Outfielder Shogo Akiyama wants to make history with Reds

31 years old?

Kinda past his prime, no?

Best of luck to him! Most Japanese batters going over don't pan out compared to pitchers. If Akiyama and Tsutsugoh can succeed, that will open the door to more teams wanting more Japanese batters.

It has been 20 years since Marge Schott owned the Reds. I am not sure if Akiyama would have been on the team at that time since we know how she felt about Japanese and other races.

Japanese players bat about 40-50 points below their average in MLB. I’m expecting a very unspectacular .250 average with a dozen home runs.

The Reds blow so if he does too, no one will notice. He can ask that scrub Sonny Gray about playing for a real MLB franchise.

Japanese players bat about 40-50 points below their average in MLB. I’m expecting a very unspectacular .250 average with a dozen home runs.

Unless your name is Ichiro Suzuki. He had a decent average in the majors.

Home runs, not so much though.

But he was a leadoff hitter most of his MLB career.

@onsen, of course the best player to ever come out of Japan, but he was no different. Ichiro’s average in Japan was .353, in MLB it was .311. In addition to his hitting, one of the best Right Fielders I’ve ever seen.