuichi Matsumoto, both 17 years old, singed one-year 4 million yen contracts ($35,000 U.S) and will train on the Swallows farm team for the next few years.
The team has already jettisoned some of former manager Katsuya Nomura's recycling projects (namely, pitchers Hisanobu Watanabe and Tetsuhiro Nonaka). Also gone are pitcher Akimitsu Ito, outfielders Shinichi Sato and Tomohiro Jo and several others. Outfielder Shinji Hata was sent to the Nippon Ham Fighters.
Although the Swallows have already announced that 1999 will be their last year to train in Yuma, Arizona, there are now doubts that they will even go there next month. A recent story in The Daily Yomiuri suggested that the team may avoid traveling to America because of the recent U.S. air strikes against Iraq. The Swallows also stayed home in 1991, during Operation Desert Storm.
Despite several players griping over pay raises, the Swallows have signed ace pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii to a three-year worth an estimated 110 million yen (plus up to 40 million yen in performance based incentives) a year.
Meanwhile, Yakult catcher Atsuya Furuta has been named to replace retiring Hiroshima second baseman Kozo Shoda as the new president of the Japanese players union. As the group's new leader, Futura expressed his desire to reform the draft system and reduce the number of years for free agent eligibility.

Carp: Despite the fact that the team has dismal pitching, the Carp used the 1998 draft to go shopping for young position players. And there's a good reason for that. While their minor league team posted a respectable 3.77 ERA, the ni-gun squad finished dead last in batting (.223). Their young pitchers will be ready to move up in a year or two but the team has almost no young batters worthy of promotion.
Things got worse for the Carp in December when Dominican outfielders Timoniel Perez and Alejandro Quezada requested a release so they could play in the major leagues. While Quezada may start at AAA, Perez has the potential to be a regular outfielder in the majors on opening day. Reportedly, several major league teams are already scouting the pair.
Unfortunately, Hiroshima's inability to hold onto their Dominican prospects (Robinson Checo and Alfonso Soriano were earlier defectors), has led the team to reconsider the benefits of running their Dominican baseball academy. Hiroshima is the only Japanese team to run such a facility -- hence about the only team serious about player development -- and they have given many young players an opportunity to play professionally.
To help fill the gap left by Perez and Quezada, the Carp have signed infielder Eddie Diaz who played last year for AAA Pawtucket and also saw action in the Venezuela winter league. Diaz will likely be called on to play second or first base, but he might be shifted to third in order to allow Akira Eto, who is prone to injury at the hot corner, to move to first.
Hiroshima last month announced that they had reached agreement with Nathan Minchey for a one-year, $800,000 contract. The Hiroshima workhorse led the Central League with 236 innings while posting a 15-11 record and a 2.75 ERA last season.

Tigers: When asked to say something positive about underachieving Tigers center fielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo on a recent news program, Hanshin manager Katsuya Nomura remarked, "He's handsome." While Nomura has a history of denigrating his players, to be fair, it's no easy task to think of a compliment that can be applied to Shinjo.
Still, Nomura was quick to add that while the beauty queen doesn't seem to care much about hitting or home runs, he likes to throw. The winner of five gold gloves -- though nothing about his defense merits such a distinction -- Shinjo is definitely at his best when he and bat are separated. A story in Nikkan Sports claimed the outfielder went shopping for a pitchers glove last month, fueling rumors that Nomura is planning to put Shinjo on the mound.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have renewed the contracts of pitchers Ben Rivera and Darrell May, and acquired infielder Mark Johnson. While Rivera compiled 27 saves and a 2.38 ERA, May finished the season with a 4-9 record, 94 strikeouts and a 3.47 ERA in 129 2/3 innings. Johnson, a 31-year-old left-handed first baseman, has played in four major league seasons, compiling 30 home runs, 40 doubles, a career 236 batting average, and a .342 on-base percentage in 797 at bats with Pittsburgh and Anaheim. Johnson earned a psychology degree at Dartmouth, where he also played two seasons as the school's starting quarterback.

