Shojo Ninjas 2016 Season Recap
Thursday, December 1, 2016
This was a very disappointing season for the Shojo Ninjas. While the team lost lots of talent this year, they still went on to win their division (60-36) but then lost two games in a row in the playoffs and were out in the first round for the first time in a long time. The team might be subject to a complete overhaul next year, as a lot of the players have very little chance of ever playing in the LRS.
“I am not blaming anyone for our losing in the playoffs. Sometimes it just isn’t meant to be. These guys went out there and did their best with the tools they had, and I am very proud of them. I look forward to next season, as I think we will have some players finally stepping up that have been on the team a couple years,” said manager Forest Sizemore.
We rundown each player that played on the team, starting with batters in order of least to most AB. First, a summary of all cut players. Moromao Kubo, Jiro Asai, Sergio Meléndez, Shino Tanaka,Keitaro Nakayama, Sergio Naút, and Ian Henderson are all gone. The first six batted a combined 16-74 while Henderson went 31-104. Their future on the team is nil.
Tokuma Fujita – A 4th round pick that signed late, he appeared in two games and went 1-3. He is a decent fielder but needs major work on his batting to become a 5th outfielder in the LRS. Has a few years still to develop.
Motoyuki Suzuki – Was brought in for the late season and playoffs. Will be in AAA next year.
Wayne McConnell – Wayne was a late-season signing and only got five PA. The team expects him to play more next year and move ahead of Fernando Batista on the depth chart.
Esteban Gómez – Another late-season signing who got very little playing time. The team is hoping that Esteban works hard this off-season to improve his contact and eye at the plate. Otherwise, he may find himself looking for a new team to play for after the draft.
Shunso Motsuzuki – With the lack of depth in the infield within the organization, the team signed Shunso as an undrafted free agent. He got only 11 PA and one hit, but the team might have to keep him next year unless the upcoming draft yields a bunch of infielders.
Jérémie LeDuc – LeDuc started off hot in his first six games, but then he fractured his wrist and was out for the rest of the season. Being 23 and foreign doesn’t help LeDuc’s chances. If he doesn’t improve this off-season, he, too, will be looking for a new team.
Kunitaro Kitakawa – Claimed after being waved by Kure, Kitakawa spent just six games with Shojo and hit the heck out of the ball before being promoted to AAA. With a little improvement in the right areas over the next two years, he might make a decent 5th outfielder.
Tomiji Okada – Cut by Kure, Okada signed and was sent to A-ball to see what he could do. After eight games, he had an OPS of 1.018 and was promoted to AAA. After a couple injures to big leaguers, Okada was promoted to the C-Warriors, where he might compete for the starting 2B role next year.
Sosa Kichida – Released by Lupin in July, the team brought him in during August. When he got to Shojo, he was on fire, batting .377/.431/.642. This display of hitting has him on the verge of being promoted to AAA next year, but not just yet. He needs to improve his defense to increase his #4/#5 OF chances.
Pedro Guzmán – Guzmán was signed a year ago but has not progressed. The team is starting to lose its patience with him. In 47 at bats, he had seven hits for a .149/.184/.277 line. If he shows no improvement by the draft, don’t expect him to be around.
Shotaro Koike – Koike hasn’t done much over the last two years, but he is one of the young infielders that the team is looking to see play next year. The staff thinks he may be able to double his .153 average. He needs to improve on defense, also, but one thing at a time.
Fernando Batista – When Batista was signed last year, there were high hopes, but his lateral improvement this year has the team looking elsewhere for catching help. He ended with a .279/.378/.426 line. While Batista might still be on the roster, he isn’t in any future plans.
Shoyo Kudo – While the C-Warriors use no DH, the minor league teams do, which is why Kudo was brought in. At first, the team was going to use him strictly as a pinch hitter, but when he batted, he started hitting and hitting and hitting (.309/.367/.691), so he was retained. He is only 21 and has a wonderful work ethic. Management is hoping another year in A-ball will help him develop faster.
Shunsen Matsumura – Matsumura was signed to help with depth at infield. He did nothing to stand out and, at 26, that is not a good thing. The team expects him to be anywhere but here. His final line was .242/.309/.364.
Shigetoki Kurihara – Kurihara was awful at the plate and not much better on the field. The one thing going for Kurihara is that he is only 19 years old and has lots of time to improve. But he needs major improvement everywhere. In 174 at bats, he hit a paltry .121/.191/.201. A lack of infield depth ensures that he will be back.
Toshiro Yamamoto – A 7th round pick, Yamamoto was inserted into the starting lineup and didn’t embarrass himself. While his OPS was only .669, Yamamoto is only 21 and was a 7th round pick. He also showed that he is more than adequate in RF. Yamamoto will be back in A-ball, honing his skills for the next level. Final line: .263/.340/.330.
Ismael Longoria – Longoria was in his third tour of duty with the Ninjas and hitting .333/.412/.505 after 49 games, so the team decided to call him up to AAA. He didn’t disappoint and will be there again next year.
