American sports is mirroring American commerce. We import everything! Now Godzilla is coming: http://www.asahi.com/english/sports/K2002110200200.html Unfortunately, it looks like he might go to the Yankees.
Here's a column from asahi.com: http://www.asahi.com/english/sports/K2002110400127.html Also, the Japanese edition of Asahi.com is reporting that Mets would pursue 3rd baseman Norihiro Nakamura if they fail to re-sign Edgardo Alfonzo. Nakamura declared for free agency this week and will most likely replace Matsui in the Giants' lineup if he doesn't jump to the Majors.
Sporting News radio is saying that the Yankees are going to sign him next week for 2 years and 24 million.
Indeed, it's easy to see why Steinbrenner let Giambi and Bernie go to Japan, when before he never let any Yankees player join the tour. Also, the YES network is negotiating a deal with the Giants' parent comany, Yomiuri Broadcasting. Hmm....
matsui is way too overrated by american media in my opinion. if he goes to mlb and plays 162 games, i'm expecting him to do somewhat around batting avg of .280-.290 and 25-35 homers. i hope he'll prove me wrong and i hope he won't play for the yankees.
I really wonder how Matsui will respond to the bigger outfields and major league pitching. Ichiro doesn't rely on power and his style allows him to make the most out of bad pitches, yet he still struggled at the end of this season. I don't see Matsui faring any better. Anyhow, the Boss is sending his goons to Japan: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/n...112&content_id=175972&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp
Who was that one guy who said that soccer wouldn't make it because the US doesn't import foreign culture?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
matsui fever is chilling quickly. i heard the deal will not be 2 years 24 mil, instead he'll be paid about the same as ichiro (4 million a year). BTW, irabu is FIRED!!!
This guy is a home run hitter right ? Well it hasn't been proven yet that a Japanese player can come over here and be a top slugger. Ichiro isn't a power hitter. I have my doubts as to weather this guy will come here and do what he's paid to do. I mean our Major League cast offs go to Japan and hit over 50 homers for christ sakes. Tuffy Rhodes ??? If this guy hit more than 30 over here his first season I'll be surprised.
It hasn't been proven cuz there haven't been any Japanese position players until last year. Secondly, Ichiro wasn't brought to the Majors for his power. The guy hits for average, for OBP%, has speed on the basepaths, and is stellar defensively. Let's also not forget that he won the AL MVP and AL ROY last season. Didn't hit for power but I'll have him in my OF anyday.
yeah I know Ichiro is a great player but a Japanese power hitter still has to prove himself over here. Ichiro,Shinjo none of these guys here now have power I wanna see if a Japanese power hitter can come here and do what hes done over there.
Re: Re: Godzilla coming to America I think SportBoy's point was more about Matsui, and I too share his doubts. What's more interesting, Japanese players are saying that the Major League balls used in the US-Japan series don't have the "pop" that Japanese balls do. So essentially, Japanese players are playing with juiced balls in smaller stadiums (although American ballparks have gotten smaller in the past 10 years). My guess is Matsui will struggle at first (he's a notoriously slow starter) and will become at least an above-average slugger eventually. Whether he becomes a star, we'll see. That said, there are major leaguers who went to Japan and struggled and then you look at Cecil Fielder who hit 51 homers in his first season (?) back from Japan. Also, pitchers in Japan tend to shy away from fastballs and other potentially meaty pitches. Basically, there just isn't a big enough sample to make a definitive statement one way or the other and we'll just have to take it player by player.
Well yeah you have major leaguers who have went to Japan and done well and ones who haven't done well. I think trying to adjust and adapt to the culture over there is a big factor in that. It makes it more of a mental thing than anything else. Some guys just can't do it. Lou Merloni from the Red Sox who's one of the best utility infielders in baseball went over there and said he didn't like his experience. He had a tough time adjusting, wasn't getting playing time so he struggled at the plate. He certainly had the skills to do well there.
for japan league, it's better to invest for no name aaa or aa players. we can get them cheap and sometimes they become a diamond. my father used to be scouting from aaa and i know some player that shone in japan. meantime, there are some mlb folks who talked big and sucked big. the key is how fast they adopt their new circumstance, learn their opponents, fit in the team, and do continuous effort to keep in good shape. as for matsui, i prefer little matsui to play in mlb. the little one will probably perform better than the big one. as for tuffy rhodes and cabrera, they may not shine as they have done in japan, but i think they'll do more than everybody expect in mlb. let them take drugs just like mcgwire and bonds do.
Re: Re: Re: Godzilla coming to America I don't expect much out of Matsui either. I've never seen him play so I can't comment. But I'm just assuming the adjustment alone is gonna be a tough one. I think the media is hyping it up a little bit too much though. If he's gonna be a Yankee which it sounds like, I certainly ain't gonna hope he does well.
I haven't seen much Japanese baseball from the past year but I prefer Little Matsui too. Too bad the free agency rule in Japan is so screwed up. Also, I like Tuffy Rhodes. He's made a genuine effort to fit in and to boot, he speaks Japanese in the Osaka dialect, which sounds great coming out of a gaijin's mouth.
Just wondering, what's bigger right now over in Japan, baseball or soccer? I was watching something, think it might've been Asia Sports News, but they were talkin about how even after the World Cup, Japan was in a soccer frenzy. They even showed some baseball players (don't think they were pro) kicking around a soccer ball.