Lions: The first sign that the Lions had lost their heads somewhere during the train ride back from Yokohama stadium was their bizarre release of top home run hitter and RBI leader Domingo Martinez because he wasn't a fast runner. As Mainichi Daily News columnist Dave Wiggins pointed out, that's kind of like firing Michelangelo for being a lousy singer.
While Seibu eventually dumped Rudy Pemberton, Brian Raabe and Giovanni Carrara, they decided to keep Terry Bross for one more season even though the right-hander spent three-quarters of the season on the farm.
Although it took a month, the Lions finally succeeded in signing reluctant top draft pick Daisuke Matsuzaka to join the team. The Yokohama High School pitcher, who led his team to a championship in the summer baseball tournament at Koshien Stadium, had originally stated that if he were not picked by the Yokohama BayStars, he would opt to play for an amateur company team for three years.
The tide seemed to turn in early December when Lions manager Osamu Higashio met with Matsuzaka and the two apparently hit it off. In their first meeting, the Lions skipper explained how the team develops players and a week later Higashio gave the high school hurler the ball he used to win his 200th game. While the friendly gestures certainly impressed Matsuzaka, others were reportedly urging him to sign with the Pacific League club for other reasons.
In a separate column, Wiggins suggested that Matsuzaka's high school trainer, Dr. Robert Beveridge, reminded the eighteen-year-old that he's hot now but a lot of things can happen in three years. Wiggins also added that "the fact that his family is not well-off financially may have been a large factor" in Matsuzaka's change of heart.
In addition to an agreement that will allow him to compete in the Olympic qualifier next September, Matsuzaka was given a 100 million yen signing bonus and a 13 million yen salary for his rookie season. Including up to 50 million yen in performance-based incentives, the entire package is worth between 1.13 - 1.63 million yen ($1 - 1.4 million U.S.).
But with all the mental energy expended to convince Matsuzaka to sign with the team, the Lions apparently didn't have much brainpower left when it came time to select new foreign players.
In early December, the Lions announced the acquisition of three new foreign players who will join Terry Bross on the 1999 Seibu Roster: Barry Manuel, a 34-year-old right-handed reliever who last posted a 7.47 ERA in 13 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998; Archi Cianfrocco, a low-average utility infielder with the San Diego Padres; and Greg Blosser, a outfielder who hit 25 home runs with a .253 average at AAA Durham last season. Though each player may have his own merits, they really don't add anything to the team. Whoever is responsible for signing these players evidently didn't put too much thought into what the Lions need.
Barry Manuel (34, R/R): What the Lions need is a young, solid left-handed starter. What they got was Manuel -- an aging right-handed reliever with little long-term potential. Manuel may be a fine pitcher -- he certainly had a great season with Montreal in 1996, compiling a 3.24 ERA while only allowing 70 hits and 26 walks in 86 innings -- but he and the Lions are a match made in hell. What he has to offer, Seibu doesn't need. Unfortunately, that also holds true for the acquisitions of Cianfrocco and Blosser.
Archi Cianfrocco (33, R/R): In one of the most bizarre personnel moves of the year, the Lions acquired utility infielder Cianfrocco, a low-average hitter whose main asset is his defensive versatility. In seven major league seasons, Cianfrocco has compiled a .241 career batting average but he could slug 20+ home runs in a full season. According to the ESPN profile on him, Cianfrocco is an impatient batter who chases breaking ball pitches outside the strike zone and strikes out quite often as a result -- in fact he struck out in 1/3 of his plate appearances in 1997. None of this bodes particularly well for Cianfrocco's chances in Japan, where pitchers look for weaknesses and nip the corners with junk balls.
While he's a solid first and third baseman, Cianfrocco has also made fleeting appearances in the outfield and at second. But the only open spot in the Seibu infield is at second base, and last year the team released infielder Brian Raabe, a much better hitter and more experienced middle infielder than than Cianfrocco. Since Lions manager Osamu Higashio insisted on benching Raabe in favor of second basemen Takagi and Tanabe, it seems unlikely he would be inclined to give much playing time to Cianfrocco.
Cianfrocco was a fine utility infielder for the Padres, and he played an important role in San Diego. The Daiei Hawks, Hanshin Tigers and Hiroshima Carp need to improve their defense and all three teams have suffered injuries to key infielders the past few years. Any of these ball clubs could use a glove like Cianfrocco's. But the odds are stacked against him being a success with the Lions.
Greg Blosser (28, L/L): It's often said that the Japanese leagues are 3 1/2 A -- they rank somewhere between AAA and the major league level. Can a low-average AAA slugger raise his batting average at a higher level of play? That's the challenge facing Blosser, who compiled a .253 average at AAA Durham in 1997.
Since he appears destined to take the designated hitter role occupied by Domingo Martinez last year, a comparison of the two seems apt. Martinez was a relatively high-average hitter (.294 ave, 1997-98) who clubbed sixty home runs in two years. His lack of defensive skills only hurt the Lions in the Japan Series, but his back-to-back 30+ home run seasons helped get them there in the first place. Martinez was ostensibly let go because of his lack of speed -- a bizarre reason since the Lions have plenty of base-stealers but not enough sluggers to drive them home.
Enter Blosser. In 115 games with Durham in 1998, the lefty outfielder stole 10 bases in 15 attempts. Not bad, but not much of an improvement over Martinez in the speed department either. Blosser's biggest asset is his ability to hit with power and draw walks -- despite his low average last season, his 73 base on balls boosted his on base percentage to a respectable .375. Again, not much better than Martinez. Unless Blosser can help get the Lions to the Japan Series by batting .280+ with 25+ home runs and double-digit steals, and help them win the best -of-seven championship with his glove, his acquisition will make no sense at all.

Fighters: While Nippon Ham is making modest changes, at least three of their foreign players will be returning for another season. Home run king Nigel Wilson (.255, 33 home runs, 124 RBIs) will be back as well as relief ace Erik Schullstrom (7-3, 8 saves, 3.00 ERA) and hard-throwing prospect Rafael Orellano.
Had Jerry Brooks hit more than eight doubles in 400+ at bats and finished with a batting average over .250, he might of stood a chance of coming back. But the numbers just weren't there, so the Fighters released Brooks along with Kip Gross, who was too expensive for Nippon Ham to keep around. In their place, the Fighters last month signed outfielder Micah Franklin and pitcher Shannon Withem.
A 26-year-old right-handed switch-hitter, Franklin compiled a .329 batting average with 29 home runs with AAA Iowa last season. He doesn't steal a lot of bases -- speed is the one area where the Fighters need to improve most -- but he's patient at the plate and has the power to hit 25+ home runs at Tokyo Dome. Unfortunately, Brooks also clubbed 25 home runs last season, so Franklin will also need to produce in other columns if he's to keep the Fighters happy.
Withem, who has only appeared in one major league game, was a top prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system. Playing for AAA Syracuse in 1998, the 26-year-old right-hander led the International League in wins, innings pitched and shutouts while compiling a 17-5 record with a 3.27 ERA. He shouldn't have much trouble taking over where Gross left off.
Meanwhile the Fighters recently signed ex-Hawks pitcher Keiji Kimura, a 34-year-old right-hander who has compiled a 30-52 record with a 4.33 ERA in eight seasons. Atsushi Kataoka, who won a gold glove and was named best nine third baseman while batting .300 and leading setting a new PL record with 103 walks, separated his right shoulder while participating in an exhibition sports festival in Osaka in early December. Kataoka was sumo wrestling when he was thrown down and landed on his shoulder. Though he also sustained a concussion, doctors reported that he should be ready to participate in Spring training. One week prior to the injury, Kataoka had signed a 150 million yen contract with the Fighters.

Hawks: It hasn't been a very good off-season for Daiei. Mired in a public relations mess, the spy scandal has put more important matters on hold. After dumping all four of their imports in November, including team RBI leader Luis Lopez, the team has not yet announced who their new foreign players will be for next season. About the only serious business they've gotten around to is cutting ace pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo's salary because he was sidelined for much of last season.

BlueWave: Aside from their head scout leaping off a building, it's been a pretty tranquil off-season for Orix. The BlueWave have apparently given up trying to sign high school star Nagisa Arakaki and have moved on to other business. The team has already dumped imports James Bonnici and Willie Fraser, but the fate of Troy Neel, Chris Donnels, Harvey Pulliam and Mark Mimbs remains unknown. No word yet on who their new imports may be. Orix, however, helped bolster their starting rotation by signing 33-year-old right hander Shinichi Kato who was mysteriously released by the Carp after posting an 8-6 record with a 2.99 ERA last season.

Buffaloes: It's been a very quiet off season for the Buffaloes. They took care of all their foreign player deals quickly, re-signing outfielder Tuffy Rhodes, first baseman Phil Clark and pitchers Rob Mattson and Phil Leftwich. The team also opted to pick up two new hurlers, Carlos Valdez (4-3, 4.10 ERA at AAA Pawtucket) and AA pitcher Fernando De la Cruz.

Marines: With a new manager, the Marines are making several changes in their line-up as well. Gone are Mark Carreon, Julio Franco, Shane Dennis and Joe Crawford. The only player to survive the foreign purge is reliever Brian Warren. Meanwhile the Marines have inked two new imports, infielder Frank Bolick and outfielder Brent Brede.
Brede, a 27-year-old left-hander, hit two home runs with a .226 batting average with Arizona last season. In three years, he's compiled a career .251 average with five home runs and eight steals in ten attempts. According to the scouting report on him, Brede is better than his numbers appear and is a good defensive outfielder and first baseman.
Bolick, a right-hander who will turn 33 next season, hasn't seen much time in the majors, compiling a career .202 batting average in 116 games with Montreal and Anaheim. In 75 games with AAA Vancouver last season, Bolick batted .264 with 10 doubles and 13 home runs. He showed some pretty good patience at the plate at Anaheim, but it's going to take more than that to stay in Lotte's line-up every day.

February 6, 1999

Tying up loose ends

Bill Clinton isn't the only one wishing to forget 1998. For yakyu fans, it was a year of controversy and scandal. And despite the calendar, it's a year that just won't go away. While impeachment lingers in Washington, the troubles of the past year have left a permanent blemish on Japanese pro baseball.
Flanked by ten tax evasion convictions in January and a sign-stealing scandal in December, 1998 was punctuated by the suspension of one player for throwing a baseball at an umpire, the forced resignation of four managers, a botched call in the deciding game of the Japan Series, the announcement that two professional teams were in dire financial straits, the firing of 30 foreign players, a 19-game losing streak by one team, and the suicide of an Orix BlueWave scout. No wonder attendance fell off so sharply in 1998.
Fans stay home: After a record 10,013,000 in 1997, Pacific League attendance dropped by over 1.3 million in 1998 -- the sharpest decline in the history of Japanese baseball. CL attendance was also down.
While part of the problem is that the novelty of the Osaka and Nagoya domes have worn off -- their openings in 1997 helped boost attendance to its all-time high -- league officials are desperately looking for ways to lure fans back to the game.
But recent reminders of past controversies will make that a daunting task.
Crime and arbitrary punishment: Despite finding no direct evidence that the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks conspired to steal opponents' signs, on January 18 the Pacific League took the unusual step of reprimanding two of the team's officials.
The original charges, which became public in early December, alleged that designated hitter Koichiro Yoshinaga, infielder Shikato Yanagita and outfielder Noriyoshi Omichi arranged to have a team official relay the opposing catchers' signs via walkie-talkie to a fan who, sitting in the left field stands, would signal to the batters with a plastic megaphone. Held in different positions, the megaphone could warn the batter whether the next delivery would be a fastball, slider or other pitch.
Following an internal investigation, the Hawks announced that no evidence of such a scheme existed.
The Pacific League, however, responded to Daiei's suspicious inquiry by appointing a three member panel to look into the charges. After a month-long investigation, the panel found no direct evidence confirming the charges, but they concluded that the players probably had engaged in the alleged misconduct.
Following the decision, one of the players involved said, "I am glad that my innocence has been vindicated." In response, the Asahi Shimbun pointed out that the three-member panel "did not say the Hawks were guilty, but it implied very much the same."
Unable, therefore, to punish the players, the Pacific League sanctioned Hawks president Hiroshi Murakami and general manager Yasuharu Kishitani for their role in the alleged cover-up. By failing to bring the matter to satisfactory closure, the scandal will continue to erode public in the game, its players and officials.
Within a few days, both professional leagues responded to the public relations disaster. On January 20, the six Pacific League managers issued a joint statement, pledging to "sincerely pursue fair play and avoid taking any actions that are unjust or that might lead to suspicion of injustice."
In addition to limiting the number of people allowed in the dugout and forbidding the relay of signs via electronic devices, the Central League took steps toward shortening games by reminding umpires to enforce the current 15-seconds-between pitches rule. The league also announced plans to reward the umpire, pitcher and position player responsible for shaving the most time off the average three-hour game. Imagine the inspirational Hit-the-Showers Crown.
Pipe dreams: Not all of the attempts to interest fans have been so profound. Year after year, all twelve teams announce their slogans for the coming season, each one intended to characterize the direction in which their graying 60-something manager will lead the team. Among this year's Viagara-inspired catch phrases are "LET'S PLAY AGAIN!" (BayStars), "HARD PLAY HARD '99" (Dragons), "Speed and Charge" (Giants), "Data + Speed & Power" (Swallows), "Yes, We Can!!" (Carp), and "Be Heroes! Dash & Spurt '99" (BlueWave).
Slogans aside, the Pacific League owners believe they have found the key to curing what ails Japanese baseball. Given the popularity of inter-league play in the Major Leagues, PL owners have been trying to introduce the innovation to Japan. As much as the PL may want it, however, the Central League owners have been strongly against it.
The reason is simple -- virtually every Yomiuri Giants game of the year is a sell-out, regardless of the game's venue or the CL standings. Even the lowly Hanshin Tigers can expect a standing room only crowd at Koshien Stadium when the Giants visit town. But CL owners fear inter-league play would threaten their attendance by reducing the number of games they play against the Giants.
This year, however, both sides have agreed to test the idea.
One small step for Japan: Although Pacific and Central League teams have always played against one another during the pre-season, this year they will participate in an organized tournament intended as a test-run before considering whether to adopt interleague play during the regular season.
Dubbed the Suntory Cup, the 36 game series, which will be held from March 13-28, will allow each Pacific League team to play one game against their Central League counterparts. The designated hitter rule will prevail, and each game will end after nine innings. Ties are allowed, and the team with the highest winning percentage will earn 10 million yen. The most valuable player will receive 2 million yen.
While the tournament is definitely a step in the right direction, one has to wonder about the Central League's commitment to objectively evaluating interleague play. Except for the Giants, pre-season games rarely attract more than a few thousand spectators, who have to brave near-freezing winds. Regardless of the Cup or the prize money at stake, it's doubtful that substantially more fans will be willing to bundle up to see a short series played in the waning days of Winter which has no bearing on the eventual pennant races. If low attendance gives the CL an excuse to dismiss the idea of inter-league play once and for all, they may get their wish.

A look around the leagues:
Central League:

BayStars: First baseman Norihiro Komada will apparently be ready to participate in the pre-season tournament despite undergoing knee surgery last Fall. The BayStars have not announced any other new foreign players.

Dragons: Last week, the Dragons announced that they had signed 19-year-old right-handed Chinese pitcher Lu Jiangang to a one year contract worth an estimated 4.8 million yen (US $43,000). Lu, the first professional ballplayer from mainland China to sign with a Japanese team, will also receive a 10 million yen (US$95,000) signing bonus. He will wear uniform number 69, and is expected to play on Chunichi minor league team. Lu's acquisition follows Chunichi's preference for Asian foreign players. Except Leo Gomez, a native or Puerto Rico, all of the Dragons' returning foreign players are Korean: Dong Yol Sun, Jeong Bum Lee, and Samson Lee.

Giants: As always the flood of news emanating from the Giants camp is inversely proportional to its relevance. News reports belabor the mundane progress of Masaki Saito ("He appears to be throwing strikes!"), Hideki Matsui ("And he takes another batting practice pitch deep!"), and the rest of the sordid bunch. Which brings us to Balvino Galvez...
Shortly after the end of the 1998 season, and three months after his suspension for throwing a ball at an umpire, Galvez wrote a letter apologizing and promising that if allowed to return to Japan, he would learn to count to ten. The Giants immediately lifted their own suspension of Galvez, the Central league quickly followed suit, and within a few weeks Galvez and Yomiuri reached agreement on a contract for the 1999 season. Upon his arrival in Tokyo, however, the Dominican hurler quickly changed his tune.
Referring to Galvez's apparent indifference, Mainichi Daily News columnist Dave Wiggins wrote that Galvez "could have extended an olive branch to the beleaguered men-in-blue by saying something conciliatory. Instead, he tersely said that he had no comment other than that he would continue to throw what he hoped would be called strikes."
But the Giants have hedged their bets just in case the embattled pitcher's strike zone shrinks to the size of a postage stamp. Last month, the team formally signed Jose Parra to be the team's third foreign pitcher. The 26-year old right-hander, who posted 7-8 record with 19 saves with the Samsung Lions of the Korean league, will earn 20 million yen (US$180,000), including a 5 million yen signing bonus.

