Akinori Iwamura??

[riverside sluggers]

Im starting to hear rumblings about Akinori Iwamura, a 3rd baseman slugger who is close to being posted. With Matsuzaka taking up all the talk, could the Sox try & swoop in on him? This past season he hit .311 with 32 HRs, 77 RBIs

 

http://www.japanball.com/news.phtml?id=8146

[HeadOfSoxNation]

This past season he hit .311 with 32 HRs' date=' 77 RBIs[/quote']

 

I'd certainly give it a shot...but those power numbers are, in my opinion, two and a half times what they would be over here. I'd expect a close to .300 average, 12-14 homeruns, and 60 or so RBIs. Still VERY worth checking out, though. Especially since I think he's only in his high-mid 20's.

[Cityofchampions33]

If we can get rid of Lowell why not

[ARod2212]

Just keep in mind the problems Kaz Matsui had switching to defense over here. Lowell is a GG caliber third baseman.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Just keep in mind the problems Kaz Matsui had switching to defense over here. Lowell is a GG caliber third baseman.

 

Agreed. I'd rather have Mike Lowell for now. Unless he is Hideki Matsui or Ichiro Suzuki I'm not real excited. I don't know much about the guy but I don't think he is either.

[example1]

Agreed. I'd rather have Mike Lowell for now. Unless he is Hideki Matsui or Ichiro Suzuki I'm not real excited. I don't know much about the guy but I don't think he is either.

 

What does this mean? That japan will not produce any more offensive players who find success in the US?

 

I don't get very excited by 12 HR and 60 RBI at 3B. seriously, we can do better than that. If this guy has 25 HR power and can get on base at a .370 clip I'd be excited. Anyone know his OBP in Japan?

[CrespoBlows]

Anyone know his OBP in Japan?

 

.390.

[Beckett95]

he has also said he'd be willing to play 2nd, SS or CF next year. I would definetely take a run at this guy as he is a great athlete and only 27. I think he's fielding would be fine since he was a five-time Gold Glover at third in Japan.

[elsrbueno]

he has also said he'd be willing to play 2nd' date=' SS or CF next year. I would definetely take a run at this guy as he is a great athlete and only 27. I think he's fielding would be fine since he was a five-time Gold Glover at third in Japan.[/quote']

 

12 homers, 60 RBI and a decent OBP is interesting at second-- although we don't know how well the dude can actually PLAY second.

[BSN07]

I agree good number's for 2nd maybe SS or cf, but you would have to be getting alot of production from somewhere else like 3b. I know it may be a long shot but get ARAM away from the CHC. Then you could except 12-15 hrs, 60 RBI,and a OBP of .370.

[Gom]

Beware of the curse of Kaz Matsui.

[elsrbueno]

I agree good number's for 2nd maybe SS or cf' date=' but you would have to be getting alot of production from somewhere else like 3b. I know it may be a long shot but get ARAM away from the CHC. Then you could except 12-15 hrs, 60 RBI,and a OBP of .370.[/quote']

 

Honestly I'd be REALLY skeptical of throwing a career third baseman in as an everyday shortstop or centerfielder. Playing third takes a whole different skillset, and chances are he's a third baseman because he doesn't have the range to be a SS. Second base takes less range-- but that's the scouts' job to determine if he could play that.

[MANNYHOF24]

did this guy not end up getting posted or something??

[Cocos Disciples]

TB won him.

[RavenOfProphecy]

Yeah, I was kind of hoping Boston would sign him as well. We could have maybe played him in the outfield or something, Tampa Bay said they were interested in trying him out at a bunch of different positions in both the infield and outfield.

[hoke3182]

lowell hit 20hr 80rbi batted .284 , and is a gg defender. i'm fine with that

[jacksonianmarch]

I think Lowell should be moved. The guy had a very bad yr in 05. Then he started out hot and faded again in 06.

[hoke3182]

tek had a bad year last year, and is getting older, should he be sent packing. who we going to get better tnan lowell.

