New 2nd baseman Iguchi aims high

KevHead0881 · January 28, 2005

New 2nd baseman Iguchi aims high
By Bob Foltman

Tribune staff reporter

January 27, 2005, 11:07 PM CST

When his playing days are over, Tadahito Iguchi might want to consider a career in public relations.

Showing a better knowledge Thursday of local history than perhaps some of his American-born teammates, Iguchi said that when White Sox fans watch him play this season, he hopes to remind them of another Sox second baseman—Hall of Famer Nellie Fox.

Nothing like setting the bar high on your first day.

Like Fox, Iguchi will bat second and is expected to play an exceptional second base. Unlike Fox, Iguchi hopes to steal a few more bases and hit many more home runs.

Sox general manager Ken Williams said he isn't too concerned with the numbers Iguchi puts up individually, as long as they translate into victories.

"The way [iguchi] goes about the game, he's a perfect fit for what we need at the top of the order," Williams said. "He plays the game the right way. He plays it hard."

In eight seasons in Japan, Iguchi had 159 stolen bases and 149 home runs.

"He's a perfect combination of what we are looking for," Williams said. "My advice was don't worry about the numbers, just go out to win the game."

When Iguchi, 30, takes the field in the first exhibition game in March, it will be the first time Williams will see Iguchi play in person. He has known about him for three years, and every year Williams said he asked more and more questions about Iguchi and studied as much tape of him as possible.

For Iguchi, Thursday was the realization of a dream born nine years ago after he came to the Atlanta Olympics. He realized then that one day he wanted to play in the major leagues.

Iguchi took his physical Thursday morning and signed his two-year contract with a club option for a third. He is to make $2.3 million this season and $2.4 million in 2006. The Sox have an option for 2007 at $3.25 million or they can exercise a buyout for $250,000.

Iguchi is the Sox's second Japanese player, joining closer Shingo Takatsu, who arrived last season. Iguchi said he wasn't very close to Takatsu while the two played in Japan—they played in separate leagues—but he received a message from Takatsu on Thursday.

Takatsu told Iguchi, "It was a wise choice for you to select … the White Sox as your place to play baseball. Chicago is a very comfortable place to live, the fans of the team are great and the way the Sox play is very exciting. Together, let's shoot for the World Series."

Having Takatsu should help Iguchi navigate the cultural change of moving to the United States, even though he has visited on many occasions. Iguchi doesn't speak any English and will have to take a crash course in at least some baseball terms as a middle infielder.

"I think it will be a little easier [for Iguchi] than it was for Shingo," Williams said. "Plus, he's an everyday player, so he can go out there and get his anxieties out."

Another adjustment Iguchi will have to make is playing nearly every day on grass. Just about every team in Japan plays on artificial turf, and Iguchi said he will take as many ground balls as he needs in Tucson to get accustomed to the change.

"I told him we have a (groundskeeper) by the name of Roger Bossard and you're going to love him," Williams said. "He's not going to get any bad bounces on our infield."

With Iguchi penciled in as the starting second baseman, Williams was asked about the future of Willie Harris, whom the Sox had hoped would be drawing comparisons to Fox.

Harris said in comments published Thursday that if the Sox didn't feel he had a role on the team or if he wasn't going to get a fair chance to win the second base job, it might be better for him to go elsewhere.

"Willie still can serve a valuable role," Williams said. "I'm not upset [about the comments]. I think it's good for him to find his motivation wherever he can and come in and prove to me that I'm wrong."

Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune