A's Sign Mac Suzuki

Why in the world would they sign Suzuki and not resign Yabu? Baffling.

Well you could start off with Mac costing about $1 million less than Yabu (we haven't seen the $$$ specifics yet though), and Mac being about 7/8 years younger.

I loved Yabu though.

Yeah, but signing any replacement level pitcher would seem better than Suzuki. He was just awful in NPB the last two years, that would translate to something even more terrible in MLB.

I've been thinking this for some time, now.

Anyone know why the A's would sign Mac, out of any other pitchers they could choose from? His stats are not impressive at all, both in the NPB the past few years and in his MLB career. Are they thinking he'll live up to the hype?

-CO

- Anyone know why the A's would sign Mac, out of any other pitchers they could choose from? His stats are not impressive at all, both in the NPB the past few years and in his MLB career. Are they thinking he'll live up to the hype?

I'm not sure, but when Orix released Mac Suzuki this fall, he had a desire again to pitch in the major leagues. He was signed out of the Venezulean Winter League. He's was brung in on a minor league contract, which means he will have to fight his way onto the roster, and will not be guaranteed a roster spot, like Yabu last year.

But what about his stats? I mean, aren't there any other better pitchers in the NPB available, besides Suzuki? I'm just thinking out of all the people they could have possibly signed, why him? What were his stats in the farm system in Japanese leagues? Maybe the A's see a trend?

-CO

I'm sure there were many more NPB players better than Mac Suzuki, but most were either unavailable (i.e. not free agents) or if they were available they didn't have the desire to pitch in the Major Leagues.

Orix obviously didn't think much of Mac Suzuki or else they wouldn't have released him so easily. A major league team is giving a chance to a pitcher who was below average in the MLB and way below average in the NPB. This is just further proof that the average NPB pitcher could make a major league roster. I am aware that Mac Suzuki just got a minor league contract, but it's hard to figure out why he even got that given the awful years he spent in Japan.

For Surpas Kobe in 2005, Mac was 0 and 1 with 0 saves and an ERA of 7.23 in 17 games (18 2/3rds innings pitched). He struck out 8 while walking 21 and giving up 19 hits (no home runs).

Source: 2006 Baseball Record Book, Baseball Magazine Sha

Oakland already had Sang-hoon Lee after he didn't work out with Boston, too. So this is their second Asian reclamation project (I don't count Yabu among those). It will probably shake out about as well as Lee did. I also have to say that I can't believe that the A's are pitching short enough that they would bring Suzuki in. They would have been better off with Iriki.

On the other hand, Hector Carrasco got his clock cleaned in Japan and then has been fairly okay with the Nats (iirc), so go figure.

It will be interesting to see how Yabu does in Colorado.