MLB Rumors: Pirates Looking At Wei-Yin Chen, Tsuyoshi Wada
by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 2, 2011 12:17 PM EST
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PrintThe Pirates have interest in Wei-Yin Chen and Tsuyoshi Wada, both lefty starting pitchers who last pitched in Japan. (Chen is Taiwanese.)
The same article also notes the Pirates' interest in Yeonis Cespedes, but we already knew about that, and Neal Huntington has also more or less confirmed that the Bucs won't be serious players there.
Chen is 26 and put up good numbers in his first few seasons for Chunichi. However, he had a leg injury last year that caused him to lose velocity, and he only struck out 5.1 batters per nine innings. I'd want the Pirates to be very confident about his health before I could endorse signing him, especially because his fastball appears to be his strikeout pitch. You can check out his fastball and breaking ball here.
Wada, 30, had much better numbers than Chen last year, but he apparently throws 86-87 MPH - that's not necessarily the kiss of death for a lefty, but it's something I might be a bit concerned about when determining whether his success in Japan would translate to the major leagues. His arm slot is a bit lower than most pitchers (you can watch it here), so maybe he could be a LOOGY if starting doesn't work out.
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Is Chen
a righty? Also any news on what else he can throw, ie slider, curve, change?
Thats what she said! - Michael Gary Scott
He’s a lefty. He has a good slider, and reasonable velocity, when healthy.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 2, 2011 12:29 PM EST up reply actions
Meh
The commitment for years on these pitchers is a bit too much for me. I could see a one, maybe two year flier, but I don’t think that gets it done.
In regards to these players, no thanks. But in general, I see the Pirates in on these types of players as it’s the only non MLB FA route that is open ended.
I could feel his muscle tissues collapse under my force. It's ludicrous these mortals even attempt to enter my realm. ~~ Mike Tyson
I already posted the info about Chen a few weeks ago.
Nobody thought it was worth responding to at the time so I took it down.
The YouTube vids I watched of him had him sitting around the equivalent of 91 mph with his fastball.
I thought Chen was very promising as a 20 y/o when he made his debut in 2005, but then he essentially missed the next 2 seasons with an arm injury. (IIRC, he actually was dropped to their developmental roster at one point, which is not for players on the organizational 70-man list.)
If I were in the Bucco FO, I would do my due diligence on his medical history. NPB seems to have a knack for getting max use out of a guy’s arm before he heads to MLB.
パトリック
The two years he missed might work in his favor in that regard.
by Charlie Wilmoth on Dec 2, 2011 1:28 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I see your point from an IP standpoint,
but they’d better check out his arm thoroughly to see if he’s healthy. As I said, NPB is quite adept at taxing a guy’s arm when they know he’s in his last season or two before trying the majors.
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If some are searching for a comparison,
if healthy, I could see Chen filling a role similar to Hisanori Takahashi. He would probably be best suited to the ’pen, capable of going multiple innings, yet with the Pirates he would figure into the rotation at some point or another.
パトリック
Chen is better
at least he is much younger. Some reports suggest that he could be a regular starter in major.
No, Takahashi had the more accomplished career in Japan. He went through the wars, especially as a Yomiuri starter for more years. I think you underestimate Takahashi's skill years ago.
Takahashi could not try the majors for many years because the Giants ignore the posting system. The Yomiuri company does not need the money like some of the other corporate teams.
Chen, as a foreigner in Japan, does not have to worry about the FA rules for Japanese players. We’ll never know if Chen could’ve had a longer, more distinguished career in NPB than Takahashi now.
The best Taiwanese pitcher in Japan last decade was Chang Chih-chia for the Seibu Lions. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career after a few years, but I saw him at his best and he was darn good.
パトリック
Chang was pretty good at that time, through he had better out-pitches than Chen. but as you mentioned, Chang was the one who had been overused in Japan, and he became some kind of bust after being back to Taiwan. I know Takahashi was good as well, however, Chang is a rising star, and is more promising than him. I am not saying he would have a success career if he heads to major, but he does have a better chance than Takahashi.
"Chang was the one who had been overused in Japan"
Yeah, it was a real shame how he fell apart. The Lions have had another Taiwanese pitcher Hsu Ming Chieh for 11 years. He has pedestrian stuff but has put together a real solid career as a reliever and starter.
IIRC, the Lions’ history with Taiwanese pitchers stretches back a few decades and is primarily responsible for a strange rule in NPB. Foreigners who play at least 9 years in Japan are not counted as foreign players for the 4-player limit on the top team roster. This was initially done for Asians players like the Taiwanese pitchers of long ago who were life-long residents of Japan.
