Yardbarker: Hideki Okajima

Guest Post: Minding the Hot Stove-Scouting Hisanori Takahashi

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:00:17 -0500

Today we have a guest post from Steve Sheridan from MLB Fantasy Prospects on Japanese pitcher Hisanori Takahashi. You can read more of Steve's work over at www.mlbfantasyprospects.com. Last week, Bobbie Dittmeier of MLB.com broke the story on possible Japanese import, Hisanori Takahashi. The 34-year-old lefty has spent his entire 10-year career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, or NPB, the highest level of baseball in Japan. While coming off one of his best sea...

Why Don't Losses Count Anymore?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:12:13 -0500

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP Click this if you don't get the joke. Browse more photos » Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-...

Sports Law Blog's Joe Rosen Signs Red Sox Reliever Hideki Okajima as Client

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:06:00 -0500

Congratulations to agent/attorney Joe Rosen, who has guest blogged here on a number of occasions (including in 2005 when he asked "Is NASCAR a Sport?"), on signing as a client Boston Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima. This news has been reported in the Boston Globe and Boston Herald, among other media outlets.Joe is the President of the Baseball and Media Divisions of the Boston-based Orpheus Sports & Entertainment, which he co-founded with fellow agent/attorney Chris Brown. Both ...

Red Sox Underwear For Sale, If You're Into That Sort Of Thing

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:30:00 -0500

Tired of collecting all kinds of **** related to your favorite player? Time to collect their literal ****, in skidmark form. Game-used underwear, people. Christ. A memorabilia seller has somehow rounded up undies used during games by two of your favorite Red Sox, plus Hideki Okajima. I don't know who would really want this stuff, but I'm guessing there's a lot of the same mindset as the people who buy used panties out of Japanese vending machines. Phil said the Sox locker-room cl...

POLL: Who should be the primary setup man?

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:48:39 -0500

New Poll Question:Who should be Papelbon's primary setup man?Daniel Bard: Closer of the future, setup man of present.Hideki Okajima: He's done it since '07.Billy Wagner: Throws lefty, too filthy for wordsIt's going to be a legitimate question heading into the playoffs. Who do you hand the ball to in the eighth?As always, new poll is up to the right...vote away and argue it out in the comments.Previous Poll Results:Who will have a greater impact in September?To my surprise, Bil...

Thank You Sir May I Have Another

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:26:00 -0500

I can only hope that, after last night's win in the Helldome, Hideki Okajima and Paps took Jacoby Ellsbury out on the town for prime rib and hookers. Because the young man's otherwordly snag of a sinking pop fly with one out and the bases loaded and the Sox clinging to a 7-4 lead, was a game-saving thing of awkward beauty. Watching the replays, I still can't comprehend exactly how he ended up with the ball in his hands when all was said and done. But I know that if it got by him, ...

Okajima's BABIP cause for concern?

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:21:25 -0500

Hideki Okajima, let's just say, has had the ball fall in his favor thus far in 2009. Okajima has only experienced low BABIP's throughout his 2+ years in the majors. And that "+" is this season, in which Okajima's Batting Average on Balls in Play is sitting at .235. Either Hideki is just that hard to pick up, still, or the balls will start to fall in. Because pitchers have a difficulty sustaining low averages on balls off the bat. It just doesn't happen. Not fo...

Dodgers To Target Koji?

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:41:35 -0500

Major League Baseball has informed all MLB teams that Japanese left hander Mitsui Koji will be posted beginning Thursday. Koji, who is 36-19 with a 4.41 ERA in his career, will likely draw serious interest in the majors. He played for the prestigious Seibu Lions and teams might turn to him in hopes they can land a "Hideki Okajima-like" reliever. Several teams will likely the lefty reliever, including the Dodgers, Mariners, Brewers, Reds, and Twins, among others.?
No word yet on how much posting will be, but because he is thirty-five, it will probably be fairly cheap, maybe 3-5 million dollars, with a two year deal worth about 4-5 million dollars. He went 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA in 23 relief appearances in 2008.?
This story was approved by MLB Rumors.

Hideki Okajima to run a marathon

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:41:11 -0500

Hideki Okajima is scheduled to participate in the Honolulu Marathon today. He's going to wear number 37 (his uniform number) and join 23,000 other people in the 26.2 mile trek.

I am absolutely stunned (and impressed) that he's doing this. Apparently I'm not the only one, as Okajima forgot to mention the marathon to anyone on the Red Sox staff. They politely declined public comment on the matter but "team officials" have mentioned that they are none too pleased. I mean, Okajima wears down during the season, yet is running a 26 mile marathon in the middle of December. Do you blame them?

When the race president Jim Barahal was asked about Okajima's participation, he had this little gem: "He's going to run it right-handed." Oh, I get it.. because he pitches lefty. Har Har.

*sighs*

Reason why Papelbon blew two saves?

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:57:31 -0500

Papelbon teaches Okajima how to play craps. Good times for all! I wonder if Okajima taught Papelbon how to play Pai-Gow

Red Sox relief pitcher Hideki Okajima adds a new pitch to his arsenal

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:09:41 -0500

Okajima has added a two-seam fastball to his pitch selection. This should be devastating when mixed in with his other pitches especially his splitter that should be around the same velocity but with completely different movement.

Okajima's Got A Secret

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:16:24 -0500

Hideki Okajima has a secret he's been keeping... a new pitch or two he's been working on in the offseason. Just don't expect him to divulge anything about them.

Pedroia, Okajima Named Rookie All-Stars

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 03:30:30 -0500

The Sox rookie phenoms Dustin Pedroia and Hideki Okajima picked up more accolades today when they were named to the 2007 Topps Rookie All-Star Team. Boston was the only ballclub with two players on the list.

Hideki Okajima in the Dark No More

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 01:35:10 -0500

"My name is Hideki Okajima, and I like Boston. Call me Okaji, please, thank you." While that may have been Hideki Okajima's official introduction to Red Sox Nation on December 1st at the press conference announcing his signing, the self proclaimed "hero in the dark" or Dark Man, made his real introduction to Red Sox Nation this weekend at Fenway Park.