[tehsuigi]

2043-44 Offseason News

Arbitration and Free Agency
* The Shizuoka Arrows announced that 2B Nobuyoshi Ito has been posted for foreign leagues to sign.
* In an interesting twist, the Arrows and Yasutoki Kato have un-retired his jersey number. In a ceremony at Ito En Park for the team's fan appreciation day, Kato took off his jacket to reveal a Nakashima #17 jersey. "I know the guys have avoided taking my number," Kato quipped, "but I would feel better if it was behind the dish than above the rafters."
* In a pair of transactions during arbitration, the Shizuoka Arrows focused on building prospect depth. They added catcher Iemitsu Tsutsumi from the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks for RF Masashi Koide, and RHP Chihiro Morita (#80 prospect) from the Yomiuri Giants for SS Andy Lunsford and RHP Fukuzo Hirata.
* The Arrows later sent CF Shinichi Hara and 1B Kazushige Hirao to the Giants for 2B Kazufumi Ito, a utility player who can handle infield and outfield duties.
* Two players have been non-tendered - RHP Muneo Miyamoto and C Eizo Osaki.
* Joining them in free agency are RHPs Seiji Tabata and Sumiki Takeshta.

Awards Season
* Catcher Kiyonori Nakashima, third baseman Koji Kashima, and (awkwardly) right fielder Masashi Koide were the Shizuoka Arrows honoured with Golden Gloves this season.
* First baseman Tomoki Yamauchi and third baseman Kashima earned Best Nine honours at their positions.
* Make that back-to-back Eiji Sawamura awards for Arrows ace Shigejiro Matsumoto to go with his consecutive pitching Triple Crowns. A unanimous selection, with teammate Kim Chae-bong in second and even Seigo Kinjo getting some cursory votes.
* And to cap off the season, Matsumoto WON MVP. Kim finished 4th, Kashima 5th, Yamauchi 6th.

2043 First-Year Draft
With the 14th overall pick, the Shizuoka Arrows selected college left-handed pitcher Mikio Yasuda. Meiji's pitching staff must've been loaded if this guy was their closer, because his five-pitch arsenal, groundball profile, and stamina all profile as starter-quality. A steal if he develops.
2. Going with another pitcher, Yutaka Ikeda out of high school. Right-handed starter with three improving pitches. If he can harness his talent, he'll do well.
3. Shinshuu Komatsu, a left-handed outfielder from high school. Probably profiles more as a meh CF defense-wise, but his bat looks great for his age.
4. Kunikazu Ikeda, high school outfielder. Switch-hitter, and decent contact bat.
5. Shugo Shima, shortstop with good range and less of a noodle bat than his peers.
6. Yukio Kaneshiro, switch-hitting right fielder.
7. Yoshiya Aoki, another switch-hitting right fielder. I mean, these guys have to pick a side and be good at it at some point, right?
8. Tadashiro Tokunaga, the usual high-ability catcher.
9. Yutaka Funakoshi, high school first baseman with pop in his bat.
10. Shinto Hiramoto, right-handed college reliever.

Winter Meetings and After
* There's something to be said for coming full circle, and the nostalgia was thick at the Naha conference centre where the Shizuoka Arrows announced their new assistant GM, and hand-picked successor to tehsuigi - former Arrows outfielder, Seiya Yamazaki. Seiya played from 2022-2027 for the Arrows, becoming one of their early stars in those rough early seasons. He'll have 4 years to learn the ropes on his current contract before taking over.
* 22-year-old outfielder Nesty Delgado was purchased from the Somerset Patriots by the Shizuoka Arrows.
* The Yomiuri Giants acquired left-handed closer Narihira Kimura (10% retained), left-handed starter Takao Koike, right-hander Eiji Ito, and 1B Takanori Watanabe to aim squarely at a repeat title. To do this, they had to yield #14 prospect shortstop Masahisa Kobayashi, 3B Tomo Ito, and LHP Shonan Sumi to Shizuoka. This move is expected to help bolster an Arrows farm system that's beginning to bear fruit again.
* The Arrows finished the day by making a number of smaller minor-league moves. Nothing else shook out in the Winter Meetings.
* Towards the end of December, the Arrows announced a free agent signing to help bolster their bullpen - 37-year-old Isamu Ochi, who previously pitched for the Arrows in 2036. Ochi signed a 1-year plus vesting option contract with a maximum value of 1.79M USD. It's expected Ochi will take over the closer role with Kimura gone.
* And on New Year's Eve, the Arrows announced that Sumiki Takeshta would indeed return on a 3-year, 3.135M contract. Shizuoka's bullpen looks solid with him, Ochi, and McAdam holding down the backcourt.