[Cityofchampions33]

I don't think he'll decline that badly, or maybe even at all. I mean it's not like he hit .300 with 30 HRs and 100+ RBIs, what he did can be repeated twice. However, it would not suprise me if he did. To be clear I am all for moving Lowell if we can get a better option.

[jacksonianmarch]

tek had a bad year last year' date=' and is getting older, should he be sent packing. who we going to get better tnan lowell.[/quote']

 

tek is and has been the undisputed leader of the red sox. At the same time, VTek has no trade value currently. Lowell should have some value, so they should get something for him while they can.

[EvilDonut]

tek is and has been the undisputed leader of the red sox. At the same time' date=' VTek has no trade value currently. Lowell should have some value, so they should get something for him while they can.[/quote']

 

Trading Tek is the equivalent of shooting oneself in the scrotum. I called the sox slump after Tek got injured, which wasn't solely his doing, but it definetely exacerbated it. Same thing happened in 2000 too.

[hoke3182]

trading tek won't happen, i was just using that as an example.remember our defense in 05, it stank. we need lowells d, and he had what 47 doubles last year thats tough to replace

[jacksonianmarch]

trading tek won't happen' date=' i was just using that as an example.remember our defense in 05, it stank. we need lowells d, and he had what 47 doubles last year thats tough to replace[/quote']

 

you bad defense in 05 led you to the playoffs. Your great defense in 06 left you 11 games out.

[CrespoBlows]

Trading Tek is the equivalent of shooting oneself in the scrotum. I called the sox slump after Tek got injured' date=' which wasn't solely his doing, but it definetely exacerbated it. Same thing happened in 2000 too.[/quote']

 

Oh, that was a great call.

 

Too bad 99% of Red Sox nation saw it coming, with you.

[BSN07]

Because in 05 we had enough offense to comeback in games we where down. 06 we kept runs off the board with our spectacular D, but or line up was feeble at best. Our pitching stunk so it didn't matter how good of D we played because we didn't have enough offense to make up for the weak pitching. You need a dominate pitching staff and excellent D if your going to win with a weak lineup.

 

04= good pitching, avg. D and great offense( WS series champs, 2nd in division)

05= bad pitching, avg. D and great offense( playoffs, 2nd division)

06= bad pitching, great D, weak offense( no playoffs, 3rd in division)

07 we go in with what could be one of the better rotations in the league, good D and Good lineup

 

If it wasn't for our good D last year we might have been in fourth.

[EvilDonut]

Oh, that was a great call.

 

Too bad 99% of Red Sox nation saw it coming, with you.

 

Just saying. to my Non-baseball friends in Iowa i looked like a God.

[elsrbueno]

you bad defense in 05 led you to the playoffs. Your great defense in 06 left you 11 games out.

 

Great defense does you no good when you lose a good portion of your rotation, your bullpen collapsed, and your lose your top 2 hitters for significant periods of time.

 

Lowell would probably fetch a mediocre reliver in trade, and the Sox already have plenty of those.

[riverside sluggers]

tek had a bad year last year' date=' and is getting older, should he be sent packing. who we going to get better tnan lowell.[/quote']

 

Even if the Sox wanted to trade Tek... why Im not sure as he has just 2 years left, in which he can be a great mentor to the youngster George Kottaras. If all goes well, Kottaras could be the team's backup in 08 (Tek's last year of contract)

 

Also, not sure if you realize... but effective this offseason he has 10/5 rights

[HeadOfSoxNation]

Even if the Sox wanted to trade Tek... why Im not sure as he has just 2 years left, in which he can be a great mentor to the youngster George Kottaras. If all goes well, Kottaras could be the team's backup in 08 (Tek's last year of contract)

 

Also, not sure if you realize... but effective this offseason he has 10/5 rights

 

I don't think the 10/5 thing even matters because I think the Sox strayed from club policy and gave Tek a NTC when he resigned to the 4 yr/40 million deal. I could be wrong, but I could swear I read that somewhere.

[CrespoBlows]

The Red Sox finished 28th in defensive efficency in 2006. They were far from great.