Oakland signs Suzuki

by ConditionOakland on Dec 14, 2005 1:32 AM PST

Makoto (mac) Suzuki.

"The Oakland A's signed pitcher Mac Suzuki to a minor league contract. Suzuki went 5-15 with a save and a 7.53 ERA in 53 games with the Orix BlueWave. Suzuki spent last year with the Buffaloes' ni-gun (farm) team.

Suzuki went 16-31 with a 5.72 ERA in 117 major league games with the Mariners, Royals, Brewers, and Rockies. "

[http://www.japanball.com/news.phtml?id=5607]

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Mac last played in KC, where he bounced back and forth between AAA and the show. He went back to Japan to play for the Blue Wave. He was charged with a DUI there I believe, but then promised to clean up his act.
Mac was once touted as a phenom, showing various signs with one hit game shutouts, clocking his fastball around 95/96 mph.
If he can pull everything together, he could really be a great addition to the pen or as a 5th starter, if ever needed.

Official page:

It is a little puzzling why the A's would sign Suzuki instead of Yabu, well, actaully-- Yabu had a 1 mil. dollar option, while Suzuki has a minor league contract. Suzuki is about 8 years younger than Yabu.

We'll see how he does in AAA.
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I should note

this signing definatly shows the sign that the A's are moe eager and willing to work with Japanese players. Yabu was the first of his kind to come to Oakland -- cheap, effective, and potentially better than the overpriced players on the American market. Hopefully we'll see more Yabu's in the future...

YABU: You're always eating cheese. ...Is cheese good for you? . FISCHER: IT'S BETTER THAN SUSHI!!!

by ConditionOakland on Dec 14, 2005 1:42 AM PST reply actions

Yabu was effective?

I think we are using the word "effective" a little loosely there ConditionOak.

President of the Brent Gates Fan Club

by SoCal As Fan on Dec 14, 2005 10:29 AM PST up reply actions

He was effective until he got hurt

then Macha benched him for pretty much the rest of the season so he never had a chance to get back into the swing of things.

"Damn kids" -Ron Flores

by secret ASian man on Dec 14, 2005 3:01 PM PST up reply actions

yep.

I agree.

YABU: You're always eating cheese. ...Is cheese good for you? . FISCHER: IT'S BETTER THAN SUSHI!!!

by ConditionOakland on Dec 14, 2005 5:39 PM PST up reply actions

guh?

Simming Offseason.....

by robber23 on Dec 14, 2005 1:45 AM PST reply actions

Cost as well?

This sounds more like a reclamation project-- like how the Brewers picked up Rick Helling, or the Giants Dustin Hermanson, than a slant for working with Japanese pitchers.

Hopefully he'll pan out, but if he doesn't, it's no big deal.

by Trocmagic on Dec 14, 2005 2:35 AM PST reply actions

exactly...

low cost, HIGH potential. Under-valued player.

YABU: You're always eating cheese. ...Is cheese good for you? . FISCHER: IT'S BETTER THAN SUSHI!!!

by ConditionOakland on Dec 14, 2005 2:42 AM PST up reply actions

High potential?

The guy turns 31 in May, he has a career major league ERA of 5.72 and a career MINOR league era of 4.67.

He has walked more than five batters per nine innings stateside and apparently posted two consecutive years of 7+ era in Japan while continuing to walk a ridiculous number of hitters before getting demoted to the Japanese minors ...

I mean, I'm sure there's a reason we got up and it costs us next to nothing - but there doesn't really seem to be any reason for optimism. I don't know his numbers from last year but the last time he posted an era below 4.3 was in 1993, at the age of 18 in A Ball.

I don't know what his stats were last year but unless he stopped walking people ...

I guess it's just good business to have japanese players in the organization.

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by devo on Dec 14, 2005 10:37 AM PST up reply actions