Clap Your Hands Seiya

[Edgy MD]

Looking at free agents? Are there any outfielders among them? Well, add star NPB outfielder https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=suzuki001seiSeiya Suzuki.



Siouxzuki, if the reports are accurate, will be 27 and bring a .315 / .415 /.571 // .985 career line in the NPB to the start of his MLB career. Even better, he's coming off a .319 / .436 / .644 // 1.079 season in 2021 with the Hiroshima Carp. That's 38 homers in only 131 games. I know that stat won't look as sweet after applying the exchange rate, but, you know, on the face of it, that's better than Pete Alonso, and then there's the rest of his game.



SeSu stands 5'11" and 182 pounds, so it's fair to question how much of that power will stay with him in the U.S., but he's walked as much as he's struck out the last two seasons, threw out 13 baserunners last season, has won three NPB Gold Gloves, and has made five Best Nine teams, which is better than being an All-Star, because it's only nine guys. So one has to believe something of that profile will survive the trans-Pacific trip.



I've watched some of his highlights, and most of his homers are certainly no-doubters. Interestingly, some of these homers show a healthy leg lift in his swing and some don't show much of one at all. I prefer my imports come without complex mechanics.



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[Fman99]

I am perpetually gun shy of Japanese position players who make the jump to the U.S. It's the Kaz Matsui effect I guess.

[A Boy Named Seo]

A+ thread title. Also, this dude intrigues me a lot.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Keeps his head on that ball. I'd give this guy a job

[A Boy Named Seo]

Yeah, right? Even if he started K'ing a bit more and walking a bit less, he might still be better than Scooty in both those departments.. 27 next summer, good defender, steals some bags and has huge power? I'm down for that.

[metsmarathon]

this is perhaps the guy i'd most want to add this off season.

[seawolf17]

Yeah, I'd be on Team Seiya. Sounds like the kind of move Cohen would make, too.

[Edgy MD]

Good to see this thread get mid-week traction after seeing disappointing box office upon it's Sunday launch.



I was feeling like the only stupid guy who bought the t-shirt.

[Centerfield]

Has a long swing, but seems to have good bat speed. I see the inconsistency with the leg kick. But when it's there, it's crazy.



I don't think his power would translate to CitiField, which seems to eat power hitters as it is anyway. But if he signs anywhere else is likely a lock to hit 30.



Handsome. Not as heart throbby as Ohtani, but I ain't kicking him outta bed.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Has a long swing, but seems to have good bat speed. I see the inconsistency with the leg kick. But when it's there, it's crazy. I don't think his power would translate to CitiField, which seems to eat power hitters as it is anyway. But if he signs anywhere else is likely a lock to hit 30. Handsome. Not as heart throbby as Ohtani, but I ain't kicking him outta bed.

Not sure if there are park factors for Japanese stadia, but the dimensions aren't crazy different. https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/story/2021-08-02/japan-sieya-suzuki-united-states-baseball-tokyo-olympics-mlbThis article describes him as a little taller and a little buffer (6 ft, 215lbs) and he gets compared to peak AJ Pollock which is kinda not terribly sexy.



Mazda Stadium (Hiroshima Carp)

Left Field (331 ft) Left-Center (381 ft) Center Field (400 ft) Right-Center (381 ft) Right Field (328 ft)



Citi

Left field (335 feet) Left center (358 feet) Deep left center (385 feet) Center field (408 feet) Deep right center (398 feet) Right center (375 feet) Right field (330 feet)

[Lefty Specialist]

Ya know, sooner or later we'll have to hit paydirt on one of these Japanese guys. Young and seems to be an all-round player. I'd give him a spin.

[MFS62]

I am perpetually gun shy of Japanese position players who make the jump to the U.S. It's the Kaz Matsui effect I guess.

I'd certainly settle for Hadeki Matsui.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/matsuhi01.shtmlhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/matsuhi01.shtml



Later

[bmfc1]

He won't cost the Mets a draft pick and Cohen will recoup some of his salary in ticket and ad sales from the Japanese market.



Just don't go to the MFYs (Michael Kay: "Seiya Later!").



Nice job on the thread title.

[bmfc1]

[Ceetar]

Obviously it's not simply "we want him, we got him" but it feels like such a no-brainer to go hard for this guy.

[smg58]

=Fman99 post_id=80760 time=1636371775 user_id=86]
I am perpetually gun shy of Japanese position players who make the jump to the U.S. It's the Kaz Matsui effect I guess.

[bmfc1]

There's good speed in addition to the power but his SBs dropped the last two seasons:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=suzuki001seihttps://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=suzuki001sei

If you read his Wiki page you will see various injuries over the years. I wonder if he played through something(s) so as not to hurt his $ value this year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seiya_Suzukihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seiya_Suzuki

[Ceetar]

=smg58 post_id=81529 time=1637513669 user_id=62]
He could be a sneaky value play -- if we sign him for less than somebody else signs Conforto for, it will be a huge win. It would free money up for starting pitching.

[bmfc1]

Here's 11:34 on Seiya.

https://youtu.be/YTKuwktc97chttps://youtu.be/YTKuwktc97c

If you go to around 8:30, he explains why Seiya's skills might be more transferable to the MLB than with other recent position players.

[Edgy MD]

Suzuki's rights were posted on 11/22 and will be bid on through 12/22.



Why does it take a month for teams to make these bids? And if there is a lockout, it can be pushed back further.

[smg58]

=smg58 post_id=81529 time=1637513669 user_id=62]I'd open at 4 and 60 and see if that starts the conversation.

[Edgy MD]

Seems like pretty good value to me.

[Fman99]

I have free agent signing envy here. C'mon Unkie Steve, go get us another bat !

[Benjamin Grimm]

Reports are that the Mets will solely focus on pitching and not another bat, but I think they still need some of both. I'd be happier if Mark Canha was more of a reserve than a starter.

[Edgy MD]

I am perpetually gun shy of Japanese position players who make the jump to the U.S. It's the Kaz Matsui effect I guess.

I have free agent signing envy here. C'mon Unkie Steve, go get us another bat !

You can't shy away at the beginning of the evening and then get all hot under the collar when somebody else as her number at the end of the night!



You've got to get in the game! Go in early and go in hard! "Hi, I'm FMan. I just want to say that I noticed that you're Japanese and I'm totally OK with that."



I assume those numbers up above don't include what the Cubs are paying as a posting fee.

[Fman99]

Well much has changed from November to March. But yeah you got me on that one. I just want another hitter. I don't care how straight his pubic hair is.

[kcmets]

Seems that 5/70 is now 5/85. Not that another 3/yr is a big thing these days.

[Edgy MD]

Suzuiki now at .245 / .344 / .432 // .775, which is, you know, pretty solid for 2022 — and it's pretty solid for the Cubs — although you'd rather see it from an infielder than a corner outfielder.



He recently made this sweet throw, which lives up to his name, although it's almost unfair as it comes off as Kelly Leak throwing out Engelberg.



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