Another possibility at third

by ineptituderunsamok on Oct 22, 2006 5:52 AM PDT Comment 20 comments

The Yakult Swallows have confirmed that they will be posting Akinori Iwamura. He's only 27, hit .311 with 32 homers and 77 RBI. Jim Albright has done some research on converting Japanese stats into what can be expected in MLB. It would be interesting to see what type of interest he garners, and if the Halos might be in the mix.

http://www.japanball.com/news.phtml?id=8146

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According to Albright's numbers

Akinori's major league equivalents are pretty good:

http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/analysisjalbright35.html#Akinori_Iwamura

.298/.357/.475 last year, pretty similar numbers two of the previous three years. I liked his defense at the WBC; real quick over there.

Looks to be cheaper than Aramis Ramirez, younger by a year, a much better defender, and 75-100 points lighter in Slugging. Sign him, and you can afford a very nice trade package for Vernon Wells. I say go for it.

by mattwelch on Oct 22, 2006 11:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

works for me

by thewebb on Oct 22, 2006 7:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

to elaborate

This would also help widen the fan base even more. This may put us over the top and be the final piece of the puzzle to help the Angels sell out every game.

by thewebb on Oct 22, 2006 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In a heartbeat.

Additionally, I heard that his "posting fee" is less than a million, which indicates the demand for him is not all that high.

by NPCody on Oct 22, 2006 8:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I am willing

to give D-Mac one more year at 3rd. There aren't any free agents out there that are blockbusters and the trades I believe would be too costly.

by higdog on Oct 22, 2006 8:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like D-Mac too

But this guy would be some insurance jic.

by anaheimisnotla on Oct 22, 2006 9:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not completely sold on him

He just seems so small at 5'9" and 176 lbs - he doesn't steal many bases, either. Here are the most complete stats on the guy:

http://japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=993

Small sluggers have succeeded before in the majors, they're just a rarity. I dunno - small AND slow, lot's of K's - not my idea of an impact bat that others say we so desperately need.

Either we aim high...or leave things the way that they are - I'm not sure this guy is the solution...

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." - Churchill

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 22, 2006 10:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like this a lot.

This is just what we should be exploring as part of the "big changes" promised- not just a single big move, but a compliment of several other pickups.

For a million in posting fee? Why NOT do it, even if McPherson plays all year?

by Brendo on Oct 23, 2006 11:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not a primary target

I certainly wasn't suggesting this is the only, or biggest move the halos make this offseason. I was merely suggesting that if other pieces don't fall into place the way we hope this may be a tertiary target that has the possibility of being low risk high reward.

The Pads to a flier on a Japanese pitcher that they paid next to nothing for and it turned out to be a solid (while not spectacular) move. Just something to keep on the back burner while Stoneman (hopefully) starts working on Ramirez/Rodriguez/Soriano.

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once - Albert Einstein

by ineptituderunsamok on Oct 23, 2006 4:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

should read

took a flier.

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once - Albert Einstein

by ineptituderunsamok on Oct 23, 2006 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough

But don't we already have some low-risk, high reward guys at 3B right now? We have one guy with a career .302 BA (Quinlan), another guy who was a former Minor League Player of the Year (McPherson), another guy who batted .293 last year (Izturis), and a former SB champ (Figgins). Lurking in the shadows is one of the top ten prospects in all of baseball (Wood). Except for Wood, all of them have ALREADY shown flashes of brilliance in the MAJORS - and they're cheap.

Iwamura, in my opinion, is no more certain than any of the above players. Matt has suggested that we need certainty at 3B. Maybe we do. Iwamura doesn't get us that certainty...I'd rather give McPherson one more chance - he's younger, cheaper (even with a low posting figure), and has a much higher ceiling.

I'm not against us trying to uprade at 3B, but if we're going to upgrade, then let's really UPGRADE...

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." - Churchill

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 23, 2006 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not the UPGRADE, it's the certainty

He's been playing at a very consistent level, mostly without injury, and with good defense, in a league whose stats we can reliably translate, and he'll be 28 next year.

If D-Mac could stay healthy, a D-Mac/Quinlan platoon would provide the 2nd-best 3B offense in the American League (behind A-Rod, and ahead of the Japanese guy), with okay defense. But there are three problems with that scenario:

D-Mac has chronic injuries in a bad spot. Hence, uncertainty.
We already have injury-uncertainty at 1B (Kotchman), and production-uncertainty at CF, not to mention league-average offense from O-Cab & G.A.
Scioscia has shown a stubborn unwillingness to recognize the platoon nose on his own damned face.

