Today is Hideki Matsui's 32nd birthday. Is it just me, or does that seem awfully young for Godzilla, arguably the greatest Japan-born position player in Major League Baseball history? (You like Ichiro better? That's fine.)
But it comes down to just those two and Padre speedster Dave Roberts (born in Okinawa) and any other "best of" candidate was or is a pitcher. But Matsui and Ichiro flanking Roberts? That's a fine starting OF. Now, can we fill out a complete roster of MLB players born in Japan?
Let's see ...
First, a note ... Six additional players were Japan-born but bear an Anglo name like Roberts: Jim Bowie, Steve Chitren, Craig House, Jeff McCurry, Keith McDonald and Stephen Randolph.
No Japanese-born manager has ever skippered an MLB team.
* indicates All-Star
STARTING LINEUP
C Kenji Johjima (.270+ in first season with SEA)
1B Jim Bowie (3-for-14 for 1994 OAK)
2B Tadahito Iguchi (.278, 15 HR, 15 SB for 2005 CHW)
SS Kaz Matsui (.265 through 2005)
3B Norihiro Nakamura (.128 for 2005 LAD)
LF Hideki Matsui* (.297, 70 homers in 3 years with NYY)
CF So Taguchi (.289/14/93 in 4 years with STL)
RF Ichiro Suzuki* (2001 AL MVP, ROY; .372 in 2004 with SEA)
DH Dave Roberts (.263, 158 SB through 2005)
PARTIAL BENCH
C Keith McDonald (3-for-9, 2000-01 STL)
OF Tsuyoshi Shinjo (.245, 2001-03)
ROTATION
RHSP Hideo Nomo* (123-109 through 2005)
RHSP Hideki Irabu (34-35, 1997-2002)
LHSP Kaz Ishii (39-34 through 2005)
RHSP Tomo Ohka (44-53 through 2005)
RHSP Masato Yoshii (32-47, 1998-2002)
BULLPEN
CL-RH Kaz Sasaki* (129 saves, 2000-03)
RH-SET Akinori Otsuka (new TEX closer: 11 saves, 2.89 ERA)
LH-SET Masanori Murakami (5-4, 9 saves, 1964-65 SFG)
RHRP Shiggy Hasegawa* (45-44, 33 saves through 2004)
LHRP Stephen Randolph (10-6, 2004-05 ARI)
More Notes ... Ignore the earlier "fine outfield" comment; Roberts, never known for his leather, is the DH as the bubbly Cardinal Taguchi takes the reins in CF ...There's not much of a bench, but much to my surprise, there IS a backup catcher, thanks to the anglo-named McDonald ... That's a really decent bullpen, and Murakami deserves a place on the team just for his trend-setting, though he makes it here on talent, too ... Who's missing?
