Archive for September 8th, 2009

Earlier today, The Metsblog broke news that the Mets will soon be announcing the signing of 17–year-old Japanese LHP Taiki Kawasaki to a minor-league contract, reports NPB Tracker.

According to the report, since leaving Japan last year, Kawasaki has been training at ‘Prime Time,’ Julio Franco’s baseball academy in Florida, where he has added velocity to his fastball, while working on his slider and curveball.
 
OhMurph.com has obtained an exclusive copy of a letter from Kawasaki to his parents
 
(translated from Japanese)

Dear Momasan and Papasan,
 
Greetings from Camp Prime Time.
 
I am happy and proud to tell you that your $2500/month investment in me is finally paying off. Mr. Francosan has finally found a team that will pay me to throw a baseball. I am so happy to be getting a contract from the team of Shinjo, the New York Mets.
 
Of course things have not been easy for me here. The language barrier, the cultural differences, being force-fed pounds of eggwhites from Francosan (he says they are eggwhites). At least the facilities are honorable with each room named. My bathroom is named Portosan, for example.
 
My big breakthough came a few weeks ago. Francosan said that I would be ready for the major leagues when he could no longer pull my fastball pitch. Now instead of grounding my fastball to Tony Fernandezsan (our fielding instructor) at shortstop, Francosan is poping up to first base. My goal has been reached.
 
To be able to get out a recently retired major league player makes me feel very good, although sometimes I’m still unsure. You see, during our last pitching session Francosan fell asleep while I was pitching to him. He spoke in his sleep something about “I can still play”, “why did Willie hate me”. I am worried that my pitching is uninteresting.
 
Please send Francosan one more check. He says he needs it to give to Mr. Minaya of the Mets for a Thank you present, some type of American custom I guess.
 
Love and Respect,
Taiki

With Derek Jeter only 3 hits away from tying the Yankees all time hits record, Jeter went 0-8 in the Yankees day night double deuce;  Which prompted the Daily News to jack our trade mark.. and spelled it wrong in doing so…

Its quite apparent, Daily News, that you are using Mr. Jeter as a pawn to get to us.  You feel threatened by us and this is all you got?