Cleveland Sports Forum

May 15, 2012 , updated at 1:44 PM

MINIATURAS DEL BÉISBOL

Sigan a Cleveland, por favor

by Hector J. Cruz

..........................They lost to the projected center fielder Grady Sizemore, and still have not had Fausto Carmona / Roberto Hernandez, who as of Sunday is still waiting for the U.S. visa for his known record of falsifying documents...................

No Relation to Alfredo but this guy is pretty damned good also - Odrisamer Despaigne

Final West Division 2012: Game 5 - Mtz 1, Ind 6
Player of the game : The right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne axes Matanzas with his 4th win of the postseason 2012.

The Industriales went up 3 games to 2.

A total of 128.765 fans attended the three games in Latin American Stadium between Saturday, Sunday and Monday, where both teams continued their quest for the West title and its inclusion in the national Grand Finals of Cuban baseball 2012.

The fifth and most recent game was defined in the first inning with one out, one of the heroes of the current Industriales team, the cleanup hitter Alexander Malleta, hit a monstrous three-run homer in the first inning tipping the scales in favor of the Lions in a game where the offensive highlight was the heroics of Juan Carlos Torriente (of 4-3, 3 runs, home run and 2 trailers).

But the main figure was the pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne, which again looked superior, spacing 8 hits in 8 1/3 innings of action and extended his unbeaten string to two months. The final score 6 runs for 1, is one step away from the Industriales being crowned Champions of the West 2012.
Alexander Malleta's homer in the first inning was enough to win the 5th game of the series

Unless the fans start showing more interest and purchase some tickets this month, the 128,765 fans that showed up for the 3-game Matanzas/Industriales series may outdraw the Indians for the month.

International focus

DPL/ May 15, 2012

Baseball's international signing period, which begins July 2, is one of the most important dates on the calendar in Latin America.

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has restricted all teams to a $2.9 million dollar budget internationally in 2012; teams who have been aggressively signing players in the past, stretching their budgets and signing unlimited prospects throughout the International space now have to evaluate their appointed budget. This year’s signing class is as solid as ever but by circumstance it has made the signing period more strategic than ever.

With less than 10 weeks left until the signing period begins MLB teams have a feel for names on their target list throughout Latin America. Gustavo Cabrera rated #1 over all by MLB.com and Perfect Game for his athleticism, plus speed, raw plus power and plus defensive skills leads the July 2nd charge along with Amurys Minier, Wandell Rijo, Richard Urena, Frandy Delarosa, Luis Barrera, Natanael Javier, Jose Pujols, Natanael Delgado, Julio Delacruz, Deivi Grullon and Ronny Carvajal.

We will post info of our last event of the year; the upcoming DPL*Perfect Game International Tournament scheduled at the New York Yankees complex May 28-June 1st.

15/05/2012 - Updated 06:22 PM

Intrigue

It is still uncertain the return of Hernandez

05/11/2012 12:00 AM

The Indians still do not know when the Dominican Roberto Hernandez (Fausto Carmona) will obtain the necessary documents for returning to the United States. In turn, the Dominican manager of Cleveland, Manny Acta, remains in contact with the law. "We salute you" said Act with a smile. Hernandez continues to workout in Dominican Republic. He was arrested on January 19 identity fraud, years after using the name of another name. Since then the charges were dropped by the Dominican authorities, but Hernandez still need a work visa from the U.S. government. Acta said Hernandez's representatives initially thought that the matter would be resolved by now. "People who represent him were very optimistic that everything would be resolved soon," said Acta

Uncertainty

May 10, 2012, 8:28 PM

Indians do not know what will happen with Hernandez

The Indians still do not know when the Dominican Roberto Hernandez may obtain the necessary documents for returning to the U.S..

Meanwhile, the pilot Dominican Cleveland, Manny Acta, remains in contact with the Carmona.

Hernandez was arrested on 19 January for identity fraud, years after using the name of Fausto Carmona.

Although charges were dropped by them the Dominican authorities, Roberto still need a work visa from the U.S. government.

Lesson learned: Brad Penny's departure is a reminder that adapting to play in Japan can be challenging.

KYODO

Penny situation shows it takes more than skill in Japan

By JASON COSKREY

The reaction from some Japanese fans was vehement and swift when the news of Brad Penny's departure filtered out last week.

Fans besieged the now-former Fukuoka Softbank Hawks pitcher on Twitter, calling him "fat," a "fraud," and "the second (Kei) Igawa," among other things too vulgar to reproduce in this space.

Penny's career with Softbank basically lasted 64 pitches (and six runs — four earned — allowed), so it's hard to imagine he was even around long enough to elicit such a reaction.

Shortly after that outing, Penny was back in the U.S. nursing an ailing shoulder. He returned to the Hawks briefly, before asking for, and receiving, his release because he couldn't adjust to playing and living in Japan.

"There became a time where both sides decided it would be better to part ways," said Softbank reliever Brian Falkenborg. "He wasn't happy. Then the team was not happy. So they mutually agreed to go their separate ways.

"This allows the Hawks to move on, it allows Brad to move on and there's a resolution."

Penny isn't the first player to have trouble adjusting to Japan nor will he be the last, although most manage to tough it out at least until the end of the season.

That's the main source of the vitriol being hurled his way. Fans can forgive a guy who struggles, or has a hard time adapting, but have little patience for players who, for lack of a better term, quit.

Penny wasn't cut out for Japanese baseball. Many aren't. He had the skills, but if it was just a matter of talent, fewer players would wash out.

"It takes a lot of understanding," said Falkenborg, a two-time NPB All-Star who has played in Japan since 2009 after parts of six seasons in MLB.

"This is a baseball culture and a culture that does things slightly differently. Not better than America, not worse than America. Just different."

NPB teams can get a general idea about a player's skill set, but it's almost impossible to know how he'll react to a new environment.

"Nobody can project who's going to like it, who's not going to like it," Falkenborg said.

"My experience in Japan could've been completely different if I had played for a different team. Different manager, different system, it could've made me miserable. A different city could've made me miserable, being sent down to the minors for three months in Fukuoka could've made me miserable.

"There are so many factors that go into whether or not somebody is successful or not successful and whether or not they enjoy it or don't enjoy it."

Alex Ramirez, who has won a pair of Central League MVP awards and is in his 12th year in Japan, has always told first-timers to forget what they learned in the U.S.

That's a hard lesson for many. Some adjust, some don't.

It takes mental toughness, patience and an open mind to thrive in Japan. Players have to adjust to little differences in the game, the clubhouse atmosphere, the language, the food, the living conditions, the travel conditions and the list goes on and on.

"It's always something different with everybody that comes over here and doesn't like it," said Falkenborg. "Some people don't like the fact they can't go out in their city and just go to any restaurant and order food because they don't have an English menu. In Fukuoka some people are very concerned about driving.

"Baseball-wise, things are done differently and it's just hard for some people to understand that."

There is a long list of players who couldn't handle life in Japan, went through the motions, got their check and hopped the first plane out once their obligation was fulfilled. Then there is the group with the ability to adapt and the fortitude to stick with it.

Penny's greatest failing is he falls into neither of those categories. Things got tough, and he cut and run. In his wake, he's shown again that it often takes more than talent to make a smooth transition into Japanese baseball.

"You have to jump into the deep end," Falkenborg said. "There's no, 'well let's just go over there for a little bit and find out.' It's just one of those things where you have to go all in and dedicate yourself to the game just like you would in America. Whatever happens when you get over here happens."

Join the club: Atsunori Inaba hits an RBI single to right to record the 2,000th hit of his career on Saturday in Sendai.

KYODO

SPORTS SCOPE

Inaba, Miyamoto reach greatness despite first-round snub

By JASON COSKREY

When Kensuke Tanaka and Sho Nakata both apologized to Atsunori Inaba after recording outs that denied the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters veteran a shot at reaching the 2,000-hit milestone last Thursday at Tokyo Dome, Inaba knew he had to get things done quickly.

So he did, carving out a little slice of NPB history in his very next at-bat, on Saturday in Sendai against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, with an RBI single that made him one of only 39 players to reach 2,000 hits in Japan.

Soon he'll share that distinction with Tokyo Yakult Swallows infielder Shinya Miyamoto, who with 1,996 hits is poised to soon become the 40th to 2,000.

It's fitting the pair will, barring injury, join the Meikyukai, or Golden Players club, in the same season. They may have taken differing routes to the achievement, but the decorated veterans began their journey in the same place, with the Yakult Swallows.

Unless there was a crystal ball involved, there's no way the Swallows knew what they had on their hands during the 1994 draft.

But that's the funny thing about drafting players. No matter how much you think you know, the whole thing is essentially just one big crapshoot. Quite a few players pegged for greatness flame out, while other prospects, thought of as little more than warm bodies, end up in the Hall of Fame.

The supposed can't-miss players are generally drafted early, and in 1994 pitcher Tetsuya Kitagawa was the Swallows' first choice. Yakult selected Miyamoto in the second round and grabbed Inaba in the third.

Kitagawa retired in 1999 with four career wins and a 5.18 ERA. Miyamoto, meanwhile, is in his 18th season and has a career average of .283 and eight gold gloves. Inaba has been even better, with a career average of .291 to go along with 249 home runs and 977 RBIs.

Between them, Miyamoto and Inaba have been apart of four Japan Series winning teams — three as teammates with Yakult in 1995, 1997, and 2001 and then Inaba's triumph with the Fighters in 2006. They were also members of Japan's triumphant 2006 World Baseball Classic squad.

Inaba won the WBC a second time in 2009, while Miyamoto is the owner of an Olympic bronze medal, won at the 2004 Games.

Of course, there was no way to know any of that in 1994. Back then no team would even use a first-round selection on them, and Inaba, who has had the more prolific career, had to wait until the third round.

