(Update) Orioles reach agreement w/ Taiwanese LHP Wei-Yin Chen

[Nigel Tufnel]

Uhmmm LaRoche stinks ...Please try again!

I guess I should have used the sarcasm font.

[LA2]

The other thing all these starting pitching moves tells me is this....

...Double D isn't NEARLY as impressed with our young cavalry as MacPhail was, and he seems dead set on making anyone and everyone EARN their way onto the team.

I love it.

Good point. I would add: Or as impressed as Showalter was by the hot final third of the 2010 season.

[weams]

Wow, good deal, nice moves DD!

A very low risk, high reward, signing if true. MacPhail may have been the Emperor of Great trades, but DD seems like the clearance rack FA guru. Hope some of them work.

[Austin]

On the opposite spectrum of the Frown of Approval:

Anyone this excited?

God, that GIF is probably my favorite thing on the internet. Every time I see it I stop and watch it loop like 10 times.

[Guest rochester]

Depends on the contract.

Damned if you do - damned if you don't... we actually went out and got somebody we wanted instead of waiting - I am a little surprised at the first post caveat...

[byrdz]

Sounds like we need an Asian Buffet at OPACY.

Not a bad thought, besides the fact of it's awesomeness, OPACY will probably start to attract more Asian fans. Not to say that this is the only thing they eat or they wouldn't like some Boogs along with the rest of us.

[Capn Vivi]

Here's a post with some stats I compiled from after we signed Tsuyoshi Wada, if anyone is wondering how Chen's performance compared to the likes of Wada and Koji, among others:

I compiled stats from a couple pitchers who've played in Japan in recent years and found success. I figured I'd take a look at how they fared against one another and then how they each reacted to the major leagues. Namely, I'm referring to Colby Lewis and Koji Uehara. I didn't put Hiroki Kuroda's numbers in because he's always been fairly mediocre relative to the league. His peripherals have always been good but his case is unusual in that his numbers pretty much translated one for one to the majors.

Koji put up the following numbers in Japan before becoming an IFA and arriving in Baltimore:

30 2005 9-12 3.32 ERA, 187.1 IP, 164 H, 24 HR, 22 BB, 145 K, 0.990 WHIP, 7.88 H/9, 1.15 HR/9, 1.06 BB/9, 6.97 K/9, 06.59 K/BB

31 2006 8-9 3.21 ERA, 168.1 IP, 157 H, 24 HR, 21 BB, 151 K, 1.060 WHIP, 8.39 H/9, 1.28 HR/9, 1.12 BB/9, 8.07 K/9, 07.19 K/BB

32 2007 4-3 1.74 ERA, 62.0 IP, 47 H, 4 HR, 4 BB, 66 K, 0.820 WHIP, 6.82 H/9, 0.58 HR/9, 0.58 BB/9, 9.58 K/9, 16.50 K/BB

33 2008 6-5 3.81 ERA, 89.2 IP, 90 H, 11 HR, 16 BB, 72 K, 1.180 WHIP, 9.03 H/9, 1.10 HR/9, 1.61 BB/9, 7.23 K/9, 4.50 K/BB

Meanwhile, Colby Lewis put up these numbers during his exile:

28 2008 15-8 2.68 ERA, 178.0 IP, 151 H, 12 HR, 27 BB, 183 K, 1.000 WHIP, 7.6 H/9, 0.6 HR/9, 1.4 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 6.78 K/BB

29 2009 11-9 2.96 ERA, 176.1 IP, 156 H, 13 HR, 19 BB, 186 K, 0.992 WHIP, 8.0 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 1.0 BB/0, 9.5 K/9, 9.79 K/BB

After coming to the majors Koji put up this career line (mostly as a RP, of course):

3.13 ERA, 175.2 IP, 146 H, 23 HR, 26 BB, 188 K, 140 ERA+, 0.979 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 1.2 HR/9, 1.3, BB/9, 9.6, K/9, 7.23 SO/K

In a few ways, Koji's been more unhittable in the majors than in the NPB.

Meanwhile, Colby Lewis has also been impressive (but as a starter):

30 2010 12-13, 3.72 ERA, 201.0 IP, 174 H, 21 HR, 65 BB, 196 K, 121 ERA+, 1.189 WHIP, 7.8 H/9, 0.9 HR/9, 2.9 BB/9, 8.8 K/9, 3.02 K/BB

31 2011 14-10, 4.40 ERA, 200.1 IP, 187 H, 35 HR, 56 BB, 169 K, 101 ERA+, 1.213 WHIP, 8.4 H/9, 1.6 HR/9, 2.5 BB/9, 7.6 K/9, 3.02 K/BB

Comparatively, we've got Tsuyoshi Wada, our most recent acquisition, putting up pretty impressive numbers (particularly 2011!) throughout his career:

26 2007 12-10 2.82 ERA, 182.0 IP, 168 H, 15 HR, 42 BB, 169 K, 1.154 WHIP, 8.3 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 2.1 BB/9, 8.4 K/9, 4.02 K/BB

27 2008 8-8 3.61 ERA, 162.0 IP, 167 H, 12 HR, 36 BB, 123 K, 1.253 WHIP, 9.3 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 2.0 BB/9, 6.8 K/9, 3.42 K/BB

28 2009 4-5 4.06 ERA, 84.1 IP, 72 H, 13 HR, 24 BB, 87 K, 1.138 WHIP, 7.7 H/9, 1.4 HR/9, 2.6 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 3.63 K/BB

