Hirotoshi Ishii

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I found this on boston dirt dogs site. Sounds like the Sox are really interested in this guy. They claim that Japanese pitchers do well here but I guess Takatsu is the exception. We deffinitly need a lefty and he would come much cheaper than BJ Ryan. That is if the Sox truely feel he can setup at the major league level. I only found the stats they posted on dirt dogs which show he can strike guys out. Anyone know anything about this guy? How he throws and what types of pitches he throws?

 

He is only 28 years old which is nice to see but I think with the Sox bullpen the way it is they need to add a sure thing. I would be nervous bringing in guys who have not proved themselves when this team really needs a couple guaranteed stoppers.

 

By the way...the team he played for is the Yakult Swallows hahahahaha

[yankeessuck013]

Foulke (if healthy)

Timlin (rumor is that he will resign)

Paplebon

Delcarmen

Hansen

Bradford

Myers (not sure of his contract status)

Dinardo

Hirotoshi Ishii (if signed)

 

That is a pretty deep bullpen and we haven't even discussed any possible free agent signings. I think the bullpen will go from being a weakness to a strength.

 

I'd be willing to give this guy a chance.

[Ray10]

Is he any good I've never seen him pitch don't know wut kind of stuff he has.

[RedSoxRooter]

Not to be a bad egg but...

 

Foulke - may never be what he once was

Timlin - hope he stays, but what more can you ask of him. He's over 40

Paplebon - rotation, baby. All the way.

Delcarmen - Timlins replacement

Hansen - Foulke's replacement

Bradford - who cares?

Myers - I'd like him back, but see Timlin's prospects

Dinardo - everyone's high on one good month. The kid has yet to impress one ounce of me.

Hirotoshi Ishii - BK Kim minus the baggage.

 

Not a bad bullpen, but nothing great either.

[Soxfan1]

imagine what his nickname will be. B.K Kim shook me up big time. i have doubt.

[Cityofchampions33]

If we can sign him to a low expense, short term contract by all means do it, but i'd hate to waste a big time contract on him (see Jose Contreras). It'd be great to sign him to a 1/2 yr deal for 2-4 mill at most, then maybe add on some team options at the end. He's entered his prime as it seems, in 2002 had a 1.51 ERA with 19 K's, thats in 69 games. Last two years has averaged 35 games with around a 2.00 ERA in both, had 60+ K's in both of those years. That ERA might rise to the 3.00-4.00 range if he comes here, could be a solid reliever and future set-up for Hansen. Plus, he's only 28 years old.

[yankeessuck013]

10.19 Update -- ESPN's Peter Gammons tells BDD: "Three weeks ago his catcher agreed to become manager only if he withdrew his name from being posted, and he did. Ishii has asked the club not to renege on their promise to post him... Craig Shipley (Red Sox Special Assistant to the General Manager/Player Development and International Scouting) likes him, but they won't pay closer money, and they think he'll get that. Their presence in Japan is unrivaled, and they have made two big signings in Taiwan."

[26 to 6]

So much for that then.

 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getsp.pl5?sb20051019j1.htm

^thats the link regarding Yakult catcher Atsuya Furuta signing on to be player-manager of the Swallows^

[example1]

At no point does any of this actually discuss the kind of stuff this guy has. I'm skeptical of anyone who can't throw 95 and am sick of the sox throwing puss. I like foulke, but the guy is pissed off at the city of boston, a malcontent, and he's a closer who can't throw harder than 89 when he's HEALTHY. I don't believe that his injury was his problem this year. I think that somehow nearly every team figured out how to read him. It could be because he shows his freaking grip every time he pitches the ball, holding it out behind him for all to see.

 

The way people were able to sit on his changeup this year was really remarkable and I don't think it has to do with his body. Other than the grip a circle-change is thrown almost exactly like a fastball, and guys were hitting it like a BP fastball.

[elsrbueno]

BK Kim wasn't Japanese.

