Sunday, July 1, 2007

By WAYNE GRACZYK

The deadline for Japanese pro baseball teams to sign new foreign players came and went on June 30, and nine of the 12 clubs wound up acquiring a total of 10 fresh faces from abroad after the regular season began in late March and before the final cutoff date.

So, let's take a look at the 10 newbies (four of whom have played here before), see who they are and throw in a little trivia.

The Yomiuri Giants inked right-handed pitcher Geremi Gonzalez in May, and he won his debut game, defeating the Orix Buffaloes in a rainy interleague contest at Kobe on June 14.

Although the name displayed above his back No. 94 is G. Gonzalez, the Venezuelan native is introduced as "G.G.," and that is the way his designation appears on the scoreboard. Not to be confused with outfielder G.G. Sato of the Seibu Lions.

Also in Tokyo, the Yakult Swallows have brought back righty reliever Brian Sikorski, who ties the record for most Japanese teams played for by a foreigner at three.

Sikorski previously was with the Chiba Lotte Marines (2001-03) and the Giants (2004-05).

Brian returns after a year in the U.S. in Triple-A and the majors with San Diego and Cleveland, and his trademarks are running to the mound and leaping over the foul line on his way to the hill and back to the bench, and his exaggerated arm crank while warming up. He's wearing No. 34 with the Swallows.

First baseman Mitch Jones holds the new bat in the lineup of the 2007 interleague season champion Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

He is a former New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers farmhand who arrived in Japan last week and was expected to debut for the Hammies this weekend against the Buffaloes in Kansai. Jones is wearing No. 15.

The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles hired two new guys: right-handed pitchers Domingo Guzman and Adam Bass.

Dominican Domingo is another retread, having played here before with the Yokohama BayStars (2002-03) and Chunichi Dragons (2004-06), so he joins Sikorski and several others in tying that three-team gaikokujin mark.

The full name of Bass, late of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, is Adam Randle Bass, and it brings up memories of Randy Bass, the ex-Hanshin Tigers slugger and 1985 Central League batting Triple Crown winner and MVP. Adam's uniform number on the Eagles is 50; Domingo is wearing 99.

Another comeback player is outfielder Alex Ochoa. He's being brought in by the Hiroshima Carp to help manager Marty Brown's club in its quest for a postseason playoff slot.

"He's going to be our center fielder," said Brown who expects consistency which has been lacking at that position.

Alex played for the Dragons from 2004 to 2006 and helped Chunichi win two Central League pennants. Look for Ochoa in the red pinstriped shirt with No. 43 on it, the same numeral worn by Brown during his playing days in Hiroshima from 1992 to 1994.

Pitcher Jason Standridge is the new kid on the block with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, and he wasted no time winning his first game, in relief, over Chunichi at Nagoya Dome on June 23.

Standridge has played in the big leagues with Tampa Bay, Texas and Cincinnati, and was most recently with Kansas City. He is No. 20 on the Hawks.

One more returnee is infielder Jose Ortiz, coming back with the Marines and playing for his second American manager in Japan.

When Ortiz was with the Orix BlueWave in 2003, Leon Lee was the field boss. Now Jose will be following the directions of Bobby Valentine, and he will be wearing No. 4 for Lotte.

The Yokohama BayStars, currently in third place and attempting to shore up a playoff qualification, have signed lefty pitcher Matt White.

Curiously, the 'Stars had a pitcher in 2003 named Matt Whiteside. The incoming Matt has been assigned uniform No. 64, and he will be the fourth guy named White to play in Japan after Roy (Yomiuri Giants, 1980-82), Jerry (1984 Seibu Lions and 1985 Yokohama Taiyo Whales) and Derrick (Hanshin Tigers, 2002).

Finally, the Dragons have activated right-handed pitcher Rafael Cruz, a Dominican who is said to throw a 155-kph fastball and had been on the team's roster of developmental players on which he was listed as wearing No. 220. Now he's got jersey No. 94.

It remains to be seen which guys can make the adjustment — or re-adjustment — to Japan and, for the first-timers, if they will be able to perform without having had the benefit of experiencing Japan's boot camp-like spring training.

Welcome — or welcome back — to all, and good luck.

Such a Deal Dept.: Larry Rocca of the Chiba Lotte Marines has informed me there will be two special Tuesday dates this month at Chiba Marine Stadium: July 3, when the Marines host the Orix Buffaloes, and July 31, when the visitors will be the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

On each of those days, all seating at Marine Stadium, except for the Field Wing Seats, will be general admission, and the price for tickets is only 1,500 yen.

You can enter any gate at the ballpark and sit anywhere you like — even behind the plate — in any unoccupied seat.

Game time for each of these is 6:15 p.m., and be sure to get there early, not only to get a good seat, but also to check out the Marines Museum adjacent to the stadium.

Contact Wayne Graczyk at: wayne@JapanBall.com

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