IWAKUMA

WHAAAT?! That is quite unexpected. Honestly, I really don't like it. I mean, the fact that the A's will probably sign a high profile Japanese ball player is really exciting, I'm kind of ecstatic. But I don't like Iwakuma much as a MLB pitcher. Injuries have robbed him of velocity and his strikeout rates in NPB are far from impressive. His walk rates are great, but shit so were Daisuke's before he came over, an Daisuke has the stuff to get away with a little wildness, Iwakuma it doesn't appear to have that kind of leeway. Mostly I'm worried about how he adjusts to the MLB ball, cause it seems like everyone commin from NPB ditches their splitter when they come over, an as a low velocity groundball guy, I'm gettin the feeling the split is prbly a important part of Iwakuma's arsenal.

What I really want to know is how K/uBB rates translate from NPB to MLB. Obviously MLB has better hitters, but it does seem like a lot of Japanese players that come over have above average contact abilities, of course, that could just be because they are the better overall hitters in Japan. It'd be really cool if Iwakuma could be like our very own Hiroku Kuroda or somthin, but I doubt that'll happen. What is a reasonable comparable hope then? I'm going with Carl Pavano. I'm hopin for a Japanese Pavano. Someone who won't put runners on an will keep the ball on the ground/in the park. Hopefully with a few more strikeouts sprinkled in too. Thing about the A's though, they do their homework, so they must see a lot they really like in Iwakuma to spend this kind of money on him. Plus, lookin at the other free agent starter options, may as well gamble on Iwakuma. Be interesting to see what other moves are made now, we do have quite a bit of starting pitching.