Tag: Foreign Interest
Buffaloes sign Freddy Ballestas to an Ikusei deal
by Gen on Jul.29, 2010 @ 12:53 am, under NPB
The Buffaloes announced on Wednesday that they signed 23-year-old Freddy Ballestas to an Ikusei contract worth 2.4M yen. They also assigned him the number 117.
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It’s official: Hiroshima signs Vinnie Chulk
by Gen on Jul.23, 2010 @ 6:18 pm, under NPB
7/28/2010 10:43pm JST
The Swallows held a press conference for Chulk yesterday at Mazda Stadium.
7/23/2010 6:18pm JST
The Carp announced today that they signed 31-year-old right-handed pitcher Vinnie Chulk to a one-year deal with 22.5M yen (plus incentives). He was also assigned the number 42.
Hiroshima is hoping Chulk will be able to step in as their closer.
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Hayden Penn signed by Lotte?
by Gen on Jul.22, 2010 @ 4:57 pm, under NPB
9:52pm JST
A number of reports are now mentioning that Penn signed a deal worth 18M yen (through to the end of the current season) and was assigned the 44. Penn is expected to arrive in Japan on the 27th.
Penn's signing was a move to bolster the starting rotation.
4:57pm JST
The Chiba Lotte Marines have apparently signed Hayden Penn as news of him being added to the roster have just come through on the wire. No official announcements have been made as of yet.
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Orix Buffaloes liking what they see in Freddy Ballestas?
by Gen on Jul.22, 2010 @ 3:44 pm, under NPB
Freddy Ballestas tossed a simulated game during Ni-gun practice yesterday. A number of the higher-ups (including coaches) watched him pitch and apparently liked what they saw. Ballestas is now expected to join the Ichi-gun roster for practice during the All-Star break.
Said club general manager Yoshio Murayama, "He's young and he has potential. I'd like at least one more look at him."
At this point, the team appears to be leaning towards offering Ballestas a contract.
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Hiroshima Carp interested in Vinnie Chulk
by Gen on Jul.21, 2010 @ 1:52 pm, under NPB
It appears as though the Hiroshima Carp are interested in attaining the services of 31-year-old righty, Vinnie Chulk (Pittsburgh Pirates organization). The two side apparently made official contact on the 20th and will begin negotiations sometime within the next couple of days.
Seems the Carp are looking for someone to take Mike Schultz's place on the roster.
MLB Career
| YR | Age | Tm | Lg | W | L | WPCT | ERA | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | WHIP |
| 2003 | 24 | TOR | AL | 0 | 0 | 5.06 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1.688 | |
| 2004 | 25 | TOR | AL | 1 | 3 | .250 | 4.66 | 47 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 56.0 | 59 | 30 | 29 | 6 | 27 | 1 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 248 | 1.536 |
| 2005 | 26 | TOR | AL | 0 | 1 | .000 | 3.88 | 62 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72.0 | 68 | 33 | 31 | 9 | 26 | 3 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 301 | 1.306 |
| 2006 | 27 | TOT | MLB | 1 | 3 | .250 | 5.24 | 48 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46.1 | 46 | 29 | 27 | 6 | 20 | 2 | 43 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 205 | 1.424 |
| 2006 | 27 | TOR | AL | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 5.25 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.0 | 29 | 16 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 107 | 1.417 |
| 2006 | 27 | SFG | NL | 0 | 3 | .000 | 5.24 | 28 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.1 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 98 | 1.433 |
| 2007 | 28 | SFG | NL | 5 | 4 | .556 | 3.57 | 57 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53.0 | 53 | 22 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 222 | 1.264 |
| 2008 | 29 | SFG | NL | 0 | 3 | .000 | 4.83 | 27 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31.2 | 33 | 18 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 139 | 1.295 |
| 2009 | 30 | CLE | AL | 0 | 1 | .000 | 3.75 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.0 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 1.667 |
| 7 Seasons | 7 | 15 | .318 | 4.33 | 252 | 0 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 276.1 | 275 | 141 | 133 | 31 | 108 | 10 | 189 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 1195 | 1.386 | |||
Current MiLB Career
| YR | Age | Tm | Lg | Lvl | Aff | W | L | WPCT | ERA | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | WHIP |
| 2010 | 31 | Indianapolis | IL | AAA | PIT | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 4.96 | 28 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32.2 | 39 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 147 | 1.561 |
Orix Buffaloes to give Freddy Ballestas a tryout
by Gen on Jul.16, 2010 @ 10:00 pm, under NPB
The Buffaloes announced today that they will be giving 23-year-old right-hander Freddy Ballestas a tryout. Ballestas spent 5 years in the Phillies organization between 2005 and 2009. He then moved on to play for the Rio Grande Valley White Wings of the United Baseball League.
The Buffaloes already have 7 foreign players on the roster right now.
Incidentally, it seems Hyang-Nam Choi failed his tryout.
Career Minor League Stats
| W | L | WPCT | ERA | G | GS | GF | CG | ShO | Sv | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | WHIP |
| 25 | 19 | .568 | 3.39 | 78 | 61 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 361.1 | 343 | 190 | 136 | 15 | 120 | 0 | 299 | 21 | 1 | 24 | 1546 | 1.281 |
2010 Stats from UBL
| W | L | ERA | G | GS | SHO | SV | IP | SO | BB | H |
| 4 | 0 | 1.21 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29.2 | 38 | 10 | 25 |
Marines on the verge of signing Hayden Penn?
by Gen on Jul.15, 2010 @ 11:06 am, under NPB
The Marines appear to be on the verge of signing Hayden Penn (Pirates AAA). According to the latest report filed by Sponichi, the team seems to think that they will be able to make an announcement of an agreement between the two sides within the next 2-3 days.
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Chiba Lotte Marines to nab Hayden Penn?
by Gen on Jul.09, 2010 @ 1:17 pm, under NPB
In need of some starting pitching help, the Chiba Lotte Marines seem to be going after 25-year-old pitcher Hayden Penn, out of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. According to Sponichi, the club is still in the middle of negotiations with the right-hander, but appear to be fairly confident that they will hand him.
Penn throws a 150km/h+ fastball, a curve, and a change.
Career MLB Stats
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | W | L | W-L% | ERA | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | WHIP |
| 2005 | 20 | BAL | AL | 3 | 2 | .600 | 6.34 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38.1 | 46 | 30 | 27 | 6 | 21 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 178 | 1.748 |
| 2006 | 21 | BAL | AL | 0 | 4 | .000 | 15.10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.2 | 38 | 33 | 33 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 2.593 |
| 2009 | 24 | FLA | NL | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 7.77 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.0 | 30 | 27 | 19 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 120 | 2.273 |
| 2010 | 25 | PIT | NL | 0 | 0 | 30.86 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 4.714 | |
| 4 Seasons | 4 | 6 | .400 | 9.51 | 33 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82.1 | 122 | 98 | 87 | 17 | 57 | 5 | 53 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 426 | 2.174 | |||
Buffaloes to add BC League OFer Francisco Caraballo?
by Gen on Jul.09, 2010 @ 1:00 pm, under NPB
It seems Orix Buffaloes were looking for another power bat and apparently found a match in 26-year-old BC League outfielder, Francisco Caraballo.
Caraballo has spent the last two years in Japan, playing for the Kochi Fighting Dogs (Island League) last season, and the Gunma Diamond Pegasus Baseball Club (BC League) this season. With the Fighting Dogs, Caraballo smashed 18 homers and drove in 76 RBI over 79 games (both league highs).
2010 BC League Stats
| AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SO | BB | HBP | SH | SF | SB | Err | GIDP | LOB |
| .364 | 37 | 140 | 35 | 51 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 46 | 27 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 27 |
Hyang-Nam Choi tosses a simulated game as part of his tryout for Orix
by Gen on Jul.08, 2010 @ 8:36 pm, under NPB
Hyang-Nam Choi pitched in a simulated game before tonight's game and faced 7 Ichi-gun batters and allowed 2 could-be hits. He topped out at 138km/h and tossed a total 32 pitches. Choi told reporters that he hadn't pitched in any game-like situations in about 15 days and that he was at about 70-80%. The Buffaloes are giving Choi a tryout that began on the 6th and will end on the 11th.