To re-sign Yabu, or not to sign

by ConditionOakland on Jun 6, 2005 8:37 PM PDT

Hello everyone.
I have been recently reading people counting out Yabu for the 2006 season, and I am wondering what all of you think.
First of all, people have been citing this mysterious curse of the 2nd year for Japanese pitchers.
Where do you get your information, first of all?

Here is some stats for Japanese pitchers currently working out of the bullpen:

Current ERA's are as of 6/6/05.

Shingo Takatsu (WhiteSox):
2004 ERA: 2.31
Current ERA: 6.91

Akinori Otsuka (Padres):
2004 ERA: 1.75
Current ERA: 3.55

Shigetoshi Hasegawa (Mariners):
1997 ERA: 3.93
1998 ERA (2ND YEAR): 3.14
Current ERA: 3.12

Kaz Sasaki (Mariners):
2000 ERA: 3.16
2001 ERA (2ND YEAR): 3.24

Takatsu's current struggle's can simply be blamed on the fact that hitters have adjusted to his style. Takatsu uses off-speed pitches, and doesn't over power batters, so batters just simply learned to wait and to expect this.

Now in Yabu's case, he has more than one out pitch, and doesn't use his changeup as his outpitch, but has actaully a few of them.
I definatly think the A's should exercise their option for Yabu, even if it is still early in the season. We have him for relatively cheap for what he brings to the team (and to the seats), depth in the pen (long relief and possibly starter) and it can give the upcoming players more time to grow in AAA if needed. Yabu is still adjusting as well, so I only expect him to pitch better. Along with Duke and Street, he has been one of the more dependable pitchers in the pen.

So anyways, just want to know what you think, and want to disprove the "2nd year" curse of the Japanese pitcher nonsense that I have read.

Have a nice day and thank you for reading =)

Poll

Should Yabu's Club Option for 2006 be exercised?

Yes

18 votes

No

6 votes

Let's see how the rest of the season goes...

36 votes

60 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Where's the fire?

Why the rush? We can exercise his option at the end of the year, what would be the point of guaranteeing him money for next year at this point? If he has a good to great rest of the year then of course we exercise the option, but for now there's no practical purpose in exercising the option.

"Baseball is dull only to dull minds."
Red Barber, announcer

by Furious George on Jun 6, 2005 8:58 PM PDT reply actions

There is no rush...

I have been just reading a lot of people saying we'll not sign him.
So, just curious, really.

Ganbatte Akiramenaide Oakland! Good luck and keep trying!

by ConditionOakland on Jun 6, 2005 8:59 PM PDT reply actions

Yabu

doesnt bring THAT much to the seats.

I personaly think we should pick up the option and trade him to an NL team so that the "Curse" doesnt get to him. Heh, maybe for Otsuka.

"Pinata's promote violence against flamboyant animals"

by Zonis on Jun 6, 2005 9:02 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah,

but they might be selling Yabu T-shirts in Japan like hotcakes.

"First of all, I'm not calm about it. Every time they lose, I freak out." - Andy Painter

by secret ASian man on Jun 6, 2005 11:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Not in Norcal...

So I haven't been to a game yet. But has there been a noticable influx of Japanese tourists or Japanese-Americans at games? I can't imagine there has, it's not like it's Ichiro or even the infamous "Shinjo."

by dchu on Jun 7, 2005 2:04 AM PDT reply actions

I haven't noticed it

I've only been to six games so I can't say authoritatively, but didn't notice anyone with signs in kanji, etc. However, we now have an ad banner in the stadium for Sho Chiku Bai, and they sponsor a scoreboard update on Japanese MLB players that seems to appear in the eighth or ninth inning of every game. Alas, this does not seem to have translated into sake for sale at the concessions stands. Wouldn't that be pleasant on a chilly evening at the Coliseum?

Yes, I definitely want to re-sign Yabu.

by Englishmajor on Jun 7, 2005 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions

It probably would be if he were an

everyday player but no, I haven't noticed a lot of Japanese fans in the stands.

"You are Marine kids and can chew nails while other kids are sucking cotton candy!"...The Great Santini to his children.

by sf drift king on Jun 7, 2005 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Not sure what Yabu has done

for the Bay Area Japanese baseball fans, but I believe he has converted more than a few Japanese back home into A's fans. Check out this site (in Japanese, however): http://k-yabu.net/

Yabu will never have the draw of Ichiro, Matsui (Hideki, not Kaz), or even Nomo. He's just not the superplayer back in Japan that these three guys were. But I doubt this was the point anyway.

On a more intangible level, supposing Yabu has a great experience in Oakland, does it make it more likely for future Japanese stars to consider Oakland as a team they can play for? Yabu probably put Oakland on the map in Japan. And as an "experiment" for BB, Yabu had been very successful at this point.

Now consider how BB operates; he is looking for quality players that are undervalued. With more and more teams getting wise to his ways and employing their own tactics to find or keep this type of player, wasn't Japan the next logical market to tap for undervalued players?

Yabu's signing helps set precedence for Japanese ballplayers that Oakland is a place they can come to be successful. If BB can snag one Yabu-like player every year or two from the Japan league, that would be a major win for us.

by almostreggie on Jun 7, 2005 10:32 AM PDT reply actions

Good point

while all the known Japanese talent like the Matsui's of the world head to the big name clubs, BB's using his statistical analysis to snatch up undervalued talent from the Japanese leagues.

I bet we see more Yabu's in Oakland in the future.

"You are Marine kids and can chew nails while other kids are sucking cotton candy!"...The Great Santini to his children.

by sf drift king on Jun 7, 2005 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions