Japanimating the Postseason

Are Japanese trained players built for the Fall Classic?

When handicapping the contending teams’ chances of winning the World Series, a lot of factors are involved. Home-field advantage is very important since teams are usually built to play in their home parks. Experience can be a factor, especially in a short division series where a young team can be eliminated before they get comfortable. Also, especially in a short series, the top three of the starting staff can win it or lose it. Other factors like defense, back end bullpen, and manager decisions can go a long way.

An overlooked factor in recent history is the emergence of Japanese players. Since 2002, there has been a Japanese born player in every fall classic. Since 2004, every World Series champion has featured a Japanese player on their roster. With that in mind, looking at the 11 teams still in the hunt, only five of them feature a Japanese born player. And of the four teams that have already clinched a playoff spot, only the Angels do not have a Japanese player on their roster.

This may all be a coincidence, or it could be a reflection of good teams, or even rich teams, with enough established talent, or capital to take a chance on an unknown free agent. It may in fact also be a reflection of, if you’ll allow me to generalize a bit, Japanese trained ball players. The position players especially seem very athletic fundamental defenders, who do the little things well, and are line-drive hitters with a lot of bat control. Now, maybe I’m just projecting Ichiro’s tools to all Japanese ball players, but there are similarities.

Tsuyoshi Shinjo `02 SFG - He was the first Japanese born player to play in the World Series. He went 1-6 with one run and three Ks. The right-handed center fielder hit only against left-handed starters after the Giants acquired Kenny Lofton at the trade deadline that year. Shinjo’s only start of the series was in game 1 at DH batting 9th, and he appeared as a pinch hitter in Games 5 and 7. Shinjo was struck out by Troy Percival in the top of the 9<sup>th</sup> inning of Game 7 with runners at 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup>, one out, and representing the tying run. He was released two weeks later and played only 62 games for the Mets in `03 before returning to the Nippon league. He ended his career with Trey Hillman’s Ham-Fighters hitting .260 with 60 home runs over three years, and  going out on top by leading the hapless Ham-Fighters to the `06 title.

Hideki Matsui `03 NYY - It seems like Godzilla has been a Yankee forever, but he was a ML rookie in `03, just in time to play in the last World Series the Yankees were involved in. Matsui went 6-23 with a home run and four RBI, and like Shinjo made the 2^nd to the last out in the final game for the losing team. His days as a Yankee may be over with the emergence of Xavier Nady. I can’t see the Yankees keeping Matsui and Johnny Damon, who both are signed for one more season.

So Taguchi `04, `06 STL - He is the only Japanese player to play in two World Series going 3-15 in six games. Taguchi, a fan favorite in St. Louis, is a valuable spare part who can play all three outfield spots. He has a chance to get to his 3^rd World Series appearance this season with the Phillies.

Dave Roberts `04 BOS - Roberts of course grew up in the states, but has a Japanese Mother, and was born in Okinawa. He didn’t play in the sweep of the Cardinals, but was instrumental in getting there. He probably stole the most important base in baseball history in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees. Roberts said of the swipe to the Boston Globe, ”Maury Wills once told me that there will come a point in my career when everyone in the ballpark will know that I have to steal a base, and I will steal that base. When I got out there, I knew that was what Maury Wills was talking about.”

Tadihito Iguchi `05 CWS - Tad was a key member of the White Sox, although he had a horrible World Series hitting .167/.211/.167. A teammate of Taguchi on the Phillies as of July 27, he also has a chance to make it again in `08. In `05, Iguchi finished 4^th in the Rookie of the Year in the AL behind Huston Street, Robinson Cano, and Jonny Gomes.

Kaz Matsui `07 COL - Don’t tell people in Queens, but Kaz has turned into a pretty good player. He had five hits in four games  last October, and then bolted for Houston in the offseason.

Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima `07 BOS - Dice-K and Okajima are the first Japanese teammates to play in a World Series, and they are probably a good shot to return in `08. Dice-K started Game 3 coasting through the first five innings, striking out five, walking one, and giving up three hits. In the 6th inning after getting one out, Dice-K gave up back to back walks to Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins, and was replaced by Javier Lopez, Helton and Atkins later scored. In the 7th  inning, Okajima replaced Mike Timlin with runners at 1st and 3rd and Matt Holliday up. Holliiday promptly hit a three-run homerun. Okajima also appeared in Game 2 throwing 2.1 no-hit innings with no walks and four Ks.