http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txredsoxtazawa&prov=st&type=lgns Pretty good signing. He's basically a first round draft pick and will likely start out in the minors. Throws low 90s with some reports (with unknown accuracy) of him hitting up to 97. He also throws a splitter and a very good curve. He's been compared to Tim Hudson with a better curve. Apparently he idolizes Matsuzaka and that was a huge part of him choosing the Sox.
I read an interesting article about this kid last week. A whole lot of sniping going on. Some "unnamed scout" was saying that this kid is a small (5'10") and that his fastball had been overstated, so he was predicting flat, hittable fastball in MLB. That was toward the end of the article. The first half was all about Nippon people not being all that keen on this kid leaving straight for MLB, and the newly-created "Tazawa Rule." A good many people on both sides of the world are dying to see this kid fail. A lot of pressure. Hope he kills it.
It's an interesting signing, but he's nowhere near major league ready right now. He's got the potential to be a serviceable major league pitcher, but he's no Dice-K. His raw stuff is said to be impressive but nothing exceptional. Essentially the Sox picked up a pitcher that would have been a late first rounder had he been eligible in the MLB draft.
A lot of teams didn't look at the kid. There's an unwritten rule among MLB teams not to poach minor league talent in Japan. Of course the classy Red Sox break that rule.
none of us really know anything about him other than the media hype, but this is worth a read. http://riveraveblues.com/2008/11/with-mediocre-scouting-reports-sox-offer-tazawa-a-deal-6045/
He's not in the minor leagues, he's in an independent league. He wasn't drafted, and the unwritten rule is not to sign guys before they are draft eligible in Japan. He was eligible and no one took him because he asked not to be chosen. He wanted to play in MLB, and the teams all apparently decided to let him, or else they would have drafted him anyway.
The way I understand it he was passed in the draft twice, the second time by his request... is that true?
Thought he was skipped in the draft first time he was eligible and that's why he went to the independent league... maybe I misunderstood something.
You are correct, in Japan, there isn't a big minor league system like in the US essentially they just have AAA so a lot of guys with potential go undrafted out of HS, then go to the corporate leagues. Anyone who has a breakout year there is then drafted. So Tazawa after a great year would have probably been drafted #1 this year, but he said that he would not play, and as such was passed over, and is banned from the Japanese pro league for 3 years
I had read about this gentleman's agreement as well. Hopefully what the Sawx have done doesn't jeopardize future Japanese talent from coming to play in the majors. From what I understood the Japanese were quite unhappy with this kid requesting to not be drafted. I also read that he compares to a pitcher of value similar to that of Hiroki Kuroda. A decent and serviceable guy but by no means a star.
