Biggest American Busts In Japan

The two most important ones that come to everyone minds are Kevin Mitchell(the former 1989 NL MVP) and Mike Greenwell.

Mitchell was the toast of the town on the first day, then he claim to be injured, and was out drinking with his buddies in a Fukuoka bar while his team the Daiei Hawks(now the Softbank Hawks)were playing.

Mike Greenwell, a career .303 average hitter in the major leagues went to Japan and then played 7 games because he claimed God told him to retire.

If you mention these two names in Japan, you be lucky to come back in one piece from Fukuoka and Koshien.

Not even David Nilsson, Ernie Young, Steve Cox, Larry Doby, Don Newkcombe even come close to Greenwell and Mitchell.

Mike Greenwell, a career .303 average hitter in the major leagues went to Japan and then played 7 games because he claimed God told him to retire.

Yes, but to be fair to Greenwell, it wasn't as if he woke up one morning claiming that God told him to retire totally out of the blue. He had broken his foot in a game, and he would've been out for quite a while in any case. Sure, he let the fans down, but he had a genuine reason for retiring.

Frankly, the biggest bust in recent Tigers history for me was Oakland's Mike Blowers in 1998, who just couldn't handle the pitching over here (and didn't show any inclination to adjust - unlike his teammate Mark Johnson). Anyway, I believe Blowers made some derogatory remarks about manager Katsuya Nomura, and left on acrimonious terms halfway through the season.

Just for the record, Dave Nilsson is Australian (not American). And Mike Blowers is actually born in Germany, though I don't know if he's "culturally" German. I wouldn't be surprised if he were born to American parents in the military or on business.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he were born to American parents in the military or on business."

Yes, Mike Blowers parents I think were stationed on a West German army base. A 1st Infantry Division
is stationed in Wurzburg, Germany(then West Germany).

http://www.baseballreference.com/b/blowemi01.shtml

Anyway, since the question asks who's the biggest American busts, lets look at this year. Yomiuri's Gabe Kapler and Dan Miceli.

Both were disappointing and sent packing before this year is even over. Kapler batted .153(17-111)with 3HR and 6RBI. Kapler was paid $2million. Also Dan Miceli was brought over expected to be the Giants closer, he got lit up in 4 games, pitching to a 0-2 record, with a 23.63ERA in 2.2IP.

http://www.geocities.com/s_borisov/jb2005/05yg.html

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Rob Deer yet - .151/.279/.297.

in americans i meant former american baseball minor and major leaguers.when i look at the past stats i see many can be viewed as a bust however when you got former mvp and all stars then their expectations in japan raise the bar.look at randy bass a gem.couldn't do nothing here in the states but was a big star in japan.gotta love rob deer.every year .179 ave 40 homeruns 40 bri's lol

"gotta love rob deer.every year .179 ave 40 homeruns 40 bri's lol"

Though Rob Deer was a bust in Japan. Deer went to Japan, and continued his Mendoza line power hitting with no average, and didn't stay long quick. Though, Deer was known for his long home runs in Hanshin. Deer went to Japan at age 33. Also, Deer never hit more than 33 home runs in a year. Though, in his in short 11 season major league career finished 54th in K's.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/deerro01.shtml

To me, it all comes down to not how good your talent is, but comes down to how good the player is willing to adapt and become part of the team he joins and the culture.

Yes. Kazuo Matsui comes to mind when you mentioned that.

"Yes. Kazuo Matsui comes to mind when you mentioned that."

I think I get what you meant. Though, New York's front office in my opinion overhyped Kaz Matsui ability, they put him out to be the next Ichiro Suzuki.

The media has attacked him nonstop in New York, they have ran more negative stuff on him than anyone I can remember. Some Mets fans are speaking of ethnocentric comments"The Mets should never sign another Japanese player").

When, Kaz returns I hope he drops his no-trade clause, and goes to a team like Seattle, Los Angeles, Kansas City, or San Francisco. Away from the constant negative Shea Stadium fans and New York media is where Kaz in my opinion will shine.

Like, current Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine said "I was asked(in 2003)by then-GM Jim Duquette and then-manager Art Howe on what I thought of Kazuo Matsui. I told them my concerns about the exceptations,but they thought I was overeacting.

It looks like Valentine was right once again, Kaz was overhyped to be someone he wasn't. Then he was left to feel the burn.

Bobby somehow always makes himself out to be right, but in this case he was prophetic. I read a quote from Robert Whiting in an article where he too, was quite high on the guy. Seems like almost everyone was wrong in this case. Hard to see why with those great numbers Kaz put up in the CL.

