June 16, 200916 yr A report suggested that the Giants have signed Mr. Zero, Shingo Takatsu to a minor league contract. According to NPBtracker.com, Takatsu will report to Triple-A Fresno once his visa paperwork clears. Takatsu, a legendary Japanese league closer, hasn't pitched a regular season game in the majors since 2005. He failed to win a job with the Cubs out of spring training last year and ended up in Korea. The 40-year-old reliever still thinks he can pitch in the bigs.
June 16, 200916 yr I never thought he lost his stuff, he just couldn't throw the crazy offspeed pitches for strikes. Since people didn't have to be ready for a 40 mph difference between his average fastball and his crazy offspeed stuff, they could sit on the upper 80s fastball and crush it. If there's any pitcher in the world who ought to be able to pitch when he's 50 its a guy like Shingo; a guy who k's people on 49 mph pitches.
June 16, 200916 yr They are having a mini 2005 reunion over there in San Fran. Uribe, Rowand, Shingo. Is Dustin Hermanson coming back?
June 16, 200916 yr I will never forget that frisbee he threw against Sosa. It was a thing of absolute beauty. I wish him all the success in the world.
June 17, 200916 yr The Giants have managed a pretty good pen this year. I hope he can contribute. Shingo was never figured out. The guy made fools of some pretty damn good hitters in '04 even after they faced him earlier, read the "book", etc. It was simply the case of Shinguchiro-san losing the pin-point control due to age, injury and experiencing a Brad Lidge-like loss of self-confidence after that 3 HR debacle against the Tribe.
June 17, 200916 yr QUOTE (Markbilliards @ Jun 15, 2009 -> 11:41 PM) What's his fastball topping out at these days? 78 MPH? Ha, ha, ha. He can not compete with Livan Hernandez at 84 MPH.
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