Alex Cabrera in Japan

[tyruschen]

The videos of Alex Cabrera's 50 HRs last season:
http://www001.upp.so-net.ne.jp/raja/...a/homeran.html
(Sorry, if you can't see Japanese, just hit the shortcuts in the numbers)

He hit 150th HR in 380 games (Japanese League record) and the production of last three years are 49-55-50. Why no team has interet in recruiting him? (he is 32 this year)

[sweaver]

I would think someone could use Cabrera as a 1B/DH. I thought so when he left for Japan.

[gyb13]

he slugs 500 in an 80 AB cup of coffee, but no one can give him a shot....as for right now, he's probably happy and rich and famous - would he even want to come to MLB?

[tyruschen]

Originally Posted by gyb13

as for right now, he's probably happy and rich and famous - would he even want to come to MLB?

He earned 580M YEN (Japanese currency, about 546M dollars) last three years and signed 2 years-400M YEN (about 3.76M dollars) contract this year. Surly he is famous in Japan, but never as popular as hometown players not as good as him. BTW, Cabrera played 1B in Seibu Lions. (home team of little Matsui)

[gyb13]

i think he's venezuelan, right? for him, going to the states is prob not that enticing....esp if he were to have a role a la greg colbrunn....

[rico_p]

Originally Posted by gyb13

he slugs 500 in an 80 AB cup of coffee, but no one can give him a shot....as for right now, he's probably happy and rich and famous - would he even want to come to MLB?

I dunno, Gyb. Have you ever read "You Gotta Have Wa" by Robert Whiting? By his account, life ain't too easy for foreigners playing in Japan. Plus, MLB is still the big show. I would imagine Cabrera would jump at the chance to play in the majors.

Here's an interview where he specifically says he'd like to play in the U.S.

http://tokyonewsline.com/sportsline/alex_cabrera.html

Edit: And another, more recent story where he says the same:

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NAS..._mlb&fext=.jsp

[gyb13]

i suppose the cards or dodgers could use that

[manny tortolero]

Both stories are old.
Really a lot of people in Venezuela always is asking why this guy is not playing for in MLB for Pittsburgh or KC rather than Randall Simon or Ken Harvey.
He is playing currently in the playoff here in Venezuela winter baseball (his stats in the playoff are impresive with 16 hits in 44 ab including 5 hr, 13 rbi, 13 walks , 364 avg 1370 ops).
this is a link with his stats in the last three years in Japan
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/play...?PlayerID=1370
please take a look to the stats of other venezuelan guy who was forgot by MLB, Roberto Petagine:
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/play...?PlayerID=1154
I still thinks that Roberto could be playing in America with a good level.

Originally Posted by manny tortolero

Both stories are old.
Really a lot of people in Venezuela always is asking why this guy is not playing for in MLB for Pittsburgh or KC rather than Randall Simon or Ken Harvey.
He is playing currently in the playoff here in Venezuela winter baseball (his stats in the playoff are impresive with 16 hits in 44 ab including 5 hr, 13 rbi, 13 walks , 364 avg 1370 ops).
this is a link with his stats in the last three years in Japan
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/play...?PlayerID=1370
please take a look to the stats of other venezuelan guy who was forgot by MLB, Roberto Petagine:
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/play...?PlayerID=1154
I still thinks that Roberto could be playing in America with a good level.

japanesebaseball.com is a pretty good reference for Japanese ball by the way - if anyone needs to see Hideki Matsui, Kaz Matsui and assorted American stats.

I think probably either Petagine or Cabrera would be better than a lot of guys with jobs at the moment - neither are likely to be huge impact players, and they are both getting a little long in the tooth, Cabrera 32 (if his published age is correct) and Petagine turning 33 (as before). They're the kind of people that would look good in a half dozen line-ups, but I can also understand not playing them in front of younger people who might have a higher upside.

[tyruschen]

I remember a couple of years ago Rob Neyer mentioned in his ESPN column that Major League teams should give both guys one more chance, and he thought they just felt these two are 4A players. Although not many agree. Since they can hit better than Matsui & Ichiro & many many more MLB teams are interested in, I doubt there is some kind of bias to the players who failed to break into Majors at the first time.