I dream of you, Norichika Aoki

by jctGamer on Oct 8, 2009 12:25 PM PDT Comment 54 comments

There he is, the perfect Left Fielder for the spacious AT&T Park. A .400+ combined OBP in 5 years of Japanese Pro-Ball. A hitting machine. 200 hits (in 130 games) in 2006 and 2007. Gap to gap power, strong arm, great defensive instincts. He had more walks than Strike outs in 2008, and 31% of his base hits went for extra bases.

The closest thing to Ichiro? A better Akinori Iwamura?

Bobby Valentine was quoted recently when asked about players in Japan that are MLB ready:

"There's a kid named (Norichika) Aoki, who is an Ichiro-type outfielder, hitter, runner, defensive player," said Bobby Valentine, who is wrapping up his sixth and final season managing the the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan. "I don't think anybody is the caliber of Ichiro, but he is a special left-handed hitting outfielder."

The Evolution of Aoki's Swing (WTF Barry Bonds?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDIycKpIURw

All of Aoki's 12 base hits in this year's WBC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfq0E9WB8o8

I would very much love to see Norichika Aoki wearing Giants French Vanilla in left field for the next 10 years. He is 27 years old, and could be posted by the Yakult Swallows this year.

This FanPost is reader-generated, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of McCovey Chronicles. If the author uses filler to achieve the minimum word requirement, a moderator may edit the FanPost for his or her own amusement.

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It seems to me that San Francisco would be an ideal place for a player from Japanese Pro-Ball. The large Asian demographic would almost certainly lead to increased ticket sales at AT&T Park, not to mention any potential revenue from Japanese media. Of course, I suppose it’s hard for any team to outbid the Yankees or the Red Sox when it comes to paying the fee and paying the salary for Asian players.

by deuce deuce on Oct 8, 2009 12:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I choose you, Pikachu.

by Grant on Oct 8, 2009 12:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

OH MY GOD, WHAT HAVE I BECOME?

by Grant on Oct 8, 2009 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

“There goes the neighborhood…”

by deuce deuce on Oct 8, 2009 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

/howtheyscored laughs maniacally as he rubs his hands in glee

I know you nerds know NOTHING about the real game of baseball, or any other athletic endeavor requiring teamwork under physical stress.
Mr. F! | comics | art | New Nattowear | Unofficial McImage Directory

by Natto on Oct 8, 2009 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really, I’m only laughing because my Hippowdon is going to fuck your Pikachu up.

Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.

by howtheyscored on Oct 8, 2009 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Hippodon = lame

#1 threat to America: Pandas
Also, Tim Lincecum
Adopted Father: Tyler Graham
Official McPokeMaster
Registered Velezbian and supporter of Fredemption

by GrahamCrakalaka on Oct 8, 2009 2:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You forgot the slashmark in your “doesn’t equal” sign.

Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.

by howtheyscored on Oct 8, 2009 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nah, man, there are better walls (Skarmory), better physical sweepers (Gyarados, Salamence, Metagross, Dragonite, Tyranitar), better Cursers (Snorlax), and he can’t do much else. Hippowdon’s actually decent, there’s just no reason not to use someone better because no matter what you’re doing there is someone better (and his single typing probably hurts him more than it helps).

by quincy0191 on Oct 9, 2009 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but as long as I’m not playing in tournaments, none of that stuff is going to be a problem for me.

Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.

by howtheyscored on Oct 12, 2009 8:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Newsletter? Most have it.

That’s it! Katie bar the door for this 79 win team is star crossed! And I am loving it.

by daveinexile on Oct 8, 2009 12:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Must have it even.

That’s it! Katie bar the door for this 79 win team is star crossed! And I am loving it.

by daveinexile on Oct 8, 2009 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm!!

Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.

by satyricrash on Oct 8, 2009 12:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I wanted the Giants to go after Akinori Iwamura. Then I wanted them to get Kosuke Fukudome. Yeah…

by Natto on Oct 8, 2009 12:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Racist.

by AndYourBirdCanSing on Oct 8, 2009 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you under 40, not in the military, and straight?! Then you don’t know what TRUE racism is!!

by Natto on Oct 8, 2009 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's RACEBALL, Bitches!

by hokysmksbw on Oct 9, 2009 8:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely

I really fell in love with Aoki during the last WBC. I think he’d look even better in CF but he probably doesn’t have the veteran moxie or intestinal fortitude required for that position.

by slcgiant on Oct 8, 2009 2:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He’d need to have enough gamerness to overcome the incumbent gamer in CF…

by nataku on Oct 8, 2009 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

does he poop while he swings

if not, DNW

by sfoakbay on Oct 8, 2009 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Scott doesn’t actually poop, it’s a false alarm.

by quincy0191 on Oct 9, 2009 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

right

he’s constipated

by sfoakbay on Oct 10, 2009 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn’t the Giants set up a scouting department in Japan earlier this year?

by Cainer on Oct 8, 2009 2:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sort of

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090311&content_id=3965620&vkey=pr_sf&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf

by Natto on Oct 8, 2009 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kakazu, who previously worked for the Chiba Lotte Marines Baseball Club in Chiba, Japan since 2006, will be San Francisco’s coordinator of Japan operations

thats good…maybe the giants will finally sack up and plunge into the asian market

by cazzuno on Oct 8, 2009 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They’ll sign Ichiro but in about 10 years.

