Japanese Paper: Pirates a Serious Player for Hisanori Takahashi
by Charlie on Feb 9, 2010 1:13 AM EST
23 comments
NPB Tracker has the story in English here, and here's a Google translation of the original story in the Japanese publication Sanspo. I don't know how to assess the credibility of the story, so take it with a grain of salt for now.
Anyway, Takahashi will be 35 at the start of the season. Here are his stats. If I understand the translation correctly, it sounds like the Pirates would be offering the same sort of minor-league deal they gave Masumi Kuwata in 2007. While this may not be saying much, though, Takahashi is probably a much better pitcher--Kuwata had been declining even in Japan before he signed with the Pirates, while Takahashi had an ERA below three last year. He does, however, allow a bunch of homers in Japan, which could become even more of a problem against major league pitching.
While there's no harm in giving a guy a minor league contract, I don't see a compelling to gum up the works unless the Pirates really believe they're getting someone good. The Bucs have four spots in their rotation set with Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf, Paul Maholm and Charlie Morton, a couple of options to sort through in Kevin Hart and Dan McCutchen, and a prospect who could be ready in June or so in Brad Lincoln. You can never have enough starting pitching, but the Pirates do have a fair amount, and I'd probably rather they just sorted through options like Hart, McCutchen and Lincoln unless they really believe that Takahashi can pitch very well.
If the report of the Pirates' interest in Takahashi is correct, then, I bet they're thinking of him more as a potential LOOGY (lefty one-out guy). With the additions of Octavio Dotel, Brendan Donnelly, D.J. Carrasco and Javier Lopez, the bullpen is a lot more crowded than it was a couple months ago, but Lopez is the only lefty so far who looks likely to earn a spot. (UPDATE: A couple of readers point out that Takahashi throws a screwball and doesn't have a great breaking ball, so LOOGYdom is unlikely. Lefties hit .300 against him last year.)
Above is some video of Takahashi pitching to former minor league slugger Craig Brazell. Unfortunately, Takahashi is pitching from the stretch. Has anyone here seen his windup? Is it conventional?
Thanks to WTM.
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He wants a major league deal as a starter, and wants to play on the west coast. He’s headed elsewhere if we only offer a minor league deal, so a major league deal seems like the only way to get it done. The Mets arre moving towards major league deal, according to MLBTR, so we would have company if we joined the MLB fray.
It seems like we could fit him in as a ‘pen lefty still, although I’m not sure how effective he can be. Looks better than Javier Lopez according to that video.
Small ballpark
The Yomiuri Giants stadium is on the small side, which may have inflated some of Takahashi’s numbers — including his HRs allowed. The lines are both 320 feet and center is 399.
On a side note, the stadium holds only 4,000 fans — and this is one of the storied teams in the Japanese league.
Alleghenys
You can’t be serious with the claim the Tokyo Dome “holds only 4,000 fans”.
If you want to know how many fans the place can hold for baseball, and some of the creative math the Giants have done over the years to increase attendance numbers, read this letter to The Japan Times several years ago:
Thoughtless
You are right, patthatt. I read that number here and was moving too quickly to question it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yomiuri_Giants_Stadium
4,000 would be absurd and unrealistic, so thanks for catching my carelessness.
heh
The state team ground here holds about 4000. Big difference. Baseball Park Perth
by BlindSquirrel on Feb 9, 2010 6:53 PM EST up reply actions
Takahashi's wind-up is not a high effort one,
and with only a bit of hesitation at the top-not as pronounced as a lot of the Japanese hurlers.
Here he is getting strikeout #1000:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gloEcogq7Lc
(The vid quality is not that great, but the two pitch speeds I can read come out to about 85 and 87 mph. As a reliever, I would expect him to be more at 88/89 and touching 90 on occasion.)
I saw him pitch twice during brief stopovers in Tokyo and both times he went exclusively from the stretch like in patthatt’s video…its more or less a slightly more upright version of Kaz Ishii.
by Say Hey Johnny Ray on Feb 9, 2010 10:11 AM EST up reply actions
I doubt they are looking at him as a LOOGY...
From what I have read, his main off speed pitch is a screwball which would break in on lefties and pretty much defeat the purpose of being a LOOGY. I dont remember the numbers, but I also seem to remember that he had a reverse platoon split.
He also throws a nice two-seamer but you’re right, his curve isn’t terribly impressive, especially for a LOOGY.
His stuff is much more suited to starting although his fastball/2 seam/screwball act would work well in one inning bites as well, I should think.
by Say Hey Johnny Ray on Feb 9, 2010 10:14 AM EST up reply actions
NPB tracker has a nice pitch tracker for him
http://npbtracker.com/data/index.php?team_id=8&pitcher_id=258&pitcher_name=Takahashi,Hisanori&date=2009080901&action=GetChart
by Say Hey Johnny Ray on Feb 9, 2010 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
Say Hey Johnny Ray
I saw Johnny Ray playing in NPB on TV a few times in Japan in ’91 and "92.
He couldn’t play 2B at that point in his career.
So it makes me wonder why the Yokohama Bay Stars would consider Jose Castillo for the position this year.
The Japanese, in particular, don’t like to watch middle IFs without range and good fundamentals, especially foreign ones, because they generally figure they can find a Japanese player to man the position adequately, even if the guy can’t hit much.
They’re actually going to play Castillo at second?
I just assumed that when Yokohama brought him in they were looking at him either at first to replace the Dan Johnson experiment or third because you’re exactly right, NPB teams always go with the no hit national option up the middle.
by Say Hey Johnny Ray on Feb 9, 2010 10:50 AM EST up reply actions
It seems very strange to me, as well.
Guess we’ll have to see how it goes, but I don’t think it’s likely to end well.
I wonder
why anyone would pay Castillo to play 2B. Or RF, or pinch hitter…
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Feb 9, 2010 6:52 PM EST up reply actions
I agree
that you can never have enough starting pitching, so if Takahashi could be brought in on a minor league deal to compete for the rotation (or at least be a bullpen guy who can start if needed), I think that is a good idea.
I guess the Bucs have a fair amount of starting pitching, but if either Hart or McCutchen stinks, or anyone gets hurt, and Lincoln isn’t ready, debt is pretty much at zero.
They've still got Karstens at AAA.
Not a great option, but probably tolerable in short doses.
VV’s down there, too, but I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. Which ain’t far.
Re: V V
Can we just not even acknowledge that he’s in our system, please?
Thank you.
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Feb 9, 2010 6:55 PM EST up reply actions
I’d settle for whiting him out of NH’s depth chart.
by WTM on Feb 9, 2010 7:25 PM EST up reply actions
Debt
was surplus when Clinton left office.
Not to start off on another topic, or nothin’….
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Feb 9, 2010 6:53 PM EST up reply actions
why
Why would we sign him ? why would he sign with us.?Save the money for the draft and dr, vzl signings. Come on 35yr old soft tossing lefty who can’t get lefties out. Let’s start to think about guys who will be hear in 2011,2012 and start getting them some innings and playing time.
'position flex-ability, yea baby' austin powers
end of story
jerry crasnick reports that he’s signed with the mets.
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