NPB Bullet Points: Spring Training Edition
NPB spring training camps broke on February 1, so it’s time to dust off the old bullet points series.
Japanese Articles
- Nippon Ham’s Yu Darvish threw 125 pitches on day one of camp. Here’s a pic of him throwing lefty between workouts to relax. What is it with all these switch-pitchers lately? I guess Darvish will be prepared if his right arm falls off from overwork.
- Hanshin fireballer Kyuji Fujikawa is working on a two-seam fastball for the WBC. That would be a great addition to his arsenal.
- New Chunichi Dragons addition Tony Blanco took 95 swings in batting practice, hitting 15 over the fence. Blanco is taking Tyrone Woods’ spot on the foreign roster, but only earning 1/22nd of his salary.
- Edgardo Alfonzo is starting his spring training audition with the Yomiuri Giants’ “A group”, which contains the teams veterans. My gut feeling is that he’ll make the team.
- The Giants are also working out former Houston and Texas farmhand Levi Romero. He’s never pitched above high-a ball in America, and if he passes the audition he’ll be an instructional player.
- Nippon Ham has former Nationals farmhand Luis Jimenez in camp for a tryout as well.
- Lotte has signed former Cuban National player and US minor leaguer Juan Muiz to an instructional contract.