 Filling
the Yakult first base job, Lyle Mouton will
likely have trouble satisfying his employers. The
man he's replacing, Jim Tatum, batted .309 with a
.640 slugging percentage, 13 homers and 25 RBIs
in 51 games. He was fired. The guy before him,
Tom O'Malley, won the 1995 Central League MVP and
was named the Japan Series MVP the same year. A
year later, O'Malley batted .315 with 18 home
runs. He was fired too. The
Swallows have had good luck acquiring quality
foreign players in the past, but they don't have
the sense to keep them around.
A 28-year old infielder with the
Chicago White Sox, Mouton batted .269 with five
homers and 23 RBIs as a part-time player in 1997.
In three seasons at the Major League level,
Mouton has compiled a .289 batting average.
In the Swallows spring training camp
in Yuma, Arizona, Nomura appeared impressed with
Mouton's batting, claiming that he hits better
than Yakult's Dwayne Hosey, who won the 1997
Central League home run crown.
|
|
 |
| #
3 |
| Infielder |
| Born:
5-13-1969 |
| Height:
193 cm |
| Weight:
108 kg |
| Bats:
Right |
| Throws:
Right |
|