Swallows: Practicing in Yuma, Arizona, the Swallows have given pitcher Yoichi Okabayashi an official OK. Though the pitcher has floundered the past several years, Yakult would like the one-time star to bolster the team's starter rotation.

Carp: New manager Mitsuo Tatsukawa has begun stamping his imprint on the Carp. In contrast to his mild-mannered predecessor, Toshiyuki Mimura, Tatsukawa has apparently decided that forcing players to run until their tongues hang out of their mouths is the best way to prepare for the new season.
While renegade outfielder Alejandro Quezada, who along with Timoniel Perez demanded a release from the Carp, is currently negotiating with an undisclosed major league team, Perez suffered a pulled hamstring and was unable to attract a high enough offer to satisfy Hiroshima. Perez, therefore, has decided to return to Hiroshima for at least one more year.

Tigers: In an effort to bolster their offense, the Tigers last month acquired former Oakland slugger Mike Blowers. The 33-year-old third baseman has compiled a major league career .257 batting average with 76 home runs since 1989. Meanwhile, new Hanshin manager Katsuya Nomura appears determined to convert low-average slugger Tsuyoshi Shinjo into a pitcher.

Pacific League:

Lions: Japan Times columnist Wayne Graczyk noted on January 31 that a new roof will not be the only change to Seibu's home ballpark. Seibu Dome will also feature a larger playing field now that the outfield fences have been brought into accordance with major league-dimensions: 100 meters (328 feet) down the foul lines, 122 meters (400 feet) to center. With the loss of slugger Domingo Martinez, the new fence will likely result in a dramatic drop in home runs at the team's home park.
First baseman Taisei Takagi will be out a few weeks with a sprained ankle. Meanwhile rookie pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka has been the subject of several newspaper covers and TV spots. Fearing that it would throw off his other pitches, Seibu Manager Osamu Higashio has forbidden the former high school star from throwing a slider.

Fighters: Practicing in Okinawa, the Fighters have embarked on a quiet spring training. Newcomers Micah Franklin, whose resemblance to Sammy Sosa has been repeatedly noted by the Japanese press, and Shannon Withem appear to be getting into the swing of things. Nippon Ham apparently wants to squeeze more performance from right-handed pitcher

BlueWave: The BlueWave have agreed to let superstar outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and pitcher Nobuyuki Hoshino practice with the Seattle Mariners' Spring camp in Arizona during the first two weeks of March. Although the move was ostensibly made to bolster relations between the two teams, who share a working agreement, consensus seems to be appearing that Ichiro will be sent to the major league camp to advertise his talents. Under the new working agreement between Japanese and major league baseball, the BlueWave have the right to auction the right to negotiate with Ichiro to the highest major league bidder.
The BlueWave have also acquired hard-throwing reliever Willie Banks. With the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998, Banks compiled a 40 strikeouts and a 4.81 ERA. In seven major league seasons, the 30-year-old right hander has acquired a 31-38 win-loss record with 2 saves and a career 4.93 ERA. Despite his apparent control problems, Banks will receive a one year package worth 80 million yen (US $730,000). Meanwhile, Orix also signed Australian infielder Paul Gonzalez to a one-year pact worth 16.5 million yen (US $150,000).

Hawks: Despite the toll the spy investigation has taken on the team, and the fact they have yet to announce who any of their foreign players will be for next season, the Hawks are reportedly pleased with the progress of first-round draft pick Ryo Yoshimoto. An 18-year-old right-handed infielder, Yoshimoto compiled 62 home runs for his high school team in three years.

Buffaloes: Kintetsu has been quietly training in Saipan. Having taken care of their foreign acquisitions early, and with no injuries to report, the Buffaloes have positioned themselves as the least newsworthy Japanese team.

Marines: In an effort to bolster their pitching staff, Lotte recently acquired 32-year-old lefty-handed finesse pitcher Dean Hartgraves, who has compiled a 3-0 record and a 4.41 ERA with Houston, Atlanta and San Francisco since 1995. Hartgraves will reportedly earn 50 million yen. Lotte manager Koji Yamamoto reportedly expects Hartgraves to join the team's starting rotation.

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