 

I'm skeptical of Japanese pitchers though. The Red Sox signed Denny Tomori last season and many people thought he would really help our bullpen-- last I knew he struggled so bad at AAA that he was sent to Portland....

 

Seems like these guys dominate at first, but once the league learns them a lot of them become hittable. Shigetosi Hasegawa has stayed relatively reliable, but who else?

 

Kaz Ishii, Hideo Nomo are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head, and both of those guys pitched well at first but struggled later. Otsuka (San Diego) and Tatasku are the most recent imports, and Tatasku also pitched well in year 1 and struggled in year 2.

 

Anyone else remember Irabu? I forget his first name but he signed with the Yankees and was supposed to be the next great dominant pitcher in the bigs. He struggled mightily in New York, was exhiled to Montreal and very little was heard from him since then.

 

A low-money, incentive laden contract is all I'd give for a guy who's yet to prove himself in the Major Leagues.

[ClayBuchholzIsDaFuture]

There's a rumor that Daisuke Matsusaka might be posted,He's the Japanese pitcher the sox should throw their money at .. Btw, Theo must regret not signing Tahahito Iguchi right now ...

[riverside sluggers]

Btw, Theo must regret not signing Tahahito Iguchi right now ...

 

except that for coming into 2005, Bellhorn's option was picked up by the Sox thinking he would have another 17 HR/82 RBI season. They didnt even think Bellhorn would increase his strikeouts (102) and just with 26 RBIs through the first half. Plus also the Sox have a prized 2b prospect in Dustin Pedroia. why would they sign a relatively young player to be at that position when they already have someone waiting in the midst? Yes there is a lot of signings Theo regrets he didnt make as it is with all GMs. But there is also signings he glad he didnt go through with, like how Yankees won the bidding war for Carl Pavano.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I'll be the first to admit I thought Bellhorn would be incredible as our #9 hitter. With the amount of walks he got and his OBP it seemed perfect. But not every plan works and most of the Red Sox plans did not work this year.

 

Millar, Bellhorn, Mantei, Neal, Foulke, Schilling, Remlinger, Renteria.....just about 80% of the team didn't do what most of us thought they would do. Leaves lots of room for improvement though.

[Cityofchampions33]

10.19 Update -- ESPN's Peter Gammons tells BDD: "Three weeks ago his catcher agreed to become manager only if he withdrew his name from being posted, and he did. Ishii has asked the club not to renege on their promise to post him... Craig Shipley (Red Sox Special Assistant to the General Manager/Player Development and International Scouting) likes him, but they won't pay closer money, and they think he'll get that. Their presence in Japan is unrivaled, and they have made two big signings in Taiwan."

 

Wait, does this mean we have an urivaled presence? and we've made two big signings? If so I haven't heard of them. Only way i sign him is if he comes under 4 mill, at most. Plus, I have faith Foulke we get better, now that his knees are healthy, I still love the guy, though I don;t know why he's pissed.

[Monbouquette62]

This was helpful:

 

http://www.japaneseballplayers.com

[ClayBuchholzIsDaFuture]

Wait, does this mean we have an urivaled presence? and we've made two big signings? If so I haven't heard of them. Only way i sign him is if he comes under 4 mill, at most. Plus, I have faith Foulke we get better, now that his knees are healthy, I still love the guy, though I don;t know why he's pissed.

 

I heard the sox signed a top Asian prospect & that their not going to announce it till the WS is over ... hmmmm...

[24redsox]

Anyone know what's going on with this guy?

[Beckett95]

Shinji Mori

The Seibu Lions will allow right-handed reliever Shinji Mori to make a switch to MLB via the posting system, the team announced.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan's top pitcher and another Seibu Lion desperate to go to the U.S., has to be especially annoyed now. Mori, 31, was named the Pacific League's best setup man in 2002 and 2003, but he had a subpar 4.22 ERA last season. It's unclear how much interest there will be in him. Nov. 26 - 12:32 am et

Source: The Japan Times

from rotoworld