Eastern Invasion (Part I)

[John]

Eastern Invasion (Part I)

By Nate Manuel, American Baseball Perspective
September 16, 2007

Foreign imports are increasingly becoming an area of critical focus in the modern baseball landscape. As the quality of baseball being played around the globe increases, teams can no longer afford to focus exclusively on the domestic draft. Indeed most PEBA teams now maintain a full-time presence overseas to aid in their scouting and player development efforts.

The New Jersey Hitmen have been trailblazers in this regard. Their baseball academy in the Dominican Republic is second to none, and their aggressive scouting in that part of the world enabled them to sign RF José Cortéz and SP Luis Peña out from under the noses of other PEBA teams. The team's Dominican scouts also played a key role in the acquisition of 1B Rubén Cruz from West Virginia. The trio have propelled the Hitmen to the best record in the league. You’d better believe that teams are noticing the success New Jersey has had with their foreign signings.

Another hotbed of talent has been Japan. The list of impact players hailing from the Far East is impressive. Aurora DH Kuemon Kiyomizu, Duluth CF Yoshino Miyata, middle relievers Tamasaburo Akiyama (Yuma) and Shirai Takata (Charleston) – all All-Stars in their first PEBA season. Both Kiyomizu and Takata were off-season free agent signings.

Now a new crop of Eastern ballplayers are about to hit the market. The League of the Rising Sun (LRS) wrapped up play last Friday, and in a couple weeks qualifying players will be filing for free agency. PEBA teams are going to be competing hard against one another for their shot at the next superstar import.

SP Yoriyoshi Tanaka – The Neo-Tokyo Cup runners-up Ranma Pandas have the double-edged distinction of graduating two of the LRS’s top free agents. 20-game winner Tanaka is a giant amongst his peers at 6’7”, 208 lbs. His frame is the ideal for a pitcher, although it doesn’t necessarily allow him to generate eye-popping radar gun numbers (his fastball generally sits around 92 MPH).

What he does possess is outstanding late movement on his slider that keeps batters guessing. Tanaka uses his long fingers to create a release that results in a natural breaking motion on his pitches. This allowed him to strike out nearly a batter per inning and post a 2.70 ERA (2nd best in the league). Even more impressive: In a league known for inflated home run totals, Tanaka surrendered just 13 long balls 210.1 innings.

Tanaka’s makeup is considered to be off the charts as well. He’s an intelligent, natural leader who’s extremely popular with both teammates and fans alike. However, the relationship between Tanaka and Ranma deteriorated when the Pandas’ front office refused to renegotiate his contract (Tanaka made the league minimum $200,000 this season). Ranma officials publicly questioned whether Tanaka – a late bloomer – was legitimate and worthy of an in-season raise. Now they will watch as he leaves for greener pastures.

C Masamune Matsui – In a free agent season likely to be filled with big-name catchers, Matsui may stand above them all. The backstop for the Ranma Pandas was one of the top offensive stars in the LRS this season, finishing 9th in Batting Average (.317), 4th in Slugging % (.659), 6th in OPS (.1.060), and tied for 5th in HR with 48. Those are monstrous numbers for a catcher, a position where huge offensive contributions aren’t usually expected.

Matsui has a long uppercut swing that generates natural loft. Balls seem to just take off when he connects. Plate patience is another hallmark of his game; Matsui walked as often as he stuck out this season (62 times each). Pitchers are forced to nibble on the corners and surrender walks or give in and take their chances. In the later case, the result usually ends up over the fence.

The big question is whether Matsui, who will turn 33 next month, is still a viable option behind the plate. His throwing arm – never much of a strength – is clearly in decline. Runners ran wild on him this season; Matsui gave up an obscene 106 stolen bases in just 122 games while throwing out only 24. Questions have been raised about his game-calling skills as well. In Japan he was forced onto the field since there is no DH in that league; that won’t be the case in PEBA. Matusi is a station-to-station runner who managed just 12 doubles. If he doesn’t jack a homer, it’s probably going to be a single or an out.

There is no question as to the legitimacy of Matsui’s power, however. Plenty of teams could use that kind of pop in the middle of their lineup. There may even be a few willing to give him time behind the plate. Expect Matsui to be the top Japanese offensive target this off-season.

2B Narahiko Nakamura – Nakamura didn’t let his diminutive stature (5’9”, 195 lbs.) stop him from belting 29 HR this season. That kind of power isn’t likely to translate over to the more spacious North American ballparks; Nakamura is a more realistic bet to hit 10-15 HR a season in the States. Still, he’s likely to generate solid gap power with his quick stroke.

Like other top Japanese hitters, Nakamura is very disciplined at the plate. He walked as often as he struck out this season (68 BB vs. 67 K). Combined with his .312 AVG, Nakamura posted an eye-catching .392 On-Base % this season. Plenty of PEBA teams could use that at the top of their order.

The knock on “Nak” is that his numbers are a product of the LRS’s bandbox ballparks and that he doesn’t have any overwhelming skill (other than his great batting eye) that will make him a star in PEBA. At just 30, however, he is one of the youngest Japanese free agents hitting the market and is in the prime of his career. There will likely be several suitors for his services.

2B Kyuso Kato – The elder statesmen of this free agent class, Kato showed that his skills have not diminished with age. There were plenty of doubters after the first two and a half months of the season, though, when he was hitting an empty .266 with just 3 HR. The Fushigi Yugi Celestial Warriors remained patient, however, and Kato rewarded them by batting .338 the rest of the way, adding 17 HR in the process.

Don’t let the power numbers fool you: Kato is strictly a slap hitter who is unlikely to surpass 10 HR playing in PEBA. The quick bat speed makes up for the lack of pop, however. Kato has an unusually fluid swing for a Japanese player, many of whom feature herky-jerky motions at the plate. His fundamentally sound mechanics and solid contact rate mean that the batting average will likely translate overseas. Plate discipline is a plus as well.

Kato originally came up as a third basemen, but questions about his arm strength (or lack thereof) resulted in a quick move to second. As many players do, Kato has put on weight as he ages. This has raised some questions about his longevity. The extra pounds haven’t yet hindered him in the field: Kato continues to be a solid defensive player. His weak arm mandates that he play on the right side of the diamond, however.

Knowing that this is his last chance at a significant payday, Kato is looking to make the belated jump to PEBA. He’ll be banking on teams overlooking the first half of his season and focusing on the enormous improvement in the second half. It seems he still has enough life in his bat to be a potent threat in the lower portion of a lineup.

[Tyler]

Great writeup, commish.

A correction: the Coal Sox are responsible for finding, signing, and developing Ruben Cruz. We are also responsible for trading him away.

[John]

Ah, that's absolutely right! I should have remembered that. I'll make an alteration ASAP.

[John]

Broken links have been fixed both here and in the homepage article.