Saturday, November 28, 2015

Kenta Maeda Wants to Come to MLB... Again


Kenta Maeda attempted to come over to the Major Leagues before the 2015 season and ended up spending the entire season back in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp. Maeda used his additional Japanese League season to post a 15-8 season and 2.09 ERA in 206.1 innings pitched and now wants to make a second run at the big leagues. There was talks last year that Maeda would warrant a $20 million AAV over five or six seasons and had multiple teams interested, if he comes stateside he may get more than that this time around.

Maeda's stats in Japan are good, but not overwhelming, and in no way should warrant that sort of contract. Maeda has thrown 1,509 IP in eight seasons in Japan and totaled under 175 IP just once in his career, his rookie season. Maeda tops out at 92 MPH on his fastball and like most Japanese pitchers offers multiple off speed and breaking pitches. Maeda went 11-8 for the Hiroshima Carp this season posting a 2.56 ERA with 154 K's in 179 IP. Maeda sounds like a right handed present day CC Sabathia, less velocity and more need for pinpoint control and pitching... not throwing.

Maeda's only saving grace is that he will be just 28-years old for the majority of 2016 and could be entering his prime just in the nick of time. I'm not saying I wouldn't take Maeda but he wouldn't be my Plan A or even my Plan D. He would rank behind David Price, Jordan Zimmermann, Johnny Cueto and many others at least.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)