Shintaro Fujinami

[Frobby]

I wonder if this guy could be a second pitching addition for us.   Seems like he might make a good long reliever/spot starter.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/12/npbs-hanshin-tigers-post-shintaro-fujinami.html

 

[Can_of_corn]

Are the O's willing to participate in the posting process?

[Roll Tide]

44 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Are the O's willing to participate in the posting process?

Well I don’t see him being worth more than 3/24. If it’s more for 100 innings I’m not interested. At 24 million they get nothing.

[yark14]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I wonder if this guy could be a second pitching addition for us.   Seems like he might make a good long reliever/spot starter.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/12/npbs-hanshin-tigers-post-shintaro-fujinami.html

 

*second* pitching addition?  Don't we have to have a first addition in order to have a second?

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, yark14 said:

*second* pitching addition?  Don't we have to have a first addition in order to have a second?

Yes.  I’m just saying I’m not suggesting this guy could be a candidate to be our big pitching acquisition of the winter.  

[DrinkinWithFermi]

I'd definitely give the tires a good kick or two, 101 MPH fastballs are more common these days but still don't grow on trees. If Holt can unlock his potential and rein in his control issues, he could be a core rotation piece for us for the next few years, but even if the walks remain an issue, the stuff sounds like it's good enough to still succeed in short relief work. Hopefully he'll be on Elias' radar.

[Roll Tide]

2 hours ago, DrinkinWithFermi said:

I'd definitely give the tires a good kick or two, 101 MPH fastballs are more common these days but still don't grow on trees. If Holt can unlock his potential and rein in his control issues, he could be a core rotation piece for us for the next few years, but even if the walks remain an issue, the stuff sounds like it's good enough to still succeed in short relief work. Hopefully he'll be on Elias' radar.

He pitched a lot of innings in his age 19-22 seasons. He topped out at 199. Then in 2018, his 24 season he pitched 134. Since then he’s broken 100,(107)innings only once this season. He’s 28 years old and will be 29 in April. My guess is that he’s probably a relief pitcher here. He strikes out a ton of guys 9.4 vs a BB of 4.3. The K9 is over 1 per inning the last few seasons. Also the BB9 was 3.0 this season but 6.3 last year. 

[DrinkinWithFermi]

2 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

He pitched a lot of innings in his age 19-22 seasons. He topped out at 199. Then in 2018, his 24 season he pitched 134. Since then he’s broken 100,(107)innings only once this season. He’s 28 years old and will be 29 in April. My guess is that he’s probably a relief pitcher here. He strikes out a ton of guys 9.4 vs a BB of 4.3. The K9 is over 1 per inning the last few seasons. Also the BB9 was 3.0 this season but 6.3 last year. 

He's bounced between the Japanese minors and majors for several years so I'm not sure I would read a whole lot into his recent innings totals. 

[oriole]

The O’s are pretty flush with back of the rotation/spot starters. I think I’d rather have Voth or Baumann fill that role than spend a bunch of money on someone with that skill set. On top of those two there is Hall, Zimmermann, Watkins, Rom, and Vallimont on the roster who could do the spot starter thing. All differing levels of success and some with absolutely no major league experience, but I don’t know if it’s worth the contract Fujinami would demand to see exactly how much better he’d be than those guys. I really think one or two  solid and proven guys should he the focus. 

[DrinkinWithFermi]

8 minutes ago, oriole said:

The O’s are pretty flush with back of the rotation/spot starters. I think I’d rather have Voth or Baumann fill that role than spend a bunch of money on someone with that skill set. On top of those two there is Hall, Zimmermann, Watkins, Rom, and Vallimont on the roster who could do the spot starter thing. All differing levels of success and some with absolutely no major league experience, but I don’t know if it’s worth the contract Fujinami would demand to see exactly how much better he’d be than those guys. I really think one or two  solid and proven guys should he the focus. 

None of those guys are dealing at 101 MPH AFAIK.

If Elias and his coaches think they can unlock him, I would absolutely take him over Zimmerman, Watkins, Vallimont, Baumann, etc.

[DrungoHazewood]

Every year since 2017 he's pitched significant innings in the minors.  The Japanese Western League is a minor league, and in 2017 he threw 61 innings there, 59 in the Central League (Central and Pacific Leagues being the top tier in Japan).  In 2018 63 innings in the Western, 71 in the Central.  2019 75 of his 79 innings in the minors.  In 2020 22 Western, 76 Central.  In 2021 39 and 48.  Last year 40 innings in the minors, 66 in the majors.

His Central League ERAs have been 4.12, 5.32, 2.08 (in four innings), 4.01, 5.21, and 3.38.  Remember, the Japanese Leagues are often pitcher-heavy, with ERAs recently in the 3.50-4.00 range.

To me he looks like a average to below-average NPB player.  Clearly Hanshin doesn't think he's a solid contributor or he wouldn't be spending much of each season in the minors.

Unless the O's see some kind of diamond in the rough they can fix I would not pay a posting fee and then spend several tens of $millions on him.

[Roll Tide]

1 hour ago, DrinkinWithFermi said:

He's bounced between the Japanese minors and majors for several years so I'm not sure I would read a whole lot into his recent innings totals. 

Those totals I quoted are inclusive 

You can only increase a pitcher so much before history says he’s at increased risk of injury 

[DrinkinWithFermi]

15 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

Those totals I quoted are inclusive 

You can only increase a pitcher so much before history says he’s at increased risk of injury 

I understand that, I still do not think they are all that informative.

[oriole]

50 minutes ago, DrinkinWithFermi said:

None of those guys are dealing at 101 MPH AFAIK.

If Elias and his coaches think they can unlock him, I would absolutely take him over Zimmerman, Watkins, Vallimont, Baumann, etc.

True, but it takes more than velocity to be effective and that is especially true in MLB. I’m not saying he won’t succeed, I’m just saying his role would be redundant and cost too much.

[NCRaven]

I remember when that Fujinami hit Japan.  Saw video of the storm surge wipe out a city.  Crazy.