Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Hawks silence Japan’s bats
MIYAZAKI – Right-hander Nao Higashihama combined with five pitchers for a four-hit shutout as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks blanked the Japan national team 2-0 in a practice game on Saturday.
Hiroshima Carp infielder Ryosuke Kikuchi, a member of the 28-man Samurai Japan squad preparing for the March 6-22 World Baseball Classic, went 3-for-4, but the visitors’ bats were otherwise silent for much of the day, disappointing the crowd of 27,003 at Sun Marine Stadium.
Hawks lefty Yuya Iida, who replaced Higashihama in the fourth inning, earned the win for retiring all three batters he faced.
Shota Takeda (Hawks) started for Samurai Japan and threw three scoreless innings, but Kodai Senga (Hawks), who was tagged with the loss, allowed SoftBank to get on the scoreboard on an RBI single by Masayoshi Tsukada with one out in the fifth.
Taisei Makihara added another run in the eighth when he singled to center off Yuki Matsui (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles).
Shintaro Fujinami (Hanshin Tigers), Yoshihisa Hirano (Orix Buffaloes) and Ryo Akiyoshi (Tokyo Yakult Swallows) also took the mound for Japan, which was without Houston Astros outfielder Norichika Aoki, the only major leaguer on the roster.
“I’m still trying to figure out the best options for (our WBC opener on) March 7,” Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo said after the game.
Samurai Japan is holding a training camp in Miyazaki until Sunday.
Japan, a two-time WBC champion, will __play exhibition games against the Taiwan all-star team on Tuesday and Wednesday at Fukuoka’s Yafuoku Dome, and another two games against Hanshin and Orix on Friday and March 5, respectively.
The WBC begins March 6 with South Korea facing Israel at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. Japan’s first game is at Tokyo Dome on March 7 against Cuba.
MLBPA agrees to intentional walks without pitches
NEW YORK – There won’t be any wild pitches on intentional walks this season.
The players’ association has agreed to Major League Baseball’s proposal to have intentional walks without pitches this year.
“It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. I know they’re trying to cut out some of the fat. I’m OK with that,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.
While the union has resisted many of MLB’s proposed innovations, such as raising the bottom of the strike zone, installing pitch clocks and limiting trips to the mound, players are willing to accept the intentional walk change.
“As part of a broader discussion with other moving pieces, the answer is yes,” union head Tony Clark wrote Wednesday in an email to The Associated Press. “There are details, as part of that discussion, that are still being worked through, however.”
The union’s decision was first reported by ESPN .
“I’m OK with it. You signal. I don’t think that’s a big deal,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “For the most part, it’s not changing the strategy, it’s just kind of speeding things up. I’m good with it.”
There were 932 intentional walks last year, including 600 in the National League, where batters are walked to bring the pitcher’s slot to the plate.
“You don’t want to get your pitcher out of a rhythm, and when you do the intentional walk, I think you can take a pitcher out of his rhythm,” Girardi said. “I’ve often wondered why you don’t bring in your shortstop and the pitcher stand at short. Let the shortstop walk him. They’re used to playing catch more like that than a pitcher is.”
Agreement with the union is required for playing rules changes unless MLB gives one year advance notice, in which case it can unilaterally make alterations. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed hope Tuesday that ongoing talks would lead to an agreement on other changes but also said clubs would reserve the right to act unilaterally, consistent with the rule-change provision of the sport’s labor contract.
Some changes with video review can be made unilaterally, such as shortening the time to make a challenge.
“I know they were thinking about putting in a 30-second (limit) for managers to make a decision,” Francona said. “I actually wish they would. I think it would hustle it up and if we can’t tell in 30 seconds, maybe we shouldn’t be doing it anyway.”
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Ichiro held out of workouts following collision
JUPITER, FLORIDA – The Marlins held Ichiro Suzuki out of workouts following an outfield collision during what officials termed a “communications drill.”
Ichiro was kneed in the quadriceps on Tuesday by fellow outfielder Brandon Barnes, sending the 43-year-old Ichiro tumbling to the ground.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly says he believes Ichiro will “be OK.” Barnes was not injured.
Mattingly says Ichiro came to the Marlins facility Tuesday with a sore quad and back. The manager added that Ichiro “probably feels the quad more today just because of the knee to there.”
Ichiro is entering his third year with Miami. Last season he became the 30th major leaguer to surpass 3,000 hits. He currently ranks 25th all-time with 3,030 hits, 23 shy of Rod Carew.
He is expected to be Miami’s fourth outfielder this season, behind Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna.
Samurai Japan opens training camp ahead of World Baseball Classic
MIYAZAKI – Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo and all of his players, except Houston Astros outfielder Norichika Aoki, opened training camp in Miyazaki on Thursday in preparation for next month’s World Baseball Classic.
Aoki, the only major leaguer on the Japan roster for the March 6-22 tournament, will join his 27 Samurai Japan teammates after he is released by his club.
Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Katsuhiko Kumazaki paid a visit to the training site and encouraged the team as it gears up to try and win its third WBC title.
“Let’s fight off the pressure and face (our opponents) with our hearts as one,” Kumazaki said.
Japan won the inaugural WBC in 2006 and won again in 2009. The Japanese were eliminated by Puerto Rico in the semifinals in 2013.
The national squad wraps up training in Miyazaki on Sunday, a day after playing a practice game against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
The WBC begins with South Korea facing Israel in Seoul on March 6. Japan’s first game is against Cuba at Tokyo Dome on March 7.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Wieters, Nationals agree to deal
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – Wieters has played his entire career in the AL with the Baltimore Orioles after being taken with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft.
The defending NL East champion Nationals had opened spring training — the first official full-squad workout was Sunday — with Derek Norris, who batted .186 for the San Diego Padres last season, projected as their starting catcher. Wilson Ramos, an All-Star in 2016, left Washington as a free agent and joined the Tampa Bay Rays.
“We signed a guy who obviously struggled to sign with a team,” Norris said of Wieters, “and (the Nationals) saw an opportunity where, maybe, they got a cheaper price tag than they initially sought out. He’s an established guy.”
Now the question becomes how this affects Norris, and Baker indicated that it is likely he will be traded.
But Baker also noted that “there’s a chance” Norris sticks around, because “you don’t want to just give him away.”
As for Norris’ take on the situation, he said: “Still trying to earn a job. I’m still going to fight for a starting job. I don’t care if it’s Pudge Rodriguez in the prime of his career or Yadier (Molina) or Matt Wieters. As of now, I’m still competing for a starting job. I’m trying to help a team win, and whatever transpires, transpires.”
Baker described Norris as “extremely disappointed, but he realizes that it’s a business and we were trying to get better in the position and Matt Wieters is a guy that’s done well.”
Wieters, 30, is a switch-hitter known for his ability to work with a pitching staff. He has a .256 career batting average with 117 homers and 437 RBIs over eight seasons.
Last year, Wieters hit .244 with 17 homers and 66 RBIs in 124 games, after becoming a free agent and accepting the Orioles’ $15.8 million qualifying offer. He became a free agent again and was not given a $17.2 million qualifying offer.
Ichiro suffers knee bruise after collision
JUPITER, FLORIDA – Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki suffered a bruised right knee after a minor outfield collision with a teammate during spring training on Tuesday.
Ichiro, who last August became the 30th player in history to reach 3,000 career hits in the majors, collided with non-roster invitee Brandon Barnes during an outfield communication drill, which caused swelling above his right knee.
Barnes’ knee made contact with Ichiro’s right thigh when the two were chasing a fly ball without hearing each other calling.
“I’ll have to see how it feels. We don’t have practice tomorrow,” said Ichiro, who was limping after receiving treatment in the training room.
“I’m feeling discomfort in my lower back (from the impact), which I’m more worried about,” he said.
Ichiro batted .291 in 143 games last season, logging 95 hits for a total of 3,030 in the majors. Currently 25th on the all-time hits list, he will begin next season trailing Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Rickey Henderson at 3,053 and 3,055 hits, respectively.
Manfred says MLB to push forward with process for unilateral rule changes
PHOENIX – Major League Baseball intends to push forward with the process that could lead to possible rule changes involving the strike zone, installation of pitch clocks and limits on trips to the pitcher’s mound.
While baseball commissioner Rob Manfred expressed hope the ongoing process would lead to an agreement, he said clubs would reserve the right to act unilaterally, consistent with the rule-change provision of the sport’s labor contract.
Union head Tony Clark said last weekend he did not foresee players agreeing to proposed changes for 2017. Under baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, management can alter playing rules only with agreement from the union — unless it gives one year notice. With the one year of notice, management can make changes on its own.
“Unfortunately it now appears that there really won’t be any meaningful change for the 2017 season due to a lack of cooperation from the MLBPA,” Manfred said Tuesday during a news conference. “I’ve tried to be clear that our game is fundamentally sound, that it does not need to be fixed as some people have suggested, and I think last season was the kind of demonstration of the potential of our league to captivate the nation and of the game’s unique place in American culture.”
Yet, he also added: “I believe it’s a mistake to stick our head in the sand and ignore the fact that our game has changed and continues to change.”
Manfred said while he prefers an agreement, “I’m also not willing to walk away.” He said he will send a letter to the union in the coming days and plans to continue dialogue with Clark and others in hopes of reaching agreement.
Clark met with Cactus League teams last week, five at a time over Thursday, Friday and Saturday, before departing Monday for Florida to visit each Grapefruit League club — and proposed rules changes were a topic.
“I have great respect for the labor relations process, and I have a pretty good track record for getting things done with the MLBPA,” Manfred said. “I have to admit, however, that I am disappointed that we could not even get the MLBPA to agree to modest rule changes like limits on trips to the mound that have little effect on the competitive character of the game.”
Clark saw talks differently.
“Unless your definition of ‘cooperation’ is blanket approval, I don’t agree that we’ve failed to cooperate with the commissioner’s office on these issues,” he wrote in an email to AP. “Two years ago we negotiated pace of __play protocols that had an immediate and positive impact. Last year we took a step backward in some ways, and this offseason we’ve been in regular contact with MLB and with our members to get a better handle on why that happened. I would be surprised if those discussions with MLB don’t continue, notwithstanding today’s comments about implementation. As I’ve said, fundamental changes to the game are going to be an uphill battle, but the lines of communication should remain open.”
Clark added “my understanding is that MLB wants to continue with the replay changes (2-minute limit) and the no-pitch intentional walks and the pace of game warning/fine adjustments.”
Manfred said he didn’t want to share specifics of his priorities for alterations.
“There’s a variety of changes that can be undertaken,” Manfred said. “I’m committed to the idea that we have a set of proposals out there and we continue to discuss those proposals in private.”
MLB has studied whether to restore the lower edge of the strike zone from just beneath the kneecap to its pre-1996 level — at the top of the kneecap. Management would like to install 20-second pitch clocks in an attempt to speed the pace of __play — they have been used at Triple-A and Double-A for the past two seasons.
Players also have been against limiting mound meetings. The least controversial change appears to be allowing a team to call for an intentional walk without the pitcher having to throw pitches. In addition, MLB likely can alter some video review rules without the union’s agreement— such as shortening the time a manager has to call for a review.
“Most of this stuff that they were talking about I don’t think it would have been a major adjustment for us,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.
Manfred said starting runners on second base in extra innings sounds unlikely to be implemented in the majors. The change will be experimented with during the World Baseball Classic and perhaps at some short-season Class A leagues. Manfred said it was a special-purpose rule “beneficial in developmental leagues.”
Manfred also said Tuesday that a renovated Wrigley Field would be a great choice to host an All-Star Game and Las Vegas could be a “viable market for us.”
“I don’t think that the presence of legalized gambling in Las Vegas should necessarily disqualify that market as a potential major league city,” Manfred said.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Mariners’ Martin testifies to threats, kidnapping fears in Cuban smuggling trial of agent
MIAMI – Seattle Mariners outfielder Leonys Martin told a Miami jury Tuesday he crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without any valid papers because he feared being kidnapped or worse after he was smuggled from Cuba by a group linked to a sports agent and a baseball trainer.
Martin’s testimony came in the federal trial of Bartolo Hernandez and Julio Estrada, who are charged with conspiracy and alien smuggling. Martin told jurors he crossed at Laredo, Texas, in April 2011 after agreeing to a five-year, $15.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers.
“My life was in danger in Mexico,” Martin testified. “My safety was at risk.”
Like other Cuban players who have testified in the case, Martin said he was whisked away from Cuba in 2010 by speedboat to Cancun, Mexico. Cuban players must establish residency in a third country in order to sign lucrative free agent contracts with Major League Baseball in the U.S.
While in Cancun, Martin said “eight or nine” men who said they were armed broke into his apartment with a crowbar and pressured him to leave with them. Martin refused and the men eventually left, but he said the alleged smuggling ring decided after that to relocate a group of players to Monterrey, Mexico.
“The people were looking for us so we had to put some distance between them and us,” Martin testified. “It was a difficult moment. We knew what bad things could happen.”
While in Monterrey, a kidnapping attempt was made against one of the smugglers but he managed to escape out the back of his house, Martin said.
Meanwhile, Martin had signed contracts obligating him to pay Hernandez 5 percent of his MLB deal and the alleged smuggling ring 35 percent. He was also given Mexican residency papers claiming he had a job as an “auto mechanic and painter” that Martin said was false.
With the Rangers agreement done and while awaiting a visa to come to the U.S., Martin said the group decided he should simply walk across the border. At the time, Cubans who reached U.S. soil were generally allowed to remain, a policy since revoked by former President Barack Obama.
Martin acknowledged giving false information in an interview with a Customs and Border Protection officer, such as a claim that he was seeking political asylum, but he was released into the U.S. without incident.
“I was afraid and I was prepared to say what I had to say,” Martin said of the interview. “We were afraid that I would be kidnapped, and that’s why we decided to cross the border.”
Martin also decided not to pay the full amount to the alleged smugglers or to Hernandez, leading to a lawsuit and other legal action. He paid them about $1.5 million combined, according to court documents.
“That first year I paid them a whole lot more than what they had done for me,” Martin testified.
The trial is expected to last a few more weeks. Hernandez and Estrada’s lawyers insist the men were not operating a ballplayer smuggling ring but running legitimate baseball businesses aimed at getting Cubans to the big leagues.
Two of the smugglers involved closely with Martin, Eliezer Lazo and Joel Martinez, previously pleaded guilty in a separate U.S. case and are serving prison time. Both are listed as prosecution witnesses in this trial.
Martin, 28, played for the Rangers from 2011 to 2015, when he was traded to the Mariners. A center fielder, Martin batted .247 with 15 home runs, 47 RBIs and 24 stolen bases last season. Mariners officials say Martin is being permitted to report to spring training late because of the Miami trial.
Fowler fitting right in with Cardinals
JUPITER, FLORIDA – Dexter Fowler breezes through the center of St. Louis’ clubhouse leaving a trail of handshakes and hellos in his wake before landing at his locker and chatting with a handful of players about the merits of a new album.
Fowler is the new guy with the Cardinals, but he’s already a clubhouse favorite despite spending last season helping the rival Chicago Cubs win the World Series.
“He’s got great people skills,” manager Mike Matheny said Sunday. “Something I really appreciated is that you see him kind of mingling with everybody, and I think that’s extremely important for our club . . . (and) it hasn’t been anything that’s been suggested by us or forced, it’s just who he is.”
Ask the center fielder why he has been embraced so quickly by his new teammates and his broad smile disappears for a second as he ponders the question.
“I don’t know,” he says finally. “I just tried to come in and be myself and the guys here they want to make a change from last year obviously because they didn’t have as good of a year as what they wanted. But to come in here and to see their willingness, that definitely helps.”
St. Louis right fielder Stephen Piscotty said there isn’t any big secret to why everyone is drawn to Fowler.
“He’s just a good guy,” he said. “It’s pretty simple and I think we have a lot of those types of people in this clubhouse so he fits in great.”
Fowler joined the Cardinals on a five-year, $82.5 million contract after hitting .276 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in his second season with the Cubs, helping the franchise to its first championship since 1908. He loved his time in Chicago, but felt this was the best decision for his future.
“I believe there’s chapters in your life and it’s a new chapter in my life,” he said. “Those will always be my boys over there just because we won a championship and everything together. But it’s a new chapter in my life and I’m trying to make new brothers and win another championship.”
It didn’t take Fowler long to make an impression on his new teammates. On the first day of full-squad workouts, he turned rap music on during the team’s daily stretch, adding a bit of fun to the monotonous task. He didn’t realize it would be noteworthy, but his teammates enjoyed it so much that it became an example of how he’s not only fitting in with the Cardinals but changing the clubhouse vibe a bit.
“I think everybody wanted it, just nobody did it,” he said. “You saw the smiles on everybody’s faces when we turned the music on. I think it was, I’m not going to say forbidden, but just nobody asked, I guess.”
The Cardinals are looking to bounce back after finishing 17½ games behind the NL Central champion Cubs last year, ending a streak of five straight postseason appearances highlighted by a World Series title in 2011. They were hurt by injuries to some key players, but Fowler saw something else from the other dugout when he faced them 19 times with the Cubs last season.
“I think they took things a little too seriously and it needs to — at the end of the day it’s a game,” he said. “And I think they kind of got away from that.”
While the Cardinals are thrilled about the addition of Fowler, Cubs fans can’t be too happy that he defected to their biggest rival. The optimistic Fowler thinks Chicago fans will be good to him when he returns to Wrigley Field for the first time in June when he expects to pick up his championship ring.
“They should be,” he said. “I helped them do something we haven’t done in 108 years so I don’t think they can be mad.”
But he isn’t thinking a lot about his former team these days. He’s far too busy preparing to do whatever he can to help the Cardinals return to the World Series.
“Winning’s addictive, so I’m trying to win another one,” he said. “You get to pick the team that you think (will win) and I think this team has a chance to win it all.”
Nationals’ Scherzer bothered by knuckle pain
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – NL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is dealing with pain from a broken knuckle on his pitching hand that arose late last year, and Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker said the team is making plans in case his ace isn’t ready for Opening Day.
Scherzer said Thursday, the first day of official workouts for Washington’s pitchers and catchers at spring training, that he began throwing a baseball this week with a modified grip.
He says the injury to the bottom knuckle on his ring finger is “essentially healed,” but bothers him when he throws.
Scherzer wouldn’t give a timetable for when he would be ready.
Baker said he wouldn’t want to rush Scherzer, “because you’re thinking about the long haul.”
Washington’s opener is April 3.
Weaver signs with Padres after 11 years with Angels
TEMPE, ARIZONA – Right-hander Jered Weaver has agreed to a $3 million, one-year deal with the San Diego Padres after 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
Weaver and the Padres confirmed the long-anticipated deal Saturday, pending a physical.
The 34-year-old Weaver had spent his entire career with the Angels, going 150-93 with a 3.55 ERA and three All-Star selections. The Angels didn’t re-sign him after Weaver went 19-24 over the past two seasons with the two worst ERAs of his career and stark declines in his velocity.
Weaver will join the jumbled competition for a rotation spot with the Padres, who have no established returning starters. Manager Andy Green said Saturday that there are at least 10 candidates for San Diego’s rotation entering spring training.
Weaver reacted to the deal on his new Twitter account, posting a photo of himself at Angel Stadium.
He wrote: “Want to thank all the Angel fans for your support over the years! Wish we could have brought a trophy to the city of Anaheim! Much Love!”
Weaver also posted a graphic of Will Ferrell in character as Ron Burgundy, the San Diego newsman from the two “Anchorman” films: “Look forward to having some scotch with this terrific news anchor!”
With his fastball velocity stuck around 138 kph last season, Weaver relied on breaking balls, precision and guile to retire hitters. He was remarkably resourceful in getting through a team-best 178 innings without missing a start due to injury, but his 5.06 ERA and 1.46 WHIP were the worst of his career.
Weaver pitched in four postseasons with the Angels after joining the big-league club in 2006. He threw a no-hitter in May 2012, and his 150 wins are the second-most in Angels history, behind only Chuck Finley’s 165.
“When someone has made the imprint that Jered has made in our organization and accomplished so much, it’s always strange and difficult to see guys when they move on,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said recently. “Weave has worked hard this winter. Obviously we’re pulling for him to continue to do what he loves to do and have the success that he can have.”
Weaver is a Southern California native who grew up in Simi Valley and played at Long Beach State. His desire to stay close to home contributed to his decision in August 2011 to sign an $85 million, five-year deal with the Angels, likely less than what he could have made on the free agent market.
That familiarity might have helped the Padres as well. San Diego is projected to be one of the majors’ worst teams, but Weaver could be a valuable veteran presence in one of the youngest clubhouses in the game.
San Diego has also signed Jhoulys Chacin, who finished last season as Weaver’s teammate with the Angels, and they may not be done. A.J. Preller is one of baseball’s most aggressive general managers, and executive chairman Ron Fowler said Saturday that the Padres could add more players, either by trade or free agency.
“Preller’s trading season is not over,” Fowler said.
Weaver will be missed with the Angels, where he was a well-liked teammate. AL MVP Mike Trout said he has been in contact with Weaver throughout the offseason.
“It’s going to be tough,” Trout said. “He’s one of those guys you can’t replace. I talked to him a lot this offseason. . . . When I got here, he was here. And now coming into this clubhouse and locker room, it’s quiet. It’s different not seeing Weaver when you walk in. Great teammate, and off the field, you could do anything with him. We could go to dinner, he always treated. He was professional as it gets.”
Monday, February 20, 2017
Tanaka ‘honored’ to be Yankees’ Opening Day starter
TAMPA, FLORIDA – New York Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka said Wednesday he was honored to have been selected to start for the team on Opening Day for the third year in a row.
The Yankees announced the previous day that the 28-year-old Tanaka would start for the visiting Yankees in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on April 2.
Speaking after his first day at spring training, Tanaka said: “It’s an honor. I know exactly where I will be pitching so I can work towards that day by improving my condition through spring training. This gives me something to aim for.”
Tanaka will be hoping for a reversal of fortunes, having never won on Opening Day.
In the Yankees’ 2015 season opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, Tanaka lasted only four innings and took a loss, and in the 2016 season opener against the Houston Astros, he threw 5⅔ innings in a no-decision.
“The team itself has not won on Opening Day for five years so hopefully I can help end that streak,” said Tanaka. “Compared to the last three years my preparation has gone much smoother and at this point in time I think I am in my best shape.”
Speaking of his goals for the season, Tanaka said, “I want to keep my place in the rotation the year round and pitch as many innings and get as many outs as I can.
“The top pitchers in the league are going to pitch around 220, 230 innings so that is what I am going to aim for.”
Should Tanaka take to the mound against Tampa as scheduled, he will become the first Japanese pitcher to be a starter in a season opener for three straight years in the majors.
Hideo Nomo was also named the Opening Day starter three times, but not in consecutive years. He first earned the honor in 2000 with the Detroit Tigers, and was named again in 2003 and 2004 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In his three years as a Yankee, Tanaka is 39-16 with a 3.12 ERA in 75 starts. He went 14-4 in 31 starts with a 3.07 ERA and MLB career-high 165 strikeouts last season.
Napoli passes physical
Dallas – Mike Napoli has passed his physical, clearing the way for an $8.5 million, one-year deal and his third stint with the Texas Rangers.
Two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the deal was done and that Napoli was set to be introduced Thursday. They spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the Rangers had not announced the agreement.
While not saying who, the team announced a news conference at its Arizona spring training complex before workouts Thursday morning to announce a free-agent signing.
From high school nightmare to living the baseball dream
When Taira Uematsu returns home after the big league season, the San Francisco Giants’ bullpen catcher spends a lot of time teaching baseball, and the most important lesson may be, “Have fun.”
Uematsu rediscovered that fun for the game in the U.S. after three years of repetitive and abusive high school practice in Japan beat his passion out of him. After finishing high school in Chiba Prefecture, Uematsu went to California to learn English, his favorite subject from junior high school. While there, he accidentally fell in love with baseball again.