Buy a good-fielding .290/.360/.475 for his prime years, and you can afford a damned generous trade for Vernon Wells, without giving up an ML-ready starting pitcher. I think Dallas will prove scareduck wrong if he can stay healthy, but we need to win the Division every year from now on, so I'm unwilling to accept that "if."

by mattwelch on Oct 23, 2006 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah man, let's pounce on it

Dude is gonna be huge...like KAZ MATSUI huge. Just like all the Japanese players.

Sorry, but JohnnyAngel pretty much said my thoughts exactly. I'd rather get a guaranteed upgrade, although I do like the outside-the-box thinking. For the record however, this guy said that he wants to play 2B or the OF in America. It's over on mlbtraderumors.com.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Oct 23, 2006 9:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Says he would

Play those positions if asked.

Not a rejection of playing 3rd Base at all.

by Rev Halofan on Oct 23, 2006 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I didn't think he was rejecting it

He's a gold glover. Why would he? But the fact that he brings it up makes it seem as though it is some sort of preference...the type of thing you usually want to give to a guy who you're signing as a potential-star.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Oct 23, 2006 10:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you THAT certain

about Iwamura?

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." - Churchill

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 23, 2006 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

just because

Figgins owns a third basemen's glove, I would hesitate to throw him in the mix of 'available third basemen' on a World Series contending team.

Last I checked, Wood was still a SS without any plans from him or the organization to move. I think it's folly to not do so, but I don't run the team (much to my wife's chagrin.)

I for one would love for McPherson to be 'the' guy to produce at the level we all thought he could. Unfortunately he hasn't shown any evidence that he will do so in the future. If 2007 is his year, then panther for him, but I'll hold off on plunking down any money in Vegas on him winning MVP.

Do you really want to hang your hopes on Izturis? Immaculately trimmed eyebrows aside, I'd rather have options befitting a team with the third (or fourth, i forget) highest payroll.

Quinlan, while showing streaks of, well above averageness, is not the long term answer for any team not named the Royals.

Where does that leave us? One, hoping Ramirez opts out of Wrigleyville. Which coincidentally looks looks promising. Two, giving up pitching to the Yankees for a guy is quite possibly the best baseball player of our generation while being at the same time a complete Knobloch-esque head case. Three, crossing fingers and hoping somebody (anybody) currently on the 37man roster will excel. Or four, spending a few bucks on a guy who is proven (relatively speaking) as an insurance policy if one and two don't pan out.

I will reiterate my previous stance... he's not the best option out there. He is however, a better option than what showed up last year. Further, if he doesn't work out, I hear Colorado likes Japanes infielders.

It's a well known fact that if you try to take apart a cat to see how it works one of the first things you have on your hands is a non-working cat

by ineptituderunsamok on Oct 24, 2006 12:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anybody seen a dead horse laying around...

From rotoauthority -->

According to RotoWire, Iwamura hit .311/.388/.543 this year and .320/.390/.556 the year before. He'll turn 28 in February.

Copping some Baseball Prospectus Japanese translating methods, Iwamura could be on par with Aramis Ramirez. Failing that, he might be able to at least do what Scott Rolen or Troy Glaus did this year.

Given the attention that will be heaped on Daisuke Matsuzaka, Iwamura might fly under the radar in your league. Gambling on Johjima went well last spring; this could be a similar situation.

It's a well known fact that if you try to take apart a cat to see how it works one of the first things you have on your hands is a non-working cat

by ineptituderunsamok on Oct 24, 2006 1:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one

Iwamura is small and slow - AL sluggers are big and strong
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting?sort=homeRuns&league=al

Take a look at that list. 32 players hit 20+ home runs. How many of them weigh less than 200 lbs? ONE. Brandon Inge. Those aren't great odds. Additionally, most AL sluggers weigh 220+ lbs.

Take a look at that leaderboard again. How many of them are less than 5'10"? Again, only one - Miguel Tejada, and he weighs 213 lbs.

Physical size/tools MATTER. If you are COUNTING on Iwamura to be a big-time slugger, I believe you will sorely disappointed. He MIGHT turn out OK, but it I believe it is FAR from certain.

Lastly, only ONE Japanese player has become a legitimate power threat in the AL: Hideki Matsui, who is 6'2" and 210 lbs. A big, strong guy, and yet even HIS power hasn't nearly matched what he did in Japan (his SLG is 100 points lower).

Last year, Angel Third Basemen batted .265, 16 HR's, 69 RBI's, with 99 runs scored. Not nearly as bad as some people think - I'm not so sure that Iwamura would beat those numbers by a whole lot, if at all. Look, I'm not saying he's going to suck - I just don't think he'll be too great, either. And certainly nothing that we can absolutely count on...

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." - Churchill

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 24, 2006 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs