Kawakami Arrives - Spring Training 2009

The great Kenshin Kawakami, our new beloved Bravo has arrived in the USA after spending his entire major league career with the Chunichi team in Japan.

This is the first picture of the great man at the Braves "Dark Star" training ground (courtesy of http://www.ajc.com/).

We look forward to seeing this great man crush the MLB opposition with his mix of cutter, fastball, 12-6 curveball and exotic "shuto".

"Shake and Bake"

Glavine / Kawakami for 4-5 Spots, No OHMAN

The decision, it appears, is that the Bravos will be jettisoning "The Dude" in favor of haggling with HOF calibre superstar Tommy Glavine after an opening $1.8-$3M bid for his services in 09'.

Let us look at what we think will happen and why.

1. Atlanta will sign Glavine for somewhere in the range $3.3-4.6M (including incentives) for 1 year. I expect Glavine will be our 4th starter ahead of Kawakami until our Japanese hero gets used to the big time.

2. Will Ohman will be bid bye-byes, sadly for those "Big Lebowski" fans amongst us. Yes I admit to being a huge "Dude", "Ohman" and Coen Brothers fan; not to mention also that Jeff Bridges is my favorite actor (go see Starman folks, you will understand why).

3. Jorge Campillo, with that nasty-smasty change up (which lefties hate) and JoJo (Lefty) Reyes will be sent to the bull-pen and one or both will also platoon with Kawakami as 5th starter in case Kenshin tires post July.

4. We will trade some pitching and maybe a more minor prospect somewhere for a hitter, at this time probablyfor the Yankees Swisher (god knows why as I think he sucks) but that is the word on Bravo Street. Also, why did those idiots sign him (Swisher) knowing they would pay a bazillion for the highly over-rated over-paid overly self-righteous TEXEIRA (boo).

5. The rotation on starting day will be;

1. Derek Lowe - he of the nasty sinker and devastating finish to 2008
2. Javier Vazquez - he of the most MLB strikeouts since 2005
3. Jair Jurrjens - he of the 13 win rookie season who many have compared to a former HOF calibre Bravo (Mad dog)
4. Tom Glavine - he of the 305 wins and gutsy gutsy attitude
5. Kenshin Kawakami - he of the nasty cutter and 12/6 curveball

Now that is a great rotation if ever I have seen one, not one at any one position (except Lowe) that will make hitters terrified but one ACROSS THE BOARD that will grind down opposition offences.

If we translate Vazquez to pitchers park with his "stuff" we will see a 15+ winner with many many Ks. In fact outside of possible Lincecum and Santana, I expect Javier to head NL strikeouts in 2009.

Why Should We Pay for Tommy?

Glavine is a renowned warrior, a modern day gladiator who has battled injury and until 2008, he famously had NEVER been on the DL.

Glavine is a touch pitcher, a craftsman, a thinking man's gun. Tommy uses away away away and then pounds you inside with a modest yet pinpoint fastball and his changeup is devastating.

Glavine uses his brain and determination to outwill the hitters.

At only 42, with a brand new elbow to boot, this great man should have a few more seasons in him.

So Kawakami is UNDERRATED

Having seen baseball games in many different countries and having played the game at a high level as a junior I am quite surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for Kenshin Kawakami.

"Kenny" has good stuff, just not in a fundamentally normal American way (remember one Greg Maddux was not a flame thrower either). Kawakami's best pitches are; a quite slow and nasty 12-6 curveball which "accelerates" his modest 88 mph fastball.

He also throws a type of shuto and a cutter which can be effective "out pitches".

The plan with this blog is to follow "Kenny" quite closely as he plays in his rookie MLB season and to post on any other things of note not limited to;

The Braves
Pitching
Food
Music
Movies
TV Shows
Being a Braves Fanatic in New York City
Travel

and pretty much anything I bloody well want to write about.

Which brings me to todays thoughts...

1. Wall Street has totally lost the plot and any semblance of connection to the real world.
2. Skip Bayliss is an old tool who needs to be taught some R-E-S-P-E-C-T (go Aretha)
3. I hate the bloody shitty cold NYC weather except when the border collie and I are in Central Park

Spring training starts in 15 days.... lets rock on BRAVES