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qudjy1
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Joined: 10 Aug 2006
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 Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 8:14 am Post subject: Iwamura - TB wins rights |
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Updated: Nov. 15, 2006, 7:44 PM ET
Devil Rays obtain negotiating rights to IwamuraAssociated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays won the negotiating rights to Japanese star third baseman Akinori Iwamura on Wednesday, submitting a winning bid of about $4.5 million for the power hitter.
On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox paid $51.1 million for the rights to talk to Japanese star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.
The Devil Rays have 30 days to finalize a contract with Iwamura. If he is not signed by Dec. 15, Tampa Bay gets its money back and Iwamura returns to play in Japan.
Iwamura, 27, was a five-time All-Star in eight seasons with the Yakult Swallows. A left-handed hitter, he batted .311 with 32 homers and 77 RBI in 145 games last season.
Iwamura was Japan's starting third baseball in the World Baseball Classic last spring. He was a six-time Gold Glove winner.
Iwamura hit 188 homers with 570 RBI in eight seasons with Yakult. He hit at least 30 home runs in each of the past three years and set a Swallows record for most homers by a Japanese native with 44 in 2004. |
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matt
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Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1749
Location: Researching my theory that a lime hat is more effective than tinfoil
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:07 am Post subject: |
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Akinori Iwamura - .293/.359/.505/.864, 2486 AB, 23 AB/2B, 19.7 AB/HR 604K/239BB
Kazuo Matsui - .309/.361/.484/.845 - 4802 AB, 17.2 AB/2B, 31 AB/HR, 778K/391BB
The parks are smaller in Japan right? I think I'd rather go after Japanese pitchers than hitters, especially if the guy is a 'power hitter' over there. |
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lee mellon
MLB Rookie
Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 149
Location: phoenix, az
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:37 am Post subject: |
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| Oh, I get it. You just wanted more replies to a thread you started. Well, here you go. |
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qudjy1
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Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1121
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:45 am Post subject: |
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FYI... i posted this stuff here for others info...
not for some type of pathetic recognition... as far as i know, this isnt some sort of contest... |
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qudjy1
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Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1121
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:50 am Post subject: |
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Back to the subject, as far as Iwamura goes, i think MLB teams are viewing him as more of a 2B type... because the thought is the power numbers are overstated in Japanese parks, and he wouldnt be able to produce enough power numbers for a 3B. Defensively he might have been an upgrade, but if you are talking about a craig counsell/callaspo type playing third, i would rather have tracy, bad d and all...
just my opinion...
All that being said, i didnt see anything saying AZ was even scouting him seriously... if they didnt even look at him, that doesnt seem right, and i would agree with LMs statement inthe other thread... |
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matt
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Posts: 1749
Location: Researching my theory that a lime hat is more effective than tinfoil
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| Is there any indication that he can actually play 2B? If so, why doesn't he already? |
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qudjy1
Veteran Presence
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1121
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:05 am Post subject: |
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I have no idea, but this is one of the sources where i heard that he can play 2B...
Scouting must have come up with that.. |
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matt
Veteran Presence
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 1749
Location: Researching my theory that a lime hat is more effective than tinfoil
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:23 am Post subject: |
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| works for me |
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