I totally agree

Good lord, look at all the former Detroit Tigers mentioned in this thread: Kapler, Miceli, Deer. Ugh. Everyone loved big Rob in Detroit, though.

"look at all the former Detroit Tigers mentioned in this thread"

Now that I remember, you can throw Pete Incavigilia in that group of former Detroit Tigers who were busts in Japan.

Yes, I agree I loved Deer too, even though I only watched him in his last year in San Deigo. His low average, and tons of home runs were great, like a modern day version of Dave Kingman.

Too many American players possibly view NPB as a lesser version of MLB. Therefore they arrive in Japan with the impression that everything is going to be easy. What they find is a very different type of baseball which they are not prepared for. The ones that are prepared to work and adjust find success but it seems that a lot of the successes are players who have not succeeded in MLB.
Likewise many Japanese players are not prepared for the differences between the two leagues and struggle to make a success. Some do have attitude problems as well (Irabu for example and Kaz Matsui - and I think that part of Matsui's difficulty is his attitude as well as being overhyped) and find it difficult to fit into their respective organisations. For success in either league a player needs to remember to learn.

Too many American players possibly view NPB as a lesser version of MLB. Therefore they arrive in Japan with the impression that everything is going to be easy. What they find is a very different type of baseball which they are not prepared for.

I can't argue with that. This was exactly Nilsson's problem. He took it just a little too easy over here and apparently wasn't putting in the necessary training. Thought he could just cruise through the season.

"The ones that are prepared to work and adjust find success but it seems that a lot of the successes are players who have not succeeded in MLB."

I agree, the ones that seem to work at adjusting are the ones that succeed in the NPB.

Players like Tuffy Rhodes, Alex Cabrera, Bobby Rose, Tom O'Malley, Leo Gomez, Alex Ochoa, Charlie Manuel, Ken Macha, George Arias, Roberto Petagine, and Eddie Galliard. Players like these who didn't succeed in the majors, like these usually are the ones who become part of the team and become more adapted to the culture, Tuffy Rhodes, became I think the 2nd foreign player to become a free agent. Also, remember, former Detroit Tigers first baseman Cecil Fielder got his career really going with the Hanshin Tigers too.

All Star players such as Dave Nilsson, Larry Doby, Bill Madlock, Doug DeCinces, Mariano Duncan, Goose Gossage, Bobby Thipgen, and Don Newcombe. For whatever reason many of these players couldn't adapt to the NPB.

Though some major-league All-Star players are able to adjust, such as Don Buford and Larry Parrish. Also Ben Oglivie wasn't that bad either as a former All Star in Japan either.

Former All Star Tony Batista has done great so far this year, but his attitude was always great and postive with the Orioles so I wasn't worried, I just worried about his batting stance like current Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley Jr said about him, because when he is on he's on fire, and when he's off, he will be in a slump.

> Players like Tuffy Rhodes, Alex Cabrera, Bobby Rose,
> Tom O'Malley, Leo Gomez, Alex Ochoa, Charlie Manuel,
> Ken Macha, George Arias, Roberto Petagine, and Eddie
> Galliard. Players like these who didn't succeed in
> the majors, like these usually are the ones who
> become part of the team and become more adapted to
> the culture,

This is definitely true. You can also add Alex Ramirez to the list - Another player that has become an integral part of the team both on and off the field.

I think you can remove Roberto Petagine from the list though. Although he was very succesful on the field during his time here, from what I've heard he was FAR from integrated into either the culture or the teams he played for - quite the opposite in fact. However I feel he is an exception to the rule.

Speaking of the former Detroit Tiger, what about Frank Howard? He only played two games in 1974.

Howard played only 1 game, batting 3 times. He suffered a injury ending his career.

Let us not forget Joe Pepitone, another player who faked an injury just to party.

Juan Eichelberger, who pitched for the Yakult Swallows in 1989, was a total bust!

[from Editor: Can you explain the reasoning for this choice?]

Here is proof that Juan Eichelnerger was the bust! His numbers with 1989 Yakult Swallows were:

8 games, 0 wins, 3 losses, 7 2/3rd innings, 7.36 ERA

[Yakult Swallows Pitchers Yearly Statistics (foreign) - in Japanese]
[Swallows-fan.com biographical data - in Japanese]

It's gotta be Mr. Dan Miceli!

Well, according to an new AP report on Mike Greenwell, he quit and walked away from baseball to go racing, claiming he had tons of offers to come back. How convenient he wants us to beleive this load of cr*p.

Bobby Tolan, who played for Reds and others, was pretty bad in Japan.