I’ll go over the pitchers tomorrow, but for now, here’s a look at how former major and minor leaguers are currently performing in Japan.
Tuffy Rhodes - .327/.413/.655, 11 HR in 110 AB
Rhodes earlier this year became the 12th player in history and first American to hit 450 homers in Japan. He’d be leading the Pacific League in slugging if he had enough at-bats to qualify.
Dan Johnson - .197/.302/.415, 9 HR in 169 AB
Kevin Mench - .148/.179/.204, 0 HR in 54 AB
The two highest-profile players to cross the Pacific this winter have both been big-time disappointments, even if Johnson is doing everything except hitting for average. Mench has found himself banished to the minors, where he’s hit .362/.434/.553 in 47 at-bats.
Tony Blanco - .288/.341/.575, 19 HR in 233 AB
Blanco leads the Central League in homers in his first year in Japan. His only major league action came with the Nationals in 2005, but he’s still just 27 years old and he appears to be well set up for a nice run as one of Japan’s top power hitters. I don’t think he was ever going to make it in the U.S.
Gary Burnham Jr. - .247/.333/.398, 1 HR in 81 AB
Chase Lambin - .221/.256/.430, 4 HR in 86 AB
The Chiba Lotte Marines went obscure with a couple of their newest imports, and it hasn’t really worked out so far. Burnham spent seven of his 11 minor league seasons in the Philly farm system before playing in Taiwan last year. Lambin, 29, hit .300/.378/.518 with the Marlins’ Triple-A club last season.
Jose Ortiz - .301/.340/.615, 9 HR in 156 AB
Ortiz, a one-time top prospect for the A’s, attempted a major league comeback this year, only to return to Japan after failing to make the Rockies during spring training. I’ve always thought he could hit in the majors, but that he’s no longer much of an option at second could prevent him from getting another shot.
Jason Botts - .143/.250/.571, 1 HR in 7 AB
I’m assuming that there have been some injury issues here. The former Ranger has hit .300/.375/.700 in 50 minor league at-bats.
Tadahito Iguchi - .330/.439/.554, 10 HR in 197 AB
Iguchi opted to return home when it didn’t look like he’d be offered a starting job in the U.S. Obviously, he had some baseball left in him after all. He’s performing even better now than he did in his final year before leaving for MLB (.333/.394/.549 in 2004).
Others
Benny Agbayani - .285/.388/.431, 3 HR in 130 AB
Chris Aguila - .095/.208/.095, 0 HR in 42 AB
Hiram Bocachica - .243/.371/.564, 12 HR in 170 AB
Alex Cabrera - .250/.290/.453, 4 HR in 69 AB
Jamie D’Antona - .237/.284/.432, 8 HR in 169 AB
Jose Fernandez - .234/.308/.389, 6 HR in 175 AB
Aaron Guiel - .301/.374/.566, 9 HR in 166 AB
Luis Jimenez - .231/.268/.397, 5 HR in 127 AB
Greg LaRocca - .303/.374/.524, 9 HR in 185 AB
Scott McClain - .235/.322/.382, 3 HR in 102 AB
Alex Ramirez - .299/.324/.488, 10 HR in 244 AB
Scott Seabol - .216/.281/.352, 4 HR in 125 AB
Fernando Seguignol - .165/.248/.320, 4 HR in 97 AB
Rick Short - .230/.279/.294, 1 HR in 126 AB
Terrmel Sledge - .259/.356/.532, 9 HR in 139 AB