Looking back, the only first-rounder to make a major impact over the years was Kenji Johjima, selected by the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, though Saburo Omura chosen by the Chiba Lotte Marines, has had a productive career.

An incredible work ethic propelled Miyamoto and Inaba to new heights, and reaching 2,000 hits will help put their careers into perspective.

It's one thing to hang on for as long as they have, but to continue to be viable long enough to reach these heights is something few players do.

Inaba deserved the cheers that came his way on Saturday and Miyamoto will have paid his dues for his spot in the sun when his time comes.

They began their careers together 18 years ago and now, likely no more than a week or two apart, they'll each take a big step toward cementing a positive legacy in the game.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

SPORTS SCOPE

Mental toughness will be key for Darvish

KYODO

By JASON COSKREY

As was the case with his debut, there was a wealth of both good and bad things to be gleaned from Yu Darvish's second major league start.

He only allowed one earned run — after yielding five in his debut — on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, though not without a big assist from reliever Robbie Ross, who inherited and cleaned up Darvish's bases-loaded mess in the sixth inning.

Darvish again threw himself into trouble at times, but he showed great poise in extricating himself from troublesome situations relatively unscathed.

His command remained somewhat erratic and he threw 15 first-pitch strikes and drew only nine swinging strikes from the 30 batters he faced. Forty-two of Darvish's 102 pitches were balls, and he walked four batters for the second straight game — something he hadn't done since early in the 2010 season in Japan.

It's still far, far too early to make any judgements about the path his career will take in MLB.

As Darvish acclimates himself to MLB's tighter strike zones, he'll figure out how to get more calls on the edges and how to be more effective going inside against lefties, while getting used to the ball may help alleviate some control issues and so forth.

After one start, he'd already tweaked his windup (which he rarely used in NPB), beginning his motion on Saturday with his hands around chin-level as opposed to bringing them above his head as he did in his first start.

There will be more changes to come, but the most important adjustment Darvish has to make won't be so readily visible.

Because how Darvish reacts mentally to adversity will likely go a long way toward determining how fondly the Texas Rangers look back at their $110 million-plus investment six years from now.

In Japan, Darvish was the big fish and everyone knew it. He brought a level of intimidation with him to the mound, and for hitters failure was often a self-fulfilling prophecy.

While with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in NPB, Darvish could leave a batter looking at an impossibly-placed strike or simply blow something by him, seemingly on a whim.

Command caught up with freakish talent in 2007, when Darvish won the first of his two Pacific League MVP Awards by going 15-5 with a 1.82 ERA and 210 strikeouts. From 2007 on, Darvish didn't end a season with an ERA above 1.88, a walk rate higher than 2.23 or a strikeout rate below 8.26.

Now the tables have turned. Darvish is the new kid on the block, and the bullies in his new neighborhood are bigger and badder.

One of the guys: Yu Darvish will have to adjust more than just his mechanics to succeed in Major League Baseball.

KYODO

He's no longer going to always be the best player on the field and immense talent alone won't always push him through to the next inning.

Which is how he wanted it. He went to MLB because he wanted the challenge of facing the best, of jumping in the deep-end of the pool. MLB is deeper than NPB, there are 18 more teams to scout and more good players to go around. That can create a fair amount of adversity for any player.

Darvish has never been short on confidence, even bordering on cockiness at times, and his mental fortitude will be essential.

The real litmus test comes if it takes a few more starts for him to reign in his control issues, or if a bad stretch leads to "boos" instead of "Yuuus" from fans in America's what-have-you-done-for-me-lately sports culture. Fans who automatically expect their high-priced acquisition to deliver the world on a silver platter with no questions asked.

That can weigh on a young pitcher, never mind one adjusting to a new language, culture and league. Some players have thrived under similar pressure, while others have been bogged down by it.

If Darvish doesn't have the mental moxie to overcome the coming challenges, he'll sink.

Darvish has all the physical tools, the smarts and the repertoire to succeed in the majors.

If he's also really as mentally strong as he seemed during his years in Japan, then the Rangers and their fans may soon begin to get their money's worth.

Granma facing elimination at home, surrendered a run in the first to Ciego de Avila. Granma tied the game at 1-1 in their home half of the first. Avila went ahead in the top of the second scoring once to take a 2-1 lead. They had runners on second and third with no outs but could only score the one run. Granma came back in the home half of the second and scored twice to take a 3-2 lead. Game heading to the third.

Man! These pitchers take forever between pitches. The old cat and mouse game. This game is better than two hours old and they just completed the fourth inning. Ciego de Avila tied the game at 3-3. Granma just scored twice to take a 5-3 lead. This game is just heading into the fifth inning.

Ciego de Avila just hit Granma with a 4 spot in the top of the 7th to take a 7-5 lead. Stretch time for Granma looking for a miracle in the next three inning to stave off elimination. The game is better than three hours old now.

Avila adds another run in the top of the 8th to take an 8-5 lead. The heart of the Granma order coming up. Last chance for the Stallions to make a final charge.

Granma with a three spot in the home half of the 8th ties the game at 8 run each.