Darrell Rasner Heading to NPB

Rasner has better numbers than Igawa, so this $1 million, 2 year deal could be a steal. Though, of course this all depends on how he adapts to NPB.

Rasner is 27 years old and has some ability. He was not very consistent for the Yankees, but had some good games. He should help the Eagles.

He facilitated the deal by requesting the Yankees GM move him to Japan.

Stats here: ESPN

I got to see more of him than I thought I would against the Red Sox. Rasner has some good stuff, and he's versatile in both the rotation and the bullpen. He will help the Eagles, but like number9 said, it all depends on how he adapts to NPB.

OK, he pitched today. Could someone explain the exact process of how the Yankees' rights to Rasner were sold to Rakuten? It's not the posting process, is it? This sounds like a straight-up trade to me. Is there a way to trade players and cash between American and Japanese teams?

For example, is it possible for the Fighters to sell Darvish to the Yankees for a lot of money without posing him?

- For example, is it possible for the Fighters to sell Darvish to the Yankees for a lot of money without posing him?

No. Players' rights can be sold to Japanese teams, provided the player wants to go - but not the other way around.

The posting system came about because of Hideki Irabu. Irabu claimed he only wanted to play in the majors, so the Marines sold him to the Padres, with whom they had a tie-up. Irabu then claimed he only wanted to play for the Yankees, so MLB engineered a trade between the Yankees and Padres.

The posting system was to prevent teams without tie-ups from being left out of the market for available non-free agent talent from Japan.

Alfonso Soriano's retirement stunt also played a role in inspiring the posting system.

- The posting system was to prevent teams without tie-ups from being left out of the market for available non-free agent talent from Japan.

What about non-free agent talent from the M(inor)LB and tie-ups? This one-way street seems to defeat many excuses put out for the posting system because it only works, well, one-way.

Does anyone know how Dan Johnson is doing for the BayStars

Look up his stats here. It's an English NPB site.

Thanks.

What NPB-BIS doesn't say in their stats is the following inury report I filed with a scouting service:

April 9, 2009 - Dan Johnson suffered a contusion on his left shoulder while attempting to catch a foul fly in the top of the 2nd inning of the April 8th game against the Yomiuri Giants. He was taken out of the game for a pinch hitter in the bottom half of the inning. Johnson did not go to the hospital, instead icing his shoulder.

I don't see the English NPB-BIS system as a step in the right direction. They basically re-enabled a system that they (or actually IBM-BIS, their predecessor in managing the data) already had working back in the mid 1990s. To me it looks like a giant leap backward. I guess it's something, though.

- I don't see the English NPB-BIS system as a step in the right direction. They basically re-enabled a system that they (or actually IBM-BIS, their predecessor in managing the data) already had working back in the mid 1990s. To me it looks like a giant leap backward. I guess it's something, though.

It's a start though. The new NPB-BIS system is good for checking season stats of Asian born players that isn't implemented here yet. Say I want to look up Michihiro Ogasawara's stats, I can go to his stats without looking at his Japanese page, but I can't do that here at Japanese Baseball.

Second, the box scores for the time do the job for me. The only complaint I have is that they don't have runs on the box scores for offense. It even has farm league box scores. It also has the league leaders which is good for me.

Finally, another place where I think it has an advantage is that it gives the farm league stats in English, which is a big help.

I understand what you're saying Michael, but it's better than in the past when we were complaining that NPB had nothing in English, and this system is, in my opinion, better than the old NPB-BIS system as it has box scores, team registry, farm league stats/standings/box scores.

In conclusion, all I'm saying is this system deserves some praise.

OK. Call it a re-start then. My complaint is that to turn a system off for over 10 years then to just turn it on again isn't progress. If they'd have done something to improve the system over the last 10+ years, then I'd be impressed. From a techie's perspective, all they did was flip a switch. The site itself has seen no progress.

Why did they take the English half of the system off-line after taking it over from IBM in the first place? That's what had been puzzling me for the past 10+ years.

- My complaint is that to turn a system off for over 10 years then to just turn it on again isn't progress.

Yeah, I don't understand why they would take it off the net all of sudden, but I think I understand why they re-implemented it. I could be wrong, but with the success of Japan in the WBC I think someone felt compelled to provide something.

As for progress, me and you have a different definition of progress I guess. Yes, NPB could have pulled the switch on this earlier, but the new English site to me is very helpful. Some might not see it as helpful. One example I gave was the Ogasawara example and the more extensive minor league resources (box scores, schedules, and stats). Now, I'm not saying they couldn't do more. If you can put the resources in daily transactions and add runs to the box scores while making them more precise.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, if you were logged into this site, you can see much more detailed information about foreign players on their pages. See Dan Johnson here (after logging in).

- What about non-free agent talent from the M(inor)LB and tie-ups? This one-way street seems to defeat many excuses put out for the posting system because it only works, well, one-way.

This is NPB accepting its de facto position relative to M(i)LB.

- This is NPB accepting its de facto position relative to M(i)LB.

I am afraid I don't understand your logic. That the posting system applies only one way leads to what I quoted above?

Rough start for Rasner. He has been knocked out of 2 games very early, but did pitch a gem in between. Not sure which will be the "real" Rasner yet. If he can turn into a quality starter as well, Rakuten will have one of the best rotations in NPB.

He's been wildly inconsistent so far: two fantastic games and two horrible games. It's early in the season, and he's still trying to learn the league, so there's reason for Eagles' fans to be hopeful.

Also, the two great games will earn Rasner some more chances. Often, what the American players need more than anything else is enough opportunities to learn the Japanese game before the team gives up on them.

BTW, has that happened with Kevin Mench and the Tigers? I saw a post dated April 26 about reported kidney problems testing negative, but Mench has not played since. Has Hanshin given up on him or is he still too ill to play?

There was talk that Mench would get together with Hanshin's farm team's manager on a plan. Though looking at the stats [NPB Official Website- in English] shows he hasn't played in a game yet.

Source: NPB Tracker

When MLB and MiLB players go to Japan or other Asian teams directly from a MLB organization, it basically is a trade. Often the MLB team requests a buy out of the contract + more money. MLB has to post the player as released, but behind the scenes, they are negotiating as a regular trade.

There is no official way to trade players between MLB and Japan teams. They have to agree to a release based on whether or not they like the behind the scenes contract negotiations.

As far as Japanese players going to MLB, they have to be free agents in Japan first. MLB cannot negotiate on Japanese players that are not yet free agents.