Kenshin Kawakami Wants to Be a Red Sox

[BoSox21]

Japanese hurler Kenshin Kawakami, who is set to become a free agent after the season, reportedly wants to pitch for the Red Sox.

 

The Yankees and Mets are among the teams believed to have scouted Kawakami, a soon-to-be 33-year-old right-hander. Kawakami just missed qualifying for free agency last year. Had he made the jump then, he might have received a contract similar to Hiroki Kuroda's. He has the weaker fastball of the two, but he has an outstanding track record.

 

Rotoworld

[26 to 6]

Kawakami has spent his entire career with Chunichi; last years Japan Series champions. He has a career ERA of 3.29, 326 walks to his 1216 strikeouts in 1525 inning pitched. Keep in mind this is all through 2007, not including his numbers from this year. He's missed a few weeks this season due to an undisclosed illness, but recently returned to the team. He won the 1998 Central League Rookie of the Year award after going 14-6 with a 2.57. In addition he has a no-hitter under his belt and in 2004 won the Central League MVP award as well as the Sawamura (NPB equivalent of the Cy Young award). Obviously, success in NPB doesnt necessarily translate to the States (see Kei Igawa), but I don't want the Red Sox to get their hands on him.

 

http://www.japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=1026

[Anuj09]

The only Japanese starting pitcher the sox should consider getting is Yu Darvish and thats only if he wants to come to the States.

[26 to 6]

I can't f***ing wait until Darvish makes the move. Whether he asks to be posted or comes over as a free agent in 4 years, it will inevitably happen, and he very well could be AMAZING

[BoSox21]

yea, I saw that article on him on ESPN.com. interesting prospect

[Cocos Disciples]

I'm going to bump this, as a serious possibility for the 09 rotation. MLBTR (yeah, yeah) predicts the Sox signing him in their Top 50 FA's feature, so I figure its worth discussing. He's already 33 years old. His career numbers are: 103-67, 3.29 ERA, 1216 K/326 BB. All of that being in Japan of course.

 

Interesting?

[Dipre]

I'm going to bump this, as a serious possibility for the 09 rotation. MLBTR (yeah, yeah) predicts the Sox signing him in their Top 50 FA's feature, so I figure its worth discussing. He's already 33 years old. His career numbers are: 103-67, 3.29 ERA, 1216 K/326 BB. All of that being in Japan of course.

 

Interesting?

 

 

Does anyone think those numbers translate to an about-average P in the States, or all things considered (AL East,Fenway), doesn't it seem that from this guy's career numbers he could get bombed just like Igawa?

 

I'm going towards option number 2, but if he's really cheap, he might be worth checking out.

[Cocos Disciples]

It could go either way. I wouldn't take those stats too seriously, just posted them for reference.

[BSN07]

He looks to be league AVG. Maybe more in the NL. High 80's FB isn't going to float in the AL East. I imagine the Yankees will sign him tho.....

[Dojji]

Yeah, you're right BSN, lucky we picked up 2 guys who throw 100MPH, right?

 

I'm not worried about a high 80's fastball, that's survivable. What has me nervous with these guys is what the different baseball does to their offspeed stuff. That's really what messed Igawa up. Daisuke went from an ungodly arsenal to basically a 3-4 pitch pitcher (fastball, slider, cutter, change). Oki broke through because he found that one of his pitches worked BETTER with the American baseball.

 

If I saw some evidence that these Japanese star pitchers had practiced with an American baseball I'd relax a lot more about bringing one to the States.

[Dipre]

Yeah, you're right BSN, lucky we picked up 2 guys who throw 100MPH, right?

 

I'm not worried about a high 80's fastball, that's survivable. What has me nervous with these guys is what the different baseball does to their offspeed stuff. That's really what messed Igawa up. Daisuke went from an ungodly arsenal to basically a 3-4 pitch pitcher (fastball, slider, cutter, change). Oki broke through because he found that one of his pitches worked BETTER with the American baseball.

 

If I saw some evidence that these Japanese star pitchers had practiced with an American baseball I'd relax a lot more about bringing one to the States.

 

Then there's also the whole "a new culture, new place to live in" problem, not too mention the language barrier during the first couple months, since it's not that easy to convey messages to a person who just arrived to the US, hell, even if he does know english it has to feel kinda strange.

[soxfan17881]

The age thing seems like it should be ab issue, no? I mean 33?

[Cocos Disciples]

I know he's a reliever, but Okajima was 32 when we signed him.