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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Indians - Signed Kobayashi

Cleveland Indians - Signed P Masahide Kobayashi to a 2-year contract with an option year.

I haven’t seen figures disclosed yet. Kobayashi supposedly has a good splitter and should provide the Indians some depth in the bullpen. Beyond that, I’ve never seen the guy play and he’s a bit of an unknown to me since I don’t get Japanese games on my TV (though I’d like to). I’m still kinda breathless from ZiPS hatchet jobbing of Mike Lowell

2008 ZiPS Projection - Masahide Kobayashi
——————————————————————————————-
W L G GS IP H ER HR BB SO ERA
——————————————————————————————-
Projection 3 4 47 0 47 52 25 6 14 30 4.79
——————————————————————————————-
Opt. (15%) 5 3 51 0 53 54 23 5 12 37 3.91
Pes. (15%) 2 4 40 0 38 46 25 7 14 23 5.92
———————————————————————————————
Top Comps: Bill Landrum, Bob Wells

Dan Szymborski Posted: November 21, 2007 at 03:39 AM | 9 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. rawagman Posted: November 21, 2007 at 04:17 AM (#2622192)

According to a recent BP article, he throws in the high nineties. Was ranked in the second tier (4-6) of Japanese FA's this year.

2. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 21, 2007 at 04:22 AM (#2622198)

I think the numbers I saw were two years, $5 million, with an option (don't know if it was club or player) for $3.5 million. I could be off a bit, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the ballpark.

3. Fred Garvin is dead and Joe Biden is alive Posted: November 21, 2007 at 04:26 AM (#2622204)

This isn't the Hot Dog Eating Champion, I take it.

4. The District Attorney Posted: November 21, 2007 at 04:29 AM (#2622211)

No, it is. Those sausages thought Randall Simon was bad...

5. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 21, 2007 at 04:43 AM (#2622235)

From Rotoworld:

Masahide Kobayashi's two-year deal with the Indians is worth $6.25 million and contains a $3.25 million option for 2010.
There's a $250,000 buyout attached to the option

6. Frisco Cali Posted: November 21, 2007 at 05:14 AM (#2622272)

According to a recent BP article, he throws in the high nineties

Farnsworth or Putz?

7. AJM Posted: November 21, 2007 at 05:18 AM (#2622280)

Who's going to sign Keyser Soze?

8. Norcan Posted: November 21, 2007 at 09:23 AM (#2622362)

I saw him on youtube. He wasn't 98, maybe that's an infrequent deal or maybe he was tired in the clip but his velocity was still good at 93-95. The fastball did look straight though. There were no sliders but that might've been because of the base loaded situation. His delivery was conventional too, at least from the stretch, which is I guess consistent with all Japanese pitchers.

Incidentally, Bobby Valentine was his manager. There's bound to be some quotes from him in the future.

9. Didi Dodo Doodoo (1k5v3L)

Posted: November 24, 2007 at 07:18 AM (#2624084)

A friend of mine who knows Japanese baseball well had this to say about Kobayashi:

He overpowers the Japanese hitters with velocity, and that would not happen in America. He mixes in a decent split, but he would get hammered in America... He throws around 93 MPH and arrow straight. He has an average breaking ball - although people seem to be giving it props. His split is decent but not devastating. He elevates his fastball a lot and it is arrow straight.

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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Indians - Signed Kobayashi

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