Who Are These Guys?

Mike Kinkade is a corner outfielder/first-baseman type. He's played for Baltimore and LA in America, and also on USA's 2000 Olympic Team. If Hanshin is keeping George Arias, then I don't see why they need Kinkade.

I've never heard of Morel. Is he a pitcher?

Personally, I'd like to see Arias, Williams, Moore, and Riggan all back with the Tigers next year. The team won, keep it together! I think they have a chance to be even better next year with a healthy Hamanaka, and the addition of Toritani.

At least Riggan has re-signed.

I believe Williams has re-signed also.

From what I've heard, he is going to.

Thanks for the info.

- Personally, I'd like to see Arias, Williams, Moore, and Riggan all back with the Tigers next year.

SanSpo reported a few days ago that Trey Moore was on the brink of being released. I think (and hope) this is an exaggeration, but it is said that he wants a multi-year contract but that the Tigers are reluctant to give him one.

George Arias has also re-signed (as well as Hideki Irabu). So that leaves Moore. I hope they can work something out.

Alas! Trey Moore will not be with the Tigers in 2004. How disappointing that he and the Tigers couldn't reach an agreement.

New manager Akinobu Okada is putting a brave face on it, saying that it's a great opportunity for youngsters such as Santo, Nakabayashi, and rookie Tsutsui to solidify a place in the rotation. But I wonder if you could read a message between the lines: "We don't have anyone to step up and take his place."

Either way, I for one am very sad to see Trey leave Hanshin.

- Either way, I for one am very sad to see Trey leave Hanshin.

Make that two. I'm really going to miss Trey's intensity and his pride in being a Tiger. His bat will be missed as well.

I think the best way to fill the hole he's leaving would be for Yabu to pitch consistantly well for a full year, or a return to form by Fukuhara (or even Kawajiri, but what are the odds?).

- [...] a return to form by Fukuhara (or even Kawajiri, but what are the odds?).

It was reported yesterday that Hanshin traded Kawajiri to Kintetsu for Maekawa, a left-handed starter to fill in for Moore.

Yeah, I noticed that on SanSpo.com. I think it was a good move, as Kawajiri hasn't contributed anything for the ichi-gun team in a of couple years. Here's hoping he can rebound for Kintetsu.

I saw Maekawa pitch against Seibu at Osaka Dome during the 2002 season. I thought he looked pretty good, holding a tough Lions' lineup down most of the game. Maekawa is also a lot younger, so I like this trade.

That makes no sense. Maegawa with his bad control and ERA should be a middle reliever!

Hanshin should find a better starter!

Well, I still like this trade for both sides. Maekawa might still be rough, but he's 25 and left-handed. Shimoyanagi put up decent numbers as a back-of-the-rotation guy last year, so I'm hoping Maekawa can, too.

They only gave up Kawajiri, who hasn't really contributed since the 2000 season. I think a change of scenery will do this guy well, and if he's healthy, I think he'll have a good year for Kintetsu.

I still wish the Tigers held on to Moore, though.

Morel was the closer for the Sinon Bulls in the Taiwanese baseball league. He was very dominant during this past season, below 2.00 ERA, and came 1st in saves. Well, it's sad to see him leave Taiwan, but hope he'll do well with the Tigers!

Mike Kincaid is a journeyman player who was a part timer for the Mets. I wouldn't get my hopes up.

I am surprised that Irabu will get 7-oku for 2 years, and Arias about 3-oku. Don't you think they deserve so much money?

Irabu was nothing last Nippon Series, so I think the Hanshin Tigers should use that cap to lure Rhodes, or the Home Run King of Korea.

I like Kinkade quite a bit. He did everything he possibly could have done to earn a shot in MLB, but nobody would give him a chance. He plays first base, third base, left field, and catcher. He's not great defensively, but he's not awful.

In 2002, Kinkade hit .341 with 22 doubles and 11 home runs in half a season with Las Vegas. In 2000, he hit .366 with 24 doubles and 10 home runs in half a season with Binghamton. He's a career .335 hitter in the minor leagues. He hits a ton of doubles. Very, very good pickup for Hanshin.

Kinkade's career minor league numbers are available here [sports-wired.com].

I respectfully must opine that the Hanshin Tigers are a lot better than AAA in the U.S. Suspect D? Oy!

He is versatile for sure in playing several positions, but alas, a master of none. Frankly, if he was that good and confident, I think he would have held out for a MLB spring training invite to show his stuff.

Kincaid, I think, started for the Dodgers and did not impress despite a weak infield. He has had chances. Hopefully he'll make more of his opportunity in Japan.

- I respectfully must opine that the Hanshin Tigers are a lot better than AAA in the U.S.

Sure. I agree with that sentiment.

But if you've got a guy who's hitting .350 with power in AAA ball in the U.S., it seems fairly reasonable to pencil him in at .270-.280 with solid power numbers in Japan, no?

Seems like a pretty useful utility player to me. But your mileage may vary.

- Frankly, if he was that good and confident, I think he would have held out for a MLB spring training invite to show his stuff.

I don't know how much Hanshin offered him, but I suspect it's considerably more than he would have made as a part-time pinch-hitter or a minor leaguer in the U.S.

If that's true, I don't think it's out of the ordinary for someone to choose lifelong financial security. Especially given that he's unlikely to be anything more than a bench player in the U.S.

- Kincaid, I think, started for the Dodgers and did not impress despite a weak infield.

In six MLB seasons, he's been given 429 at-bats. He started a grand total of seven games in the Dodger infield this season. It seems to me he wasn't given much of a chance to impress.

- He has had chances.

Again, I respectfully disagree. I believe the statistics show otherwise. Two at-bats in 1998, 46 at-bats in 1999, nine at-bats in 2000. 50 at-bats in 2002. 160 and 162 at-bats in 2001 and 2003, respectively. That's not really much of a chance.

And, for what it's worth, he hit .275 with power in 2001, his first real shot at MLB playing time.

- Hopefully he'll make more of his opportunity in Japan.

I agree. I'll be cheering for him.

Buddy, you must be a pal of his becasue you are very optimistic. But who knows? I thought Kincaide started 2003 as the starting third baseman for LA. He didn't excel and was replaced by another weak player. The entire Dodger infield stunk like a week old Dodgerdog, so anyone better than decent would have a starting job. He did not perform in MLB in 2003, period.

Gaijin job security in NPB? Not. One year deals and no mercy if you stink. Maybe he just took the money.

You never know with NPB. Good players come over and stink. Nobodies come over and become stars. I hear Kincaid is a nice guy and if he dwells in the lake, doesn't make waves, and can hit the pitching, maybe he will do well. Maybe he will be the next Tuffy. I just wouldn't raise expectations for his sake.

Things that I learned about Tigers' management from the Randy Bass school of tsuketto (foreign players): Hanshin only pays well if you deliver. If you deliver too well, they will let you go, such as with Tom O'Malley.

One year contracts are the norms for gaijin players. Teams want to see production, and if they don't get it, they did not spend a lot of money to have that player flop. You will not see the huge contracts for foreigners like in 1995 - I mean Kevin Mitchell getting $5 million to play for Fukuoka?

Plus, if the players can adapt culturally (to some degree), and do decently at the plate, they are usually asked back for a year if not more.

Some of the more successful players in Japan have been guys who never really got a chance to play everyday at the MLB level. Bass played mainly in the September call ups. When you're stuck behind a star, your stuck or traded.

Mike Kinkade and I attended the same school, and I am not saying we're buddy-buddy, but I have followed his career. He was drafted by the Brewers out of Washington State. He turned them down as a Junior and finished his degree. Then they drafted him again. This was right as Interleague baseball and the expansion to Tampa and Arizona was coming into play. Milwaukee got shifted to the National League. He played DH/3B in high school, college, and the minors.

Soon after getting to AAA, he got traded to the Mets. Already stuck behind Ventura with the Mets, not much playing time. Stuck at AAA for another couple years. Gets traded to Orioles to play behind Ripken in his final year. He then moves to the Dodgers and is stuck in Las Vegas. September comes, he gets in some games, but look at his stats, he's averaging 2 ABs a game. Last year was the first time that they played him some, but the Dodgers were so bad offensively, it would not have mattered where he played or batted.

If he gets a chance to play everyday, he'll be able to show what he can do. He's never really had the chance at the MLB level.

The Tigers are taking a gamble. But they have made some horrible pick-ups in the past, and the guys are at the Western League farm team faster than the bullet train. Sadly, I have a bad feeling that the expectations for him may be too high with the Tigers wanting to repeat in the Central. I pray that they don't give some stupidly high number like 56 or something.

Actually there is no guaruntee that Kinkade will play everyday. Hanshin has a full time first baseman (Arias), third baseman (Kataoka), and four outfielders (Kanemoto, Akahoshi, Hiyama, Hamanaka). All of the aforementioned players had good seasons in 2003, except Hamanaka, who hit well but was injured for most of the season. You can be sure that Arias and Kanemoto will keep their jobs (first and left, respectively), and it looks like right field is Hamanaka's job to lose. So that leaves third. I expect that Kinkade will have to compete with the incumbent Kataoka, who had a decent year last year but missed time with injuries and was often replaced defensively late in games.

Basically, I think that if Kinkade impresses during spring training, he will win the third base job and Kataoka will start on the bench. I don't think there will be an inordinent amount of pressure on him, because of Hanshin's addition of Toritani, and a full year of Hamanaka. Basically the lineup looks pretty good from one through eight.

Know him personaly, Kinkade that is. Met him one time through my brother in-law Jerrod Riggan. Who also is a pro ball player for the Hanshin Tigers. Big, strong, talented player who can bomb it out of the park! He's a huge asset to the Tigers' orginization. They are very lucky to have him!