Major League Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers President Andrew Friedman visited Japan and visited the World Baseball Classic (WBC) Japanese national team camp.
Daily Sports, a Japanese media, said on the 18th, “Four officials of the Dodgers, including President Friedman, are following the movement of the Japanese national team. He showed great interest, such as capturing a video of Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix) practicing defense.”
President Friedman was accompanied by scout leaders such as Pacific Rim Scout John Dibble and Galen Kerr, organizational director. Japanese media reported that the purpose was to keep an eye on future major leaguers.
The Japanese national team, which is preparing for the WBC to be held in March, set up a camp in Miyazaki, Japan. President Friedman, who visited Miyazaki to see the Japanese national team, said, “There is no other place where so many talents are gathered in one team. I came here with respect.”
Daily Sports said, “The Japanese national team is said to be a treasure trove of talent in the major league market. Yamamoto, who is rumored to be able to challenge the major leagues in the near future, has Munetaka Murakami (Yakult), who recently signed a three-year contract but dreams of advancing to the major leagues. In addition, the fact that Sasaki Loki (Chiba Lotte) achieved a perfect game last year was widely reported in the United States. There are also major league clubs that are scouting the young pitching staff for a few years,” he explained, explaining the major league clubs’ interest in the Japanese national team. 안전놀이터
The WBC, where many major league players participate, is a good showcase opportunity for Asian players who dream of advancing to the big leagues. A good performance in the WBC is also an element that can appeal when negotiating with major league clubs in the future.
President Friedman said, “I cannot name specific players, but there are many good players. It was a lot of fun. I have heard of Yamamoto’s name. He is a very talented player. Of course, I want to see various players including Sasaki. He is paying attention to the Japanese national team.”
In Japan as well as in Korea, special stars who are looking to advance to the major leagues, including Lee Jeong-hoo (Kiwoom), will appear at the WBC. This WBC is expected to be a good showcase opportunity for Asian star players who are challenging the major leagues.