“After high school, I basically gave up baseball,” he told Kyodo News last month. “I had to decide what I was going to do. I talked to my parents. My dad still wanted me to __play baseball. But my mom told me not to do it anymore, to think about the future: ‘It’s better to have some skills or knowledge or certification or something.’ ”
While studying at the University of California Santa Barbara extension, Uematsu began watching America’s game and figured that becoming a certified trainer could be a route to a career in pro ball. Ironically, it was the other things he did while studying for his qualification that got him hired.
“I started sports medicine (in Illinois), and for two seasons I was with the (school’s) baseball team as a student trainer, but they let me throw BP (batting practice) or catch bullpens. When I was catching bullpens for the college team it made me feel like I did when I was playing Little League,” Uematsu said.
“I was looking for an internship and the Triple-A team from the San Francsico Giants was looking for a bullpen catcher for the summer (of 2006). So I went there, they liked me and they hired me next year for the whole year.
“In 2008, (the major league club) needed one more bullpen catcher, and they had one more Japanese player, and I helped them to translate for him.”
That year Keiichi Yabu joined the Giants, who loved the right-hander’s dropping fastball, but the former Hanshin Tigers ace did not hit it off with his bullpen catcher. The pitcher believed Uematsu would be there to interpret for him — a role Uematsu admits he was less than diligent about.
“That was my first experience helping out a player translating,” Uematsu said. “I was called up as a bullpen catcher, and to throw BP. The assistant GM (general manager) at the time told me not to worry about being a translator in the big leagues, ‘You’re going there to catch bullpens and throw BP.’ That was my understanding.
“I was trying to have fun with the players and the other team members. I did too much, and I learned so much from that. I really appreciate what he (Yabu) told me. I was trying to make people laugh. I was young, too, and I forgot to do what I was supposed to do, as far as he was concerned. And that (trouble) kind of accumulated.”
The lessons must have helped, since Uematsu is still with the Giants, with whom he’s earned three World Series championship rings. His experience abroad now helps him educate Japanese youngsters in the offseason.
Uematsu instructs players of all ages, and because he’s both a catcher and a trainer, he has a lot to teach — from holding the catcher’s mitt closer to your body to handle American-style moving fastballs to tips on avoiding injury. His favorite pupils are junior high school students looking to succeed in high school, where he wants them to have a better experience than he did.
“I want to teach them that the most important thing for playing baseball is to keep having fun as they go into high school,” Uematsu said. “I had so much fun playing in Little League and junior high school, but when I went to high school, we practiced every single day, no matter how the weather was. Coaches yelled at me and they yell at the players, and I didn’t like baseball anymore.”
For all the horror stories about high school ball in Japan, Uematsu said it does teach kids manners and respect — no surprise since foreign coaches frequently cite Japanese athletes’ willingness to listen and learn as one of the best things about working here.
“The kids here follow the rules, even outside baseball, saying ‘hi’ to everybody, being polite,” Uematsu said. “In baseball, if the manager says, ‘OK, we’re going to take the first strike,’ everybody’s going to do it. But I don’t see that in the States. The manager can say something but the players don’t do it.”
Although Uematsu’s eagerness to learn did not mesh with the single-minded lessons of Japanese high school ball, the love of English he acquired in junior high stayed within him enough to make a career in America possible.
So this winter, during which he was also busy with the Dutch national team ahead of the World Baseball Classic, Uematsu repaid a debt of gratitude. He returned to his old school, Tateyama No. 3 Junior High School, as a guest lecturer.
“The teacher there was my teacher when I was there, and she invited me to come and talk to her kids,” Uematsu said. “She’s the primary reason I studied the language. She made us do homework every single day, even the days we didn’t have English class. I really liked it.
“I taught the kids that the best teacher I ever had was this teacher, Ms. Iizuka, and that English was the only thing I wanted to study in college.”
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Most regrettable NBA Draft picks in every first-round spot
The NBA Draft arrives Thursday, which gives teams around the league a chance to search through a pile of prospects to locate a player with the uncommon combination of size, skill, desire and intelligence to become a successful player in the league.
Sometimes, they whiff.
They make big mistakes at the top of the first round and they make mistakes at the bottom. The ones at the top hurt more. Except for those that allow a Draymond Green or someone of that ilk to slip into the second round.
We’ve gone through each of the first-round selections made during the lottery era and determined which was the poorest choice at every spot, from 1 to 30.
Not every player was the weakest chosen in his spot.
Sometimes, it’s even worse to select a mediocre player with a Hall of Famer just sitting there, begging to join your team.
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It's official: DJ Khaled is a better shooter than Steph Curry and Reggie Miller
DJ Khaled might not have been "the best" at the NBA All-Star Game's shootout event for the Sager Strong Foundation on Saturday, but the rapper/producer/ sea-explorer made more shots than some of the best shooters in NBA history.
Khaled hit one 3-pointer in an event honoring the late TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager, who passed away in December after a long battle with leukemia. The event featured several stars, including Pacers legend Reggie Miller, Rockets star James Harden, WNBA star Candace Parker and actors like Anthony Anderson and Nick Cannon.