29 2010 17-8 3.14 ERA, 169.1 IP, 145 H, 11 HR, 55 BB, 169 K, 1.181 WHIP, 7.7 H/9, 0.6 HR/9, 2.9 BB/9, 9.0 K/9, 3.07 K/BB

30 2011 16-5 1.51 ERA, 184.2 IP, 145 H, 7 HR, 40 BB, 168 K, 1.000 WHIP, 7.1 H/9, 0.3 HR/9, 1.9 BB/9, 8.2 K/9, 4.20 K/BB

Now I'd LOVE for us to sign Chen Wei-Yin, but I consider it almost too exciting to get my hopes up:

22 2008 7-6 2.90 ERA, 114.2 IP, 101 H, 7 HR, 33 BB, 107 K, 1.169 WHIP, 7.9 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 2.6 BB/9, 8.4 K/9, 3.24 K/BB

23 2009 8-4 1.54 ERA, 164.0 IP, 113 H, 10 HR, 40 BB, 146 K, 0.933 WHIP, 6.2 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 2.2 BB/9, 8.0 K/9, 3.65 K/BB

24 2010 13-10 2.87 ERA, 188.0 IP, 166 H, 21 HR, 49 BB, 153 K, 1.144 WHIP, 7.9 H/9, 1.0 HR/9, 2.3 BB/9, 7.3 K/9, 3.12 K/BB

25 2011 8-10 2.68 ERA, 164.2 IP, 138 H, 9 HR, 31 BB, 94 K, 1.030 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 1.7 BB/9, 5.1 K/9, 3.03 K/BB

I found it hard to wrap my head around all these numbers until I noticed all of these guys pitched in the same league in 2008. Instead of making you look back and forth, I put their stats down together (Including Darvish's stats if you're interested ):

The number before their names is their age.

28 Lewis 15-8 2.68 ERA, 178.0 IP, 151 H, 12 HR, 27 BB, 183 K, 1.000 WHIP, 7.6 H/9, 0.6 HR/9, 1.4 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 6.78 K/BB

33 Koji 6-5 3.81 ERA, 89.2 IP, 90 H, 11 HR, 16 BB, 72 K, 1.180 WHIP, 9.3 H/9, 1.1 HR/9, 1.6 BB/9, 7.2 K/9, 4.50 K/BB

27 Wada 8-8 3.61 ERA, 162.0 IP, 167 H, 12 HR, 36 BB, 123 K, 1.253 WHIP, 9.3 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 2.0 BB/9, 6.8 K/9, 3.42 K/BB

22 Chen 7-6 2.90 ERA, 114.2 IP, 101 H, 7 HR, 33 BB, 107 K, 1.169 WHIP, 7.9 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 2.6 BB/9, 8.4 K/9, 3.24 K/BB

21 Darvish 16-4 1.88 ERA, 200.2 IP, 136 H, 11 HR, 44 BB, 208 K, 0.897 WHIP, 6.1 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 2.0 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 4.73 K/BB

Looking at these numbers, clearly Darvish is head and shoulders above his competition, even when he was 21! Regardless, Chen shows incredible promise as a 22 year old at that level (Statistically, it was Uehara's worst season).

Now looking at 2011, it's interesting to compare Darvish, Chen and Wada:

24 Darvish 18-6 1.44 ERA, 232.0 IP, 156 H, 5 HR, 36 BB, 276 K, 0.828 WHIP, 6.0 H/9, 0.2 HR/9, 1.4 BB/9, 10.7 K/9, 7.67 K/BB

30 Wada 16-5 1.51 ERA, 184.2 IP, 145 H, 7 HR, 40 BB, 168 K, 1.000 WHIP, 7.1 H/9, 0.3 HR/9, 1.9 BB/9, 8.2 K/9, 4.20 K/BB

25 Chen 8-10 2.68 ERA, 164.2 IP, 138 H, 9 HR, 31 BB, 94 K, 1.030 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 0.5 HR/9, 1.7 BB/9, 5.1 K/9, 3.03 K/BB

Besides the fact that Chen was battling injuries, he was still putting up impressive numbers at a young age and Wada was right there with Darvish fighting for the ERA title! (Neither would actually win it, but would come in second and third respectively).

Looking at these numbers all together, I'd say that Chen and Wada each present a different kind of risk. Wada may be better suited to working out of the bullpen and Chen battled injuries last year.

I'd be ecstatic if we were able to pick up Chen also (hopefully at less than $6m/year), just because of the QUALITY depth we would then have at the position. If we could acquire Floyd without losing Matusz then we would be in very good shape. I'm very happy to see Duquette spreading the risk around. I feel like a MacPhail offseason wouldn't be nearly as aggressive.

[byrdz]

I thought DD didn't know who Chen was.

He knows who Mr. Randy Watson is.

[SilentJames]

He knows who Mr. Randy Watson is.

Wasn't he "Joe the Cop" on the "What's Goin' Down" episode of That's My Momma?

[mweb]

Great move imo.

It's a risk, but not much of one given the cost.

[SrMeowMeow]

The interesting thing though is that one is Japanese, and one is Taiwanese - they may not be able to communicate any better.

And is it weird that I want Koji back just, well, just because?

Yeah, it'd be like a Japanese team signing a Mexican player to help an American player adjust as fellow North Americans.

[weams]

God, that GIF is probably my favorite thing on the internet. Every time I see it I stop and watch it loop like 10 times.

I really like it too. It reminds me of some Hangout Nights I have been to.

[weams]

Congratulations on your contract, Chen. You may now proceed to tear your labrum.

Wait , Wait. There is still the Physical. They doctors might detect that.

[SilentJames]

Good news everyone! You just read this in my voice,

Also the Orioles made a competent move!

[Guest rochester]

phew.. much much better... p.s. just saw Taxi Driver (again) about a week ago.... it is a prerequisite in my house to view once a year... we got it in right before NYE.