Updated 11/02/2009 at 8:30 a.m. EST:
Unconfirmed reports are saying the Indians have signed or are close to signing Japanese right-handed free agent pitcher Takafumi Nakamura. According to the Sponichi Annex (which is a site written in Japanese), the Indians have supposedly agreed to a minor league contract with the right-handed pitcher from Chuo University, which is a private university located in Tokyo, Japan.
When reached for comment the Indians said no contract had been signed, though did not decline talking to Nakamura. An official announcement from the Indians or confirmation one way or the other will provided when (if) such a signing has taken place.
According to this site (again, in Japanese) and translated on NPBTracker.com, "Nakamura has got a big frame at 195 cm, 89kg (6′5, 195lbs), and throws from a three-quarter delivery. His heater tops out on the gun at 149 km/h (92mph), but he mostly sits at about 140 km/h (86 mph) with both his fastball and slider. He also has a curve, forkball, and shuuto. Looking at his stats, he shown an ability to strike his college competition out, but walks have been an issue."
Monday, November 2, 2009
Indians Sign Japanese Pitcher?
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6 comments:
Saw this yesterday, cool I suppose. Just 21 years old and already 6'5" close to 200 pounds. Just doesn't throw very hard, but maybe there is some more MPH in there with a tweak here and there.
Wonder what his control is like and how the heck he got to be 6'5" over there!
He is a reliever with his three quarter delivery, correct? Do you anything about how advanced he is or how long it will take him to get through the system? I saw they want to see him in Rookie ball first. By the way, what is a shuuto?
Just to note, the Indians have not officially signed him contrary to reports. I really know nothing about him having really just learned about him last night. From what it sounds he is not a high profile international signing, more along the Sung-Wei Tseng, Chen-Chang Lee, and Chun-Hsui Chen type who will open the season somehwere in Single-A or EST.
And the shuuto is a type of screwball and commonly called the gyro ball.
According to Wikipedia, the Shuuto is a type of "reverse slider" that has more velocity in less break. The article goes on to claim that Daisuke Matsuzaka throws the pitch, while Greg Maddux throws a variant. First time I've ever heard of the pitch.
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