By Keitaro Kato, Transmitters Tribune

March 3^rd, 2012: Kawaguchi, Japan – Despite posting an ERA of 0.47 in 19.1 Innings (17 appearances) in the Minarai Doumei as a member of the Taito Invaders, pitching prospect Kazu Tanaka was demoted and will be starting the year with the Yamato Battleships of the Ruukii Kyuugi.  This is a strange move considering that most 22-year-olds who put up the numbers that Tanaka did usually have a ticket to spring training with the big league club.  However, this case is far from ordinary.

So why is GM Sebastian Pruiti sending Tanaka back down to the Battleships?  Well, as he told reporters on a conference call, he thinks that Tanaka can be a superstar starting pitcher for the Transmitters one day.  “Kazu has great ability and tons of potential as a starter.  For some strange reason, the staff in place last year gave into his request and let him be a closer.”

Now most prospects would be ecstatic at this decision, but not Tanaka, a kid who is famous for his laziness.  Last year, he told me why he asked the previous regime to let him be a closer.  “I want to get in there, throw my inning, and get out.  That’s it.  Starting is too hard.”

As you would probably expect, Tanaka was not happy with the decision.  “Here I am thinking that I would be traveling with the team to spring training and get to eat at the great postgame buffet, and now I am going back to Yamato?  That’s crap.”

When we asked about Tanaka’s feelings, Pruiti did something we are starting to get used to; he laughed it off.  “If this hurts his feelings, then he has no business playing baseball.  The fact of the matter is that Kazu doesn’t have to stuff to be a dominant closer in the LRS.  He doesn’t have an overpowering fastball and he doesn’t have great stuff.  He is successful because he can spot a number of pitches.  That is a quality a starter needs.  Plus, we have probably the best closing prospect in the game in Shunsen Ueda.  No sense in blocking his path to the majors.”

Pruiti then got to talking about Kazu’s timetable.  “He might get a shot at the majors this year… who knows?  The plan is to start him off with Yamato, to stretch him out and break the bad habits that he learned pitching in relief.  If that goes well, we could be seeing him with Taito pretty quickly.  Once he gets there, we will play it by ear.”

This is a situation to pay close attention to.  If Kazu turns into a great starter, Sebastian Pruiti will be praised.  If not, he will have the burden of ruining a promising career on his hands.  Not that it would bother him, though.