NPB Tracker

According to Chugoku Shimbun, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp have agreed to re-sign right hander Michael Shultz to a two-year contract and are also working on a deal to add outfielder Jeff Fiorentino, who appeared in 24 major league games with the Baltimore Orioles last season. The scouts liked Fiorentino’s average against left-handers and believes his batting eye is well-suited for the NPB.

As posted earlier in the week, the Carp are working on adding Justin Huber.

According the local Kanagawa news website Kanaloco.jp, the Yokohama BayStars are working on adding three additions to their foreign roster.

• Chris Bootcheck, who appeared in the majors with Pittsburgh in 2009, and another guy from my list of foreign player candidates
• Jose Castillo, the former top prospect who spent 2009 with the 7-Eleven Lions of Taiwan
• Termel Sledge, Nippon Ham’s best power threat in ’09

Negotiations with Bootcheck and Castillo are in final stages, and while negotiations with Sledge haven’t started yet, Yokohama appears to be the favorite to land him.

Whoever Yokohama winds up with will join Stephen Randolph on the roster next season.

The SoftBank Hawks have picked up Korean slugger Lee Beom-Ho on a two-year, 300m yen deal. Sadaharu Oh had talked about wanted to pick up another import slugger, and he found one who’s hit at least 20 KBO home runs in five of the last six years. Lee will give the Hawks another option at DH and the infield corners.

And I didn’t have time to post this when it happened, so I’ll defer to Yakyu Baka’s coverage, but the Nippon Ham Fighter’s signed Buddy Carlyle to fill most likely a bullpen spot.

Buddy and Lee were both on my list of import candidates for 2010, so I’m glad I got at least two right. NPB’s interest in Lee was well publicized though, so that wasn’t exactly a tough one.

Out of the 87 players eligible to file for free agency this off-season, only five players filed for free agency including Ryota Igarashi and Hisanori Takahashi declaring as international free agents.

The other three players filing for free agency are thought to make a move within the NPB. The Yakult Swallows remain the team interested in INF Atsushi Fujimoto and the Yokohama BayStars are the front runner for C Tasuku Hashimoto. LHP Shugo Fujii from the Nippon Ham Fighters has also declared free agency and his destination is still up in the air, but a re-connection with the Fighters is unlikely.

The 2009 season is in the books, and the MVPs go to Yu Darvish in the Pacific League, with Alex Ramirez receiving the honor for the Central League. Darvish earns the award for the second time in his career and Ramirez obtains the award for the second straight season.

The Rookie of the Year award is received by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants outfielder Testuya Matsumoto, the first time in 51 years that two players from the same team received the RoY in consecutive years (Giants reliever Tetsuya Yamaguchi took the prize last year). The Pacific League award goes to reliever Tadashi Settsu of the Softbank Hawks.

The Best Nine Awards have also been announced and the winners are as follows:

The 2009 season concluded with Hideaki Wakui of the Seibu Lions being honored with the Sawamura Award, but a number of pitchers had outstanding years and we wanted to take a closer look at them. Sawamura Award candidate are judged on how close they get to the following seven criteria:

• Game Appearances… 25 or above
• Complete Games… 10 or above
• Wins… 15 or above
• Winning Percentage… .600 or above
• Innings Pitched… 200 or above
• Strikeouts… 150 or above
• ERA… Under 2.50

Obviously the only pitcher surpassing each of the criteria is Wakui with 11 complete games which made him the only true candidate for the award. An unwritten criterion necessary to win the Sawamura Award is strength and the ability to stay healthy. Even though Yu Darvish started out the season with a stellar performance, his injury in the second-half cost him his chance to win his second Sawamura Award.

The Best Nine Awards are still up still unannounced, and there are a lot of worthy candidates for the top pitcher in both the Central and Pacific Leagues. Who is most deserving of the award?

We mentioned on Twitter that Hisanori Takahashi has declared free agency and will try to catch on with an MLB club via twitter. Hochi sports conducted an one-on-one interview with Takahashi after making the decision and here is our English translation of it.

– When did you start considering the Major Leagues?

“The desire to accomplish my dream has gotten stronger since last year. After watching Koji Uehara play baseball overseas, my admiration for Major Leagues increased.”

– Was there a possibility of staying put?

“I received good termｓ from the Giants. Staying might have been the better decision, but I appreciate the organization understanding my selfish desire to attempt my dream.”

– What is memorable moment with the Giants?

“When we won the ON (Oh-Nagashima) match-up and won the championship in my rookie season at 2000. Throwing a shutout game in that series is unforgettable as well.”

– Which team do you hope to play for?

“A team that needs me. I would be happiest if the team uses me as a starter. I feel like I can best show my strengths when I am starting. I would like to stick with that.”

– Any hope toward your challenge to the Majors?

“If I did not have confidence, I would not be making this decision. It’s my one and only baseball life. I would like to challenge as if I am a rookie.”

Before free agent Hideki Matsui begins receiving calls for his service on the field, he’ll have a different set of suitors to field offers from: companies seeking him for endorsements.

According to reports, since the MVP performance in the World Series he has had eight offers to appear in commercials (three from existing sponsors and five additional prospective sponsors). Matsui’s price tag for each commercial appearance is estimated in the same range as Ichiro Suzuki, and his MVP performance could bring in up $10 million in earnings this off-season.

Media demand has also rocketed for Matsui, as he has received an estimated 100 requests for television and event appearances in his home country. Even though his home for next season has yet to be determined, it’s not an understatement to say his new team (if the Yankees does not re-sign him) will have an opportunity to develop a big presence in the Land of the Rising Sun.

That opportunity sets Matsui apart from the rest of the free agent pool, in some regards. The Japanese-language signage we’ve been seeing in Yankee Stadium during Matsui’s tenure with the Yankees is sure to follow him wherever he goes. Every news program in Japan will show highlights from Matsui’s game, so a well-timed advertisement behind the plate will reach millions of Japanese homes on a nightly basis. With this comes a revenue opportunity that teams won’t get with, say, Jim Thome.

As I was in New York last week the lack of Matsui merchandise in stores was not only obvious, but also well publicized. You can count on the Japanese business community not missing out on this opportunity and making the most out of his MVP performance in number of ways.

Patrick Newman contributed a few thoughts to this post.

ある野球ソースによると、右腕のフアン・モリーヨが日本球団と契約を終えたようです。どの球団かという詳細はまだお届けできませんが、阪神タイガースが興味を示していたことは公になっています。獲得の噂が最初に流れたときに日本流失を阻止するためミネソタはモリーヨを40人枠に加えたとされていますが、日本メディアではツインズは移籍金を吊り上げようとしたのではないかとも推測されています。

引き続き情報が入り次第お伝えしていきます。

The Hiroshima Carp are turning over most of their import roster this offseason. On their way out are:

• Scott Seabol
• Scott McClain
• Ben Kozlowski
• Andy Phillips

Phillips had the best shot at returning, but Hiroshima’s impending acquisition of Justin Huber has ruled it out.

The Carp are working on new contracts for pitchers Colby Lewis and Mike Schultz.