Non-playoff news: Yankees meet with Japanese phenom

by Travis G on Oct 21, 2009 2:48 PM EDT in News Comment 20 comments

Yusei Kikuchi is his name, and he's the latest Japanese phenom to hit MLB's radar. Since he just graduated high school, he has to decide if he will pursue a Japanese or American baseball career. Entering NPB (Nippon Pro Baseball) will obligate him to play nine seasons before becoming an international free agent (like Hideki Matsui) and sign with an MLB team (or he could get posted before nine years, ala Ichiro and Dice-K). However, if he forgoes the NPB draft, he can sign with any ML team right now (but will face an NPB ban of three years - it's essentially a 'bite-less' ban, for no ML team would cut him within three years anyway).

What's exciting about him is his age (18), his velocity (he's reached 96 MPH), and his handedness (lefty). If he decides to play in Japan, he'll almost certainly be the #1 overall pick (he's the Japanese Stephen Strasburg).

He met with eight ML teams including the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Dodgers.

Today is the day he (or his parents) has to decide, one way or the other. I'll keep you posted as news becomes available...

P.S.: Aroldis Chapman flew to New York (with his agent) today to meet with several GMs (via MLBTR).

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Another Japanese Left hander?

I’m just a little bit scared about them going after him after the way the last guy they got from Japan worked out.

Hopefully if they sign him, he works out.

by nyyrocks29 on Oct 21, 2009 3:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Angel Berroa sucked, therefore

we should stop signing Dominican players too.

by tombradylikesdudes on Oct 21, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

nice. Sox will probably sign him anyway, they seem to have a sort of asian fetish

9=8

by El Rayhawk on Oct 21, 2009 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who doesn't?

by New York Sports Jerk on Oct 21, 2009 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Cashman says "He's not a blower ..."

we need to run—not walk away from Yuesi.
With the exception of Wang, we really haven’t had the greatest track record with international pitchers. Who knows, maybe we’ll land him and he won’t suck.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Oct 21, 2009 3:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

LOL — good ol’ blower-san.

by NumberSeven on Oct 21, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Since he's 18

and the Yankees have a lot of arms in the system and currently in the pen, we probably wouldn’t see him start right away, so our minor league pitching coaches can settle him down and get him prepped for the bigs.

by phonty on Oct 21, 2009 4:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Chapman is Cuban --

And he’s good. Maybe some control issues, but nothing that can’t be corrected. He throws aspirins — I believe he was clocked in at 99 mph during the World Baseball Classic.

P.S. — Perhaps unrelated, but speaking of Cubans, where the hell is Duque? Last I heard he signed with the Rangers. Any truth to this rumor?

by Solomon96 on Oct 21, 2009 5:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Again -- totally unrelated, but it's about Steve Phillips, so c'mon.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/exclusive_espn_steve_phillips_in_bLw9UoSAQJwJLU4ZDXvvDO

I knew he was a deushbag.

by Solomon96 on Oct 21, 2009 5:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Man if your gonna scumbag your wife

Can you at least do it with someone who doesn’t look like Monica Lewinsky’s uglier cousin?

by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 21, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you read the comments on that thing?

some racist comments.

"I'm not superstitious, just a little stitious"- Michael Scott

by GTWYankee on Oct 21, 2009 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

don't poop where you eat

David Letterman could tell you that. Or Bill Clinton. Or 1 million other guys.

by long time listener on Oct 21, 2009 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn....

I’d like to thank that dude for sleeping with Phillips and getting him off the air.

About time.

..."I predict...the Giants are #1"...

...."That's not a prediction meatman, that's a FACT OF LIFE"!.

---Carl

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 22, 2009 6:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

We should send her after Tim McCarver next!

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Oct 22, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

by ACPhoenix on Oct 22, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"her"

…you mean THAT’s a girl?

..."I predict...the Giants are #1"...

...."That's not a prediction meatman, that's a FACT OF LIFE"!.

---Carl

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 22, 2009 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know ...

I think I saw her in the camel display at the Bronx zoo.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Oct 23, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

what a retard...not once...but twice unfaithful....

I just don’t understand these guys…if u KNOW u can’t handle one woman…and your rich at that so there’s plenty of em….why get freakin married…..?…I will never get it…spare yourself the divorce and alamony….

Getcha shit wet enough….when you catch a std or two and get tired of it….get the cream and settle down….I’m sorry but it’s impossible for me to feel bad for him…

Especially since this joker picked us to be out the playoffs this year….he hates us

by NYYWinsRings26 on Oct 21, 2009 6:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Oh, without question --

No sympathy whatsoever. Sorry, married guys, but I don’t see the logic in marriage in its totality, much less when you have money. Too much stuff to do in this world to settle down; in Steve’s case, too many people do do.

by Solomon96 on Oct 21, 2009 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs