Kenta Maeda, expected to be posted this winter

[Chuck]

 

Hiroshima Carp right-hander Kenta Maeda allowed three runs on 10 hits and one walk in eight innings during his final start of the 2014 season on Monday. He struck out seven and threw 118 pitches.

 

Maeda, 25, finished the season with an 11-9 record, a 2.60 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and a 3.93 K/BB ratio in 27 starts and 187 innings. The Carp are expected to make their ace available to MLB teams via the posting process this offseason, though nothing is final yet.

 

Ben Badler of Baseball America provided a scouting report of Maeda following his final start Monday. Here are the highlights:

 

Badler also noted Maeda "doesn't have overpowering stuff of a frontline starter like we've seen from fellow Japanese righthanders Masahiro Tanaka or Yu Darvish ... (his) ability to command his fastball and mix his pitches allows him to keep hitters off-balance."Maeda's velocity was impressive, ranging from 90-94 mph and hitting 94 four times. In previous outings, he's thrown anywhere from 87-94 mph ... His go-to secondary weapon is his 80-84 mph slider ... It's a slightly-above average offering with tight spin and quick, late break ... Maeda threw an 85-86 mph changeup that flashed average with good tailing action that he used mostly against lefthanded hitters ... he also mixed in about a half dozen each of his 86-88 mph cutter and 72-75 mph curveball.

 

Over the weekend, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported Maeda has "told some Japanese media that when he's posted he prefers to play for the Yankees or Red Sox." Cafardo says speculation right now has Maeda receiving a six-year contract in the $120 million to $130 million range.

 

Under the new system, teams can openly negotiate with Maeda once he is posted. The team that signs him will have to pay a release fee to the Carp, which is likely to be set at the maximum $20 million.

 

Tanaka was the first player to sign under the new posting system last winter. He received a seven-year, $155 million contract from the Yankees on top of the $20 million release fee. Tanaka went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in his final season in Japan.

[floplag]

already said wants to be NY or Bos... will cost too much, and i have ZERO faith in any of these Japanese starters.. the system is just too dissimilar moving to an every 5 day start

[Angels]

You're the same guy who said Tanaka is nothing more than a Garza and not nearly worth the deal he got.

Oops.

[nando714]

Pass!

[DMVol]

If he doesn't count against the luxury tax (which seems to be a problem), would seem like a good idea...

[mtangelsfan]

You're the same guy who said Tanaka is nothing more than a Garza and not nearly worth the deal he got.

Oops.

 

Who are you even posting this to?

[Taylor]

i have ZERO faith in any of these Japanese starters

 

Racist.

[Angels]

Flopflag

[floplag]

You're the same guy who said Tanaka is nothing more than a Garza and not nearly worth the deal he got.

Oops.

 

Yes i was, and  considering the results and his durability im still ok with that call.

Garza this year, 27 starts, 3.64 ERA, 1.18 WHIP 12.5M avg contract

Tanaka, 20 starts, 2.77, 1.06  21M avg contract

I never said they were the same, only that Garza was a better value... and yes i still say that. 

 

[floplag]

Who are you even posting this to?

 

this was to me im sure.... people save this shit to throw it in peoples faces... the funny part is he thinks he was somehow right in the discussion i guess... i surely dont.

[Angels]

You said he would be nothing more than a #3 starter and have similar results as Garza.

[Angel Oracle]

Geez, seems that MLB can't get any more Iwakumas in here for reasonable price anymore.

Arte missed his chance, and now all of the main guys over there are going to command ridiculous sums of money. 

 

Time to focus on the draft and Latin America. 

Edited October 6, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[QuinlansMinion]

No thanks.  Ill stick with Weaver, Richards, and Shoemaker.  Thats 3 aces right there.  

 

 

What we really need, more offense.  Get some guys who can put together good ab's consistently and can hit good pitching in October.

[jsnpritchett]

Seems like an overpay.  He wants $20+ million a year, but his stuff and results aren't as good as the Japanese League pitchers who've done well in the U.S. 

[Angels]

Tanaka is a lot better than Garza. Not even in the same stratosphere.

[jsnpritchett]

No thanks.  Ill stick with Weaver, Richards, and Shoemaker.  Thats 3 aces right there.  

 

 

 

That kind of thinking will lead you to have zero depth, as we saw this year.  Richards is recovering from major surgery.  6-9 month recovery time.  Could he be back sooner?  Sure, I guess it's possible--but no one really knows how he'll be once he's back.  And Chuck will probably flip out again, but I think it's way too soon to classify Shoemaker as an "ace."

[stormngt]

No thanks.  Ill stick with Weaver, Richards, and Shoemaker.  Thats 3 aces right there.  

 

 

What we really need, more offense.  Get some guys who can put together good ab's consistently and can hit good pitching in October.

except one ace is on one foot, the other one is throwing little league speed.

[stormngt]

I would be interested because he isn't supposed to be as good as Darvish and Tanaka.  Maybe we could get him at a reasonable price.  Probably not, but its worth a try.

[Amazing Larry]

Time to focus on the draft and Latin America. 

 

I'm down with the brown. There's got to be a left fielder down there that can do better than 0-12.

 

Edit: I'm sorry... 0-13.

Edited October 6, 2014 by Lawrence

[floplag]

You said he would be nothing more than a #3 starter and have similar results as Garza.

 

well, lets talk about what he did..

most people here dont think Weaver is an ace anymore and Weaver put up better numbers than Tanaka

ERA wise he slots between Weaver and Jason Vargas though both had a far superior WHIP.

If i drop the stats list down to only those who manages 120+ innings (he only did 136), the following pitchers put up better numbers than he did:

McHugh - Hou

DeGrom- NyM

He was basically on par with Tanner Roark in Was

though again to be clear i never said he would be good or even great, what i said is that he wouldn't be worth the contract... ive seen nothing yet to discourage that idea.

 

[floplag]

Tanaka is a lot better than Garza. Not even in the same stratosphere.

 

and you are not referring to the actual comments that ewre made, context matters... but hey why lets facts get in the way of your bull

 

[Angels]

You definitely said Tanaka would be nothing more than a #3 at best and have similar results as Garza, at best.

Not hard to admit you were way wrong.

[Angels]

And whaaat? Weaver was nowhere near as good as Tanaka this year

[Angels]

Or last year

[ABC]

Racist.

 

This is your reply to 10% of all posts. It may have lost some of its humor. Others may know better.