Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

[elicoleman]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

LOL, alrighty....:y4:

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

I'd love to see him in an ATL uniform. (I hope) Mazzone could work WONDERS with this kid.

[SPTO]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

Do you have any idea how offensive that sounds?

It sounds like you're saying that "maybe because Matsui is Japanese he can convince another Japanese player to play for a certain team". You should never say "maybe because so and so is japanese..." about anything. Just like you'd never say "maybe because he's black he'll be able to convince his black friends to play".

I know you probably didn't mean it like this, but the statement was worded in a very inappropriate racist way. Just thought I'd mention that.

I wouldn't say it's racist per se but I can see how it can be assumed that way. I think he means that since Matsui is a former JBL player and has made the adjustment in the Majors he could recruit this guy to the Yankees.

It's no different then a guy who went to a new team as a FA recruiting an ex teamate to join the team. This is exactly what's happening in Toronto with Shoenweiss (sp) as he's said to be recruiting Washburn to come to the T Dot.

anyhoo I was just trying to give a perspective on that.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

I don't think Eli's comments were racist at all. You're just making an issue out of nothing.

When Ichiro was still playing for the Orix Blue Wave and it was known he wanted to come over to MLB, people speculated if he would end up with the Mariners. They said this because the ownership is Japanese. I saw nothing wrong with that either.

[keRplunK]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

I don't think he'll hold up, he throws very hard and has been completely overworked. Unless this kid just gets extremely lucky he won't last much longer without needing a surgery.

[Stoud]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

I wouldn't say it's racist per se but I can see how it can be assumed that way. I think he means that since Matsui is a former JBL player and has made the adjustment in the Majors he could recruit this guy to the Yankees.

It's no different then a guy who went to a new team as a FA recruiting an ex teamate to join the team. This is exactly what's happening in Toronto with Shoenweiss (sp) as he's said to be recruiting Washburn to come to the T Dot.

anyhoo I was just trying to give a perspective on that.

That's what I thought as well, I was just trying to make sure that he wasn't really saying something in a racist kind of way. I haven't seen anything like that here at OS and I really don't expect to, but you never know. Add on to that the fact that sometimes things written online can sometimes look worse than they really are, and well...you get my point.

[BGarrett7]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

He already has 4 MLB quality pitchers. He even throws a gyroball. Nobody in MLB history has thrown that pitch before.

Hate to top a six month old thread, but no, he doesn't.

[dkgojackets]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

wow, what a bump!

Article was a good read, thanks for posting it.

[Thrasha]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

So did this "sweepstake" for this guy ever evolve or is he still in Japan working at a sushi bar in the off-season?

[DrJones]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

So did this "sweepstake" for this guy ever evolve or is he still in Japan working at a sushi bar in the off-season?

I don't think an MLB team has his rights yet, but he did 1-hit Mexico through 5 innings tonight, though.

[TheLetterZ]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

Funny, I thought it was Roger Clemens.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

So did this "sweepstake" for this guy ever evolve or is he still in Japan working at a sushi bar in the off-season?

"Under the Japan baseball system you need 10 years of service time to become a UFA so he would have to go through the posting system to come to MLB."

[jpup]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

I'd love to see him in an ATL uniform. (I hope) Mazzone could work WONDERS with this kid.

Mazzone doesn't work in Atlanta anymore. He is the pitching coach for Baltimore now.

edit: I just saw that this thread was old. Sorry Matrix.

[kweiss]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

Wow, this made my jaw drop...

In high school, Matsuzaka earned his reputation by throwing nearly 250 pitches in a 17-inning complete game.

That's ridiculous, how's that even possible? And in high school? If this guy's arm doesn't blow out in the near future, I would be very surprised.

[ESPNdeportes]

Re: Best FA Pitcher isn't even in MLB right now

I'd love to see him in an ATL uniform. (I hope) Mazzone could work WONDERS with this kid.

Too bad Mazzone is Baltimores pitching coach now =(