<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>According to WFAN, the Yankees have won the rights to negotiate with Japanese LHP Kei Igawa with a high bid of $25 million.Earlier today, the Arizona Republic reported that the Padres, Cubs, Yankees, Mets, Indians, Mariners, Athletics and Diamondbacks were among several teams that bid on Igawa.Following the MLB All-Stars tour of Japan, Mets 3B David Wright offered a tepid review of Igawa in Newsday, noting that Igawa threw, ?an average to above-average fastball, an above-average changeup, and his slider was a little flat.?.</div>Lose out on the big-time Free Agent player to one of your main rivals, then way overpay for someone whos not even close to as good. Smooth move Cashman. :whistling:
A lot of money to sign a RP. Even if he is projected to be a shutdown closer in the MLB. Guess the Yankees are preparing for the eventual retirement of Rivera. Add Igawa into the setup role for the next few years, and when it's time have him take over if he shows what it takes.BTW, Profile on Igawa:<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>One of the best left-handed starters in Japan, Igawa wasn't expected to come over this winter as a free agent, but his current employer, the Hanshin Tigers, apparently made an about-face and posted him. Igawa is primarily a two-pitch pitcher, with a below-average fastball in the 84-88 mph range with a little run, and a plus 74-79 mph curveball with a late two-plane break. He has a slight stabbing motion at the start of his delivery, but stays on top of the ball well, giving the curve its good depth and creating some downhill plane to his otherwise flat fastball. He also has average command and plus control.The downside to Igawa is that his fastball may be a little short for MLB hitters to make it as a starer, so he'll end up a reliever, and probably a good one with that plus curve as a lefty-killing weapon. (He does throw an occasional changeup, but prefers to use his curve to get righties out as well.) The upside would be if his quick delivery makes the ball hard enough for hitters to pick up that his fastball plays up to average, in which case he could certainly pitch in the back end of an NL rotation. He's also an ideal candidate to learn a splitter, although that's a common pitch in Asia and it would be a surprise if he hadn't already tried one.</div>
I highly doubt the Yankees paid 25 million to turn Igawa into a reliever. They're probably counting on him starting next season as your #4 or 5 starter behind Wang, Moose, Johnson, and/or Pavano. Even your scouting report has him projected somewhere between a back of the rotation type starter in the National League and a LOOGY, which is not a very good projection considering Yankees just spent 25 million to probably start him in the AL East. This has expensive disaster written all over it from how I see it. :thumbsup:
He'll probably end up as a reliever because of the curves and splits he can throw. He only throws 88-89 on the gun which is a piece of cake for most major league hitters. He'll add some more pitches to his repetoir but he will never be higher than a #3 starter.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Nov 28 2006, 05:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I highly doubt the Yankees paid 25 million to turn Igawa into a reliever. They're probably counting on him starting next season as your #4 or 5 starter behind Wang, Moose, Johnson, and/or Pavano. Even your scouting report has him projected somewhere between a back of the rotation type starter in the National League and a LOOGY, which is not a very good projection considering Yankees just spent 25 million to probably start him in the AL East. This has expensive disaster written all over it from how I see it. :thumbsup:</div>Obviously he's not worth a lot of money. After all, the Mets were the 2nd highest bidder and what do they know. :whistling:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Nov 28 2006, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Obviously he's not worth a lot of money. After all, the Mets were the 2nd highest bidder and what do they know. :whistling:</div>Yet the Mets offered 10 million dollers less then the Yankees, and buisness wise the Mets would make more of that money back by adding a Japanese Fanbase then the Yankees would since they already have a strong Asian Fanbase because of Matsui and Wang (Taiwan) :whistling:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Nov 28 2006, 05:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Nov 28 2006, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Obviously he's not worth a lot of money. After all, the Mets were the 2nd highest bidder and what do they know. :whistling:</div>Yet the Mets offered 10 million dollers less then the Yankees, and buisness wise the Mets would make more of that money back by adding a Japanese Fanbase then the Yankees would since they already have a strong Asian Fanbase because of Matsui and Wang (Taiwan) :whistling:</div>The Yankees have the 10 mil more to make the move. :thumbsup:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Nov 28 2006, 04:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Nov 28 2006, 05:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Nov 28 2006, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Obviously he's not worth a lot of money. After all, the Mets were the 2nd highest bidder and what do they know. :whistling:</div>Yet the Mets offered 10 million dollers less then the Yankees, and buisness wise the Mets would make more of that money back by adding a Japanese Fanbase then the Yankees would since they already have a strong Asian Fanbase because of Matsui and Wang (Taiwan) :whistling:</div>The Yankees have the 10 mil more to make the move. :thumbsup:</div>Not really....the Mets have a ton of money to spend as they shattered Attendence Records, set new highs with TV Ratings on SNY (Owned by the Mets), and just signed a sweet deal with Citibank where they're paying us 400 million over the next 20 years just for the name of our stadium. Meanwhile, the Yankees are losing millions of dollers a year. They just chose not to waste it on a pitcher who they didn't think was worth it. :whistling:
