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April 6 - 12, 2001
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Related:
• Getting into Full Swing
• Profiles of 19 API Major League Baseball Stars
Profiles of API Players in Major League Baseball
| American League
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National League
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American League
Anaheim Angels
 Shigetoshi Hasegawa
Height: 5-11 Weight: 178 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: August 1, 1968, Kobe, Japan
Hasegawa is the classic example of a Japanese pitcher: his success rides on his pinpoint control and his ability to change speeds. He has three pitches in his repertoire: a fastball, a slider and a forkball, which he uses as his changeup and out pitch. Anaheim exercised Hasegawa’s $1.15 million option last fall. He has been a workhorse out of the bullpen, posting 95 innings last season. Should the Angels’ oft-injured closer Troy Percival falter as he did last season, look for Hasegawa to become manager Mike Scoscia’s first option to save games. Back to Top
Boston Red Sox
 Jin Ho Cho
Height: 6-3 Weight: 220 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Pitcher
Born: August 16, 1975, Jun Ju City, Korea
With an above-average fastball (91-93 mph), Cho could fit in most rotations as a solid #3 pitcher. But the way Dan Duquette has been collecting pitchers, he’s probably going to settle in as the #5 guy for a while. Back to Top
 Sun-Woo Kim
Height: 6-2 Weight: 180 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Pitcher
Born: September 4, 1977, Inchon, Korea
With a fastball that clocks in at 94 mph, and a curveball with excellent rotation, Kim could become the man to watch in Beantown. This right hander came to the United States in 1997, and in 1999, his strikeout-to-walk ratio was 130:44. Expect further improvement with a little more experience. Back to Top
 Sang-Hoon Lee
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 lbs.
Throws: Left Bats: Left
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: March 11, 1971, Seoul, Korea
Lee has been one of the brighter prospects to come out of Asia. In 1995, at the age of 24, he compiled a 20-5 record, along with a 2.05 ERA, to win Korea’s equivalent of the MVP award. But Lee has also proved to be a lively addition to the Bosox. He has a penchant for pulling pranks and once faked an arm injury to fool the media. After getting a look at his long, flowing, blond hair and dark complexion, Red Sox fans may mistake him for hailing from the beaches of California or Hawaii, rather than the streets of Seoul. Back to Top
 Hideo Nomo
Height: 6-2 Weight: 200 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Pitcher
Born: August 31, 1968, Osaka, Japan
The strikeout has always been the most important part of Nomo’s game. The 1995 Rookie of the Year averaged 235 K’s in each of his first three seasons. His deceptive, twisting windup – combined with the fact that he was the first pitcher from Japan to achieve success in the major leagues – made Nomo something of a novelty. Since then, though, major league hitters seem to have figured out Nomo. His reliance on his split finger pitch has led hitters to be patient and wait for him to throw the straight fastball, which they then proceed to hammer out of the park. (Nomo has been among the leaders in Home Runs Allowed the past two years.) Unless he can develop a third pitch, the Boston Red Sox will likely regret signing him to a one-year $4.5 million contract. Back to Top
 Tomokazhu Ohka
Height: 6-1 Weight: 179 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: March 18, 1976, Kyoto, Japan
While Ohka is one of two Japanese pitchers to begin the season in the Red Sox starting rotation, he is going to remind major league hitters of Cy Young award winner and staff ace Pedro Martinez more than he will of teammate Hideo Nomo. Ohka doesn’t have the overpowering fastball that Nomo has, but like Martinez, he changes speeds well and has good control and movement on all his pitches. There’s nothing left for Ohka to do in the minor leagues as he was dominant at AAA-Pawtucket. He must now prove himself worthy against major league hitting or eventually find himself a useable but journeyman starter like Nomo. Back to Top
Chicago White Sox
 Jim Parque
Height: 5-11 Weight: 165 lbs.
Throws: Left Bats: Left
Positions: Pitcher
Born: February 8, 1976, Norwalk, California.
Parque pitches inside in an attempt to control both sides of the plate. When he throws strikes and gets ahead in the count, he’s effective. He has a quick fastball and an improving curveball. Parque signed a three-year deal in 2000. But with no overpowering pitch, he may never be more than a # 3 or 4 starter. On a superficial note, though, this guy’s all butter. Back to Top
Kansas City Royals
 Makoto “Mac” Suzuki
Height: 6-3 Weight: 205 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Starting Pitcher
Born: May 31, 1975, Kobe, Japan
After recovery from surgery on his shoulder, Suzuki came back with a punch. In 2000, he had his best season ever. His fastballs reach speeds of 95 mph, and he has the potential to become the #1 man. Back to Top
Seattle Mariners
 Kazuhiro Sasaki
Height: 6-4 Weight: 209 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: February 22, 1968, Sendai, Japan
Sasaki is proving Japanese players can compete in America. Throwing balls that routinely reach over 90 mph, he is known for his diving forkballs and heaters. With time, this American League Rookie of the Year is expected to become even more effective. Back to Top
 Ichiro Suzuki
Height: 5-10 Weight: 175 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Left
Positions: RF
Born: December 24, 1972, Kasugai, Japan.
Not since Vida Blue last pitched in 1986 has a major league player had only his first name sewn on the back of his jersey. But Ichiro is nearing rock star status in Japan with his leap to the major leagues, so it’s fitting that he’s known simply as Ichiro. While he will never become a slugger, scouts in spring training have timed Ichiro running from home plate to first base in 3.7 seconds, making him possibly the fastest man from home to first in the major leagues. Not surprisingly, manager Lou Pinella has slated Ichiro to be the Mariners’ leadoff hitter. Back to Top
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
 Byung-Hyun Kim
Height: 5-11 Weight: 176 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: January 19, 1979, Kwangju, Korea
It’s been written that Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson once said “If you don’t like Torey Lovullo, then you don’t like baseball.” Today, it might be said, “If you don’t like Byung-Hyun Kim, then you don’t like strikeouts.” That’s all Kim does — strike guys out. He led all major league pitchers in that department, averaging 1.58 strikeouts an inning. His success could be attributed to his sidearm/submarining pitching style. But there’s a more obvious reason: thighs. Have you seen this guys thighs? There are supermodels who don’t have torsos as thick as Kim’s thighs. Pushing off the pitching rubber is as important to the success of a pitcher as his arm and when Kim pushes off, it’s like tectonic plates pushing up mountains. Back to Top
Colorado Rockies
 Masato Yoshii
Height: 6-2 Weight: 210 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Pitcher
Born: April 20, 1965, Osaka , Japan
Yoshii spent two solid seasons with the New York Mets but was traded to Colorado, which, with its mile-high thin air, is otherwise known as major league pitcher purgatory. Like many pitchers before him, Yoshii’s numbers got uglier, his performances got rockier and his confidence was shaken. On March 29, before the start of the season, the Colorado Rockies gave Yoshii his unconditional release. Because no other major league team has shown any interest in him, speculation is that Yoshii will return to pitch in the Japanese League, possibly for the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Back to Top
Los Angeles Dodgers
 Onan Masaoka
Height: 6-0 Weight: 188 lbs.
Throws: Left Bats: Right
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: October 27, 1977, Hilo, Hawaii
Masaoka’s fastball in the 91-94 mph range. But his mechanics are inconsistent and his release leaves him a bit vulnerable. Still, he has the athleticism. His success will depend on whether he can develop a more reliable offspeed pitch. Back to Top
 Chan Ho Park
Height: 6-2 Weight: 204 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Pitcher
Born: June 30, 1973, Kong Ju City, Korea
Originally signed as a free agent in 1994, Park has improved each year, and was given the Opening Day starter slot for the Dodgers this season. Rather than using finesse and control, Park has become a power pitcher with an explosive fastball that strikes out a batter almost every inning. He’s earned the respect of the major league hitters, finishing in the National League top 10 in wins, innings pitched, earned run average, and coming in second in strikeouts, behind only Arizona’s Randy Johnson.
It’s speculated that Park might not have thrived as well on any other team in the league. Los Angeles is home to the United States’ largest Korean American population, and early in his career Park was quoted as saying that the Korean American people of Los Angeles aided his transition to America. Even the Dodgers organization has noted the sizeable and vocal Korean American contingent when Park makes a start at home. Park’s popularity shouldn’t fade any time soon. His fans may even see him in this year’s All-Star Game. Back to Top
Montreal Expos
 Hideki Irabu
Height: 6-4 Weight: 240 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Pitcher
Born: May 5, 1969, Hyogo, Japan
Irabu turned in a disastrous performance in 2000. Surgery on torn knee cartilage and later problems with his elbow didn’t help him any. His 240-pound frame has proven to be another setback: on the field, he’s sure-handed but immobile. Irabu’s market value has plummeted. The Expos have no other choice but to keep him for another year until his contract runs out. Back to Top
New York Mets
 Benny Agbayani
Height: 6-0 Weight: 225 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Left Field
Born: December 28, 1971, Honolulu, Hawaii
During the Mets’ season-opening trip to Japan, Agbayani delivered a game-winning, pinch hit grand slam. Known as Hawaiian Punch, he is one of manager Bobby Valentine’s favorite players. If he continues his hitting streak, he should find himself with the starting job. Back to Top
 Tsuyoshi Shinjo
Height: 6-0 Weight: 168 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Left Field
Born: January 28, 1972, Tokyo, Japan
As a member of the Hanshin Tigers in 1999, Shinjo hit .255. Soon after, the Mets offered him a one-year contract with two option years. But this Japanese star lacks power in his hitting. And his batting average has been less than impressive. Expect to see this guy spending a lot of time on the bench. Back to Top
Philadelphia Phillies
 Bruce Chen
Height: 6-2 Weight: 210 lbs.
Throws: Left Bats: Both
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: June 19, 1977, Panama City, Panama
Chen, who is ethnically Chinese but born in Panama, was long touted to become a member of the great Atlanta Braves rotation of Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine. But he was never able to crack that staff and was traded in mid-season to the City of Brotherly Love. Well, there must have been no love for this brother in Atlanta because his performance after he arrived in Philly was exceptional. Finally given a full-time position in the starting rotation, he showed the skills that first led scouts to call him the best pitching prospect in the Braves organization. He won’t win many games pitching for hitting-poor Philadelphia, but watch for this 24-year-old to develop into one of the best lefties in the majors. In the future, except to see him alongside Chan Ho Park on the All-Star team. Back to Top
Cincinatti Reds
 Danny Graves
Height: 5-11 Weight: 185 lbs.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Positions: Relief Pitcher
Born: August 7, 1973, Saigon
On July 13, 1996, Graves became the first Vietnamese-born player in the major leagues. Since then, he’s come a long way, earning his first All-Star appearance last season. Manager Bob Boone will rely on Graves to come on in the 9th inning and close out games. The half-Vietnamese pitcher is often mistaken for a young rookie because of his boyish face. Back to Top
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