Can MLB sign Japanese amateur players?
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Re: Can MLB sign Japanese amateur players?
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Aug 12, 2003 11:01 PM
| YBS Fan
]
1. Can MLB sign Japanese amateur players (college, high school, industrial, etc.) whenever they want to?
To the best of my knowledge, yes. I think there was talk about preventing players from going to the Majors/Minors if they refused to sign after being drafted, but I don't think that anything ever became of it.
2. Are there any Japanese born players in the U.S. (majors and minors) whom MLB signed when they were amateurs?
I know that there were. Mac Suzuki went to the U.S. after high school to go up through the minor league system before Nomo opened the gates for the professionals. I don't really pay attention to baseball on that side of the Pacific. JapaneseBallplayers.com [click the "English" link in the upper-right hand corner if it comes up in Japanese] would know.
3. Are there any Japanese rules and regulations that can stop MLB from signing Japanese amateurs?
Not that I know of. Several people have pointed out that MLB doesn't want to get NPB too upset with the loss of their future stars and possible new restrictions between the two leagues. Others have rebuttled that MLB doesn't care about being gentlemen about it and want all the talent they can get ahold of. Take your pick.
4. What is the general tendency in Japan? Do the talented amateur players prefer to go to the majors directly or playing in the NPB first?
So far, most have preferred to stay in Japan. And there are several advantages, such as the pay for top prospects is much higher, and goes up much quicker if one can stay at the top level in Japan than attempting to go through the minor league system in North America. It's only after a player has become established that the MLB can out-bid a domestic team for services.
I've heard of rookies out of high school being called up for a single game in MLB, but that's more a publicity stunt than to give the kid a "true" roster spot. In Japan, high schooler and college graduates have a real chance to be regulars on the top team their first year. Many don't, but the opportunity is greater than going to North America.
I imagine that Korea and Taiwan have the added disadvantage of having Japan take quite a bit of talent from their leagues as well. This might be a good selling point to open up a Far East or Pacific Rim League between the three countries where players can be easilly traded and used between the leagues. Such "expansion" may hurt the level of Japanese play in the short term, but I strongly feel that it will help baseball in all three countries in the long run - keeping players on this side of the Pacific being one possible benefit.
To the best of my knowledge, yes. I think there was talk about preventing players from going to the Majors/Minors if they refused to sign after being drafted, but I don't think that anything ever became of it.
2. Are there any Japanese born players in the U.S. (majors and minors) whom MLB signed when they were amateurs?
I know that there were. Mac Suzuki went to the U.S. after high school to go up through the minor league system before Nomo opened the gates for the professionals. I don't really pay attention to baseball on that side of the Pacific. JapaneseBallplayers.com [click the "English" link in the upper-right hand corner if it comes up in Japanese] would know.
3. Are there any Japanese rules and regulations that can stop MLB from signing Japanese amateurs?
Not that I know of. Several people have pointed out that MLB doesn't want to get NPB too upset with the loss of their future stars and possible new restrictions between the two leagues. Others have rebuttled that MLB doesn't care about being gentlemen about it and want all the talent they can get ahold of. Take your pick.
4. What is the general tendency in Japan? Do the talented amateur players prefer to go to the majors directly or playing in the NPB first?
So far, most have preferred to stay in Japan. And there are several advantages, such as the pay for top prospects is much higher, and goes up much quicker if one can stay at the top level in Japan than attempting to go through the minor league system in North America. It's only after a player has become established that the MLB can out-bid a domestic team for services.
I've heard of rookies out of high school being called up for a single game in MLB, but that's more a publicity stunt than to give the kid a "true" roster spot. In Japan, high schooler and college graduates have a real chance to be regulars on the top team their first year. Many don't, but the opportunity is greater than going to North America.
I imagine that Korea and Taiwan have the added disadvantage of having Japan take quite a bit of talent from their leagues as well. This might be a good selling point to open up a Far East or Pacific Rim League between the three countries where players can be easilly traded and used between the leagues. Such "expansion" may hurt the level of Japanese play in the short term, but I strongly feel that it will help baseball in all three countries in the long run - keeping players on this side of the Pacific being one possible benefit.
Thanks
[ Author: Guest: B.J. Ahn | Posted: Aug 17, 2003 11:31 PM
]
Thanks, Commish. I really appreciate your info.
Your web site really helps people like me, who wants to know Japanese baseball but cannot read Japanese. Very informative and interactive. And it's just amazing that this great web site is run by one single man and non-profitably! Your idea of a PRL (Pacific Rim League) sounds great, and I honestly believe that you are deserved to be the "real" commissioner of the PRL.
Your web site really helps people like me, who wants to know Japanese baseball but cannot read Japanese. Very informative and interactive. And it's just amazing that this great web site is run by one single man and non-profitably! Your idea of a PRL (Pacific Rim League) sounds great, and I honestly believe that you are deserved to be the "real" commissioner of the PRL.
MLB and Japanese Amateurs
[ Author: Guest: Gary Garland | Posted: Aug 19, 2003 3:02 PM
]
MLB can sign any amateur in Japan or Korea who is at least 16 years of age. In fact, MLB recently tried out three or four Japanese high schoolers and decided to pass, but the Japanese High School Baseball Federation got wind of it and sanctioned the players involved.
Boston signed sidearmer Ryo Kumagai right out of Tohoku Fukushi University a couple of year ago (he is in A ball, iirc), the Mariners made an offer to Hiroshi Kisanuki just before he was drafted, and both Atlanta and Los Angeles tried to sign Hayato Terahara before the 2001 draft. And the Rockies, iirc, signed a guy out of Toyota Motors recently (though his agent fed them a cock and bull story about how Toyota kept him from going to the Chunichi Dragons).
Yu Darvish of Tohoku High School has made noises about bypassing the Japanese leagues and signing with an MLB club. His body is pretty projectable since he is still pretty skinny at 6'4" and about 170 pounds, and he should fill out to add to his 90+ velocity. But his back is a concern.
So MLB feels no limitations on going after Japanese amateurs.
Boston signed sidearmer Ryo Kumagai right out of Tohoku Fukushi University a couple of year ago (he is in A ball, iirc), the Mariners made an offer to Hiroshi Kisanuki just before he was drafted, and both Atlanta and Los Angeles tried to sign Hayato Terahara before the 2001 draft. And the Rockies, iirc, signed a guy out of Toyota Motors recently (though his agent fed them a cock and bull story about how Toyota kept him from going to the Chunichi Dragons).
Yu Darvish of Tohoku High School has made noises about bypassing the Japanese leagues and signing with an MLB club. His body is pretty projectable since he is still pretty skinny at 6'4" and about 170 pounds, and he should fill out to add to his 90+ velocity. But his back is a concern.
So MLB feels no limitations on going after Japanese amateurs.
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I understand that there must be an agreement between NPB and MLB so that MLB can sign only NPB free agents. But what about amateur players? My questions are:
Here in Korea, there exists an agreement between the KBO and MLB and only free agents can go somewhere else. But it's a different story for the amateurs. KBO complains that MLB is devastating Korean domestic league by signing all the prospects out of college and high school. MLB insists that they are playing the game under the rules that Koreans have made.
With the exception of the Lee Sang-hoon case, all the Korean born players in the U.S. (majors and minors alike) were signed out of college or high school.