Until a few years ago, the Giants had probably the best pitching staff in Japan. Today, that argument is much more difficult to make. Unless they are able to develop their younger pitchers or purchase some with established talent, Giants fans may have a long wait until their team wins another pennant. In the last few years the Giants have signed several big bats, but the team lacks speed and a solid defense.

Pitchers:

Masaki Saito: Probably the most dominant Japanese pitcher of the early 1990s, Masaki Saito caused much worrying with his mediocre 1997 outing (a 6-8 record with a 4.11 ERA in 118 1/3 innings). Will the thirty-two year old right-hander emulate former teammate Suguru Egawa and retire at a young age?

While pitching reasonably well his first five seasons, Saito didn't fully develop until 1989 when he won the Sawamura Award (his first of three) by posting a 20-7 record with 182 strikeouts and a 1.62 ERA--the lowest of any pitcher since 1970. He has led the Central League in wins four times, ERA twice, and strikeouts once, while being named MVP once. Saito is also one of the best hitting pitchers in the CL.

Since 1984, Saito has compiled a 160-84 record with 1523 strikeouts and 2.66 ERA. He can reasonably be expected to pitch well for a few more years, but will he?

Masumi Kuwata: For the last few years, newspaper articles have reported Masumi Kuwata's fondness for studying English, and his desire to be the next Japanese pitcher to inspire a hyphenated "mania" in the Major Leagues. And, in the summer of 1997, he fulfilled all the conditions to become a free agent. But after weighing offers from six different Major League team, including the San Francisco Giants, Kuwata signed a four-year deal worth an estimated 100 million yen.

Since 1986, Kuwata has earned a 119-92 record with 1452 strikeouts, 496 walks and a career 3.17 ERA. Posting a league-best 2.17 ERA, Kuwata earned the 1987 Sawamura Award. After leading the Giants to a CL pennant with a 2.52 ERA and a league-best 185 strikeouts the right-handed hurler won the CL MVP in 1994.

The following year, Kuwata injured his pitching elbow diving for an infield fly and landing on the Tokyo Dome's under-cushioned turf. Missing most of the 1995 season and all of 1996 following arm surgery, Kuwata returned in 1997 and found his old form. In 26 starts, the recovering pitcher compiled a 10-7 record with 104 strikeouts and a 3.77 ERA.

Hiromi Makihara: Though never having won either the MVP or the Sawamura Award, Hiromi Makihara is one of the top pitchers in the Central League. In 1997, Makihara earned a 12-9 record with 115 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA. At thirty-four, however, it's likely that his pitching will decline in the years ahead.

Since 1983, Makihara has compiled a 149-120 record with 1,958 strikeouts and a 3.17 ERA. The right-handed hurler earned his only pitching crown in 1988, leading the league with 187 strikeouts. On June 18, 1994, he pitched a perfect no-hit game against the Hiroshima Carp at the Fukuoka Dome.

Balvino Galvez: Recently the careers of foreign players with the Yomiuri Giants have been over before anyone figures out how to pronounce their names. The ever fickle Giants, content to use players until they fall into natural slumps, rarely give foreign players much chance to develop. If such players have rough starts, they are branded dame (no good) and either benched, sent to the Giants farm team or given their release. Balvino Galvez, fortunately, has been able to avoid such a fate.

His first full year with the Giants, Galvez in 1996 compiled a 16-6 record in 203 1/3 innings, while striking out 112 and earning a 3.05 ERA. He might have been a shoo-in for the Sawamura Award had teammate Masaki Saito not posted even more impressive numbers.

Though he got off to a rough start in 1997, Galvez settled down and finished with a respectable 12-12 record, a 3.32 ERA and 118 strikeouts. Because the Giants were one of the worst hitting teams during the season, it's likely that with better offensive support the former Dominican Republic native might have won a few more games.

Eric Hillman: Probably one of the most disappointing players of 1997 for the Giants, southpaw Eric Hillman came to Yomiuri with great promise, but spent almost all of the season sidelined with a shoulder injury. No fault of his own, right?

The Giants didn't see it that way--some in the organization, and others in the press, thought Hillman was exaggerating his ailment. Since he had signed an unusual two-year contract, his salary was guaranteed whether he played or not. Press speculation about his injury continued through the end of the season.

One year-in-review segment on TV Tokyo's Sports Today (aired October 16) portrayed Hillman explaining his shoulder problem to reporters while the song The Great Pretender played in the background.

However, the argument that Hillman was faking it doesn't hold up. He's a great competitor, and in the few games I saw him pitch with his former team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, he was overpowering. In his two years with Lotte, Hillman pitched consistently (12-9, 121 strikeouts, 2.87 ERA in 1995, 14-9, 119, 2.40 a year later).

Hillman will be thirty-two in 1998, and it will be interesting to see if the Giants stick by him and if he can come back with one more great season.

Takashi Kashiwada: Whoops! Last summer, that giant "ehhhhhhhh?" you heard was the Yomiuri front office reacting to a blunder that smacked them in the face. Shortly after giving up on, and essentially selling, southpaw Takashi Kashiwada to the New York Mets, the Giants quickly discovered two things: a) he can pitch, b) they probably should have kept him since they had a lot of pitching trouble in 1997. No wonder Yomiuri scrambled to get him back after the Mets released him.

In three years with the Giants, Kashiwada was given little opportunity to prove himself, but still compiled a 1-1 record 19 strikeouts, 15 walks and a composite 3.82 ERA in 33 innings. But after one year in New York, the 26-year old lefty pitched quite well against much tougher opponents, earning a 3-1 record with 19 strikeouts and eighteen walks while posting a respectable 4.31 ERA.

Former Lotte skipper and current Mets manager Bobby Valentine once remarked that nearly any decent Japanese left-hander could make it in the Major Leagues. Not surprisingly, he took an interest in Kashiwada after the the hurler attended spring training with the National league club. Ironically, many young foreign players come to Japan, thinking it a back door to landing a starting job in the Major leagues. Cast-off Kashiwada, instead, went to the majors and apparently may return to Japan as a regular.

Takahito Nomura: Unhappy playing for Orix, left-handed reliever Takahito Nomura first tried to persuade the BlueWave to trade him to the New York Mets. Manager Bobby Valentine, who unsuccessfully tried to obtain Nomura. once remarked that nearly any good Japanese southpaw could make it in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, the MLB commissioner's office ruled that American teams could only acquire free agents Japanese players. When his plans to go to the Majors fell through, Nomura demanded to be traded to another Japanese club.

Smarting from their dysfunctional bullpen, the Giants traded erratic right-hander Masao Kida to the BlueWave for Nomura, who will likely become the team's ace reliever. In 1997, Nomura appeared in 52 games, compiling a 4-5 record with eight saves, 76 strikeouts, 31 walks and a 3.60 ERA. Since 1992, the 29 year old hurler has compiled an 18-16 record, 34 saves, and a career 2.68 ERA. On the surface, the Giants appear to have gotten the better end of the deal, but Nomura will not likely stay in Japan when he become a free agent a few years from now.

Catchers:

Naoki Sugiyama: Not much of an offensive threat, Naoki Sugiyama has only appeared in a handful of games since his 1990 debut. In 1997, the part-time backstop earned a .238 average with four home runs in 54 games (84 at bats). In seven seasons, Sugiyama has compiled a career .248 batting average with seven home runs.

Shinichi Murata: Part-time catcher Shinichi Murata made the most unfortunate of headlines in October 1997 when his four year daughter died after being hit by a car. In a case of severely bad timing, the same newspapers carrying the news of his tragedy also covered Yomiuri's courtship of Yokohama free-agent catcher Motonobu Tanishige, who would have, if signed, replaced Murata. In the end, the BayStars backstop decided to stay with Yokohama.

In 1997, Murata's average dropped to .164 in 75 games (128 at bats). Appearing in eleven seasons since 1984, the 34-year old catcher has compiled a .237 batting average with 71 home runs.

Infielders:

Kazuhiro Kiyohara: The Pacific League all-star joined the Giants in 1997 with big expectations. In his eleven years with the Seibu Lions, Kiyohara banged 329 home runs with 915 RBIs. Typical of power hitters, he's relatively slow and his career .274 average doesn't match his hype. Generally consistent, the former Lions first baseman can be expected to hit at least twenty-five home runs and 75 RBIs a season.

And that's essentially what the Giants got from him in 1997. Batting .249, Kiyohara slugged 32 home runs and tallied 95 RBIs. So why all the complaints? The biggest reason, of course, is that the Giants finished last in 1997. Since expectations were highest for Kiyohara, naturally fans were disappointed by his "average" season.(Read more about Kazuhiro Kyohara, the Kyojin Crybaby.)

Toshihisa Nishi: Despite bouncing around the infield, second baseman Toshihisa Nishi played well enough in 1996 to win the Central League Rookie of the Year. Although he'd gotten off to a slow start, his .270 average, seventeen stolen bases, seven home runs, and a series of great defensive plays shows that the little guy (173 cm) has potential.

And that potential was completely frittered away in 1997. Perhaps it was Manager Nagashima's desperation that kept Nishi moving around like a nomad in search of a regular starting position. On July 19, in a disastrous game at Jingu Stadium, Nagashima attempted to pack his line-up with as many right-handers as possible (against Yakult southpaw Kazuhisa Ishii). To juggle the line-up, he started Nishi in left field.

Despite a line drive going over the 171cm (five-foot-eight) outfielder's head and bouncing off the wall for a hit, Nagashima left Nishi in the game. A few pitches later, Swallows third baseman Takehiro Ikeyama hit another ball to nearly the same spot, enabling Yakult to get their first inside-the-park home run in five years.

Nishi's fault? Of course not, but Nagashima's half-witted managing provides the context for Nishi's disappointing 1997 season: a .242 average with ten home runs and 39 RBIs. (To his credit, Nagashima after the game defended Nishi and accepted the blame for such a poor managing decision.)

Hiroo Ishii: Acquired in an effort to give the Giants a big bang line-up full of clean-up hitters, Kintetsu Buffalo Hiroo Ishii became in 1997 the fourth Yomiuri first baseman. Converted to a third baseman, Ishii played 25 games before returning to the disabled list and ending the season on the bench with a .333 average, one home run and 14 RBIs in 87 at bats.

Still if Kiyohara, Hirosawa and Takeshi Omori all become injured in that one week window when Ishii is fit too play, perhaps his acquisition will look like genius. Otherwise, it will never make sense.

Slow and poor on defense, Ishii is best suited for designated hitting, and the Giants are in the wrong league for that. First base is the next option, but that sack is occupied. In his few games at third, Ishii fielded as if he was on the oppositions' payroll.

At thirty-three, Ishii can't be expected to improve much. From 1990 to 1994 Ishii was a consistent player for the Buffaloes--hitting over .300 while averaging 25 home runs a year. Playing in all 130 games in 1994, he led the league with 111 RBIs while crushing 33 balls over the outfield fence and batting .316. Injuries limited him to 47 games a year later, and only two in 1996. Since 1990, Ishii has compiled a .302 career batting average with 134 home runs and 412 RBIs.

When the Buffaloes tried to cut his salary, Ishii demanded a trade. Outbidding every other team that showed interest, the Giants succeeded in keeping him off of other Central League lineups--to the probable benefit of every team that failed to acquire him.

Masahiro Kawai: A fourteen year Yomiuri veteran, thirty-four year old Kawai offers reasonably good defense and a dwindling selection of hits (mostly singles). In 1997, he shortstop batted .288 with six homers and 25 RBIs. Throughout his career, Kawai has hit 38 home runs with 262 RBIs and a .268 average.

Still, on a poor defensive team, Kawai's contributions can't be as easily measured as batting average and home runs. As long as he occasionally gets a hit, he'll probably keep his starting position (shortstop).

Daisuke Motoki: At twenty-six, Daisuke Motoki should theoretically have a future with the Giants. However, since Toshihisa Nishi has taken over second base, Motoki sees action only sporadically. Good at defense, though quite average with a bat, Motoki's greatest contributions to the team are made with his glove. Though a career .253 hitter, Motoki batted .282 with nine home runs and 32 RBIs while playing in 101 games with the Giants in 1997.

Mariano Duncan: Presumably signed by the Giants to cover third base, 34-year old Mariano Duncan compiled a .236 average with one home run and 25 RBIs in 89 games for the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays in 1997. The Dominican Republic native signed a one-year contract for $1.1 million.

Outfielders:

Hideki Matsui: As much as anyone may not like the Giants, it's hard not to like slugging outfielder Hideki Matsui. A very amiable character, I have yet to hear anyone with a bad thing to say about him. Nicknamed "Godzilla" because of his rugged complexion, Matsui was apparently disappointed when picked by the Giants in the 1993 draft--he had wanted to play for the Hanshin Tigers.

Despite the hype, Matsui has not yet won any batting titles during his five seasons. Yet with every year, he gets better--and the home runs seem to get longer. Having slugged over a hundred before his twenty-third birthday in 1997, the big reptile has a decent chance at joining the 500 home run club.

Matsui is hands-down the most important Giant batter. In 1996, he knocked in 99 runs with 38 home runs and a .314 average. Although the Giants placed last a year later, Matsui stayed consistent, batting .298 with 37 homers with 103 RBIs. Durable, Matsui has played every Giants game for the last four seasons.

Although a right fielder, Matsui moved to center in 1997 after Yomiuri released Shane Mack. Considering the number of balls the new center fielder bobbled, the experiment was not entirely successful. Never particularly graceful, Matsui may be the first center fielder to ever need a users' manual for his glove.

Takayuki Shimizu: One of the few bright spots for the Giants in 1997, Takayuki Shimizu led the team in batting with a .304 average. He also showed some power with twelve home runs and a .446 slugging percentage. Defensively, the left fielder ranks far above Hideki Matsui and Katsumi Hirosawa.

His first full year in 1996, Shimizu batted .293 with eleven home runs. Still young and with potential to improve, Shimizu should be around for a while--even if the Giants sign some more bat-strong, glove-poor first basemen. At twenty-five, the left-handed batter (throws right) has compiled a .300 career batting average with 23 home runs and 74 RBIs.

Yoshinobu Takahashi: Probably no amateur player has received as much attention as Keio University star Yoshinobu Takahashi since Kazuhiro Kiyohara signed with the Seibu Lions over a decade ago. With luck, Takahashi will emulate Kiyohara's career debut and not his debut with the Giants.

Since expectations have risen quite high for Takahashi, he too may be the next Kyojin scapegoat.

That said, the 23-year old slugger does have considerable potential. In 1997, he broke a Tokyo collegiate record by belting 23 home runs. Reportedly, Takahashi can run 50 meters in 6.2 seconds and can throw a baseball 145 kilometers per hour (90 mph). (Read more about Super Rookie Yoshinobu Takahashi.)

Katsumi Hirosawa: When Katsumi Hirosawa became a free agent in 1994, he bolted the Swallows to join the Giants. It probably wasn't a wise career move. Because first base was taken by three-time triple crown winner Hiromitsu Ochiai, the only place for Hirosawa was in left field (and right in 1997), where Hirosawa proved how unspectacular his defensive talents really were.

After a pre-season injury, Hirosawa was sidelined for most of the 1996 season. Returning to the outfield in 1997, Hirosawa earned a regular place in the line-up by hitting more home runs than were expected. Still, there were rumors that Giants owner Tsuneo Watanabe was so displeased with Hirosawa that he wanted the former Swallows slugger released after the 1997 season. With the addition of college star Yoshinobu Takahashi to the Yomiuri outfield, Hirosawa may be squeezed out of a starting job.

Nevertheless, the unappreciated right fielder batted .280 with 22 homers and 67 RBIs in 1997.

With 274 career home runs, at thirty-six, Hirosawa might have more of a future if he is released and finds either becomes a designated hitter in the Pacific League or finds a first base job with a team that has more patience.

Koji Goto: For a few weeks in July, Koji Goto looked like he was going to finally get to play regularly. But while he was active, he showed competence at defense, and he hit much better than expected. Perhaps when he comes back, we may see him at third or somewhere in the outfield. Although twenty-eight, he has six partial seasons under his belt, but if he wants to be more than a platoon player, he's got to stay healthy the next time he has a chance to prove himself.