Boston Draft Picks
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:43 pm
Masahide Kobayashi, RHP, Chiba Lotte Marines
Height: 6'0" Weight: 196 Bats: Right Throws: Right Age: 33
Kobayashi is the closer for Lotte and the final piece to ìYFKî, which stands for Yabuta, Fujita, and Kobayashi. YouÃll notice that IÃve skipped over Soichi Fujita, another WBC member, despite his free-agent status. Yabuta and Kobayashi are simply in a different league from their relief corps teammate. Kobayashi has been a dominating closer for the better part of seven and a half seasons, thanks in large part to a 98 mph fastball and powerful inside-out slider. In some respects, I like YabutaÃs game a bit more, but the power profile of Kobayashi and the proven track record as a closer puts him in an excellent position to cash in with a desperate US team looking to plug in an established veteran presence at the end of close games.
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The Indians are having Masahide Kobayashi in for a physical Tuesday and could complete a deal later this week.
With Hitoki Iwase off the board, Kobayashi was the best Japanese reliever available in free agency. The long-term closer would probably help set up Joe Borowski for the Indians initially, but like Rafael Betancourt, he could prove to be superior to Borowski in time. That won't necessarily make him a candidate for saves, but he will be a sleeper. 11/21/07
Not bad for the next to last pick in the second round, a reliever who throws 98 with a nasty slider.
Height: 6'0" Weight: 196 Bats: Right Throws: Right Age: 33
Kobayashi is the closer for Lotte and the final piece to ìYFKî, which stands for Yabuta, Fujita, and Kobayashi. YouÃll notice that IÃve skipped over Soichi Fujita, another WBC member, despite his free-agent status. Yabuta and Kobayashi are simply in a different league from their relief corps teammate. Kobayashi has been a dominating closer for the better part of seven and a half seasons, thanks in large part to a 98 mph fastball and powerful inside-out slider. In some respects, I like YabutaÃs game a bit more, but the power profile of Kobayashi and the proven track record as a closer puts him in an excellent position to cash in with a desperate US team looking to plug in an established veteran presence at the end of close games.
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The Indians are having Masahide Kobayashi in for a physical Tuesday and could complete a deal later this week.
With Hitoki Iwase off the board, Kobayashi was the best Japanese reliever available in free agency. The long-term closer would probably help set up Joe Borowski for the Indians initially, but like Rafael Betancourt, he could prove to be superior to Borowski in time. That won't necessarily make him a candidate for saves, but he will be a sleeper. 11/21/07
Not bad for the next to last pick in the second round, a reliever who throws 98 with a nasty slider.