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Robinson Checo

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Robinson Checo
Checo played for the Hiroshima Carp in 1995 and 1996. In 1995 he was 15-8 with an era of 2.74 and in 1996 he was only 4-1 with an era of 4.80.

I found on the net that the Carp traded him to the Red Sox in 1997. What happened to him in the 1996 season and why was he traded that quick by the Carp? He seemed to be a good pitcher according to his stats.
Comments
Re: Robinson Checo
[ Author: Kiyoshi | Posted: Jan 5, 2006 12:20 AM | HAN Fan ]

Checo demanded to be released to go to MLB. When the Hiroshima Carp refused to give Checo his release, Robinson retired from NPB in order to sign with the Boston Red Sox for 1997. This precedent was set earlier by Hideo Nomo.
Re: Robinson Checo
[ Author: Guest: John Brooks | Posted: Jan 5, 2006 7:38 AM ]

Checo who was signed out of the Carp's Dominican Academy soon after being released by then California Angels in 1990. He went to Taiwan for a short while, then came back to Japan. Checo demanded to be released to go to the majors, the Carp refused to released Checo, like Kiyoshi mentioned above.

Checo, who's agent at the time in Japan was public enemy number one in Don Nomura, demanded a raise in arbitration, which led to legal wrangling. In the end, Nomura had to issue a public apology to Carp ownership and pay a small sum, too.

The next year in 1996, Checo later issued a public apology for the whole situation, and dismissed Nomura as his agent. At the end of 1996, Checo retired from the Carp after failing to get his release like Nomo did earlier. Then Checo signed with the Boston Red Sox as a un-drafted free agent in late 1996.

As history shows, Checo pitched a couple cups of coffee with the Red Sox and Dodgers from 1997 to 1999 before completly disappearing. Checo was a signing by old Red Sox GM Dan Duquette.

Sources:
Japan Baseball Daily Library
Baseball-Reference
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