Cleveland Sports Forum

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BASEBALL BULLET-IN

TOKYO

Expect Hall of Famer Ryan to be a positive influence for Darvish

By WAYNE GRACZYK


Did you watch on TV that news conference last week introducing Yu Darvish as a member of the Texas Rangers?

Team president Nolan Ryan, one of the greatest pitchers in major league history, had a previous commitment and could not attend, but it will be interesting to see if Ryan will take a hands-on role in the development of the young right-hander as an American Leaguer.

Darvish may not go on to become a 300-game winner, notch more than 5,700 strikeouts, toss seven no-hitters, play 27 seasons until the age of 46 and gain entrance to the Baseball Hall of Fame as Ryan did. However, let us recall what Trey Hillman, manager of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, said in 2007: "In a few years, Darvish has a chance to become the best pitcher in the world."

At 25, Darvish would seem to be in his prime, but it remains to be seen if he can make the adjustment to the majors. That is where Ryan, as the Rangers CEO, could help immensely. After all, he more than anyone would want Darvish to succeed in a big way and prove the club's $111 million posting fee-and-contract investment was no mistake.

But, how deeply will Ryan become involved with his newest Japanese import?

According to an MLB source, Ryan has contact with all the prominent players. He may not speak to the players regularly, preferring to let manager Ron Washington and the coaches do their jobs, but he has a constant presence when the team is at home and frequently talks to pitchers and position players.

Considering the special circumstances of this signing, though, it is a safe assumption Ryan will have contact of some kind with Darvish in spring training. My guess is Ryan will check him out in the Rangers camp, then leave it to pitching coach Mike Maddux to make sure all goes smoothly during the workouts, exhibition season and the regular campaign.

No doubt Ryan will be keeping a close eye on Darvish and, should he see something wrong or that needs improvement, he would naturally step in to offer advice that would help correct any problems.

To be sure, not many players have a career as storied and as lengthy as that of Ryan. How many fans remember when, as a 22-year-old,, he appeared in the 1969 World Series for the champion New York Mets as a reliever behind the likes of Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Gary Gentry and Don Cardwell?

That turned out to be Ryan's only World Series appearance despite playing eight years with the California Angels and nine with the Houston Astros before winding up his illustrious career with the Rangers. He was already 42 when he joined Texas, pitching in Arlington for five seasons, 1989-93.

For Texas, the goal this season, of course, is to make it to the World Series three years in a row, and getting Darvish only reinforces an already strong pitching staff.

The deal is the latest move in a growing connection between the Rangers and Japanese baseball, and you can bet all the games in which Darvish will start will be televised in Japan during the coming season on NHK-BS 1 or J SPORTS.

Along with Darvish, the Rangers have three other right-handed pitchers on their roster with Japanese baseball experience. An ex-teammate of Darvish with the Fighters, Yoshinori Tateyama, is there, as is Colby Lewis, one of the best hurlers in the Central League with the Hiroshima Carp in 2008-09. As of this writing, former Yomiuri Giants ace Koji Uehara is still with Texas, having refused a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays last week.

TV news clips from Dallas and Hokkaido on the day Darvish was signed indicate fans in both countries are excited and ready. A Japanese camera crew visited a sports bar in Texas and coaxed a man wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey to perform a "Banzai!" salute in celebration of getting the pitcher on his favorite baseball team. A female fan said, "I think the ladies here are going to like Darvish."

Street scenes from in front of a snowy JR Sapporo Station showed people handing out a "go-gai" (newspaper extra edition) sheet with the news of Darvish officially going to the Rangers. The typical reaction from the freezing fans was they were sad to lose their star pitcher but will be cheering for his success in Texas where the summer sun often bakes the field with temperatures well above 40 C.

The Rangers open the 2012 season at home with a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox April 6-8. Then Ichiro Suzuki and the Seattle Mariners visit Arlington for a four-game set April 9-12.

Looking ahead, that mid-season heat in the heart of Texas and the five-day rotation will be two of the adjustments Darvish will have to make for success with the Rangers.

Will he come anywhere near the prediction made by Hillman five years ago?

It will be interesting to find out.

Remember Josh Roberts? Probably Not

Josh Roberts hardly made a blip on American professional baseball. That's a shame because the game needs more dedicated yet happy-go-lucky players like him. Roberts was one of the Indians' first attempts to discover gold in the outback, signing at age 16 as a very raw athlete out of his native Australia. He never panned out, but not for lack of desire. He still plays the game he's learned to love.