"All I know is right now, you comeback and do you dwell on that? I think you're man enough to take it, you're man enough to chew on it, to spit it out and you learn from it. ... I think winners let it go. I think losers dwell on it and talk about it all week and that screws you up for the next opportunity going forward." - Mike Singletary after the 49ers loss to the Vikings

by SFGuy on Oct 9, 2009 2:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He’ll probably still hit .250, steal 20 bases, and play plus defense in RF.

by quincy0191 on Oct 9, 2009 11:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dear Giants Fans,

After looking into Norichika Aoki, we realized that he does not have a single at-bat in the major leagues. Not one. As such, he is too much of an unknown for us to sign. If there were a way to combine “scouting” with “statistical translations”, maybe we’d think about it, but this is the real world. This isn’t Middle Earth or Tattooine, or whatever, so those kinds of fantasies are misplaced.

Maybe in the future, there will be a way to combine “scouting” with “statistical translations” that will give us an idea about Japanese players, AAA players, and the like. Until that day, possibly in 2039, we’ll stick with players who have played in the majors.

Sincerely,
Brian Sabean

by Grant on Oct 8, 2009 2:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m enjoying these.

Unproven at the major league level. Can’t be a proven major league player without major league experience. What a conundrum.

by AndYourBirdCanSing on Oct 8, 2009 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Grant is on fire today.

Brian Sabean strongly encourages you to disregard the drudgery of your employment responsibilities and join him in the consumption of spirituous libations.

by satyricrash on Oct 8, 2009 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Japanese Giants this Decade (non-yomiuri edition)

Tsuyoshi Shinjo
Keiichi Yabu
/list, i think

both with prior mlb experience. Mediocre-to-awful in both cases, but at least it was against Major Leaguers.

Grant might be even closer to the truth here than anyone realized.

"he walked 18; new league record! Struck out 18, another new league record! He also hit the sportswriter, the PA announcer, the bull mascot twice..."

by i did my job on Oct 8, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Major leaguers, that is, rather than horseshit AAAA players like Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Matsui. (Obviously those guys are worth a ton of money now, but not back when they could have faced Aoki.)

"he walked 18; new league record! Struck out 18, another new league record! He also hit the sportswriter, the PA announcer, the bull mascot twice..."

by i did my job on Oct 8, 2009 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does Dave Roberts count?

Insert witty signature of your own choosing here.

by Flapjacks McGurty on Oct 8, 2009 9:57 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

also

I know he’s not from there, but isn’t sadler like 1/4 japanese or something?

Adopted Giant: Henry Sosa

by raisingcain on Oct 8, 2009 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

by Natto on Oct 8, 2009 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he does

Then what about Travis Ishikawa?

Or Scott McClain? He can speak Japanese right?

by DividedByZero on Oct 8, 2009 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He can’t.

by Natto on Oct 8, 2009 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Says you.

Context, people. More context is good. Less context is bad. If you're willing to be reductive, then you're willing to be wrong.

by howtheyscored on Oct 8, 2009 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Says McClain too!

by Natto on Oct 9, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And in English!

GROUGTHINK ALERT
The first Chester Arthur fanboy ever.

by groug on Oct 9, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was picturing Sabean flipping through the All Star Game programs from the past 10 seasons muttering “Aoki, Aoki, can’t find him anywhere..”

El Presidente Larry Baer's epitaph
"Nothing important ever happened without me."

by ResDog on Oct 8, 2009 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

cue Merle Haggard

We still make solid contact back in Tokyo
We swing the bat like men who’ve got a clue
We don’t just wave weakly at the slider
Like the hackers out in San Francisco do.

Oh I’m proud to be Aoki Norichika …

by Evan on Oct 8, 2009 4:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice work

Not too many Hag mentions here!

www.leaguelineup.com/lbucks24

by NuschlerFace on Oct 8, 2009 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm down for it

I just don’t think Sabean and Co. are. If he can even approach a nice middle ground between Fukodome and Iwamura, I’d be happy.

I just wish the Giant’s FO was willing to take such chances. You know, as opposed to the, “Renteria will return to form,” or “Velez will be a solid starter,” kind of chances.

by Squire_Boone on Oct 8, 2009 6:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

BUT...BUT...SPARKPLUG!!!!1!!!!

by sfoakbay on Oct 8, 2009 8:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ENGLISH LINKS PLEAZE! STOP SUPPORTING TERROIST!

seriously, wtf Sabes? Get him!

OT: Why are some things in English and others not? For example, in the 1st you tube the first 5 minutes are all Japaneses, but they have “presented by” and “navigator” in English. I love translations!

I R 5

by say hey nation on Oct 9, 2009 7:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Players from Japan tend to be like those from DR, Cuba, etc in that we all want the Giants to sign them but without much evidence as to how good they’ll be. Obviously I’d like us to get more involved in the Japanese market but don’t really have a good handle on whether Aoki would be worth the money invested.

Proud parent of Waldis Joaquin!

by GiantFan on Oct 9, 2009 7:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I thought the bigger names from Japan pay for themselves through merchandising.

You want to see a walk? Then go watch the mailman.

by SeeingStars on Oct 9, 2009 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, you’re thinking of Filipinos.

GROUGTHINK ALERT
The first Chester Arthur fanboy ever.

by groug on Oct 9, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Want.

"That feeling after you win and they raise your hand... it's like you have this energy that releases from your body, and it's like you mingle with the cosmos, and you feel omnipotent"

by woomikee on Oct 9, 2009 9:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I R 5

by say hey nation on Oct 9, 2009 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's an interesting idea

We get so caught up in our MLB world, looking at available FAs and trade possibilities while forgetting that there’s quality baseball played in other countries too.

If we’re going to go out and look for a hitter, why the hell would we NOT look outside the country. Anyone else have any foreign players who look good?

Why do San Francisco teams insist on having terrible offenses? Frank Gore and Pablo Sandoval can't do it all.

by GiantPain on Oct 9, 2009 7:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs