Kawakami Narrows His List

[carolinaoriole]

How many teams have as many holes in their roster and organziation as the Orioles do? How many teams are having their attendance decline as drastically as the Orioles are?

It doesn't matter if the other teams aren't making moves, the Orioles are one of the worst teams in baseball and they've spent 25 days with no improvement...

Perhaps only certain Oriole fans feel they are being held hostage.

[furryburres]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/braves-still-in.html

According to David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Braves remain a possible suitor for Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.

O'Brien's report says he spoke Saturday with Kawakami's agent, who said the Braves were still one of the teams Kawakami had on his list.

That's quite a difference.

[TonySoprano]

Who knows what kind of position were in anyhow?.

In general, the Orioles position is on all fours, awaiting a paddle from Doug Niedermeyer.

Thank you, Mr. Angelos can I have another?

70-92 *thwack*

Thank you, Mr. Angelos can I have another?

69-93 *thwack*

Thank you, Mr. Angelos can I have another?

68-93 *thwack*

[clapdiddy]

In general, the Orioles position is on all fours, awaiting a paddle from Doug Niedermeyer.

Thank you, Mr. Angelos can I have another?

70-92 *thwack*

Thank you, Mr. Angelos can I have another?

69-93 *thwack*

Thank you, Mr. Angelos can I have another?

68-93 *thwack*

Somehow, I picture Jim Hunter being the "thwackee" in this scene! :rofl:

[33rdst]

Somehow, I picture Jim Hunter being the "thwackee" in this scene! :rofl:

Exactly!!!! Very Funny.

[OriolesHangout3]

I don't know what the hype is all about.

1)The guy is old (33)

2)Will have a 4.00ERA+ in a hitter friendly ballpark*

3)His fastball barely hits 89mph!

4)He is no Maddux or Matsuzaka

*track record shows that pitchers with low mileage on the fastball have higher ERA's in smaller ballparks.

I say pass, and give the young prospects a shot.

[YaBoyTopher]

I don't know what the hype is all about.

1)The guy is old (33)

2)Will have a 4.00ERA+ in a hitter friendly ballpark*

3)His fastball barely hits 89mph!

4)He is no Maddux or Matsuzaka

*track record shows that pitchers with low mileage on the fastball have higher ERA's in smaller ballparks.

I say pass, and give the young prospects a shot.

If we can get him for 2/15 then we should do it, you say he will have a 4.00+ ERA like that is a terrible thing, I think he will post something between a 4.00-4.25 ERA which will be better then anything we have ready at the moment other then Guthris. True he dosent have a overpowering fastball, but it has good movement and he has very good control of it, He also has a plus curveball. It also breaks us into the Japanese Market, which has to be worth something.

I have seen him pitch and I think he would be a good addition for 2 year deal, However I wouldnt give him 3 years.

I still say Uehara is a guy we should go after, Uehara has very good stuff, and if he flames out as a starter he has experience in the pen, plus he will be cheaper then Kawakami because he is higher risk.

[trueoriolesfan]

I don't know what the hype is all about.

1)The guy is old (33)

2)Will have a 4.00ERA+ in a hitter friendly ballpark*

3)His fastball barely hits 89mph!

4)He is no Maddux or Matsuzaka

*track record shows that pitchers with low mileage on the fastball have higher ERA's in smaller ballparks.

I say pass, and give the young prospects a shot.

1) Age is not a problem on 2 or 3 year deal so what he would be 36 when his contract is up.

2) His ERA could be 4.00+ maybe even 5.00+ but, it's better then Hendrickson.

3) Speed is not everything. His fastball is not everything he can locate pretty good and his 2-seamer breaks into righty's and away from lefty's it can really lock up a batter no matter the speed. His curveball is his best pitch. Just picture Erik Bedard though i really think Kawakami has a better curve ball. I also think he throws a sinker he does have a pitch that just goes from belt to knee's with a late break could be a good ground ball pitch if he can locate it.

4) If he was one do you think the Oriole would be mention in contending? Also do you still think he would be avaible? This guy is two thing for us.

* Semi-Cheap option to fill are rotation with

* A starting point for over sea's player and The Orioles

Maybe this video will help you see what he has

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU1wMH6lXHQ

[MemorialStadKid]

That's how we know our overseas scouting is making headway. We're a bargaining chip on three continents now. We've gone international baby!

That's how utterly pathetic we are as an organization. People who don't know anything about us have learned quickly that Baltimore is a place where they don't want to be.

Also, we probably offered him next to nothing. Expect to see him on the Twins or Cardinals. Trust me on this.

MSK

[Mackus]

Expect to see him on the Twins or Cardinals. Trust me on this.

I hope you are right.

[rlc]

You do know the Twins didn't make the post season last year right? They almost did- but not quite.

What was that game they played against the White Sox the day after the regular season ended, an exhibition?

[jjdman]

A two or three year deal to Kawakami & Sheets isnt going to block anyone!

Hard to block anyone when your on the DL!

[DrungoHazewood]

What was that game they played against the White Sox the day after the regular season ended, an exhibition?

The regular season wasn't over - that was the Twins' and White Sox' 163rd game of the season.

[Migrant Redbird]

The reason for this fascination for Kawakami escapes me. According to this November ESPN article....

... Kawakami is a bulldog on the mound, but the right-hander's durability became an issue after he hit the skids following a 9-1 start in 2006. His ERA jumped more than 2.5 runs after June 23 that season, and he finished 17-7.

Scouts Isao Ojimi of the New York Mets and Steve Wilson of the Chicago Cubs said Kawakami, who was 9-5 with a 2.30 ERA this season, would be a good fit in the majors as a fifth starter and will benefit from as much extra rest as he can get.

... Kawakami's 3.22 career ERA was fashioned in an extreme pitchers' park with one of the country's better defensive units playing behind him.

Kawakami likely has the best cutter in Japan. Although he has exceptional control with his 92 mph fastball, it lacks movement and gets hit hard.

"Durability an issue"? Pitched in an "extreme pitcher' park"? Fastball "lacks movement and gets hit hard"?

34 years old and his games pitched has gone from 29 in 2006 to 26 in 2007 to 20 last season! That doesn't sound like a prescription for a good starter to me, particularly considering the uncertainties of how players transition from the Japanese leagues to MLB. Ichiro did very well; Matsuzaka and Matsui have done reasonably well; a couple of other Japanese players have done OK. Most of them haven't been that impressive.

The Cardinals signed Taguchi in 2002, expecting that he could immediately move into their lineup. When he showed up in spring training in 2002, it became apparent that Taguchi struggled at the plate, even against AA level pitching. It took him 3 years of very hard work to develop into a part time utility outfielder.

I blame that at least in part to the Cardinals front office reading too many press clippings and not scouting Taguchi adequately, but I've seen little evidence that the Cardinals have improved their scouting significantly. The ESPN article does quote a couple of scouts -- not associated with the Cards. To rehash:

Scouts Isao Ojimi of the New York Mets and Steve Wilson of the Chicago Cubs said Kawakami, who was 9-5 with a 2.30 ERA this season, would be a good fit in the majors as a fifth starter and will benefit from as much extra rest as he can get.

I sure hope this MLBTR writer doesn't know what he's talking about and that the Cardinals aren't really serious contenders to sign Kawakami, especially if he's already turned down a $21M/3 year offer from the Red Sox! I don't know why he'd want to go to the Cardinals, Twins, or Orioles anyhow, unless he got glowing reports on the Cards from Taguchi. I'd think that he'd prefer to go to a city with a larger Asian population than to be stuck for 3-4 years somewhere in the Midwest. At least in Baltimore, he'd be closer to New York and its cosmopolitan population, and the Japanese embassy would be convenient.

[Ruzious]

I sure hope this MLBTR writer doesn't know what he's talking about and that the Cardinals aren't really serious contenders to sign Kawakami, especially if he's already turned down a $21M/3 year offer from the Red Sox! I don't know why he'd want to go to the Cardinals, Twins, or Orioles anyhow, unless he got glowing reports on the Cards from Taguchi. I'd think that he'd prefer to go to a city with a larger Asian population than to be stuck for 3-4 years somewhere in the Midwest. At least in Baltimore, he'd be closer to New York and its cosmopolitan population, and the Japanese embassy would be convenient.

Well, Washington, DC is a lot closer than NY to Baltimore, and I'd think that would be an attraction to Japanese players.