Yokohama signs Jason Beverlin

I don't even remember him playing baseball of any kind last year. I might be wrong, but I can't recall Beverlin playing anywhere.

Beverlin needed an operation at the end of 2004, which was why he was released by the Swallows. He spent most of 2005 rehabilitating, but came back to Japan in the latter part of the year for tryouts.

If Jason Beverlin can get a job with another team in Japan, don't you think Jerrod Riggan can, too? His numbers were far superior and played a pretty big role with the Tigers bullpen throwing in tight games in late innings.

Great signing by Yokohama. He should do well for them.

I don't get the hangup on Riggan. Sure he did a nice job, but why do you keep bringing his name up? He had his chance. Starters are more valuable and that's what Beverlin is.

- If Jason Beverlin can get a job with another team in Japan, don't you think Jerrod Riggan can, too? His numbers were far superior and played a pretty big role with the Tigers bullpen throwing in tight games in late innings.

To the "guest" that continues to bring up how great Riggins was. This website is the wrong place to politic for a job. If a team wanted to sign him then they would. The Japanese teams have more durable and reliable bullpens guys for those "tight" games. Comparing the two pitchers doesn't even make sense - one is a reliever and the other is a starter. Most relievers are former starters that couldn't get the job done so they were sent to the bullpen.

Best of luck to Beverlin on the upcoming season.

I guess it may sound like I am politicking for Jerrod because I know him well and think he still has some value left in his arm.

As for pitchers who are more reliable arms in the bullpen, show me who had a better ERA in 2003 than Jerrod; and in 2004 before he was hurt his ERA was a 1.2. Cumulative ERA for 2 years: 2.04. His ERA in 2004 was better than in 2003 before he gave up 4 runs on a grand slam, 2 days before he got hurt. Hmmmmm, could something been wrong then with his arm?

As for the inference of this "guest" being Jerrod himself, you are wrong.

As for the bullpen guys in the world, your saying that they just weren't good enough to be starters is both correct and incorrect. Tell Mariano Rivera, Billy Wagner, Rob Nenn, Jason Isringhausen, John Smoltz, etc., etc., etc. that they aren't good pitchers.

You obviously have never played or been involved with a baseball team to know the importance of late relievers. That is where games are won and lost. A starting pitcher's job is to go 6 innings and keep it close. Tell me about Shimoyanagi. Is he as good as a reliever? Is his stuff as good as a reliever? Or is he just out there to get 6 innings, keep it close, and turn it over to the late guys? There are starters out there that are worth their weight in gold, but for the most part they are just out there to eat up innings. A reliever has way better "stuff" than a starter, he just can't do it as long.

You seem to be a stat guy who reads way to much ESPN magazine, and newspaper articles that have guys telling all about how it is who have never played the game. So continue with your unfounded results and give me Jerrod's stats over the course of 2 years and tell me who is more valuable.

Good luck Jason Beverlin. I wish you the best.

You know what, he did a nice job here, but the bottom line is if somebody felt he was that valuable here he would have signed. Jason has fared well here before and he will fare well again. Who even knows if his stuff is that good after surgery? There has to be some hangup as to teams not signing him.

Beverlin came to Japan and worked out for Yokohama and reportedley hit around 94 mph, so I guess he is healthy. Is Jerrod? That's my only question because I think he's a good pitcher, but not all guys come back that strong off surgery.

- As for the bullpen guys in the world, your saying that they just weren't good enough to be starters is both correct and incorrect. Tell Mariano Rivera, Billy Wagner, Rob Nenn, Jason Isringhausen, John Smoltz, etc., etc., etc. that they aren't good pitchers.

Wagner, Isringhausen, and Smoltz all broke into the big leagues as starters. Not sure of Nenn and Rivera. You can also throw Gagne in there as a former starter. Yea, they are good pitchers, but they only have 2 pitches that are effective enough to get MLB hitters out. Therefore they are in the pen. Roger Clemens could be a great reliever but the demand is for starting pitchers, thus Clemens gets paid 18 million vs. Mariano Rivera's 10.5 - sounds like the starter has more "value" to me.

- Not sure of Nenn and Rivera.

Rivera also broke into the major leagues as a starter, before being converted to a setup man to closer John Wetteland in 1996.

As for the above arguement about Jerrod Riggan, there's reasons why NPB teams haven't signed Riggan. Riggan last year only pitched in 15 games and 16 innings. There are surely questions about whether Riggan can return to his previous form. Second off, Riggan has barely pitched in his last 2 years. So there are many questions I see in Riggan.

- Roger Clemens could be a great reliever but the demand is for starting pitchers, thus Clemens gets paid 18 million vs. Mariano Rivera's 10.5 - sounds like the starter has more "value" to me.

Just because Clemens has a higher salary doesn't make the starter have more value than a closer. I sure know I like my team to have a good closer as well as good starters. So, I think it's possible to say a starter has more value than a closer. Both of them are a crucial part of a team.

-- You seem to be a stat guy [...]

- As for pitchers who are more reliable arms in the bullpen, show me who had a better ERA in 2003 than Jerrod; and in 2004 before he was hurt his ERA was a 1.2. Cumulative ERA for 2 years: 2.04. His ERA in 2004 was better than in 2003 before he gave up 4 runs on a grand slam, 2 days before he got hurt.

Seems as if you are the "stat guy."

Ditto to the stat guy comment. You seem to know this guy way too well to not be a dear friend or a relative, if not himself. Granted, I'm relatively new here and I don't know nearly as much about baseball as most of these guys, but I know that I can recognize foreign players' names since I've been here, and I have no idea who this Jerrod guy is and Beverlin definitely rings quite a bell. Starters are far more valuable than relievers, and given the solid bullpens that are in this country, I'm not sure that I would want to hire a foreigner who, chances are, will be gone in a year or two.

Jerrod Riggan was part of the 2003 championship winning Tigers side. He operated as set up or closer in Senichi Hoshino's line up. He left the Tigers in 2004 to have elbow surgery, though he was also unhappy with the new kantoku (manager) Okada-san. He used to wear the Number 65 on his jersey.

Mr. buymeabeer,

I am Jerrod's cousin Jeremy, and yes I am very close to him and know everything about him. If you knew anything about Japanese baseball, he was on the Hanshin Tigers Baseball Club in 2003 and 2004.

As you may or may not know, the Tigers are a lot more popular than the Yakult Swallows which Jason Beverlin was a part of. So you not knowing Jerrod is just a case of ignorance. Jerrod does have a name on this site, though, and if you want to talk to him I could tell him.

Go have another beer.

More people have heard of Beverlin because he was a starting pitcher and has actually thrown 240+ innings in Japan. Yea, the Tigers are a more popular team, but Riggan was just not a popular player.

Jeremy, I suggest you stop, because the only thing you're doing is damaging Jerrod's reputation more and more with every post. You came here to help him, but you only did damage to his name by constantly bringing him up and then getting confrontational when people had enough. It would be in his best interest if you stopped posting about him and ignored any further replies you get.

I grew up watching Jason Beverlin pitch. He grew up with my brother playing little league on up. A lot of talent there. He had Tommy Jon surgery in 2004 and was rehibilitating it all 2005. Best of luck to him and the Yokohama team.