Wolfson: Twins Scouting Yoshinobu Yamamoto

[Seth Stohs]

 

Doogie Wolfson tweeted that the Twins are going to be scouting 22-year-old RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, "one of the premier young pitchers in NPB." 

 

[operation mindcrime]

I hope we can sign this guy when he's made available!

[tarheeltwinsfan]

That is an unusual whip motion with his arm. Do you thing his arm will fall off sooner or later? Can you compare his motion to anyone who in in the ML currently?

[Doctor Gast]

The ball seems to really travel. What is it clocked at?

[dbminn]

 

The ball seems to really travel. What is it clocked at?

 

I was curious too. I found this "legacy" webpage from BP that provides a full scouting report from two years ago. He was only 20 years old at that time. Good velocity, five pitches.

 

Here's a tweet with video from this year. Shows him striking out 10 in a game.

[Doctor Gast]

 

I was curious too. I found this "legacy" webpage from BP that provides a full scouting report from two years ago. He was only 20 years old at that time. Good velocity, five pitches.

 

Here's a tweet with video from this year. Shows him striking out 10 in a game.

Thanks, besides great stuff, his delivery seems pretty deceptive

[dbminn]

 

Thanks, besides great stuff, his delivery seems pretty deceptive

 

His split-finger looks mean.

[mikelink45]

I have seen big hits and misses with the Japanese postings and I have no insights.  If we go for him I hope he is the next big success story.

[AceWrigley]

Unique delivery, almost like a catapult. If he can change speeds and hit his spots he might be a good one.

[cardsfan]

I have seen big hits and misses with the Japanese postings and I have no insights. If we go for him I hope he is the next big success story.

I only know of Nomo being good for more than a couple of seasons from Japan and only with the Dodgers twice. Dice-k?

 

I wonder about Ohtani.

[Road trip]

 

I only know of Nomo being good for more than a couple of seasons from Japan and only with the Dodgers twice. Dice-k?

I wonder about Ohtani.

 

Quite a few more success stories than Nomo and Dice-K. Maeda, Darvish, and Tanaka got to MLB relatively young and have done very well. Iwakuma, Saito, and Uehara had nice careers as well, but didn't get to MLB until they were in their 30s so their careers were relatively short here.

[nicksaviking]

 

Unique delivery, almost like a catapult. If he can change speeds and hit his spots he might be a good one.

 

I was thinking trebuchet. Man, I really want the exciting young foreign player but eesh, that deliver while cool, looks like it's got to be really rough on the shoulder. Man, I miss the drop and drive power arms though. 

 

But I'm no expert, for all I know it's super efficient and that's how everyone will throw in ten years!

[DocBauer]

I'm glad the Twins aren't being shy about looking oversees after a couple of blunt toe moves in the past, but I'm a little confused here. I've done a couple online searches and I haven't found anything about any pending availability, recent scouting reports, or projected dollar numbers.

 

I'd like to think a winning ballclub and this FO and the presence of Maeda would put the Twins near the top of potential suitors, but I feel very much out of any loop as to his value financially or as an asset at this time.

[AceWrigley]

He has played on the same team as Andrew Albers in Japan the past 3 years. Hey Andrew, any insights?

[Doctor Gast]

When I said deceptive, I mean different & that some hitters might have difficulty to pick up on him.

Also his strike from CF, is he auditioning also for CF? if so he could be late inning defensive sub if Buck isn`t available

[cardsfan]

Quite a few more success stories than Nomo and Dice-K. Maeda, Darvish, and Tanaka got to MLB relatively young and have done very well. Iwakuma, Saito, and Uehara had nice careers as well, but didn't get to MLB until they were in their 30s so their careers were relatively short here.

Darvish did lead the Cubs with 8 wins, but, he has been bad after first 2 years with Texas. Maeda is in the BP in the second half of the season so good luck there. Expected more out of Tanaka.

[twinfan]

Nomo burst on the scene with his unorthodox delivery. Tanaka has been decent though not great. Darvish has finally lived up to expectations but we'll see what happens next. Maeda has been very good though had not been used that much until this year. Hopefully this guy is good and we can get him. As far as fastball velocity, I see where they say that Geratol (sp) whom we traded throws 100 mph but his ball doesn't have good movement. Speed isn't everything- especially now that many pitchers throw in the upper 90s. Hitters adjust.

[Road trip]

 

Darvish did lead the Cubs with 8 wins, but, he has been bad after first 2 years with Texas. Maeda is in the BP in the second half of the season so good luck there. Expected more out of Tanaka.

 

Darvish had an extraordinarily bad year in 2018, but otherwise he's been mostly quite good. A career ERA+ of 125 is not easily replicated.  

 

Maeda was among the top 3-5 starting pitchers in the AL this year. He'll get Cy Young votes, and would be a contender in many years but of course this year Bieber was otherworldly.

 

You are tough to satisfy I guess. None of the above are Hall of Famers, but every GM would be happy with the outcome if they signed an international prospect like Yamamoto and he then performed with Tanaka/Maeda/Darvish-like results.

[nicksaviking]

 

Darvish did lead the Cubs with 8 wins, but, he has been bad after first 2 years with Texas. Maeda is in the BP in the second half of the season so good luck there. Expected more out of Tanaka.

 

I'm pretty confident neither Darvish or Maeda finish outside the top four in CY Young votes this year. In fact, there's a good chance both end up runner up.

 

In fact you'll have to point out when exactly Darvish was bad, the only bad year I see is 2018. I count seven good years to one bad year for him.

[Monkeypaws]

 

I'd like to think a winning ballclub and this FO and the presence of Maeda would put the Twins near the top of potential suitors, but I feel very much out of any loop as to his value financially or as an asset at this time.

 

Let's hope Maeda was his hero! Maybe he got an autograph or something.

[cardsfan]

I'm pretty confident neither Darvish or Maeda finish outside the top four in CY Young votes this year. In fact, there's a good chance both end up runner up.

 

In fact you'll have to point out when exactly Darvish was bad, the only bad year I see is 2018. I count seven good years to one bad year for him.

Well, He had injury problems missing 51 starts from 2014-2016. Then in 2017 a losing record and lost 2 WS games for the Dodgers in blowouts.

 

Bad 2018 and in 2019 I know his numbers weren't bad but 6-8 as the Cubs lost the division.

 

His $20 million at his age, please. 2-5 in the post season.

 

Look at Maeda's 2nd half numbers which is why the Dodgers said get rid of him. He rarely starts in the 2nd half otherwise with that $3 million a year contract no team would trade him if he could duplicate the first half.

[cardsfan]

I'm pretty confident neither Darvish or Maeda finish outside the top four in CY Young votes this year. In fact, there's a good chance both end up runner up.

 

In fact you'll have to point out when exactly Darvish was bad, the only bad year I see is 2018. I count seven good years to one bad year for him.

Well, He had injury problems missing 51 starts from 2014-2016. Then in 2017 a losing record and lost 2 WS games for the Dodgers in blowouts.

 

Bad 2018 and in 2019 I know his numbers weren't bad but 6-8 as the Cubs lost the division.

 

His $20 million at his age, please. 2-5 in the post season.

 

Look at Maeda's 2nd half numbers which is why the Dodgers said get rid of him. He rarely starts in the 2nd half otherwise with that $3 million a year contract no team would trade him if he could duplicate the first half.

[nicksaviking]

 

Well, He had injury problems missing 51 starts from 2014-2016. Then in 2017 a losing record and lost 2 WS games for the Dodgers in blowouts.

Bad 2018 and in 2019 I know his numbers weren't bad but 6-8 as the Cubs lost the division.

His $20 million at his age, please. 2-5 in the post season.

Look at Maeda's 2nd half numbers which is why the Dodgers said get rid of him. He rarely starts in the 2nd half otherwise with that $3 million a year contract no team would trade him if he could duplicate the first half.

 

I know this has been pointed out several times in your posts before, but absolutely no one cares about "Wins" for pitchers anymore. It does seem odd that you discount all of his other fantastic numbers though because of his recovery from Tommy John surgery three years ago though. Darvish is one of the best pitchers in the game.

 

Maeda didn't make starts in the 2nd half of seasons because the Dodgers always carried 7-8 starters, putting several of them in the pen and rotating them. Or does Julio Urias stink as well? Every single team would trade for Maeda and his contract right now. He is also one of the best pitchers in the game right now.

[Battle ur tail off]

Stuff looks fantastic from the video I googled. 

 

I'm all for getting an arm like this in here. Will they do it? Or be able to? I doubt it, but I think it would be worth a shot. 

[Trov]

I bet all 30 teams will scout him, if they are not then they are not doing their jobs.  Now, if and when the kid posts for signing that will be another story if Twins put in a bid. 

[Dodecahedron]

Looks like quite a hurler, but unlike some pitchers it's not difficult to track the ball. I would not be surprised if better MLB  hitters would dominate him. Some hitters may be able to hit off of him with their eyes closed once they saw the trajectory...