Iguchi & Taguchi Back to Japan?
MLB veterans So Taguchi and Tadahito Iguchi both could be headed back to Japan next season.
Iguchi is said to be undecided about where he wants to play next year, but has expressed a strong desire in playing for Japan in the 2009 WBC (I don’t think he’s a lock to make the team though). Rakuten and his former organization Softbank have both hinted at interest.
Taguchi’s option was unsurprisingly declined by the Phillies, so he’ll be looking for work for next season. His former team Orix is watching the situation unfold, but not commenting on an acquisition yet. A return to Orix for a farewell season would be a nice ending for a guy that won one Japan Championship and two World Series Championships.
03/11/2008 at 4:31 am Permalink
Yeah, I’ve been hearing rumors that both would return to NPB. Quite honestly I like these moves by NPB teams to sign ex-Japanese MLB stars like Iguchi, Taguchi, Micheal Nakamura, and so on. Iguchi would look nice for Rakuten, maybe he help them get over the hump, though I have to say I’m not exactly sure what happened to Rakuten this year as I have kind lost track of the goings on in NPB this year as opposed to being very knowledgeable the last 4 years.
As for Taguchi, I agree it be a nice re-union to bring him back. He be a nice veteran presence for Orix with plenty of MLB playoff experience.
03/11/2008 at 10:59 pm Permalink
So Taguchi does not want to go back to Japan next season.
http://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/mlb/news/p-bb-tp2-20081104-425909.html
04/11/2008 at 8:41 am Permalink
For the non-Japanese reading out there, the article quotes Taguchi as wanting to win three more rings. He doesn’t come out and say that he doesn’t want to go back to Japan, but implies that he wants to stay where he is (in MLB).
06/11/2008 at 1:51 am Permalink
As a Cardinals fan, I am very very fond of So Taguchi. But I don’t think he has enough left in the tank. I was surprised the Phillies stuck with him all year