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God, I hate the Red Sox

who’s kiddin’ whooooooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!

is by far the best site for japanese player scouting reports, stats, etc:

Player Profile: Ryota Igarashi

Igarashi, Everts and perhaps Escobar would go a long way toward improving the pen’s depth without clogging payroll. If only they kept Bostick and understood that Pat Misch and Elmer Dessens blow as relievers (or Major Leaguers).

the Red Sox offered Igarashi a two year deal reportedly worth 2 – 3 million dollars. the Mets and Phillies have made offers too but the Red Sox are the front runners right now. He trains at the same place as Dice-K, who has described Red Sox camp to him.

The Red Sox have Papelbon, Okajima and Bard who are solid, but they are looking for someone reliable to pitch the 6th and 7th innings.

One point of appeal to Igarashi is that with Dice-K and Okajima already on the team, they would be the first American team with three Japanese pitchers.

He is going with Dice-K to the Athletes Performance Institution in Phoenix today to start training to be in shape for camp.

The Mets and Phillies are still possibilities but the Red Sox appear to be in the lead. Igarashi says that American teams change their minds a lot, so you don’t know what’s going to happen until you sign.

From Fonzie Forever

The velocity and movement on the FB and split-finger/sinker were decent enough.

But if the video’s at all indicative of his control… yipe. The catcher’s mitt was bouncing around like it was leading a TV singalong.