Devil Rays agree to two-year contract with Japanese reliever

[Baseball Guru]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-devilrays-mori&prov=ap&type=lgns

January 11, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays agreed Wednesday to a $1.4 million, two-year contract with Japanese relief pitcher Shinji Mori.

The agreement is the team's first with a player from the Japanese leagues, Devil Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. Friedman hoped the agreement will lead to more opportunities in Asia.

"Shinji Mori is a talented reliever who will add depth to our bullpen," Friedman said. "He's had a successful career in Japan, and we look forward to his continued success with the Devil Rays."

The 31-year-old right-hander was a five-time All-Star with the Seibu Lions of Japan's Pacific League. In nine seasons with the Lions he was 44-44 with 50 saves and a 3.39 ERA in 431 games, striking out 755 in 653 innings.

Last season, he went 2-2 with five saves and a 4.22 ERA in 48 games, striking out 60 in 49 innings. Mori won Japan's setup man of the year award in 2002 and 2003.

Tampa Bay, which gained exclusive negotiating rights to Mori on Dec. 12 for about $750,000, will pay salaries of $500,000 this year and $700,000 in 2007. After that season, the Devil Rays must decide whether to exercise options for both 2008 ($950,000) and 2009 ($1.05 million). If Tampa Bay declines the options, which must be exercised together, it would pay a $200,000 buyout.

[raysnbran]

Hmm

Let's hope he's more like Otsuka and Nomo than Hideki Irabu

[FedEx]

Yes please. Its nice to see the D-Rays finally have a pitcher who seems to have put up decent numbers including winning two setup man of the year awards. But yes, more Otsuka and Sasaki and less Irabu and post 1999 Nomo.

[tonypug]

He may be doing more closing then setting up this year. Lets hope he has the mental makeup for that role.

[raysnbran]

Not impressed so far

Mori gets a sore shoulder right out of the gate, and all he is doing his long tossing and checking out the nearby Hooters. :grouchy It's looking more and more like Orvella will be the closer, with Colome in the setup role. We desperately need a left handed reliever in the bullpen, as Malaska is the only lefty out there and he's been terrible so far. I wouldn't be surprised the way Edwin Jackson is pitching that he gets the 5th starter spot, and Fossum gets moved to the pen. Fossum usually runs out of gas by the 5th inning anyways as a starter, and would be more effective as the long man. But we still need to be checking out the cuts in the coming weeks for more lefties.

[brooklynboy]

Mori??

Mori gets a sore shoulder right out of the gate, and all he is doing his long tossing and checking out the nearby Hooters. :grouchy It's looking more and more like Orvella will be the closer, with Colome in the setup role. We desperately need a left handed reliever in the bullpen, as Malaska is the only lefty out there and he's been terrible so far. I wouldn't be surprised the way Edwin Jackson is pitching that he gets the 5th starter spot, and Fossum gets moved to the pen. Fossum usually runs out of gas by the 5th inning anyways as a starter, and would be more effective as the long man. But we still need to be checking out the cuts in the coming weeks for more lefties.

Say, Mori wouldn't be related to Kaz Matsui, the world famous 2nd baseman of the NY Mets, would he???

[tonypug]

Mori gets a sore shoulder right out of the gate, and all he is doing his long tossing and checking out the nearby Hooters. :grouchy It's looking more and more like Orvella will be the closer, with Colome in the setup role. We desperately need a left handed reliever in the bullpen, as Malaska is the only lefty out there and he's been terrible so far. I wouldn't be surprised the way Edwin Jackson is pitching that he gets the 5th starter spot, and Fossum gets moved to the pen. Fossum usually runs out of gas by the 5th inning anyways as a starter, and would be more effective as the long man. But we still need to be checking out the cuts in the coming weeks for more lefties.

Right now, it doesn't look like Hendrickson will be ready for the start of the season. That means Jackson and Fossum will both be starting. Orvella deserves the chance to be the closer, based on what he did last year.

