Yusei Kikuchi

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Associated Press is saying that he'll meet with Boston, the Dodgers, Texas, and San Francisco on Monday, and the Mets, Yankees, and Mariners on Tuesday.

U.S. clubs chase Japanese schoolboy Kikuchi Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:01am EDT TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese schoolboy Yusei Kikuchi will hold 'speed interviews' with Major League Baseball clubs as the race to sign the explosive left-hander heats up. The 18-year-old pitcher is poised to meet representatives from eight MLB clubs including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning on Friday. Kikuchi's high school said their coveted pitcher would also speak to officials of all 12 Japanese domestic ballclubs over the next four days. Kikuchi would hold talks with all 20 clubs at his Hanamaki Higashi high school in Iwate, northern Japan, the school's coach Hiroshi Sasaki said. "We want to be fair to all the clubs," said Sasaki. "It's important to choose the place that's right for him to become the best he can be." Japanese media Thursday reported that Kikuchi, whose fastball has been clocked at 155kph, would spend just 30 minutes with officials from each club. Japanese baseball officials have requested Kikuchi not consider any offer from MLB clubs before Japan's amateur draft on October 29. MLB clubs are not bound by the same rule that prevents Japanese teams tabling offers before the draft, meaning Kikuchi could in theory opt to jump straight to the majors. Last year, Junichi Tazawa snubbed the Japanese draft and joined the Boston Red Sox from Nippon Oil's corporate team -- the first such move by a top Japanese amateur player. The Red Sox also have marquee pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who arrived at Fenway Park in 2007 on a $103 million deal.

[metirish]

Trying to think of something witty , nothing is what I got....155kph is 96mph...

[Guest attgig]

tazawa's a 23 year old, who was able to make it to the majors. how long before an 18 year old gets there?

kikuchi? or chapman?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Trying to think of something witty , nothing is what I got....155kph is 96mph...

[Frayed Knot]

tazawa's a 23 year old, who was able to make it to the majors. how long before an 18 year old gets there?[/quote:1skiv1an]

Well, how many other 18 year olds have you seen in the majors lately?


The thing with Tazawa was that he came from the Japanese "Industrial League", a lower league not normally associated with top prospects like their regular high-school programs. As such the Red Sox treated him as passed-over goods able to be plucked by a MLB team. This didn't sit well with the JPL as normally the two sides have an agreement not to swipe each others players until they're able to reach FA-gency.
For an MLB team to sign this Kikuchi kid sounds like the equivalent of a Japanese team going after that guy from the Vegas area Bryce Harper prior to next June's draft (where he could be the #1 overall pick).

[ashie62]

I'm convinced Bryce Harpers 570 ft HR went 285 in the air and rolled 285

Harper and this Japanese pitchers' stories seem a little too Paul Bunyanesque for me

Having said that... both will make millions

Hell, who needs an education?

[Frayed Knot]

I've seen video of Harper banking HRs off the wall behind the back rows of seats of the Trop dome in Tampa. I don't know if that means they were 570' but they were pretty damn big blasts.

Of course all that means is that he's a big, strong boy with a nice swing; none of it proves he's ready for MLB before he can legally vote or even before he's of age to buy a drink.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I've seen video of Harper banking HRs off the wall behind the back rows of seats of the Trop dome in Tampa. I don't know if that means they were 570' but they were pretty damn big blasts.

Of course all that means is that he's a big, strong boy with a nice swing; none of it proves he's ready for MLB before he can legally vote or even before he's of age to buy a drink.[/quote:3g8kzfcg]

A tangentially-related point: a belated birthday (10/10) to young Mr. Fartinez, who has-- it should be noted-- JUST turned the legal US drinking age.

[ashie62]

Bottoms Up!

[MFS62]

Trying to think of something witty , nothing is what I got....155kph is 96mph...[/quote:2zqnwbc2]
Wasn't there a dance in the 20's or 30's called the hoochie kakuchi?
(OK, it was the hoochie koochie, but that's as close as I could get.)

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Sounds like somebody had a "brush with greatness" featuring Charo.

[MFS62]

Sounds like somebody had a "brush with greatness" featuring Charo.

[ashie62]

Charo was always good on Hollywood Squares & The Match Game Hoochie Koochie!!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He say, "Arrivederci."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4592667

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm surprised he didn't say "sayonara"