For every made bucket, Foot Locker pledged to donate $10,000 to the Sager Strong Foundation supporting cancer research. The internet, naturally, went berzerk, but particularly when Khaled swished his shot.
Visual evidence that DJ Khaled made more buckets than Steph Curry #SagerStrong #NBAAllStarWeekend pic.twitter.com/Nd8CrKC8Ig
— The Schmozone (@schmozone) February 19, 2017
Khaled may have only made one shot, but he more shots than Miller, who missed every attempt he made — granted, he was in a dress shirt — and Curry, who was given the opportunity to boost the total money raised from the event to $500,000 if he made a half-court shot. The two-time MVP couldn't hit one, missing a handful of attempts.
Foot Locker still wound up donating $500,000 after Shaquille O'Neal assisted Craig Sager's son Ryan for an easy lay-in to earn the half a million. The money was an incredible gesture, but it didn't stop fans from roasting Curry and Miller for having a less successful night than the mastermind behind "All I Do Is Win."
wow dj khaled is better at basketball than steph
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) February 19, 2017
Khaled for ASG MVP
— Vann R. Newkirk II (@fivefifths) February 19, 2017
Khaled had more 3s than Steph, for the record
— Joel D. Anderson (@byjoelanderson) February 19, 2017
Can the Sixers sign DJ Khaled?
— Brian J. Haddad (@BrianJHaddad) February 19, 2017
Awesome! BUT how Khaled knock down a trey before Reggie Miller #MajorKey
— Jahmai Webster (@WebsterOnTV) February 19, 2017
If NBA All-Star Weekend has taught me anything its that DJ Khaled is better at basketball than Steph Curry
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) February 19, 2017
Wow. I can't believe it, but I saw it with my own eyes. DJ Khaled is now better than Steph Curry.
NBA trade rumors: Jahlil Okafor gets to know New Orleans as others join the market
NEW ORLEANS – Sixers big man Jahlil Okafor stepped out of St. Lawrence, a hip, dimly lit restaurant on North Peters Street here in the French Quarter and looked around at the cloud-soaked city. There was a black SUV and a crush of traffic waiting for him, but he still wondered, “Wait, where are we going?”
Pardon Okafor his confusion, he has not spent much time in New Orleans. But he is aware that could change soon. The Pelicans have been among the top teams pursuing an Okafor trade as the deadline closes in next Thursday.
“There’s a bunch of trade rumors,” Okafor said on Friday. “New Orleans. Chicago. Ten different teams. So, I said it before, I just have to do whatever I can control. The rumors are going to continue to come out. As far as I know, I am still a Sixer and happy to be a Sixer. I am going to keep working hard every day.”
New Orleans has been desperate to find help for star forward Anthony Davis. While the Pelicans need shooting, their assets are limited. The bevy of available big men on the market—they have had discussions with the Nets on Brook Lopez and the Magic on Nikola Vucevic, among others—tilts the simple supply-and-demand angle toward acquiring a new center to pair with Davis. The Pelicans are hoping to only give up one first-round pick, and perhaps another player, to land a big man by Thursday.
Okafor is only 21, which makes him an attractive piece for the Pelicans. But he is not a perimeter shooter (Lopez is), and there is concern that having both Okafor and Davis in the middle will clog up the paint for the Pelicans.
According to a source, part of the issue the Pelicans have had in finding a new center has been the insistence on protecting the pick they send out. That would not be an issue if the Pelicans make the playoffs, a realistic possibility given that they are only 2.5 games out of the eighth seed. But they’re part of a horde of six teams with a chance at that spot.
If the Pelicans fail to make the playoffs, they’ll be in the lottery. They don’t want to give up their pick if they get lucky and it lands in the Top 3. But teams like the Sixers, Nets and Magic don’t want to give the Pelicans protection in that case.
Still, when it comes to Okafor, the Pelicans are in a better position to offer a worthwhile pick than Okafor’s hometown Bulls, who would have to lure Philadelphia with some combination of a pick and young talent. Additionally, there could be darkhorse teams involved in the pursuit of Okafor. A source said that the Mavericks had previously inquired about Okafor, and could revisit those talks as the deadline nears.
In the eye of this storm sits Okafor, who has been here in New Orleans all weekend, and could well be back on a more permanent basis next weekend. He is only in his second season, and points out that he has been the subject of trade rumors since his arrival in the league.
“This is not something I was not expecting,” Okafor said. “Everyone with the organization has been up front with me, so I know what is going on and what I can tell my family. I have been dealing with trade rumors my whole time in the NBA, so this is not something new. I am good, I understand it, it is part of being a professional athlete. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”
Craig Sager posthumously given Basketball Hall of Fame media award
Craig Sager's memory lives on.
The famed NBA sideline reporter was honored with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Curt Gowdy Media Award for electronic media, the organization announced Saturday.