[raysnbran]

Lefty

In today's paper, Hendrickson says he will be ready for Opening Day. Fossum should be ready too. I think if Jackson bumps either of these two out of the rotation, he's there to stay. And, yes, Orvella looks to be the closer too. I wish the team would make a move (re trade) of our outfield surplus for a pitcher (Scott Olsen?)

[tonypug]

In today's paper, Hendrickson says he will be ready for Opening Day. Fossum should be ready too. I think if Jackson bumps either of these two out of the rotation, he's there to stay. And, yes, Orvella looks to be the closer too. I wish the team would make a move (re trade) of our outfield surplus for a pitcher (Scott Olsen?)

First Baldelli has to show he is healthy and ready to play in the field. Second , is Delmon Young going to be sent down? Then they can decide which outfielders are expendable.

[raysnbran]

Oh no!

Devil Rays luck continues :grouchy I just heard on the radio that Mori dislocated his pitching shoulder today in a minor league game. He apparently is continuing the tradition of free agent pitchers we sign that get injured (Alvarez, Guzman, Matt White). Cmon, God, pick on some other team!!

[raysnbran]

It gets worse

Mori out for the year without throwing a pitch of the Rays. Another million dollars down the drain

|By FRED GOODALL|
|AP Sports Writer|
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A season-ending injury to reliever Shinji Mori tempered Tampa Bay’s optimism about Edwin Jackson’s strong outing.
Mori’s spring debut ended Monday when he tore the labrum in his right shoulder on his third pitch in a minor league game. A five-time All-Star with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Pacific League, Mori signed a $1.4 million, two-year contract with the Devil Rays in January. He had been sidelined since the beginning of March because of soreness in his pitching shoulder.
‘‘It’s definitely frustrating. He was someone we were looking to to give us a different look out of the bullpen,’’ Devil Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said.
‘‘Pitchers experience injuries all the time. It’s part of our business and a risk that we have to weigh in signing any pitcher. I’m confident he’s going to work hard and rehab hard to get back fully healthy. I think we’ll see him pitch in a Devil Rays uniform.’’
Mori said through a translator that it felt like he dislocated his shoulder when he threw the pitch. An MRI determined the labrum was torn, and Friedman said it’s an injury that typically sidelines a player for at least 12 months.
‘‘They diagnosed it as an acute injury, something that happened on that pitch,’’ Friedman said.
Mori said the injury was unrelated to the soreness that kept him out of spring training games.
‘‘It’s two totally different things,’’ he said. ‘‘There was nothing wrong until I got injured.’’

[brooklynboy]

Mori out for the year without throwing a pitch of the Rays. Another million dollars down the drain

|By FRED GOODALL|
|AP Sports Writer|
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A season-ending injury to reliever Shinji Mori tempered Tampa Bay’s optimism about Edwin Jackson’s strong outing.
Mori’s spring debut ended Monday when he tore the labrum in his right shoulder on his third pitch in a minor league game. A five-time All-Star with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Pacific League, Mori signed a $1.4 million, two-year contract with the Devil Rays in January. He had been sidelined since the beginning of March because of soreness in his pitching shoulder.
‘‘It’s definitely frustrating. He was someone we were looking to to give us a different look out of the bullpen,’’ Devil Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said.
‘‘Pitchers experience injuries all the time. It’s part of our business and a risk that we have to weigh in signing any pitcher. I’m confident he’s going to work hard and rehab hard to get back fully healthy. I think we’ll see him pitch in a Devil Rays uniform.’’
Mori said through a translator that it felt like he dislocated his shoulder when he threw the pitch. An MRI determined the labrum was torn, and Friedman said it’s an injury that typically sidelines a player for at least 12 months.
‘‘They diagnosed it as an acute injury, something that happened on that pitch,’’ Friedman said.
Mori said the injury was unrelated to the soreness that kept him out of spring training games.
‘‘It’s two totally different things,’’ he said. ‘‘There was nothing wrong until I got injured.’’

This guy is turning into the Kaz Matsui of the pitching world.....



Amazin...Simply Amazin!!