NPB Tracker

Sponichi has published a detailed account of the contract Boston offered to Junichi Tazawa. The article also quotes  “They want me to come over, and I understand how I can develop. I feel like it’s a good team”. Nikkan Sports is reporting that Tazawa has already decided on the Red Sox, and says that he’ll be able to officially sign at the beginning of December.

Some highlights:

• 3 year, $3M contract (that’s $1M/year)
• Major League contract
• start off at class AA
• remain a starter
• personal translator

Remember Yu Darvish? Google Trends indicates that he’s been supplanted, probably temporarily, by Junichi Tazawa as the Next Big Thing out of Japan. I’m sure Darvish appreciates the break from the spotlight that Tazawa has afforded him.

Darvish got himself back in the news today over comments he made at the Nippon Ham Fighters’ Fan Festival. In an interview event, he told the crowd of 43K+, “I want to aim to win 200 games (in Japan). I’m not dreaming of the majors”. He’s already won 48 NPB games, so provided he stays healthy 200 wins is a very attainable goal. He also said that he will accept an invitation to play for Japan in the WBC.

During the event Darvish also donned bee costume for an obstacle course race against his teammates, and rode a tricycle, which kind of makes him the anti-Randall Simon. The article doesn’t say if he won or not. 

Update: $6m figure was later contradicted. Please see this post.

Sanspo is reporting that Red Sox VP for international scouting Craig Shipley spent 1 hour 50 minutes negotiating with Junichi Tawaza, resulting in a $6M contract offer. No word on whether it’s a major league deal or not.

The Yomiuri has a brief mention of an offer from the Mariners, including appearance and innings-based incentives. If that’s true, I hope those incentives are a few years down the road as this is a 22 year-old kid who’s already been overworked by his industrial league team. The Indians and Tigers meetings with Tazawa made the Japanese news, but so far I haven’t seen any reports of contract offers from either team.

Tazawa’s Eneos career ended with a loss to JR Tokai in the final tournament of the amateur season. After pitching shutouts in the first two rounds of the tourney, Tazawa entered the semi-final game in the 7th inning with runners on first and second and the game tied 2-2. Tazawa gave up a single that scored what proved to be the winning run. The victorious JR Tokai went on to lose to Toyota in the final. (Here’s the Kyodo English-language writeup)

In the spirit of keepin’ it real, here’s a great article from Jim Allen, and a great response from Aaron Shinsano of East Windup Chronicle.