2006-06-28 05:19:45 · 8 answers · asked by graffeng 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Remember that Japan won the World Baseball Classic. And that was with only two MLB players on the team (Ichiro and Akinori Otsuka). Several players on that team could probably do well in the major leagues. In fact, the starting pitcher in that game, Daisuke Matsuzaka, wants to pitch in MLB but he has to wait until he's a free agent because his Japanese team won't let him out of his contract. I think he has to wait until 2008 to come over.
And to answer an earlier question: The "fat toad" was pitcher Hideki Irabu, who actually did ok but succumbed to the New York media pressure.
2006-06-28 06:02:55 · answer #1 · answered by jdbreeze1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, yes of course Ichiro Suzuki was an exceptional player...He won the batting title every year, "7 consecutive" from 1994-2000...
That said, Japanese players like K. Johjima - H. Matsui - T. Iguchi - S. Taguchi...have shown the Japanese players belong in MLB...Hideki Matsui is an all star type player, Kenji Johjima seems to be adjusting well after a little bit of a slow start...Taguchi and Iguchi are at least average ML'ers
I don't know what the deal is with SS/2B Kaz Matsui, I thought he would do well...His situation may make GM's a little more leery...
The influx of Latin players has been great for MLB...If the Japanese players add interest and talent, I'm all for it....
2006-06-28 12:36:47 · answer #2 · answered by jack 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ichiro was easily the best player in the Japanese league. There was no doubt he would excel even in the MLB. The rest of the players coming over here, no one was really sure how they were going to do. Remember what's his name...the one that Steinbrenner called "the fat toad"? He didn't work out so well.
2006-06-28 05:24:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are no players with comparable talent to Ichiro in any league, in any country. There's simply no one like him that posses the same skills.
2006-06-28 05:27:37 · answer #4 · answered by biggy4269 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is certainly a spectacular player, and it is difficult to say that there are many others as good as him. However, there are many very good players to come from the Japanese league suck as Hideki Matsui, Kazuhiro Sasaki, and Kenji Johjima. I don't know if they are comparable to Ichiro, but they would still start on many teams.
2006-06-28 05:24:54 · answer #5 · answered by soxfan06 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ichiro is amazing! He's just as good as someone that is from the U.S. But there are others that are great like Matsua. And there will be many others in all different countries too.
2006-06-28 05:29:55 · answer #6 · answered by meghanw1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are many exceptional baseball players in japan. some have come to play here, such as hideo nomo and mac suzuki. in japan, there are even very good players at the high school level.
2006-06-28 05:25:23 · answer #7 · answered by CALLIE 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What about Tadahito Iguchi?
2006-06-28 05:25:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