Daiei's newest import

Well, Traxler must have done something right as he played 129 out of their 130 games in 1995. What that was I'm not sure as he hit only .263 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs. He also hit into a league leading 21 double plays. I would like to note, though, Traxler did hit 2 triples and 21 doubles.

The BayStars do have a bad rap when it comes to imported pitchers. For years people commented on how good they were at picking fielders (i.e. Rose and Braggs), but not pitchers. Doster and Zuber really weren't all that bad, and Doster made some fine plays at second throughout the year. But comparing them to Rose, well, there just isn't any comparison. And expecting them to be power hitters when that wasn't the kind of hitters they were was a bit unreasonable.

As for their pitchers this year, I don't really have much of an impression of Holzemer, but Bowers seemed to often make it to the 5th inning looking great, then suddenly fall apart. It was like he was a different person from the 5th inning on. That told me that he shouldn't have been a starter, but rather middle relief where he just faces batters one time around. He wasn't bad, but wasn't used properly, IMHO.

A foreign player playing two full seasons with Hanshin is rarer than a White Tiger. The word "Greenwell" still brings a smile to my face.

Hanshin's problem, from what I've heard, is that they rely more on agents sending them promotion videos then going out and scouting on their own. I read in the newspaper that they're sending so and so to the U.S. to scout new tallent for next season, but wonder what their scouting technique is. Making a round to the various agents or heading out to the ball game?

I think that Cromartie expressed the problems with imports best, they're expected to be mesiahs, to carry the team with power. But the scouts aren't sending the teams power hitters! It's like the scouts are the only ones who don't know what is expected of the players they're scouting.

Well, I don't know anything about Burkhart yet, so tell me:

1. Does he have power?
2. Can he be humble? or will his "Big League Pride" cause problems with team wa?
3. Can he field? I know, first base is often considered an easy spot for sluggers, but with all of the assists, errors aren't tolerated.

Nonetheless, gambare Burkhart.

What I know about Burkhart is this-he took a circuitous path to get to the major leagues. I believe he played at a second-tier college before playing semi-pro baseball and then later playing in one of the independent leagues. He opened the eyes of major league scouts while playing independent minor league baseball. Even after being signed by the Boston Red Sox he had to prove himself until he finally got the call to the show last season at the age of 28. I know that he put up Triple-Crown type numbers in the independent leagues, so I'm pretty sure that he's good for at least 20 homers. I'm not sure about his fielding-he DHed a lot when he played with the Red Sox. Since he's had to overcome a lot in order to make it to the majors, I'm pretty sure that he's a humble guy who'll be out to prove himself here. Let's just hope he didn't learn anything about team harmony from his teammate Carl Everett!
That's an interesting fact that you brought up about the way Hanshin selects its foreign players. They might as well put up pictures of AAA players on a dartboard and throw darts at them and sign the players that they hit with the darts. They might have a better success rate with that technique.
To be fair, some of the foreign players that have played with the Hawks, Tigers, Bay Stars, etc. that did not pan out got raw deals by their teams. This past season Zuber and Doster seemed to be hard workers who produced when given the chance, but I guess Mori was looking for something else. If they wanted power, then they should've signed players with power. We all know about Nomura's impatience with foreign players. He had a decent pitcher in Darrell May, but he pretty much ran him out of town. I'm sure May wasn't exactly Mr. Congeniality, but Nomura seems like he hates the notion of foreign players having long, productive careers here. He did well, however, with Jack Howell, Rex Hudler (albeit for only one season), and Dwayne Hosey (in '97), but his recent track record with foreigners makes me sick.

Hi;

I am a Red Sox fan, and also a Japanese Baseball fan.

I saw Burkhardt get his first big league hit at Fenway Park last summer.
He started very hot, and then word got around the league that he had a hole in his
swing. It is said that he can't hit a curve.

Another Red Sox late season pick up rumored to be headed to Japan is Calvin Pickering.
He was released by the Baltimore Orioles near the end of the season, and was picked up
by the Sox. Some fans feel he may stay with the Sox.