In 117 games in the Tribe system from 2004-06, Roberts hit only .210 (77-for-367) with four homers and 43 RBI. He totaled 34 runs, 13 doubles, three triples, went 10-for-13 in steal attempts, but drew only 39 walks compared to 96 strikeouts.

Roberts was tried at catcher, first base and outfield. He had little experience at any of the positions, but worked his tail off to try and learn them.

Roberts was tough as nails, but always had a sunny disposition. If he thought it would help the team win, he'd get behind the bus and push it to the next town. Indians officials finally decided that it would take Roberts, despite his athleticism and work ethic, longer to master the game than to push a bus from Lake County to downtown Cleveland. He was released at age 20 after the 2006 season.

Now 23, Roberts is back in his native Ipswich, Australia, playing both pro baseball and rugby.

"I'm having a good time, still," Roberts recently told a reporter for The Queensland Times. "At the start of the year you get a bit sore but after you’ve been doing it a couple of weeks, it’s not too bad. You get a bit of fitness from footy.”

Roberts is still doing whatever he can for his team. On days when he doesn't catch
Roberts is the Bandits Silver Slugger and Triple Crown winner (Ryan Schembri / SMP Images)

Roberts is Brisbane's Silver Slugger

The end of the Australian Baseball League season means the beginning of awards season, and the first of many honours has been handed out. Josh Roberts is the Brisbane Bandits winner of the SAM BAT Silver Slugger Award, given to the best overall offensive contributor from an individual player.

· A leader by example

Roberts led the team with a .308 average, seven home runs and tied for the lead in RBI with 31, making him the Triple Crown winner for the Bandits. He followed up his Most Valuable Player performance for Brisbane in the ABL's inaugural season with another extremely noteworthy year.

The right fielder ranked among the league leaders with his average and RBI total, as well as in doubles (15), extra-base hits (23) and total bases (94).

After putting on an outstanding show last year for Bandits fans, and continuing on the same path right from the beginning of the most recent season, the 25-year-old was an obvious choice for the ABL's first All-Star Game, which took place in Perth in December. Roberts was the MVP of Team Australia, after going 2-for-4 with a home run and an outfield assist in the game.

While Roberts' bat was potent all year long, the outfielder was even more dangerous at home. At the RNA Showgrounds, the Ipswich native batted .326/.347/.517 with four home runs, five doubles and 16 runs driven in, through 22 games.

From the left side of the plate, the slugger had a better average against southpaw pitchers, hitting .321, but his power came through against righties, with five home runs and 11 doubles, though he did notch more plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

Borbon bouncing back with Dominican squad

Rangers outfielder making up for lost time with busy winter

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 02/04/12 11:18 PM EST

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic --

Rangers outfielder Julio Borbon doesn't have time to look back on last season.

Borbon, who is playing left field for Dominican Republic's Escogido squad in this week's Caribbean Series, is too busy concentrating on the present and thinking about his future in the big leagues to reminisce.

The outfielder will compete for the starting job in center field against Craig Gentry and Leonys Martin in Texas when he arrives in Surprise, Ariz., for Spring Training later this month. His Dominican Republic squad was undefeated after the first three games of the round-robin after defeating Puerto Rico's Indios de Mayaguez, 6-1. Puerto Rico fell to 1-2.

The Caribbean Series continues Sunday with Puerto Rico and Venezuela's Tigres de Aragua squaring off in the first game of the day followed by the Dominican Republic and Mexico's Yaquis de Obregon in the night cap.

Mexico (2-1) defeated Venezuela (0-3), 4-2, in the first game on Saturday.

"There's no reason to put any extra pressure on myself because I've proven that I have the ability to get things done out there when I'm healthy," said Borbon, who is hitless in his first six at-bats in the round-robin. "I know what I can do."

The speedy Borbon played in only 32 games for the Rangers last year and hit .270 with three triples, one double and six stolen bases before a hamstring injury sent him to the disabled list in mid-May. He eventually resumed play, combining to hit .289 with 10 doubles, four triples and 16 stolen bases in 33 games for Triple-A Round Rock and Double-A Frisco, but another injury, this time to his left ankle, led to season-ending ligament surgery.

"Last season was a tough year overall, but the way I see it, I didn't go down [to Round Rock] because of a lack of performance, it was because of an injury." he said. "I missed a lot of time and it was particularly tough with the way things were going for me when I went on the DL at the start of the season. But I'm just going to look back and learn from the good things that happened and focus on the positives I was able to get done instead of the bad."

Borbon has plenty to think about. He spent the winter playing for Escogido in the Dominican Winter League, hitting .193 with four doubles and two triples in 89 at-bats for the league champions. He sizzled at the plate during the league finals, posting a .357 batting average.

In 2010, he hit .276 in 137 games for the Rangers.

"This winter I was able to get things done and it's exactly what I needed," he said. "I got some playing time and the at-bats I missed. It's been a long season, especially when some people call it an 'offseason,' but I'm happy with the work I was able to do and I'm ready to roll into Spring Training."

Borbon, who was drafted by the Rangers in the first round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, is looking forward to the competition for the center-field spot but is not going to change his approach. He says he has been in this position before.

"When I came out for the first time in Spring Training, I wasn't really a guy they looked at that year and I went out there with the mentality of giving everything I had," he said. "Things aren't going to change this Spring Training and I'm going to go out there and do the same thing, play my game and keep things simple. That's the best way to go about it."

Borbon could return to Arizona a champion. His Escogido team is seeking its second Caribbean Series title in the last three years. A team from the Dominican Republic has won the Caribbean Series title 18 times since 1970, the most among teams currently competing in the tournament. The D.R. has also won the title 12 times since 1990.

"It's been a great experience," Borbon said. "There's not going to be much time between the end of this and the start of Spring Training, but with all of the time I missed last year, I would say it was the best thing for me to do."

Jesse Sanchez is a national reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

CARIBBEAN SERIES

RD Lions defeated the Indians of Puerto Rico

Dominican Republic remains unbeaten in the series and still leads.

The Lions of the Dominican Republic defeated 6-1 the Mayaguez Indians of Puerto Rico to maintain the lead in the Caribbean Series, while Puerto Rico falls from second to third place.

The game in Quisqueya Stadium in Santo Domingo was held with the best attendance in the series since last Thursday. The Dominican team remains undefeated in the series.

To beat the Indians, the service was attended Dominican lefty Raul Valdez, and reliever Ramon Garcia, who kept the battery controlled boricua.

A delay of two hours in the night game due to a short circuit in the Quisqueya stadium lights, not appeased the spirits of the players and once again the Dominican pitching allowed just a run against their opponents, the Mayaguez Indians that showed a more erratic game .

Both the starter who threw six innings and the reliever who did not walk or allow a run, were the key to victory for the Escogido Lions.

In the first game of the afternoon, Mexico won its second game, this time over Venezuela, by a score of 4 -2.

With this victory, the Obregon Yaquis put their mark at 2 wins and one loss, while Aragua Tigers fell to 3 lost with three games left in the contest.

Venezuela scored first in the first inning and added another in the sixth inning, but it was not enough to win.

The fourth round of the series will have Puerto Rico on Sunday against Venezuela in the first game and the Dominicans against Mexico in the second game, giving the Yaquis de Obregon a rematch of their first defeat suffered at the hands of the Lions on the first date the affair.

Raul Valdez and Lorenzo Barcelo have been outstanding throughout the playoffs and in this series. Excellent pitching by both.

STADIUM OPENS

Jamaica plans on baseball

Kingston, Feb 4 (Prensa Latina)

With his first ballpark subject to international standards, Jamaica now aspires to begin development of the sport at a level that officials estimate will be similar to that achieved in athletics, cricket and soccer.

The Minister of Sports, Natalie Beita-Headley, cited by the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) considered that natural talent, hard work, training and support will foster the expansion of these disciplines.

The construction of the first installation Jamaican international baseball started last January 30 with government funding and purpose to achieve official recognition for international competitions.

The outfield will have a depth of 380 feet, 60 more than the required minimum.

Jamaican experts estimate that close comparison of cricket to baseball will facilitate the advancement of baseball, while Neita-Headley predicts that soon Jamaica will be recognized in the Caribbean by providing not only good players but also coaches.

The head of discipline at the Institute of Sports, Cork Donovan said that the initiative of developing previous projects failed because off the fact that this sport was not a priority in Jamaican psychology.

Cork told JIS that after conducting the necessary studies it was decided to introduce baseball in the program of physical education in schools and 34 teachers were certified to teach the discipline in primary schools.

