In our last installment, we took a look Kosuke Fukudome’s MLB prospects.  In this installment, we take a look at the arms coming out of Japan’s NPB, as there are quite a few that should make an immediate impact in the show and help bring the spoils of victory to fantasy owners. 

ON THE VERGE: Koji Uehara, Pitcher, Yomiuri Giants. 6-1, 188 lb. Throws R. Age: 33

Uehara is almost guaranteed to make the leap to MLB in 2008. He is one of the most recognizable players in Asia, mostly due to his success in the WBC and the fact that he has been the long-time ace of the Tokyo Giants, Japan’s version of the evil empire. A complete control pitcher by nature, he’s seasoned and should make an effective #3 starter on a major league roster (A caveat: they said that about Kazuhisa Ishii and Kei Igawa, too). Uehara has been converted to a closer by the Giants thus far this year–some suggest as a punishment for his future move to the states– but is most effective as a starter, which is what MLB teams will be after when they pursue him as a free agent. He can reach the mid-90’s with his fastball, but generally tends to paint with a high 80’s fastball, mixing in a splitter, fork, curve and slider. Good news for MLB teams: Uehara has done his duty in Japan, and doesn’t need any posting fees to sign with an MLB team. His stats in Nippon as a starter go a little something like this:

Year Team W-L ERA IP K’s BB’s
1999 Giants 20-4 2.09 197.2 179 24
2000 Giants 9-7 3.57 131 126 22
2001 Giants 10-7 4.02 138 108 28
2002 Giants 17-5 2.60 204 182 23
2003 Giants 16-5 3.17 207.1 194 23
2004 Giants 13-5 2.60 163 153 23
2005 Giants 9-12 3.31 187.1 145 22
2006 Giants 8-9 3.21 168.1 151 21

Uehara’s low walks and excellent K’s/9 make him an attractive option for MLB teams in a pitching-thin free agent market. He’s excelled in his role as a closer, posting a sub-1.00 WHIP and over a K per inning with a 3.86 E.R.A. In the WBC, he went 2-0, and led the tournament with 17 innings pitched and 16 K’s. Fantasy wise, expect solid but unspectacular numbers, possibly Radke-esque? You could do worse than Uehara as a #4 or spot starter.

Hitoki Iwase, RP Chunichi Dragons. 5’11, 163. Throws Left. Age: 32

Iwase closes for the Chunichi Dragons, and his 46 saves in 2005 set the record for the NBP league previously held by former Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki, and he followed up the next year by nailing down 40 saves with a 1.30 E.R.A., a sub 1.00 WHIP, and held opposing hitters to a .136 average. He throws a low 90’s fastball and a hard slider that reaches the mid to high 80’s. He has a 1.91 ERA, the lowest of any pitcher in NBP history with more than 400 appearances. Iwase is the highest paid pitcher in Japan and rumor has it that he has his eye on the majors. With set up men and relievers having the greatest success rate in the majors so far, don’t be surprised to see Iwase in a major league uniform in 2008.

Hiroki Kuroda, SP, Hiroshima Carp. 6-0, 187 lb. Throws: Right. Age: 32

Kuroda is a right-handed starter and is eligible for posting after the 2007 season. He is currently generating the most noise as teams line up to open up their checkbooks to ink the next wave of Japanese hurlers. In 2006, He went 13-6 with a 1.86 ERA and 143 K’s in 186 innings. Kuroda has exceptional control, averaging only around a walk per nine innings, working in a slider, forkball, and a ‘shuuto’ (reverse slider), which is somewhat like a screwball. He is mentioned as a #4 or #5 back end of the rotation type pitcher. Don’t expect major fantasy contribution, but you never know. Like Uehara, if he does contribute, expect the numbers of a crafty control type.

Others to Watch: Kiyoshi Toyoda, RP Tokyo Giants. Toyoda is a 36-year old set up man for the Tokyo Giants. He’s aged, but as the setup man for the Giants he’s averaged 11.6 K’s to only 1.4 walks per nine this season. He’s a free agent at the end of the year and could serve nicely as a setup man in the majors….

Masahide Kobayashi, RP, Chiba Lotte Marines. Kobayashi is a 33-year old free agent closer who consistently puts up nice numbers including an 8:1 K/BB ratio and 1.04 WHIP during the current 2007 season. Only the 3rd player in NPB history to reach the 200 save mark, behind Sasaki and Shingo Takatsu.

All Eyes on the Prize: Yu Darvish.

Darvish is the staff ace of the Nippon Ham Fighters who is supposed to carry the torch of NPB with Matsuzaka’s departure to MLB. He was actively scouted by the Mets, Braves, and Angels, as well as many Japanese teams prior to his signing with the Nippon Ham Fighters. The son of an Iranian businessman and a Japanese mother, Darvish’s career in Japan is a major media spectacle, featuring racy nude appearances in teen idol magazines and run-in’s with authorities for underage smoking and gambling in pachinko parlors. Throngs of female fans follow his every move, and one blog that covers him, entitled “Darvish Watch” has declared that “Japan’s new ace is a rock star with a little smile, piercing eyes, and a relaxed gait on the mound. His dyed-brown hair looks like flickering flames under his hat, and he has “it” out there.” (www.yudarvish.blogspot.com). Yeah. Darvish also has his own website, which I strongly, strongly recommend you don’t view if people whose opinion you respect are around you. You’ve been warned.

Oh, yes, baseball. Darvish threw a no-hitter at Koshien, Japanese baseball’s all important high school championship tournament that launched the careers of Matsuzaka and many others, and in his first two seasons he posted a 17-10 record with an E.R.A of 3.14. He struggled with command of his breaking pitches early on in his career, but 2007 has been a breakout year for him. He’s pitched 9 complete games in his 16 starts and as you can see from the line below, generally kicked arse:

Year Team G CG W-L IP BB K’s ERA WHIP
2007 Nippon Ham Fighters 16 9 8-4 128.2 34 131 2.17 0.82

Included in Darvish’s 2007 0.82 WHIP is an insane 4.97 H/9 and over a K per inning. Dashing good looks. Dominating mound presence. Metrosexual superstar marketability. As for his pitches, Darvish throws a low 90’s fastball, sinker, a couple of breaking pitches, and a kind of knuckle-curve. His youth and 6-4 frame indicate he’s got more velocity there in his fastball. Be still our beating hearts. Unfortunately for us fantasy playas, Darvish has years before he’s likely to be posted and will probably be a Fighting for Ham for several more years. But keep an eye out in case anything changes.

Kazumi Saitoh, SP Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. 6-3, 220. Age: 29.

Saitoh was Japan’s best pitcher in 2006, outperforming Dice-K and generating a lot of buzz due to his strange mechanics and excellent array of pitches, including a forkball that he mixes with a mid 90’s fastball, curve, slider, cutter, and change-up. His numbers in ’06 were super studly: 18-5 with a 1.75 ERA and 205 K’s in 201 innings, but his ’07 numbers have regressed significantly: 2-2, 3.27, 1.45 WHIP. Saitoh has only been pitching in ’07 once every 10 days due to chronic “loose shoulder” problems that have plagued him throughout his career and will certainly have MLB teams thinking twice before they drop big coin on him. Think Mark Prior. Not good. However, if Saitoh can stay healthy, he’s got the talent to make the transition to the major leagues. Unverified rumors suggest that Saitoh, like many NPB players, is actually Korean, but hiding as many players do due to an unfortunate nationalistic streak sometimes found in NPB. He is also well known in Japan for having an incredibly sordid and sticky divorce. Think A-Rod. Not good.

Data and player information courtesy of Michael Westbay at JapaneseBaseball.com and Baseball Prospectus.