MLB New Import Tracker (Jul 7-14, 2008)

Kosuke Fukudome, RF—#1—Chicago Cubs
Birthplace: Kagoshima, Japan
It was a quiet week for Kosuke Fukudome—his July average stands at .167 with 15 Ks and only three walks. (He hit .264 in June, but with a robust .384 OBP.) He was given two days off over the weekend, missing the Giants’ Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. It was probably for the best: The last thing a slumping batter needs is to run into either of those two monsters twice in three days.

Oddly enough, the downturn in his batting eye (.222 OBP this month so far) has coincided with his move to the top of the order. He’s been hitting either first or second over the last twenty games, and he hasn’t exactly risen to the challenge. Maybe what we’re witnessing is the Alfonso Soriano Syndrome but in reverse; Soriano claims he can’t hit anywhere but leadoff—maybe Kosuke can’t hit anywhere but behind Aramis Ramirez. I’m sure the pitch selection is a lot better when he’s batting fifth than first, that’s for sure.

It may also be a matter of the “second time around the league.” Teams are starting to adjust, and it will take some time for Kosuke to adjust to their adjustment, so to speak. Something tells me it won’t be long before this three-time Japanese batting champion comes around.

In the meantime, he’ll be enjoying the All-Star festivities in New York. One of eight—strike that nine—Cubs chosen to represent the National League, I’m sure Kosuke will be soaking it all in. If he can get through all the Japanese media and find his way to the field, that is.

Kazuo Fukumori, RP—#14—Texas Rangers
Birthplace: Osaka, Japan
Demoted to AAA-Oklahoma.

Masahide Kobayashi, RP—#30—Cleveland Indians
Birthplace: Yamanashi, Japan
One week into the closer’s role and Masa Kobayshi has made three appearances, notched a save, allowed no runs, and lowered his ERA to 3.05.

There’s not much to say here. Even the Tribe’s blogosphere seems to be gasping for air. The break couldn’t have come at a better time for Cleveland, who can bask in their four-game sweep of the floundering (no pun intended) Tampa Bay Rays. For the next couple of days at least.

Hiroki Kuroda, RP—#18 —Los Angeles Dodgers
Birthplace: Osaka, Japan
Holy Kuroda! He was this close to perfection. Hiroki Kuroda pitched seven perfect innings on July 7 before giving up an eighth inning, leadoff double to the Braves’ Mark Texeira. He ended up going the distance, allowing only that one hit and striking out six. And this came on the heels of a seven-inning shutout performance against Houston on July 2! That’s 16 scoreless innings in his two games back from the DL.

It came to an end though in the first inning of his start on July 12, but he still managed to pitch a gutsy 6 2/3, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk. He ended up with a no decision, despite pitching well enough to win.

His ERA stands at 3.43; his WHIP at a very tidy 1.20. He’s just not walking anybody. (He’s not striking out anybody either, but I quibble.) In his near-perfect game he threw exactly 2/3 of his pitches for strikes. Kuroda says, “Here it is boys, hit it.” And lately, they haven’t been.

Bottom line is, he’s pitched much better than his 5-6 record would indicate. His K/9 is right in stride with his career K/9 in Japan. His ERA is now below his career average of 3.69. Kuroda has always been a workhorse: He averaged 194 innings over the last three years. So I don’t see him wearing down as the season progresses. A good buy-low guy for you fantasy players, as the Dodgers are still in the thick of a really weak NL West.

Alexei Ramirez, OF/2B—#10—Chicago White Sox
Birthplace: Pinar del Rio, Cuba
OK, I’ll say it. Alexei Ramirez made the best play I’ve ever seen a second baseman make in Saturday’s game against Texas.

Bottom of the ninth, White Sox up 9-7 but steadily hemorrhaging runs. Texas has already scored three times in their half of the inning. It’s a full-on Arlington rally. There’s a man on second and two outs. Josh Hamilton, the AL RBI leader, is at the plate representing the tying run. Hamilton rips a grounder up the middle to the right of second base. Hawk Harrelson, the White Sox’ play-by-play broadcaster, says, “And there’s a base hit to centerfield.” Camera 2, positioned along the rightfield line, follows the trajectory of the ball into centerfield. Everyone thinks it’s a hit as soon as it leaves the bat—except the ball never makes it past an outstretched Alexei Ramirez, who somehow, like the Flash, moves to his left, makes a backhand stab, turns and fires off his back foot and nabs the runner at first by inches.

It was truly an unbelievable play—Ramirez came out of nowhere. Everybody was fooled. Hawk Harrelson…even the cameraman, who yanked the camera back toward the infield to catch the rest of the play. John Dewan’s Plus/Minus System has him at -6 for the year so far at second base, including -1 to his left, but I’ve never seen a second baseman make a play like that.

If you can’t tell, I’m fully on the Alexei Ramirez bandwagon. Oh—he also went 3-for-5 in the game to bring his average up to .312. Since June 1 he’s hitting .367 with five home runs and 22 RBI, mostly hitting in the eighth and ninth spot.

He still doesn’t walk at all, and his baserunning needs some work (he was picked off in the same game), and as a complete product he’s still somewhat unrefined. But the skills are there, and he’s exciting as hell to watch. He, along with Orlando Cabrera, has lit a fire under the White Sox. Theirs is exactly the kind of energy and moxie the Sox were missing last year.

Yasuhiko Yabuta, RP—#27—Kansas City Royals
Birthplace: Osaka, Japan
Optioned to AAA-Omaha.