Either Cardinals or Hanshin for Taguchi...

According to espn.com, Taguchi signed a 3-year deal worth nearly $3 million. Any ideas as to what Hanshin offered?

Taguchi has been signed by the Saint Louis Cardinals. It is a $3 million deal. I am not sure about the length of the contract.

I don't know what the Cardinals are thinking. Taguchi's way overrated. This year's "hot" free agents were basically all run-of-the-mill type players. If you check out Kataoka and Taguchi's stats, they're not the least bit impressive. It makes you wonder why Hanshin was hot after both of them.
Taguchi is a fourth or fifth outfielder at best in the majors. He is being compared to Jason Kendall of the Pirates. What a joke! Taguchi, even on his best day, couldn't carry Kendall's jock.

Lets not jump to any conclusion here. Look what happened to Shinjo last year. Lets wait and see. He might be a nice complement to big boppers like Edmonds and Drew.

p.s. I'm a big Cardinals fan (even though I live in NY) since the days of Flood, Brock, and Gibson. Did you know that Armstrong Ozma in "Kyojin no Hoshi" anime classic was modeled after Bob Gibson and Lou Brock?

Well, as a Cardinals fan, let me say I'm happy he chose to sign with the Cardinals.

Even though I know very little about him, the Cardinals didn't have a left fielder at all. They were either going to play a 3rd basemen, or a backup catcher in left.

Well, you might be happy now, but after Taguchi struggles at the plate you won't be. Don't get me wrong-Taguchi is a solid defensive player. He's won a couple of Gold Gloves here and his arm is pretty strong, but I just don't see him hitting at all, especially at spacious Busch Stadium. I guess the Cards are planning to move into new digs next season or the season after that, but as long as they play at Busch I'd be very surprised if he hits more than 10 HRs this season.
Also, I have to say that Albert Pujols could play anywhere in the field for me if he continues to hit like he does. I thought he was more than adequate in left field. He's sure as hell a lot better in left than former Cardinal Lonnie Smith, that's for sure.

Busch stadium is actually no longer that spacious. When they changed it from turf to grass in 96 (I think), they also moved in the fences quite a bit.

I don't think Taguchi will hit more than 10 home runs, but the people he will be replacing wouldn't either. I expect him to hit pretty much what he did in Japan. Ichiro did, so did Shinjo, so it's not too much of a stretch.

Pujols wasn't bad in LF (especially considering he never played it before), but he's sort of slow. So I think he's best off playing 3b, which is where he played in the minors

> Well, you might be happy now, but after Taguchi
> struggles at the plate you won't be. Don't get me
> wrong-Taguchi is a solid defensive player. He's won
> a couple of Gold Gloves here and his arm is pretty
> strong, but I just don't see him hitting at all,
> especially at spacious Busch Stadium. I guess the
> Cards are planning to move into new digs next season
> or the season after that, but as long as they play at
> Busch I'd be very surprised if he hits more than 10
> HRs this season.

Actually, there is next to no difference between Busch Stadium and Green Stadium. Green Stadium is about 5 feet shallower down the lines, and Busch Stadium is about eight feet shallower down the alleys. Busch Stadium is a mere two feet deeper in straight-away center.

In terms of stadiums, Taguchi is probably better off in the Majors. In the NL Central, where he'll play most of his games, Cinergy Field, Enron Field, and PNC Park are all smaller than Green Stadium, while Miller Park and Wrigley Field have deeper corners and much shallower alleys. In contrast, all Pacific League parks (with the exception of Tokyo Dome) are pitchers' parks. There will be many difficulties to overcome and adjustments that Taguchi will have to make, but stadium size is not one of them. See this article for more detailed information.

> Also, I have to say that Albert Pujols could play
> anywhere in the field for me if he continues to hit
> like he does. I thought he was more than adequate in
> left field. He's sure as hell a lot better in left
> than former Cardinal Lonnie Smith, that's for sure.

But by getting Taguchi the Cards can settle Pujols at third. Much as it pains me, getting Taguchi was a smart move for the cards. They got a fairly affordable regular left fielder who's good with the glove and has a serviceable bat. With Edmonds, Pujols, Drew and Martinez, the Cards don't need (and probably don't want to pay for) a slugging star to fill left. Barry Bonds was on the market, after all. With Taguchi they've got a guy who can bat adequately, really tightens up the outfield, and has good speed. I'm hoping the Cubs pitchers give him fits ("Ha, Taguchi! You've seen Matsuzaka, now try hitting the high heat and vicious hook of Kerry Wood!"), but he makes the Cardinals a better team as a whole.