Plans include starting a tournament next April 12 with pilot schools in Kingston and St. Catherine and to build at least three baseball facilities on the island with official dimensions at an early stage, along with a game plan of seminars and clinics.

Caribbean Series

Mexico adds second victory sinks Venezuela

Carlos Valencia hit a two-run RBI double and Yaquis de Obregon won on Saturday 4-2 against the Aragua Tigers in the third round of the 2012 Caribbean Series.

With the victory, the Mexicans put their mark at 2-1, while falling to 0-3 were the Venezuelans with three days left in the series.

In the seventh, and after Karim Garcia tied the game 2-2 with a grounder to the mound, the Valencia baseman hit a high fly to left that was lost in the sun and Cesar Suarez could not handle. Alfredo Amezaga and Barbaro Canizares scored on the play.

The right Rolando Valdez (1-0) scored the win by working seven innings, allowed only four hits and two unearned runs. No tickets granted and prescribed five strikeouts.

After taking two outs in the eighth, reliever Hector Navarro got into trouble tolerating singles by Miguel Rojas and Garcia. But Alan Guerrero forced a grounder hit by Suarez to the mound that forced out at second Miguel Rojas.

The closer Luis Ayala gave up two hits, but held in the ninth to get his second save.

The Venezuelans scored one in the first inning with a single by Adonis Garcia put the game 1-0. They added another in the sixth, when Suarez failed with a grounder to the mound, but Guillermo Rodriguez scored from third base.

The defeat went to Brian Sweeney (0-1) who pitched five innings in which he gave up four hits and four runs, one earned, with one walk and six strikeouts.

Sweeney was followed on the mound by Pedro Rodriguez and Pedro Guerra, who did their jobs, but the Venezuelan bats could not answer.

For Mexico, Valencia singled twice and drove in two, Sergio Contreras, singled and had an RBI and Karim Garcia, RBI.

For Venezuela, Cesar Suarez, 1-4, with RBI and Adonis Garcia, 1-3 and an RBI

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SANTO DOMINGO . -

The lefty Raul Valdes got the start on Saturday was dominant and the Dominican Republic took advantage of three errors to prevail 6-1 over Puerto Rico in their duel in the Caribbean Series.

Valdes (1-0) worked six innings, only allowed five hits, with an unearned run, one walk and three strikeouts as the Escogido Lions put theirrecord at 3-0.

Valdes was followed on the mound by the lefty Ramon Garcia, who was responsible for the final three innings without allowing hits.

The game began an hour and 45 minutes late due to an electrical failure in the Quisqueya Stadium after finishing the first game of the day between Mexico and Venezuela.

The Dominicans took the lead in the fourth inning when Andy Dirks walked leading off the inning.
Erick Almonte singled as Andy Dirks moved to third. Julio Lugo singled driving in Andy Dirks. Erick Almonte advances to 3rd on a fielding error by center fielder Jesus Feliciano. Denis Phipps grounded into a force out but Erick Almonte scored on the play.

Puerto Ricans responded in the bottom of the fourth inning when Luis Figueroa reached base on a throwing error by shortstop Pedro Florimon. Edgardo Baez walked. Luis Figueroa to 2nd. Jeff Dominguez was out on a sacrifice bunt, catcher Francisco Pena to first baseman Erick Almonte. Luis Figueroa to 3rd. Edgardo Baez to 2nd. Jorge Padilla singled home Figueroa.

In the fifth, Jose Constanza walked to start the top of the inning and stole second base. Pablo Ozuna grounded to pitcher Eddy Ramos who threw poorly to third base and Constanza score the third Dominican run.

The attack was repeated in the sixth inning. Fernando Tatis led off the inning with a walk. Francisco Pena reached base on a force attempt. A throwing error by third baseman Andy Gonzalez advanced Fernando Tatis to third. After a pitching change, Nelvin Fuentes walked Pedro Floriman and Francisco Pena moved to second on the play loading the bases. Jose Constanza walked forcing home Fernando Tatis. Francisco Pena to 3rd. Pedro Florimon to 2nd. John Lujan replaced Nelvin Fuentes. Pablo Ozuna grounded into a force out driving in Francisco Pena. Pedro Florimon to 3rd. Jose Constanza out at 2nd. Pablo Ozuna to 1st. Andy Dirks' sacrifice fly drove home Florimon to end the scoring.

The defeat was charged to Seth Livingston (0-1), who lasted only three innings and two thirds, in which he allowed five hits and two runs.

For Dominican, Ozuna was 3-5, Erick Almonte had two hits in four at bats, and Peña doubled while Dirks drove in one.

For Puerto Rico, Padilla was 2-3 with an RBI.

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Tigers lost their third and left dangling

The Yaquis defeated the Venezuelan group placed the Tigers on the verge of disposal

SANTO DOMINGO . -

The Aragua Tigers lost their feline instincts. The herd of Venezuelans were under control at the hands of the Obregon Yaquis and lost by a score of 4-2 at Quisqueya Stadium.

Aragua stung later in the first inning and Obregon tied the game.

The cats continued to question their teeth when three defensive mistakes in the same inning collapsed the possibility of winning their first game of the tournament. "I feel very embarrassed by the Venezuelan display because I am the manager and I am the chief representative of the team and everything falls on my shoulders, " said the strategist Buddy Bailey, who unloaded part of his anger at the media. "There is nothing good to say. I'll probably have bad emotions and that is why it is better say nothing. We played bad baseball, we gave away two runs and could not hold the advantage, "said the manager of Aragua, which has not been successful in the Caribbean Classic.

The offense for Aragua was still unable to exploit its timber, and today the defensive erred and left them with little chance of winning this event in the Caribbean. "do not know if the players are frustrated, but they must be men and maintain control and not be swayed by emotions" , poked Bailey who wanted to get his second title in the Caribbean Series. "I have nothing to say to them. just have to play better defense and start hitting. This was the worst defense I've seen by this team in a long time. In triple A they play better baseball , "Bailey closed before going to the showers with three defeats in tow and with wounded pride of a nation by the poor performance shown in the February classic.

New beginnings: Hisashi Iwakuma shouldn't face any added pressure in his first season with the Seattle Mariners. KYODO

SPORTS SCOPE

Iwakuma may thrive in shadows with spotlight on Darvish

By JASON COSKREY

It's doubtful Hisashi Iwakuma's debut in the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners will make a big splash in many locales outside Seattle, unless of course it comes against the Oakland A's at Tokyo Dome in March. Though in that case, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki will be the player in the spotlight.

Even if Iwakuma makes an appearance during the MLB's Japan Opening Series — scheduled for March 28-29 — he'll quickly be relegated to afterthought status as the hoopla surrounding the Texas Rangers' Yu Darvish reaches fever pitch in anticipation of his first start in early April.

That much is evident by the way the two were introduced.

Darvish's journey was documented from Japan to Texas, with his introductory news conference making international headlines.

Iwakuma, meanwhile, simply joined the Mariners' Fanfest on Sunday to little fanfare.

Wearing a Mariners jacket, he shared the stage with two teammates and made a few comments, with no signs of the hysteria that accompanied Darvish's unveiling to be found.

That might be a blow to Iwakuma's pride, but it's one of the few advantages he holds over his highly touted compatriot.

The adjustments a Japanese pitcher has to make in the U.S. are numerous, and it's helpful not to have to tackle them with half the world watching.

While each move Darvish makes will be broken down and dissected a thousand different ways by analysts in both Japan and the U.S., Iwakuma will be given more latitude.

Unlike Darvish, there is no presumption of greatness with Iwakuma, and no unattainable expectations to be forced upon him. He also won't be trying to live up to the pressure of a nearly $112 million investment, which is what Darvish cost the Rangers between his posting fee and contract.

So while Darvish will toil under the Texas sun, burdened by the weight of enormous expectations, Iwakuma can breathe easy.

He isn't heralded as a phenomenon. He's simply a very good pitcher who will be trying to traverse a gap that's flummoxed a number of his countrymen.

He's not even much of a financial risk. With a one-year contract worth $1.5 million — with another $3.4 million in performance-based incentives — Iwakuma could turn out to be a steal if his right shoulder is indeed as healthy as he says it is.

In 10 seasons in Japan, Iwakuma was 107-69 with a 3.25 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He's adept at inducing ground balls and will utilize a solid slider and forkball in Seattle's pitcher-friendly ballpark.

There's no question about his abilities, just in how they'll translate to the majors. But he'll be able to make that transition without the intense scrutiny Darvish will face in Texas.

Darvish is seen by many as a replacement for C.J. Wilson, a pitcher who helped lead the Rangers to back-to-back appearances in the World Series before moving on to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim as a free agent this offseason.

The Rangers have tried to temper expectations, but there's no question a lot will be expected from Darvish from the start.

He's been hailed as the next big thing by scouts at nearly every turn, and now baseball observers and fans are anxious to see hype meet reality.

As good as he is, it will be extremely hard for Darvish to match the hype. Even a solid season may induce a far-too quick rush to judgement by some — mostly by-products of unfounded comparisons to Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kei Igawa — where fans wonder aloud if the Rangers dug too deep into their wallets for the expensive right-hander.

Iwakuma, meanwhile, will be safely tucked away in the Pacific Northwest, in a very Japanese-friendly community, which may be a big help off the field, and away from the spotlight, save for the residual attention he'll garner from playing with Ichiro.

Iwakuma stole the show as a virtual unknown at the World Baseball Classic three years ago, and he could be setting himself up for one heck of an encore.

HISASHI IWAKUMA
MUNENORI KAWASAKI


BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Nine years later, A's and Mariners set for Japan openers

By WAYNE GRACZYK

Preliminary details have been announced for one of the coming season's biggest events in Japan — the American League's official opening games between the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics to take place at Tokyo Dome in late March, and it remains to be seen how many Japanese players will be coming as members of the two visiting clubs.

The Mariners and Ichiro Suzuki will meet the A's to start the major league schedule on March 28 and 29. The opener starts at 7 p.m., while the latter game begins at 6 p.m.

Oakland will be the home team for the series, and we will see if free agent Hideki Matsui re-signs with the Athletics to add further interest for the Japanese fans.

Free agent pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma, leaving the Rakuten Eagles, has signed with Seattle, and there is also a chance former Fukuoka Softbank Hawks shortstop Munenori Kawasaki will make the Mariners roster in spring training.

Both teams will tune up with exhibition games against Central League clubs in doubleheaders at the Big Egg on March 25 and 26. On the 25th, Seattle will play the Hanshin Tigers at noon, followed by the Oakland game against the Yomiuri Giants at 7 p.m. On the 26th, the A's will play the Tigers at noon and the Mariners will meet the Giants at 7 p.m.

The two exhibition contests involving the Giants will be sponsored and billed as the Ito Ham Pre-Season Games, and the entire event is sanctioned by Major League Baseball, the MLB Players Association and Nippon Professional Baseball.

All six games will be televised in Japan by NTV.

The Athletics and Mariners were supposed to have opened the 2003 big league season in Tokyo, but the beginning of the Iraq War in March of that year caused the tour to be cancelled just a few days before the teams were scheduled to leave for Japan. Now they will finally be meeting here nine years later.

Diamond Dust:

The Seibu Lions, in an effort to make up for the loss of infielder Jose Fernandez (returning to the Rakuten Eagles), have signed a former New York Mets player by the name of Carter, and it isn't Hall of Fame catcher Gary.

He's 29-year-old Chris Carter, a left-handed hitting first baseman-DH who has reportedly agreed to a one-year ¥80 million contract for the 2012 season.

Carter played in 100 games for the Mets in 2010, hitting .263 with four home runs and 24 RBIs. In six seasons at the Triple-A level, Carter hit 98 homers. He split the 2011 season between Durham and Gwinnett, the Triple-A affiliates of the Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta Braves, respectively.

Carter is one of four new foreign players joining the Lions. The others are infielder Esteban German and pitchers Enrique Gonzalez and Randy Williams.

Another newcomer to the Lions next season will be relief pitcher Micheal Nakamura. It appeared he would be going back to Sapporo and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters where he was the closer during the Fighters' pennant-winning years in 2006-07, but no.

According to reports, the 35-year-old Micheal has inked a one-year ¥40 million deal with Seibu where he should be competing for the closer's job, which was held in recent years by Americans Alex Graman and Brian Sikorski. Both have been released after playing in Japan for five and 10 years, respectively.

How about that, Alex Ochoa?

He's been named the first base coach on the Boston Red Sox staff of new manager Bobby Valentine.

Ochoa played five seasons in Japan, three (2003-05) with the Chunichi Dragons and two (2008-09) with the Hiroshima Carp. It's always nice to see the Japan connections maintained in the major leagues.

Semi-finally this week,
popular Tokyo Yakult Swallows mascot "Tsubakuro" made like a player and agreed to a contract for the coming season that includes his salary plus all the Yakult Tough Man drinks he can handle. The big bird is a huge fan favorite at the Swallows Jingu Stadium.

One of his trademark performances is to join in the post-game TV hero interview following a Yakult victory. As the announcer-interviewer asks questions and holds a microphone to the face of the game-winning player to get his responses, Tsubakuro stands on the other side with his own "mike," nodding his head as the hero speaks.

There is always something different attached to the top of the character's make-believe microphone. One night it might be a soup ladle, another night a toothbrush or a Magic Marker or a coat hanger or another surprise. Sometimes the hero player cracks up, and it is always an amusing delight for the Swallows fans.

Finally this week,
you may remember our column of two years ago about the Wendy's hamburger chain pulling out of Japan and how disappointed Kevin Hodges might have been. Hodges was a pitcher with the Yakult Swallows who led the Central League with 17 victories in 2002, and his "good luck" pre-game meal on days he was scheduled to start was a Wendy's chicken sandwich.

Now Wendy's is back for another go at Japan's fast food market, with the first shop having re-opened in Tokyo last month.

But, that's not all. Kevin Hodges is back in Japanese baseball, this time working as a scout for the Lions. He'll visit Seibu's spring camp in Miyazaki in February and work on getting foreign players for the team.

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Alex Ramirez enjoys a light moment with children at Narita Airport on Monday. The slugger has specific goals for his first season in Yokohama.

Ramirez arrives for camp

Alex Ramirez enjoys a light moment with children at Narita Airport on Monday. The slugger has specific goals for his first season in Yokohama.

Alex Ramirez arrived back in Japan on Monday focused on helping lift the Yokohama DeNA BayStars to respectability.

The Venezuelan, who spent the past four seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, said he began his offseason training regimen earlier than usual to be a difference-maker in his first season in Yokohama.

Ramirez, 37, has personal goals--he is 150 hits shy of the 2,000 milestone and 41 homers away from the 400 mark--but vowed to do all he can to get the BayStars into the playoffs with a finish of third place or better.

Papi points way for prospects at Showcase

Slugger explains ropes to youngsters from Venezuela, Dominican

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 02/04/12 10:45 PM EST

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic --

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz stood at the podium in front of a jam-packed crowd at Lolita's restaurant in the middle of the city on Saturday, and quickly realized that he was staring at images of himself from 20 years ago.

Ortiz was the guest speaker at a banquet to honor the participants in Major League Baseball's Venezuela-Dominican Republic Showcase for the countries' top prospects held during the last two days.

"I just wanted to make sure all of them understand their priorities when it comes down to being a prospect in the United States," said Ortiz, who signed with the Mariners as a teenager in 1992. "It's a lot of responsibility coming right behind you. You have to be sure that if you worked hard to become a prospect, you have to work extra hard to maintain that."

Held at the Mets complex in Boca Chica, 25 prospects from each country displayed their skills in front of more than 200 big league scouts in a series of drills that included the 60-yard dash along with infield, outfield and batting practice -- before wrapping up with a six-inning game on Friday.

"This is a true testament to the amount of talent that exists in both of these countries -- Dominican [Republic] and Venezuela," said Kim Ng, senior vice president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball. "It was fun for clubs -- executives to scouts to players to coaching staffs. There was a true excitement out on the field, and pride. All said, it has been quite a process for us at MLB in terms of planning and coordinating, and making sure people were at the places they had to be. So I am grateful for all of the staff's work."

Major League Baseball previously held similar showcases in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic last year. But this week's showcase was the first to combine players from the two countries on the same field. Representatives from all 30 teams were present at each day's events.

"This week was a great experience, and I was able to enjoy the moments but also do my job on the field," Venezuela shortstop prospect Luis Castro said. "I don't think we felt too much pressure. We just concentrated on what we had to do at the plate and in the field. We did what we had to do, and things came out the right way."

Ortiz greeted each prospect at the door, shaking hands and asking their names. He spoke for 15 minutes on the highs, lows and pressures that come with being a professional baseball player. He also briefed the prospects on what they can expect from life in the United States.

"This can be a beautiful career, a career that allows you to represent your family, your country and where you are from," Ortiz told the prospects. "With the help of the man upstairs, there are a lot of beautiful things that can happen. Anything you can imagine can happen, but you have to work hard and sacrifice.

"It's good, but it can be bad for some of the players. You need to have a good head on your shoulders, so you know how to deal with it."

Ortiz said education is the most important part of their development.

"English is your new girlfriend," he said. "Learn it. You need it like your glove, balls and bats."

Ortiz could have more speaking engagements on the horizon. More Venezuela-Dominican Showcases will be held in the future.

"We thought it would be big, and watching the last couple of days, it has been tremendous," Ng said. "David coming in was icing on the cake. It was someone the kids could identify with and hopefully, what we hope people realize today is that this is more of a partnership. It's really about advancing the game."

Jesse Sanchez is a national reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

With a win against Mexico, Dominican Republic remains unbeaten in the series being played in Santo Domingo.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic-

Francisco Liriano led another dominating pitching performance for the Dominican Republic and the Escogido Leones were placed on the verge of winning the 2012 Caribbean Series with a 2-0 win over the Yaquis de Obregon (Mexico).

The home team dominated the event held at Quisqueya Stadium with a 4-0 mark and ensured at least a tie with two days remaining. Mexico is second at 2-2 and eliminated were Venezuela and Puerto Rico with 1-3 records.

Liriano (1-0) struggled with his lack of control early in the game but still got the win even though he gave up four walks and pitched five scoreless innings. The left-hander gave up four hits and struck out five.

Jerry Gil pitched two perfect innings and allowed one hit Nelson Payano two-thirds. Merkin Valdez retired the only man he faced to end the eighth with an Aztec at third.

Jairo Asencio retired three straight in the ninth for his third save of the series.

The Lions scored a run in the first against starter Edgar Gonzalez. Jose Constanza negotiated a walk and stole second. He came to third on error by first baseman Barbaro Canizares and scored on a ground out to short by Andy Dirks.

The other run came in the ninth by Mauro Gomez. Mauro Gomez walked and was replaced with pinch runner Freddy Guzman. Guzman stole second and advanced to third on a ground out.
Erick Almonte grounds out to first baseman Barbaro Canizares. Freddy Guzman to third. Fernando Tatis grounded out driving in Freddy Guzman.

Gonzalez (0-1) was a worthy match for Liriano with six innings of two hit baseball, three walks and one run with two strikeouts.

Julio Borbon had two hits for the Dominicans. Francisco Peña and Pedro Florimón each had one basehit.

With a win, the Caribbean Series curse ended with a 7-0 shutout of Puerto Rico

After a negative start with three consecutive failures, the Tigres de Aragua (Venezuela) rose yesterday to defeat the Indians of Mayaguez (Puerto Rico) 7-0. Luis Antonio Jimenez singled driving in Jorge Cortes with the first run of the in the first inning.

Thereafter, the responsibility was on pitching and Yohan Pino, Marcos Tabata and Victor Moreno who met the highest level to strike the shutout for the Tigers over the Indians.

Pino pitched six innings giving up two hits and two strikeouts. In the seventh Tabata gave up two hits and Moreno pitched the final two innings that sealed the shutout.

Dirty tricks hurt the Puerto Ricans, who committed two blunders in the seventh inning and at that time the score was at the minimum 1-0 with two outs. Gustavo Molina walked leading off the inning. Luis Hernandez sacrificed Gustavo Molina to 2nd. Jorge Cortes singled but Gustavo Molina was thrown out at home. Miguel Rojas singled and Jorge Cortes scored. Miguel Rojas score after an error by left fielder Edgardo Baez and a throwing error by shortstop Irving Falu

In the eighth, Luis Jimenez singled after one out. Edgardo Alfonzo followed with a double that put runners on second and third. After an intentional walk to Saul Rivera, Alex Nunez grounded into a force at the plate. Luis Hernandez followed with a two-run double and went to third on the throw to the plate and scored on a wild pitch that put the game 7-0 in favor of Venezuelans.

The defeat went to Hiram Burgos (0-1) with five innings of work, giving up four hits and one run. He walked two and fanned six.

Puerto Rico's offense was shutout in consecutive games, with just one run in the last 27 innings.

The win puts Venezuela with 1-3 mark, while Puerto Rico falls to 1-3, with two dates remaining.

For Venezuela, Miguel Rojas batted 2-3 with a run scored, Jorge Cortes, 1-3 with two runs scored and Luis Jimenez, two hits and an RBI. Luis Hernandez had three RBIs.

For Puerto Rico, Irving Falu, Sergio Miranda, Randy Ruiz and Jeff Dominguez each had one hit the only hits.