Phillies interested in Japanese pitching prospect with hometown connection
The reigning National League champion Philadelphia Phillies may be eyeing one of the more sought-after starting pitchers on the international market, Orix Buffaloes right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. However, while they were in person for one of Yamamoto's starts, the Phillies might have an advantage on their side, albeit a small one.
Charlie Manuel, ex-Phillies manager, World Series winner and former Orix (then BlueWave) player, provides a tiny connection to the franchise the Phillies are now trying to woo for the services of Yamamoto. It won't matter a lick when it comes to dollars and cents, but it can't hurt.
The Phillies, among other teams, took in Yamamoto's start Wednesday.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the 5-foot-10, 167-pounder impressed "over seven scoreless innings with poise, focus and athleticism and also with several solid-to-plus pitches — including a four-seamer up to 97 mph, cutter, curveball and splitter."
When picking the right person to represent your franchise in situations like this, who better to sell Yamamoto on the backing of the Philly fans than Manuel? When he arrived, he was given little chance as the Phils manager. He was often criticized for his "aw, shucks" style and seemingly lacked the fire many Philly fans wear as a badge of honor.
However, Manuel's day-in-and-day-out demeanor (and winning) helped win the Philly faithful over, and to this day, he's still a beloved member even more than a decade since he helped the Phillies win a World Series title. Understanding the environment you're entering and the expectations that come with it can be the difference between a smooth and rocky transition.
Being comfortable where you play is paramount for any player, but as with Yamamoto," dollars will likely do the talking. And there will be plenty of suitors if the audience for his most recent start is any indication. Per Heyman, among the teams on hand to see Yamamoto included the New York Yankees, New York Mets, the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers.
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