In recent years, foreigners like Alex Ramirez and Alex Cabrera have also reached this status, which, in effect, has allowed their teams to use 5 gaijin as desired.
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Nobody thought it was worth responding to at the time so I took it down.
nice to rub it in our faces, thankyouverymuch
white angus
Since you’re paid to post, I hold you primarily responsible.
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any idea
why we heard about interest in Cespedes…but not Soler?
What you did there
I see it
And give you kudos.
Jose Tabata is the truth
The following is a list of everything Darren McFadden is bad at: 1) Giving birth. End of list.
There were many storys…. in those days, the best amateur left-hander pitcher in Taiwan was Chi-Hung Cheng, whom the Pirates have released two years ago. Chen was with Cheng in the same school, as many young pitchers in Taiwan are over-used when they are very young, Chen was fortunately behind Cheng, so his health was not too bad.
Chen’s singing bonus was about 850k. He was good but not great when he debut in 2005. But after taking Tommy John surgery in 2006, His arm strength was much improved, and that reflected on his speed. He got major success on his fastball, which some profile a plus weapon. If anyone interests, here is his average velocity tracker from 2009 to date. The orange dots are the fastball. As you can see, the slower ones were presented in May this year when he was back on the mound after leg surgery. He didn’t go to spring training, which some believe have a strong relation with his velocity-loss. I think Chen was totally rebuild-ed in the late year. The funny thing is he faced Wada each other in the first game of Japan Championship series, and both pitched 8 innings and gave up only one earn run.
by taiwania on Dec 2, 2011 2:01 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
just imagine
if anyone here tried to post in Taiwaniaeseish.. it would not be pretty.
kudos!
by patient pirate on Dec 2, 2011 3:43 PM EST up reply actions
Bucs could do a lot worse...
…than to snag Dallas Braden (or, in this case, his Japanese equivalent) for the rotation.
The Rays being interested in Wada makes me ears perk up since that probably means he’s a smart play for a team that has to manuever within strict budger limits.
If even if he never ends up being anything more for the Bucs than a lefty Jeff Karstens, that’s a useful thing to have. I say go for it.
Rumbunter notes, though, that his wife is an actress and model, which would probably mean the Dodgers or one of the New York teams would be frontrunners if they were interested ,which I have no idea if they are.
Jose Tabata is the truth
The following is a list of everything Darren McFadden is bad at: 1) Giving birth. End of list.
Prominent players in NPB tend to marry female announcers.
The main channels have plenty of cuties who are there to look good and hunt for a ballplayer husband. Matsuzaka married one, Ichiro did too.
Wada decided to go with a super-popular bikini idol from several years ago, Kasumi Nakane.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UogfJdvy5ss
(Darvish married one as well, but it hasn’t worked out.)
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Let's Sign Them Both ...
and then bring up the two players that we signed a few years ago from India. We could have a Far Eastern /Asian/Oriental starting rotation and we would be the talk of baseball which would add to our already deserved reputation as the laughingstock of baseball.
i love your contributions to this site
i wonder if one could be less useful than you if one tried.
by BurgherKing on Dec 2, 2011 5:14 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You asked about Rinku?
He got off to a late start in the Australian Baseball League due to visa problems, but he finally made it there and has pitched 2.1 innings, striking out three, hitting one, and giving up no hits, walks, or runs.
If you don’t root for Rinku, you have no soul.
(Ryan Beckman also had visa problems but has pitched seven innings, 8K 1BB 4H 2R 1ER 3HB — what is it with these beanball wars? Anyway, always good to see the pitchers doing well rather than poorly.)
Not actually affiliated with whygavs.
by WHYG Zane Smith on Dec 2, 2011 5:21 PM EST up reply actions
Rinku got the win too!
Ryan Beckman is pitching well so far in 6 outings 9IP 4H 2R 1ER 1BB 11Ks as a closer
On another note, Calvin Anderson (same team) is not having a great season .170/.228/.358
by BlindSquirrel on Dec 4, 2011 9:57 PM EST up reply actions
You're banning Vlad!
He has lots of interesting ideas. No Plus, I agree that it looks like a good investment.
Viva Clemente!
kyrene = Jerkstor, I thought.
Not actually affiliated with whygavs.
by WHYG Zane Smith on Dec 3, 2011 4:47 AM EST up reply actions
next up:
those on their 5th or 6th screenname?
Free your ass and your mind will follow.
by cocktailsfor2 on Dec 3, 2011 10:04 AM EST up reply actions
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