I have read a number of articles about "Taguchi" coming to the Cardinals, however none of them discuss whether Taguchi is a right hander, left hander or which side of the plate he bats from (both?)...

Thank you for your answers...

benduck

Anybody know about Taguchi? Is he lefty, righty? Bats right, or left or switch?

Thanks in advance.

Can anyone tell me what the "Cardinal Nation" can expect of So Taguchi? Is he an every day player? How does he run the bases? With a .277 average is he more of a defensive asset? I read the posting that he has a temper. [Granted what constituees "fiery temper" in the culture of the Japanase big leagues.] How do you think he will fair with his new manager and a pretty tight knit club house?

Taguchi bats and throws right. I'll work on his stats during lunch break.

Done! You can now get Taguchi's lifetime stats here. Enjoy.

Thank you!

So, Cardinals fans, after taking a look at Taguchi's career stats, are you excited? I didn't think so. Two posters brought out an interesting fact. I didn't know that Green Stadium was only a bit smaller than Busch. I still think Taguchi is nothing to get excited about. My prediction is that he'll hit .250, 7 HRs, 33 RBI. OK, so I'm not exactly going out on a limb here, but I just don't see Taguchi producing.

Also, I wonder why the Cards didn't go after someone else to play leftfield this offseason. After all, Moises Alou and Rondell White were available. Granted, they came with a hefty price tag, but they could've used the money they used on Tino Martinez to acquire a leftfielder. Tino is solid, but anyone can play first. The Mets have a surplus of outfielders (Cedeno, Agbayani, Perez, Payton, Matthews), so maybe the Cards could've made a deal with them.

Lastly, I am appalled at Taguchi's audacity. I'm sure you all have heard, but he chose the number 99 as his uniform number. His number 6 is retired of couse for Stan the Man, so he decided to invert the 6 and double it for good measure. This is a risky move. In the NHL, only true stars can get away with high numbers. Although Rene Gonzalez of the Orioles wore 88 and Jack Armstrong of the Indians wore 77 and Mitch Williams wore 99 also, high numbers are generally not seen in the majors. The Ottawa Senators of the NHL have outlawed players from wearing numbers that go above 55 since high numbers are perceived to be too self-flattering. Taguchi better play well, or else he'll become the butt of jokes around MLB.

- Lastly, I am appalled at Taguchi's audacity. I'm sure you all have heard, but he chose the number 99 as his uniform number.

I'm not sure I see it as being so audacious. In Japan, high numbers usually go to no-name rookies. Some have high value, like Ichiro's 51, or Godzilla's "go-go" 55 (5 is pronounced "go" in Japanese). 44 is usually given to foreign players. Otherwise, very few numbers above 40 are popular.

Shinjo made a number of cultural blunders his first year in the Majors. What you're suggestion here is that Taguchi has already committed one when choosing his number.

To me, requesting the number 9 would have been audacious. 99 strikes me as a player who has to earn a lower number.

Actually, Taguchi apparently first wanted 6, which he couldn't have, since it was retired. Then he wanted 9, which get couldn't have, since it was also retired. So he settled for 99.

(So says the local St. Louis paper, anyway)

I think it's a case where he just wanted a certain number, and 99 was close as he could get.

They actually tried to get Alou, I believe, but he wanted too much money. White is good, but is too fragile.

Taguchi is relatively cheap.

> So, Cardinals fans, after taking a look at Taguchi's
> career stats, are you excited? I didn't think so.
> Two posters brought out an interesting fact. I
> didn't know that Green Stadium was only a bit
> smaller than Busch. I still think Taguchi is
> nothing to get excited about. My prediction is that
> he'll hit .250, 7 HRs, 33 RBI. OK, so I'm not
> exactly going out on a limb here, but I just don't
> see Taguchi producing.

Hate to belabor a point here, but Busch Stadium is actually a bit smaller than Green Stadium. I made mistake; Green Stadium is 403 feet to straightaway center (all other numbers are accurate). Both outfields are symmetrical bowl shapes. Busch Stadium starts out deeper, but has a shallower bowl (in the power alleys where most home runs go). Also, Busch's outfield walls are only 8 feet high, while Green Stadium's are 13 feet high. I don't have figures for foul territory, but I'm willing to bet that Green Stadium has as much or more than Busch.

I don't think Taguchi will hit .250. I imagine he'll hit around .270. 7-10 homers sounds right. RBI will depend entirely on where he hits in the line up and how many chances with men on base he'll get. 33 doesn't sound too far off if he bats lead off. If he bats sixth, seventh or eighth, I think that'll be slightly higher. Also consider that he brings some speed to the line-up, and the ability to bunt. An average bunter in NPB is still better than the majority of MLB players when it comes laying one down. He's not a run-producer, but he's a guy who can set the table and make things happen.

You're right that Taguchi is nothing to get "excited" about; he's no Ichiro. But he's a decent player and his acquistion helps the Cards. He's something to be mildly pleased about. And as a Cubs fan, I'd rather that the Cards still had a hole in left, rather than tightening up their defense with a player like Taguchi.

> Also, I wonder why the Cards didn't go after someone
> else to play leftfield this offseason. After all,
> Moises Alou and Rondell White were available.
> Granted, they came with a hefty price tag, but they
> could've used the money they used on Tino Martinez
> to acquire a leftfielder. Tino is solid, but anyone
> can play first. The Mets have a surplus of
> outfielders (Cedeno, Agbayani, Perez, Payton,
> Matthews), so maybe the Cards could've made a deal
> with them.

Tino was already signed long before they considered Taguchi, so once they had him they had to figure out something. Taguchi is cheaper in the long run, and I don't think he'll bat any worse than any of those Mets you mentioned, and plays much better defense anyway.

> Lastly, I am appalled at Taguchi's audacity. I'm
> sure you all have heard, but he chose the number 99
> as his uniform number. His number 6 is retired of
> couse for Stan the Man, so he decided to invert the 6
> and double it for good measure. This is a risky
> move. In the NHL, only true stars can get away with
> high numbers. Although Rene Gonzalez of the Orioles
> wore 88 and Jack Armstrong of the Indians wore 77 and
> Mitch Williams wore 99 also, high numbers are
> generally not seen in the majors. The Ottawa
> Senators of the NHL have outlawed players from
> wearing numbers that go above 55 since high numbers
> are perceived to be too self-flattering. Taguchi
> better play well, or else he'll become the butt of
> jokes around MLB.

Todd Hundley wore 99 last year for the Cubs until Damon Buford got traded. He didn't like it, and in fact played horribly. Unfortunately, wearing his usual number 9 didn't help much at all. I don't think it's particularly audacious to wear 99; Japanese players wear numbers that MLB players would never wear. "0" or "00" for example. It's an odd choice, I'll grant you, but I don't think it hurts the Cardinals at all.

I know that Tino was signed before they considered Taguchi. I meant that the Cards should've gone after a leftfielder before spending big bucks on Tino since quality outfielders are usually harder to find than serviceable 1st baseman.

It looks like Taguchi has a clause in his contract that allows him to return to Japan if he's sent to the minors. How bush is that? If he's not confident in his abilities, then he shouldn't bother going. Don't pull a Masao Kida!

I don't agree with Mr. Westbaystars-in Japan, a player has to earn a low number because uniform numbers are scarce what with the farm teams not being allowed to use the numbers used by the top team. But in MLB, numbers aren't that scarce. The only time a player has to earn a number to his liking is when a player is called up in September when rosters expand or when a player comes to spring training as a non-roster invitee. In both cases players usually start off with a high number. Taguchi is neither. When a free-agent is pursued by a team, he can usually choose whatever number he likes as long as it's not retired.

Also, Mr. CFiJ is brought out an interesting point. The numbers 0 and 00 aren't usually worn in the majors, but one of the best hitters of in the '70s wore number 0, Al Oliver. Also, 00 has been worn by Jack Clark (Padres) and Omar Olivares of the Cards, though he claimed that 00 were his initials. I forgot about Todd Hundley wearing 99 last season. It is seen sometimes, but usually by someone who's established themselves in the majors and earned their stripes.

I remember a funny incident with the Cardinals involving numbers. When Chuckie Carr signed with the Cards several years ago, he asked for number 1. When told he couldn't have it because it belonged to fading veteran (and recent Hall-of-Famer) Ozzie Smith, he remarked, "Out with the old and in with the new!"

- It looks like Taguchi has a clause in his contract that allows him to return to Japan if he's sent to the minors. How bush is that? If he's not confident in his abilities, then he shouldn't bother going.

Today's (1/13) Nikkan Sports mentions that this clause was put in independently by his agent, who most likely thought he was acting in his client's best interest.

Taguchi's own words were, "The thought of returning to Japan if it didn't work never crossed my mind." Does that help dispell any fear about his dedication to the play in the Majors?

Westbaystars...many thanks on accumulating the Taguchi stats!

Can anyone list his career stats with K/BB info, please?