The Orioles are very busy in the Asian market this year. Just hours ago they agreed to terms with Japanese lefty Tsuyoshi Wada. Wada is considered to be the second or third best Japanese starter, behind Yu Darvish, who is coming to the major leagues this season. Wada is projected to be a Dallas Braden like #2-#3 starter with a 86-87 mph fastball, a good circle change, and a solid slider. In 2011 he posted a 1.51 ERA w/ 8.2 K/9 and a 1.9 BB/9 in 184 IP. The update on him can be found at MLB Trade Rumors.
The Orioles are also said to be interested in Wei-Yin Chen. Chen is also projected to be the second or third best Japanese starter coming over this season. Most believe that Chen is the better pitcher between him and Wada. He will likely require more money to sign than Wada will. If Chen can be signed, I expect the two new Japanese starters to be the 2nd and 3rd best starters the Orioles have this season. Both project to be better than Jeremy Guthrie, for comparison.
A few weeks ago it was reported that the Orioles were very close to Korean relief pitcher Chong Tae-Hyon. Today Chong decided that he will not come to the majors, but has instead signed with the Lotte Giants. That report can be found here.
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well… that seems to be some good news.
It certainly changes the rotation. Wada projects to be the current long term #2-#3 guy behind Matusz and Britton.
no matusz some are saying he might not be with the team much longer
Who is some?
I dont buy that. People need to stop giving up on a 23 year old who’s only played 2 seasons. He wasn’t supposed to have peaked by now. Give him some time he’s still going to be elite. He’s not going anywhere.
http://baltimoresportsreport.tumblr.com/post/14173812956/so-i-know-markakis-will-not-be-giving-up-his
There we go again… An Oriole fan saying a guy (Matusz… 16 wins & 23 losses with a 5.53 ERA for his career) who went backwards big time last year (1-9) is going to be “Elite”… Some people never learn… 14 years of futility… How many more years before one learns…
Don’t give up on Billy Rowell (23 years old), Brandon Snyder (25 years old), and Matt Hobgood (22 years old) yet… They are still young and the Orioles projected them as “Elite” when they drafted them…
Mark, I like you buddy but the over-hyping of Oriole players is just too much when there is nothing to back up words like “Elite”, etc…
Intimidator I really like and appreciate your constant commenting actually. But I think you have a bit to learn about potential and upside. As I said, you can’t say Matusz will be a bust because he hasn’t performed in his first 2 seasons. He really shouldn’t have even been in the majors yet, but the Orioles were in a position where they had to rush all their prospects to the big leagues. Because of that he struggled. You know who else was in the same situation and struggled? Almost every young pitcher in the game. Including everyone for the Tigers and Rays, who both eventually went to the World Series. Matusz was a top 4 pick in the MLB draft and was drafted that high for a reason. He was the very first pitcher taken out of his draft class. Other top picks in the past have had the same results and still turned out to be fine. I could seriously waste time and look up dozens of names if I really needed to. It certainly didn’t help that Matusz had to deal with nagging injuries, while playing for a bad team, in a tough division. But don’t worry, you’ll see sooner than later. I guarantee Matusz becomes an ace in this league. And anyone who plays fantasy baseball needs to continue to draft him at a low cost. He will put it all together quickly like Mat Latos and Clayton Kershaw did.
When are they going after Cheech Marin ?
Too bad they lost out on Chong , they could have had cheech and chong…….chowman would have loved this , those foreigners stick together because no one can understand them…………..