The One Man's Trash Thread

[Carlos]

Your side must be killing you.

I usually have to explain the uncontrollable laughter that comes whenever I stare at a mirror.


Sent from my mobile device.

[Guest]

It's been awhile, but I know I had Joe Nazaire who was a 14th or 15th round pick and turned out to be a very good player. I'm sure he's still active.

[Carlos]

It's been awhile, but I know I had Joe Nazaire who was a 14th or 15th round pick and turned out to be a very good player. I'm sure he's still active.

He is and Denver appreciates his services very much.


Sent from my mobile device.

[Delandis]

Kazayoshi Maekawa (SS)

Selected in the 10th round in 1993 (#243 overall) by the Storm, the young Japanese standout's career in America did not begin well. He was first released by Mississippi the day after the draft. Maekawa was without work in baseball for the next six months. He was then called by the Hyundai organization and played a total of 11 games in Rockville (A) before he was replaced by a new crop of rookies in the 1994 draft. Kazayoshi was confused since he knew he had the talent to play, but no one gave him the opportunity.

It was nearly another year (Jan. 1995) before the Guides organization called Maekawa for a tryout. Impressed with his ability to place the ball where he wanted at will, Maekawa was immediately signed and started the year in Gettysburg (A). After a stellar half season where Maekawa hit .310/.396/.429, he was selected to join the Single A All-Star squad. He was promoted to the Bar Harbor Blues (AA) after the selection.

Despite Maekawa's success at the AA level, in 1996 Maekawa was sent back to Gettysburg (A) for an undisclosed reason. He didn't complain but was obviously frustrated with the way he was being handled by the Maine organization and did not play nearly as well as he did in 1995. Toward the latter half of the 1996 minor league season Maekawa was sent to Wilmington as trade piece for Cristobal Sandoval. Kazayoshi saw this as a new beginning and began to produce again at the high level that was capable at the AA level.

In 1997, Kazayoshi was eligible for the Rule V draft and was considered expendable by the Wilmington organization. He was selected 7th by Baltimore and started the year at the BLB level. So far this year, Maekawa has proven himself as a strong candidate for rookie of the year, hitting .349/.414/.434 this year. He leads all rookies (DL or IL) in a number of statistical categories including AVG, OBP, H, and WAR.

Thanks for the trash, Spectre!

[Matt]

I think this is more of a new owner getting screwed in the Rule 5 than Spectre throwing out the trash. Being new you really don't know who has value and who to take a shot on.

With that being said how does a guy hit .250 in AA then a year later hit .350 in the BLB? You're offense is unconscious right now and he's reaping the benefits.

[Delandis]

I think this is more of a new owner getting screwed in the Rule 5 than Spectre throwing out the trash. Being new you really don't know who has value and who to take a shot on.

With that being said how does a guy hit .250 in AA then a year later hit .350 in the BLB? You're offense is unconscious right now and he's reaping the benefits.

How did he get screwed? He had (and still has) a lot of good prospects and someone was going to lose out.

[tomr1962]

Ya'll can get ready again , seems half of my minor league will be rule 5 Of course if you really looking at some one make a trade offer instead of hoping to get them.

[Z]

With that being said how does a guy hit .250 in AA then a year later hit .350 in the BLB? You're offense is unconscious right now and he's reaping the benefits.

Yeah, I did not expect him to develop into a big league shortstop. He looked like a backup to me at the time.

[Z]

Spectre had Maekawa originally, but Wilmington is the organization from which Baltimore selected Maekawa in the Rule V.

[Jake]

Yeah, I got that right after posting.

[liquidcrash]

Thank you for pointing that out. I had almost forgotten.

Nothing new for me in this thread. Actually, one guy on our A level team is showing some signs- catcher Roberto Goto. I don't think he'll be anything special, but my scout is coming around on him and he's hitting pretty well. Undrafted in 93, picked up and released by Washington in 94. A long way away from being relevant in the BLB.

Update on this since this thread has been bumped back up. Goto has continued his move up my prospect list and is up to #26 on the BA Top 100. My scout likes him more and more with each update, but he's still in A-ball (for now).

[Delandis]

Update on this since this thread has been bumped back up. Goto has continued his move up my prospect list and is up to #26 on the BA Top 100. My scout likes him more and more with each update, but he's still in A-ball (for now).

Good pickup.

[Delandis]

With that being said how does a guy hit .250 in AA then a year later hit .350 in the BLB? You're offense is unconscious right now and he's reaping the benefits.

I meant to say this before but if you look at his OSA ratings, the kid is supposed to be pretty darn good.

[Jistic]

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_4804.html
SP - Jaap Ouwendijk

The 25 yr old Ouwendijk went undrafted and was picked up for a brief 2 game stint by the Mississippi organization in 1989 where he was uninpressive in 2 starts. He went without a job until we signed him to a minor league deal in 1990 and was brought through the system slowly where he got a little stronger every year.

He was a late callup in 1995 where he went 6-1 with a 2.45 ERA and a runner up to ROTY voting.

A slight sophomore slump in 1996 and now a strong return in 1997 so far.

Career numbers at age 25: 24-18, 3.68 ERA, 120 ERA+

Who knows if he'll be around for long with 5 top 100 starters in the pipeline, but he has some time to establish himself. Either way he's already come way further than anyone anticipated.

[BradZ]

(Copied from the BLB debut thread)


Sze Zhu (3B)

- Chosen in the 10th round by the Freedom in 1989 at just 17 years old, Zhu was terrible and obviously not ready to play as a professional player. Subsequently, he was cut the following year by the Freedom but, was quickly signed by the Washington organization. This signing was short lived, as Zhu was cut again the following month.

Without a job in pro baseball for almost a year, Zhu was signed again but this time with the Batavia organization in 1991. This period was again short lived, as he was cut for a 3rd time, just two months later. Zhu was again out of baseball, but in 1992, he got a call from us. Zhu did not disappoint as he put up great numbers in both 1992 and 1993 with the Orlando Blackbirds and after just one half-year of play in Camden, Zhu was fast tracked to Baltimore, where we expect him to continue his growth into a decent player at the BLB level.

I swear I'm always amused (and a bit shocked) at the level of performance Zhu has been able to achieve in the BLB. I check in on him several times a year. No star to be sure, but a very useful player. And to look at the organizations he ran through on his journey makes it even more surprising that he finally found it.