2008 MLB Japanese Imports

Five All-Stars from the Japanese Baseball Leagues will make their MLB debuts during the 2008 seasons. This class, which includes MVPs and Rookies of the Year, may be the best group of baseball imports from the Far East yet. Here is a quick summary on what is known about each player.

Kosuku Fukudome, Chicago Cubs (formerly of the Chunichi Dragons of the JCL)

The best of the group, Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League. The Dragons drafted him in 1998 in the first round as a shortstop, and he also played some second base early in his career. An impact player from the first day, Fukudome hit his full stride in 2002, when he hit. 343, edging out Hideki Matsui by a few batting points in the latter's quest for a Triple Crown. The next year, Fukudome hit .313 with 34 homers. By 2004, he was on the Olympic team that took home a bronze medal and he starred for the 2006 World Baseball Classic squad that won the gold.

In 2006, Fukudome won the Central League MVP by hitting .351 with 31 home runs and 104 RBI.

After another good year in 2007, he finally declared himself a free agent, and in December, he signed a 4 year, $48 million contract to play for the Chicago Cubs. His addition to an already formidable Cubs lineup makes many fans think the Cubs can finally win it all in 2008.

Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers (formerly of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp)

Kuroda was drafted out of high school by Hiroshima and quickly paid dividends, winning the Japanese Rookie of the Year award in 1997. During the 2004 Summer Olympics, he won two games as a reliever, contributing to the Japanese team's bronze medal. In 2005 he led the Japanese Central League with 15 wins, and the Japanese Golden Glove award. He continued his success in 2006, ending the season with a league-leading 1.85 ERA, the lowest of any starting pitcher since 1989.

He became a free agent as early as May, 2006, but announced that he would remain with the Carp for the 2007 season. During the off-season, he traveled to the United States to receive cleaning surgery in his right elbow. His final year in Japan was a small disappointment. He was just 12-8 record with a 3.56 ERA.

Nonetheless, the Dodgers signed him to a three-year deal worth $35 million in December, 2007.

Masahide Kobayashi, Cleveland Indians (formerly of the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon League)

Kobayashi is not the hot dog guy; he's the third best closer in Japanese baseball history. An eleven year veteran of the Nippon Baseball League, he also pitched for the Japanese team that won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Kobayashi was the Nippon League's save leader in 2005, when he collected 34 and had a 2.58 ERA, and in 2007, he earned his 200th save, becoming just the third player in Japanese baseball history to reach that mark.

Based on his Japanese career, Kobayashi landed a two year deal with the Cleveland Indians worth $3.125 million per season. The deal also has a club option for a third year at $3.25 million. Initially, he will be a late inning set-up man, but don't doubt that he is being groomed to replace closer Joe Borowski, who had an ERA over 5.00 in 2007.

Yasuhiko Yabuta, Kansas City Royals (formerly of the Chiba Lotte Marines)

The only thing American baseball fans may need to know about this next guy is that during the 2006 World Baseball Classic, he struck out Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, and Derrek Lee.

But Yabuta's career is about more than that brilliant day in the WBC.

A twelve year veteran of the Nippon league, Yabuta's best years have come in the last four seasons. As a middle reliever, he's pitched 250 innings with a 2.74 ERA, and he's struck out nearly a batter an inning.

His 2-year, $4 million contract should be a good deal for the Royals, who lost their best middle reliever, David Riske, to the Milwauke Brewers for $13 million over the next three years. If Yabuta can put up 80% of the statistics he logged in Japan, he'll be a bargain.

Kazuo Fukumori, Texas Rangers (formerly of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)

Perhaps the riskiest Japanese signing this off-season was made by the Texas Rangers. Kazuo Fukumori, a twelve year veteran of the Central, Nippon, and Pacific Leagues, has struggled throughout much of his career, which alternated between roles as a starter and middle reliever.

But in 2006, the veteran moved into the bullpen, and he was brilliant, hurling 26 consecutive shutout innings during one stretch. He finished the season with 21 saves and a 2.17 ERA, the third lowest in the League. But Fukumori's 2007 season was plagued by bone chips in his elbow that had to be removed by surgery, which ended his season mid-way through.

Regardless of the injury, the Rangers signed him to a two-year deal worth $1.5 million a season. Clearly, the Rangers are hoping the man can return to his 2006 form.

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds