Originally posted on 12/04/2017:

unless your name is Ichiro

Japanese players don't quite live up to the hype

maybe this guy will be a better version two way player like brooks kieschnick a decade ago

or maybe he can be a typical hyped Jap pitcher that has a 2-5 good years at the MLB level


Norichika AokiHyuga City, Miyazaki, Japan1982-01-052012ActiveJim BowieTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1965-02-1719941994Steve ChitrenTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1967-06-0819901991Yu DarvishOsaka, Japan1986-08-162012ActiveBobby FenwickNaha, Okinawa, Japan1946-12-1019721973Kyuji FujikawaKochi, Japan1980-07-212013ActiveKosuke FukudomeOsaki, Japan1977-04-2620082012Kazuo FukumoriMiyakonojo, Japan1976-08-0420082008Shigetoshi HasegawaKobe, Japan1968-08-0119972005Craig HouseOkinawa, Japan1977-07-0820002000Ryota IgarashiChiba, Japan1979-05-2820102012Kei IgawaOarai, Japan1979-07-1320072008Tadahito IguchiTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1974-12-0420052008Hideki IrabuHyogo, Japan1969-05-1519972002Kazuhisa IshiiChiba, Japan1973-09-0920022005Hisashi IwakumaHigashiyamato, Tokyo, Japan1981-04-122012ActiveAkinori IwamuraEhime, Japan1979-02-0920072010Kenji JohjimaSasebo, Japan1976-06-0820062009Takashi KashiwadaTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1971-05-1419971997Kenshin KawakamiTokushima, Japan1975-06-2220092010Munenori KawasakiKagoshima, Japan1981-06-032012ActiveMasao KidaTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1968-09-1219992005Masahide KobayashiYamanashi, Japan1974-05-2420082009Satoru KomiyamaChiba, Japan1965-09-1520022002Hiroki KurodaOsaka, Japan1975-02-102008ActiveMasumi KuwataOsaka, Japan1968-04-0120072007Kenta MaedaOsaka, Japan1988-04-112016ActiveHideki MatsuiKanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan1974-06-1220032012Kazuo MatsuiOsaka, Japan1975-10-2320042010Daisuke MatsuzakaTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1980-09-132007ActiveJeff McCurryTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1970-01-2119951999Keith McDonaldYokosuka, Japan1973-02-0820002001Masanori MurakamiOtsuki, Yamanashi, Japan1944-05-0619641965Toru MurataOsaka, Japan1985-05-202015ActiveMicheal NakamuraNara, Japan1976-09-0620032007Norihiro NakamuraOsaka, Japan1973-07-2420052005Tsuyoshi NishiokaOsaka, Japan1984-07-2720112012Hideo NomoMinato-ku, Osaka, Japan1968-08-3119952008Takahito NomuraKouchi, Japan1969-01-1020022002Tomo OhkaKyoto, Japan1976-03-1819992009Hideki OkajimaKyoto, Japan1975-12-252007ActiveAkinori OtsukaChiba, Japan1972-01-1320042007Stephen RandolphOkinawa, Japan1974-05-0120032007Dave RobertsOkinawa, Japan1972-05-3119992008Takashi SaitoMiyagi, Japan1970-02-1420062012Kazuhiro SasakiSendai City, Japan1968-02-2220002003Tsuyoshi ShinjoOsaka, Japan1972-01-2820012003Ichiro SuzukiKasugai, Japan1973-10-222001ActiveMac SuzukiKobe, Japan1975-05-3119962002Kazuhito TadanoTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1980-04-2520042005So TaguchiHyogo Prefecture, Japan1969-07-0220022009Hisanori TakahashiTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1975-04-022010ActiveKen TakahashiKanagawa, Japan1969-04-1620092009Shingo TakatsuHiroshima, Japan1968-11-2520042005Kensuke TanakaFukuoka, Japan1981-05-202013ActiveMasahiro TanakaHyogo, Japan1988-11-012014ActiveYoshinori TateyamaOsaka, Japan1975-12-2620112012Junichi TazawaYokohama, Japan1986-06-062009ActiveKoji UeharaOsaka, Japan1975-04-032009ActiveTsuyoshi WadaIzumo, Japan1981-02-212014ActiveKeiichi YabuMie, Japan1968-09-2820052008Yasuhiko YabutaKishiwada, Osaka, Japan1973-06-1920082009Masato YoshiiOsaka, Japan1965-04-2019982002PlayerBorn InDate of BirthDebut YearFinal YearMajor League Baseball Players Born in Japan