http://www.sbnation.comhttp://www.sbnation.com/users/Kyle%20S Posts made by Kyle S on SB Nation http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/11/5/654319/junichi-tazawa-rumors Kyle S Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:19:36 -0000 <p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/imported_assets/31910/69070ff979_pitcher11052008.jpg"><img class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/imported_assets/31910/69070ff979_pitcher11052008_medium.jpg" alt="69070ff979_pitcher11052008_medium" /></a></p> <p>via <a href="http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.com/images/69070ff979_pitcher11052008.jpg">multimedia.heraldinteractive.com</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>He's mysterious, he's Japanese, he hits 97 on the gun. Junichi Tazawa, the 5'10" pitcher from the Japanese Industrial Leagues, is in play. He asked not to be drafted by any NPB teams so that he could come straight to America (<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3672409" target="_blank">ESPN</a>) and so far that looks to be on track. The Braves offered him a major league deal (<a href="http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/braves/entries/2008/11/04/braves_serious.html" target="_blank">DOB </a>via <a href="http://www.talkingchop.com/2008/11/5/654299/digesting-the-dob-blog" target="_blank">Talking Chop</a>) rumored to be in the mid-to-high seven figures. The Red Sox and Mariners want him too (<a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1130176&amp;srvc=sports&amp;position=2" target="_blank">Herald</a>), but will have to pony up big dollars.</p> <p>Who signs him, and for how much?</p> http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/6/6/547500/funny-story-about-gordon-b Kyle S Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:34:45 -0000 <p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com:/imported_assets/6618/fezejvsvncjxhtd.20070105200108.jpg"><img class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com:/imported_assets/6618/fezejvsvncjxhtd.20070105200108_medium.jpg" alt="Fezejvsvncjxhtd" /></a></p> I was laughing at comments I read yesterday about Gordon Beckham's hair, because he looks like every guy who ever went to my high school. Then I figured out (by reading the AJC today) that he <i>did</i> go to my high school (<a href="http://www.westminster.net">Westminster</a> in Atlanta). Then I figured out he's the son of my first grade teacher - she was pregnant at the start of the year and didn't come back after Christmas break because she had her baby... who turned out to be Gordon Beckham.