Daniel Harris – In his second tour with the organization, Harris rejoined the Ninjas. While Harris did well by the numbers (.263/.388/.455), the team was hoping that he would hit better given his age and experience. Another thing that disappointed was that his subpar defense. While he may be back next year, the team doesn’t have any future plans for him.
Vincent Peréz – Since joining the Ninjas in 2014, Peréz has made some good strides. He was well on his way to being promoted to AAA when he fractured his finger, which caused him to miss the last six weeks of the season. With a line of .272/.427/.440 and 10 home runs, the organization decided to protect him in from the Rule 5 draft and have every intention of him starting him in AAA next year.
Masujiro Watanabe – Watanabe was an 8th round pick this year and wasn’t expected to even make the team, but due to some unfortunate injuries, not only did he make the team, but he became a starter. Amazingly, he held his own, batting .285/.338/.434. Watanabe will be looking to improve his skills with the Ninjas next year.
Kazuhiro Nagata – Nagata was signed two years ago as a project. This season, it looks like he took a step forward. After never hitting above .167 in his professional career, Nagata put up a .283/.374/.430 and even threw out 31% of the runners trying to steal against him. He may be in AAA next season depending on what happens with Nichibutsu’s two catchers.
Sixto Dueñas– Sixto was discovered last February in Venezuela. The 17-year-old boy came to the Ninjas and held his own. While .211/.268/.305 might not look like much, for a young foreigner in his first season, it is a great line. The team is excited to see the next step he takes in his growth. They plan on him being with the Ninjas in 2017 and maybe 2018, also.
César León – César hit .304/.381/.499 and played SS, a position he’s not used to playing. César showed that he has a lot of improvement to make on defense if he wants a chance to see the LRS. The team has told César he will either be in AAA or gone from the organization next year. Fushigi Yugi is reducing their non-Japanese-born players in the minors to streamline the organization.
Shane Reynolds – Shane was signed for his defense and speed. He didn’t disappoint, stealing 27 bases and posting a +20.6 ZR in centerfield. He did a good job in hitting .268/.358/.425. While these are all great numbers, his overall ability is still lacking, and unless he improves his work ethic this off-season, the team might have to let him go once the draft is over. If he improves, on the other hand, he may end up in AAA.
And now to pitching, with players listed in order of least to most appearances.
Michael Kerr – Michael was signed in January as roster filler but improved enough to get him on the radar as a mid-level prospect. He turned in one fantastic start for Shojo before being promoted to AAA, where he spent the rest of the season. The team protected him at the last minute from the Rule 5 draft. 2017 will be his make-or-break season.
Iwane Takahashi – A 4th round pick a couple years ago, Iwane blew out his UCL and only made one appearance after his recovery. The team is worried that the injury has taken away from the small chance he had to make the majors. With an overabundance of pitching, his chances of remaining with the organization are very slim.
Robert Coleman – Robert was signed at the end of September and only made two relief appearances. The team isn’t sure about his future, as he is a tweener. He’d be a legit prospect if he was a Japanese-born player, but as it is, he might need some major improvement.
Toshiki Takata – Toshiki was in A-ball only because he was on rehab assignment and AAA was done for the year. He did well, and unless he is injured again, he won’t be back.
Kenji Nakamura – Appeared in three games. Only was in A-ball while some roster reshuffling was going on. The team expects him to be drafted in the Rule 5 draft.
Cristo Méndez – Cristo was signed in mid-September and made three appearances, throwing 5.1 innings. He is a 22-year-old from Northern California who would rather be at the beach than pitching. The team is going to track his improvements over the winter. If he spends too much time at the beach, well, that might be his new home.
Ignacio Félix – Ignacio was claimed off waivers at the beginning of the year and was kept on the 35-man roster all season. While he is only 18 and looked decent in his brief A-ball appearance, his future is uncertain. He appeared in five games and pitched 13 innings with an ERA of only 1.38, but even with those stats, it will be hard to keep him on the 35-man roster this year.
Kenji Minami – Claimed off waivers from Seoul in May, Kenji was assigned to AAA. The only reason he made five appearances in A-ball was the same reason the other Kenji earlier: roster shuffling. Kenji won’t be seeing any time in the minors next year, as he will be counted on as middle reliever next year for the C-Warriors.
Toshinobu Kato – Six appearances. Gone.
Kiemon Hashimoto – Kiemon was nursing an arm injury when he was drafted in 2013. It looked like he may never recover. Last year, the team told him going into camp that if he didn’t come ready to throw, he would be released. Well, he appeared in six games and showed the stuff people were expecting the previous year. He was then sent up to AAA, where he continued to put up the same type of numbers. The team is very excited about his progress and plans on him getting a full year in AAA before trying him out in the LRS.
Katsunosuki Aoki – Katsunosuki was a 9th round pick two years ago. In seven games, he made two starts and had an ERA of 3.60. While there is plenty of room for improvement, he has plenty of time, being only 20 years old. Aoki will be back in A-ball next year.
Shirai Ota – Shirai has spent the last four years with Shojo and is still only 21. Taken in the 5th round, the team has exercised patience with Shirai. While he had less appearances and IP than in the previous two seasons, he showed improvement across the board. Next year may be his fifth with Shojo, but eyes will be watching to see if he is worth keeping.
Eijiro Nakagawa – Eijiro was the team’s first round pick this year and signed a six-year deal. He started eight games for Shojo and had an ERA of 0.87. Yes, you read that right. He went 7-0 before being called up to AAA, and even made an appearance with Fushigi Yugi. Based on how Eijiro threw, he will most likely start in AAA and then move up to the C-Warriors mid-season.
Kuniyuki Shimada – Kuniyuki entered his third year with the Ninjas. After nine games, he showed that he had matured enough for promotion to AAA. He did well enough that the team doesn’t expect to see him back in A-ball. They expect Kuniyuki to work on his control this off-season; otherwise, his ceiling may be AAA.
Hidekazu Abe – Hidekazu was drafted in the 3rd round and inserted right into the starting rotation. He excelled at first, but as the season went on, he wore out. The team is attributing it to the fact that he threw 64.1 more innings than in any other year. Hidekazu will definitely start next year with Shojo. Hopefully, he can continue to improve.
Haruki Yano – Drafted at age 18 in the 8th round three years ago, Yano has improved every season. He had 11 appearances (one start) and a 3.86 ERA in 28 IP. Yano must continue to improve his control and movement. He will be back with Shojo next year. If there are no signs of improvement, he has very little chance to makes it to the end of year.
Francisco González – Francisco had a great second year. He made 13 appearances and posted an ERA of 3.00. In 18 IP, he struck out 21 while only giving up five walks. At the age of 20, he still has a lot to learn, but the team likes his progress. Francisco will be pitching out of the pen for Shojo once again next year.
Motoki Matsuura – Acquired a couple years ago from Hyakujuu, Motoki has quietly put up decent numbers. While his skill set doesn’t make him look like a frontline starter, his consistency along with his age (21) and work ethic make him a perfect candidate for a #4/#5 starter. Motoki impressed enough that he looks to start at AAA next season. The team is hoping he improves enough to become above-average trade bait.
Haunobu Yamasaki – Haunobu hasn’t done much to improve since being drafted in the 6th round in 2014. At the age of 24, this off-season might be his last with the team. He appeared in 15 games and had a 4.66 ERA in 19.1 innings. The season before, he had an ERA of 3.74 in 45.2 innings, so this is a major step back for him.
Ieyoshi Maeda – Ieyoshi was drafted in the 2nd round in 2015 and had an okay debut. 2016 was much better. In 16 starts, he went 7-4 with an ERA of 2.81 in 102.2 innings. His stuff showed improvement, and the team is hoping that continues going forward. The debate is if he should start at AAA or A-ball. It might all depend on if C-Warriors starters are traded.
Terry Dumont – Terry was signed as a free agent in 2015 and has made great strides. In 16 starts, he went 6-5 with a 3.06 ERA. The team likes him but he’s just 21. Though it didn’t make him happy, Dumont has been informed that he will be starting with Shojo next season.
Shoin Ohayashi –Shoin has been consistent over his two pro seasons. He hasn’t shown much talent improvement. While he made 16 starts and went 9-5 with a 3.18 ERA, it looks like he may be stuck as in A-ball for a long time.
Mito Ikeda – Mito didn’t do much after being drafted in the 5th round in 2015. This year, the team decided to see what he could do as a starter. He ended up starting 16 games, going 6-4 with a 4.00 ERA, but while players couldn’t hit him, he couldn’t stop walking them, either. He needs to work on his control or he will be stuck in A-ball.
Kojuro Ogino – Drafted in the 2nd round in 2015, Kojuro had a great first year. There were high expectations going into this season, but unfortunately, Kojuro experienced a complete meltdown the first two months of the season and never really recovered. The meltdown was so bad that he lost his closer role to Yasutoki Ine after the draft. He will be the team’s closer next season and is expected to get back on track. Seeing that he is only 19, he has plenty of time to improve.
Yasutoki Ine – Yasutoki was Fushigi Yugi’s second 1st round pick this year and was everything and more the organization could want. In 26 games, he went 3-1 with 17 saves and an ERA of 1.48. The team never promoted him to AAA, but that is where he will start. If he shows the same kind of stuff, he will be called to the LRS very quickly. Yasutoki is seen as a future setup man and then closer after Akio Sai departs or retires.
Well, there you have the individual reviews of the 2016 Shojo Ninjas. The team doesn’t expect any personnel changes next year. Hopefully, some of the younger players can mature enough that the Ninjas advance further than the first round of the playoffs.