Sager spent 40 years in sports broadcasting before he was forced to step back after he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2014.
The cancer went into remission, and he went back to work, but less than two years later it returned. On Dec. 15, 2016, Sager died from the disease.
"In a world of dominant athletes and personalities, Craig Sager still managed to stand out from the crowd," the hall of fame's release read.
"From his courtside perch at NBA and NCAA Tournament games, he carefully and skillfully asked all the right questions in the heat of the moment and was considered one of the best in the business when he was forced to go off-the-cuff."
New York Times columnist Harvey Araton took home the honor for print media.
Tracy McGrady, Chris Webber head list of first-time finalists for basketball hall of fame
Two-time NBA scoring champion Tracy McGrady and five-time All-Star Chris Webber headline the list of first-time finalists for the 2017 class for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The organization announced 14 finalists for this year's class as part of the NBA's All-Star weekend festivities, including nine first-time finalists. The other new finalists are NCAA men's coaches Rollie Massimino and Bill Self, former UConn star Rebecca Lobo, former NBA player and coach Rudy Tomjanovich, two-time NCAA women's champion coach Kim Mulkey of Baylor, longtime NBA referee Hugh Evans, and former Arkansas and NBA star Sidney Moncrief.
"I still can't believe I'm here," McGrady said, via NBA.com. "This is not even a dream come true."
Returning nominees are five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, Robert Hughes, who is the all-time winningest boys high school coach, Notre Dame women's coach Muffet McGraw, four-time Division III champion coach Bo Ryanmand of Wayland Baptist University, the 10-time AAU national champions.
"We are grateful to the 14 finalists in the Class of 2017 for the impact they have had on the game we cherish," Basketball Hall of Fame Chairman Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. "To be named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame is an incredible accomplishment."
The Class of 2017 will be announced April 3 and members will be inducted Sept. 8 at the facility in Springfield, Mass.
Kristaps Porzingis wins NBA All-Star skills challenge
Kristaps Porzingis won the NBA Skills Challenge Saturday, beating out a number of the game's best players.
The skills challenge is often a guard's contest, as it makes players dribble, shoot and pass. But Porzingis isn't an everyday 7-footer.
The Knicks star drained a clutch 3-point shot on his first attempt in the final against Gordon Hayward to beat the Jazz forward.
A 7'3" #TacoBellSkills Challenge winner?
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2017
Kristaps Porzingis is a 🦄 for sure. pic.twitter.com/SjFFE5ABeU
Porzingis also defeated DeMarcus Cousins and Nikola Jokic to win the competition.
Glenn Robinson III wins NBA All-Star slam-dunk contest
Pacers guard Glenn Robinson III won the 2017 NBA-All Star slam-dunk contest Saturday with an emphatic display.
Facing off against Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, the Suns' Derrick Jones Jr. and Orlando's Aaron Gordon, the 6-6 Robinson showcased some uncanny vertical leaping ability to run away with the competition.
.@GRIII leaving his ❗️ in the #VerizonDunk! pic.twitter.com/pU0XWTiiiX
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 19, 2017
Robinson toppled Jones, a little-known 6-7 Suns forward, in the final. However, Jones made his mark with a nifty baseline slam.
50...EASY. #WeArePHX#VerizonDunk pic.twitter.com/4gxAwqSloF
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2017
Gordon, last year's phenom, looked sluggish while failing on most of his dunk attempts. Orlando's 6-9 forward, who illuminated crowds last year in a controversial runner-up finish, sustained a bone bruise in his foot earlier this month and it showed.
In all, this year's dunk contest was a huge letdown compared to last year's enthralling event. The guys seemingly just went through the motions, providing little emotion to wow the curious spectators.
Maybe this contest is an every-other-year spectacle. If so, expect greatness in 2018.
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Darvish faces up to do-or-die season with Rangers
SURPRISE, ARIZONA – Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish said Tuesday he finds himself at a crossroads in his career, in a do-or-die situation as the countdown begins to the 2017 major league season.
A day before pitchers and catchers were due to report to spring training, the 30-year-old said he wanted to join the elite group of pitchers who successfully bounced back from Tommy John surgery going into the final season of a six-year contract.
“This year will be a turning point for me,” said Darvish, whose Rangers open their season April 3 at home against the Cleveland Indians.
“If I do badly, I’m finished, and if I do well I’ve got more to look forward to.”
Darvish, who had the surgery on his throwing elbow in March 2015 and missed the entire season, admitted he was never quite at ease since returning to the mound in May last year, at times feeling like his ligaments were torn again.
At this time last year, Darvish was still rehabilitating. He managed to finish the season 7-5 in 17 starts with a 3.41 ERA, but was never at his best.
“It feels completely different,” Darvish said. “No matter how hard I swing my arm, I don’t feel any pain or discomfort.”
Darvish on Tuesday played catch, even pitching to a catcher with a batter next by and came away feeling good.
“As long as I’m comfortable throwing without any stress, the results will be there in the end,” he said.