Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 11:44 pm Post subject:
The Dice-K era is officially over:
Matsuzaka returns to Japan, signs with Softbank
FUKUOKA, Japan — Daisuke Matsuzaka has signed a contract with the Softbank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League after eight years in Major League Baseball.
The 34-year-old right-hander, who went 3-3 with 78 strikeouts and a 3.89 ERA for the New York Mets in 2014, led the Pacific League in wins three times with the Seibu Lions before signing a six-year, $52 million contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2006.
"This is a very solid team," Matsuzaka said at a press conference. "I remember from my days pitching in Japan how difficult they were to face. It should be a very enjoyable team to pitch for."
Terms of Matsuzaka's deal were not released.
In his first season in the majors. Matsuzaka helped Boston win the World Series in 2007. His best season was 2008, when he went 18-3 with 154 strikeouts and a 2.90 ERA but he didn't live up to expectations after that.
The Hawks won the Japan Series in 2014 and are among the more successful teams in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 11:30 pm Post subject:
Kuroda returning to Japan to pitch for Hiroshima
Hiroki Kuroda is returning to Japan to pitch for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, an official with knowledge of the move told ESPNNewYork.com, confirming Japanese media reports.
Hiroki Kuroda, who had an 11-year career in Japan before pitching for the Dodgers and Yankees, is returning to his first professional team.
The free-agent right-hander reunites with his first professional team, reportedly on a one-year contract worth $3.3 million.
Kuroda pitched for Hiroshima from 1997 to 2007 before signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the 2008 season. He spent four years with the Dodgers before moving to the New York Yankees.
Kuroda, who will turn 40 in February, went 11-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts last season, his third with the Yankees.
The Japanese broadcaster NHK and other reports said Saturday that Kuroda will wear No. 15, the same number he wore when he last pitched for the Carp. Hiroshima kept the number open for him during his time in the major leagues, where he wore 18.
Kuroda was perhaps the most durable starter in the Yankees rotation the past three seasons. He worked 199 innings in 2014 after exceeding 200 in his first two seasons with New York and the final season with the Dodgers.
The Yankees believe they are set to begin the 2015 season with Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Capuano in the rotation, a source told ESPNNewYork.com. Plus, they have Ivan Nova due to return from Tommy John surgery in late May.
In seven MLB seasons, Kuroda compiled a 79-79 record with a 3.45 ERA and 986 strikeouts in 1,319 innings pitched.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 8:03 pm Post subject:
My all-time favorite baseball player passed away last night.
'Mr. Cub' Ernie Banks dead at 83
Ernie Banks, one of baseball�fs most ebullient and optimistic ambassadors, died Friday, his wife, Liz, confirmed.
Known worldwide as �gMr. Cub,�h Banks became the Cubs' first African-American player on Sept. 17, 1953, and went on to become an 11-time All-Star and two-time National League Most Valuable Player (1958-59). His boundless enthusiasm and optimism personified what it meant to be a Cubs fan.
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts released the following statement Friday night:
�gWords cannot express how important Ernie Banks will always be to the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago and Major League Baseball. He was one of the greatest players of all time. He was a pioneer in the major leagues. And more importantly, he was the warmest and most sincere person I�fve ever known. Approachable, ever optimistic and kind-hearted, Ernie Banks is and always will be Mr. Cub. My family and I grieve the loss of such a great and good-hearted man, but we look forward to celebrating Ernie�fs life in the days ahead.�h
Mayor Rahm Emanuel also released a statement in praise of Banks.
�gErnie Banks was more than a baseball player. He was one of Chicago�fs greatest ambassadors,�h Emanuel said. �gHe loved this city as much as he loved — and lived for — the game of baseball. This year during every Cubs game, you can bet that No.14 will be watching over his team. And if we�fre lucky, it�fll be a beautiful day for not just one ballgame, but two.�h
Banks, who hit 512 home runs and had 1,636 RBIs, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
Renowned for his sunny disposition, Banks, 83, loved the game and often proclaimed: �gLet�fs play two!�h even when the Cubs struggled to climb out of the National League basement. On Nov. 20, 2013, Banks was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom during ceremonies at the White House in recognition of his goodwill.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 8:16 pm Post subject:
We might be able to see Ichiro at Dodger Stadium this year:
Ichiro inks deal with Marlins
MIAMI – Ichiro Suzuki has passed his physical and finalized a $2 million, one-year deal with the Miami Marlins.
The Marlins made the announcement Tuesday night.
