Written by John Brooks

Fukumori Kazuo drew a few raised eyebrows when he announced he would challenge the major leagues and opt for free agency following the 2007 season. The past year was a frustrating one for Fukumori, as he suffered a season ending right (throwing) elbow in late July. The injury had troubled him for much of the year, making it difficult to put much stock in his 2007 numbers. 

Problem is, this has been a pattern throughout Fukumori’s career. He’s always been a sought after talent, but has now undergone two major elbow injuries that both required surgery. Still, when he’s managed to stay healthy he’s been solid, often verging on excellence, which is why he’s now able to draw interest from major league clubs. He throws a good variety of pitches, including a shuuto (like a reverse slider), a slider and a knuckle curve, that he has decent control with. Most appealing is his fastball, which despite topping out in the low 90s, has a lot of movement and often tails in toward right-handed batters (as he illustrates in the video above).

Originally drafted by the Yokahama BayStars Fukumori was initially used as a middle reliever, but also started 10 games. He showed promise from the beginning, posting a 2.90 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in 25 appearances.

In 1998, after starting three games, Fukumori suffered a dislocated elbow, and was thought to be shelved for the year. He did manage to come back late that year, as the BayStars ran the table. He threw 1 2/3 innings in that series and was an inspirational boost to the team. 

He had a solid, but not spectacular 1999 season, going 9-9 with a 4.27 ERA in 30 games, including 18 starts. His control fluctuated, and his H/9 rate rocketed to 10.24. To help fill the void left by MLB-bound Sasaki Kazuhiro, Fukumori was switched into a bullpen-by-committee and ended up saving 10 games.

It was in 2002 that Fukumori started to fulfill his promise and had a career year as the setup man for closer Saito Takashi. His hit rate fell and his K/9 rose to an astounding (for him) 8.69. Where did it come from? His ERA was under three (2.96) and his WHIP a repectable 1.23. At the time the BayStars were one of the worst teams in the league, and while Fukumori’s numbers weren’t horrible, (1-3, 4.50 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) the team finished dead last with a 45-94-1 record. It would be his last year with the team as he was traded to theOsaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. It wasn’t a good fit. He saved 10, but his K rate plummeted back to five and he gave up 53 hits in 48 2/3 innings.

In 2005 Fukumori was drafted by the expansion Rakuten Eagles and inserted as the team’s closer. He saved just 11, but the team only had 13 total. His K rate remained near five, but then…guess what…he was back up over eight the next year. 2006 would wind up being a very good year for Fukumori, as he saved 21 games and posted a 2.17 ERA in 50 games. As a result, Fukumori was elected to a All-Star game as a reserve and threw a scoreless inning there. He was also selected by Katsuya Nomura to play for the Japanese team in the annual Nichi-Bei Series, but the results were hardly promising. He was battered for a 19.31 ERA in 2 appearances. Fukumori had an up and down 2007, but struggled with elbow pain and debated sugery before finally going under the knife. He did manage 4 wins and 17 saves, his ERA did jump nearly 2.5 runs in 37 games.

He travelled to the U.S. in early November to have his elbow checked, and was given a clean bill of health. Fukumori will be represented by agent, Alan Nero, who represents Taguchi So, Johjima Kenji, and Iwamura Akinori. Indeed Tampa has shown the most interest in Fukumori and likely look to sign him to a fairly low risk minor league deal. However, the Royals and Trey Hillman have recently entered the fray, which could make the bidding more competitive.