Ichiro signed the deal in his native Japan. A news conference will be held for him Thursday, with five Marlins executives present, including president David Samson, president of baseball operations Michael Hill and general manager Dan Jennings.
The 41-year-old Ichiro, a 10-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, is expected to be the team�fs fourth outfielder behind Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna.
�gWe are thrilled to have Ichiro Suzuki in a Marlins uniform,�h Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said in a statement. �gHe is the ultimate professional on and off the field, and will make an excellent addition to our ballclub.�h
Ichiro is the first Japanese player to sign with the Marlins. He hit .284 and stole 15 bases for the New York Yankees last season.
Warning! If you're easily offended DO NOT read that link! (I know, I know, this usually just makes people want to read it all the more. Just don't say I didn't warn you.)
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:12 am Post subject:
Yu Darvish to miss 2015 season with Tommy John surgery
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Yu Darvish said he didn't need any more opinions once the first doctor recommended season-ending surgery on the ailing right elbow of the Texas Rangers ace.
The Japanese right-hander waited for two more reports anyway before the announcement that Dr. James Andrews will perform elbow ligament replacement surgery Tuesday in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
Andrews was the last of three doctors to review images of the 28-year-old's elbow, following Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister and New York Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek. Tommy John surgery likely will sideline Darvish until early 2016.
"Obviously it's a bump in a road for my career and obviously for the team that I'm not going to be able to throw," Darvish said Friday through an interpreter. "But there's a lot of positives that can come out of this."
From a Texas point of view, one of those positives is that Darvish will stay with the Rangers while he recovers rather than return to Japan. General manager Jon Daniels said Darvish should be back in Arizona by Wednesday night.
"What was most important to us is that he would rehab in Texas and with the team, both from the standpoint of being with our people, so we could have our hands on him, but also from the standpoint of being with the club, around his teammates, around our staff," Daniels said. "Yu was totally on board with that."
An MRI last week revealed a partially torn ligament and inflammation after Darvish felt tightness in his triceps while warming up for his spring training debut. He threw 10 of 12 pitches for strikes in his only inning before telling anyone about the discomfort.
An All-Star in each of his three seasons since arriving from Japan, Darvish started last season on the disabled list after experiencing neck stiffness in spring training. He missed only one start then, and was 10-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 212 starts and made his final appearance on Aug. 9 because of elbow inflammation.
The elbow checked out fine during the offseason.
"I didn't think this was going to happen," said Darvish, who will return with two years left on a six-year deal worth $56 million, a deal signed after the Rangers agreed to pay almost $52 million for his rights. "During that time, I thought it was nothing more than elbow inflammation."
Daniels said Darvish could be back in the rotation by May 2016 and suggested it could be earlier.
"Every rehab is a little different, so I'm not going to put a stopwatch on it," Daniels said. "Our goal is to get him back once with no setbacks. It's too early to put a date on it."
Darvish is 39-25 in 83 starts for the Rangers, with 680 strikeouts in 545 ⅓ innings. He led the majors with 277 strikeouts in 2013.
First-year manager Jeff Banister reiterated that he's now trying to fill two rotation spots behind right-handers Yovani Gallardo and Colby Lewis and lefty Derek Holland. And he's already looking forward to next season, when he figures to fill out a lineup card with Darvish's name on it for the first time.
"We'll leave the light on for him," Banister said.
Darvish said he never felt pain in his elbow, but doctors warned that a thinning of the ligament put him at risk of a more significant tear if he tried to pitch after several months of rest without surgery.
"I have no worries whatsoever," Darvish said. "I feel like during this time there are a lot of things I can do to make myself better, knowing this is going to make me better."
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:47 pm Post subject:
Kuroda wins in return to Japan
Former Yankees pitcher Hiroki Kuroda won his first game in his return to Japanese baseball Sunday.
Kuroda struck out five, giving up five hits and walking one batter over seven scoreless innings as the Hiroshima Carp beat the Yakult Swallows, 2-1.
Kuroda signed a one-year contract worth $3.3 million in the off-season. He pitched for Hiroshima from 1997-2007 and then spent four years with the Los Angeles Dodgers before moving to the Yankees.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:42 pm Post subject:
bmwracer wrote:
Sad to see Ichiro being a journeyman player now.
Well, maybe not. After starting out 3-10 the Marlins put Ichiro in the starting lineup and they've gone 5-1 and he's hit .391 during that stretch. Not bad for an old guy.
Dodgers lay a humongous ostrich egg in San Francisco: They not only get swept again by the Giants, but they fail to score a single run in all three games.
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