Can anyone here throw a shuuto pitch?

I twitted (tweeted) yesterday about the signing or possible signing of Japanese right hander Takafumi Nakamura.

What?

That's Hiro Nakamura, from Heroes.

Relation? No, but that doesn't mean we can't speculate he has the ability to stop time. Or say that Ole Sheldon is related to Sheldon Ocker or Sheldon Plankton. Or say that Rick Bauer isn't related to Jack Bauer. You know Jack Bauer kicks ass.. If only Rick kicked a quarter of the ass Jack does, World Series.

Anyway, the report came out through MLB Trade Rumors through the NBP Tracker site that deals with all the Japanese player movement.

Indians Prospect Insider has picked up on it and says the Indians have confirmed interest, but no contract has been reached. We'll know soon enough if this is a deal or not though.

So who is Takafumi and why do I love his name?

Well he's a 21 year old from Chuo University, he's about 6'5, 195 pounds.. 6'5? Damn son.

NBP Tracker says he wasn't a high-profile prospect for what I'm guessing is, the Japanese Professional League draft.

But he throws four pitches. A fastball that varies from anywhere between 86-91 (which tells me he probably sits at 88, or at least has to and he very rarely reaches 91.. so he's a high eighties fastball pitcher that relies on speed changes and his delivery, he has to.), a curveball and a forkball.

Now I love anyone who throws the forkball. Anytime I created a pitcher on MLB The Show, I'd give him the forkball.

Why? Because the forkball rules and no one really throws it. Why doesn't anyone throw the forkball? It sounds menacing. If I was Kenny Powers, I'd throw the forkball. It's like a spinning death ball with a fork sticking out of it.

Now there is another pitch that is called a "shuuto".

I don't know what this is or why he referred to it so casually. But it may be a common pitch over in Japan.

So I gave it the good old google effect and learned all about the shuuto.

I now know enough about the shuuto pitch to last me a lifetime. I don't want to brag, but I'm kind of an expert now.

It's basically a screwball and Daisuke Matszuaka threw it. I don't know if he still does.

Remember the famed Gyro Ball? Dice-K was supposed to throw this mythical pitch that leaked gyro sauce all over the hitter, distracting them as the ball curved down.

Not really, but that sounds about right. That's what I think of when I think Gyro Ball, admit it, you do as well.

Anyway, apparently the Gyro Ball is a shuuto pitch, which is a fancy Japanese way of saying modified screwball.

And let me tell you my friends.. I'd have the fastball, the forkball, a generic pitch like a change or a circle change (gotta keep 'em honest) and then the screwball.

This guy is essentially the pitchers I'd create on MLB The Show. Shaved head, long sideburns, menacing facial hair and a wacky number. SCREWBALL!

How terrifying does shutto sound compared to Gyro ball though? I'm going to shuuto you to death right now... Here comes the shuuto!

SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTO!

Now compare that to throwing a Gyro Ball and I'm hungry. I'd call my hunger pitch the "Chocolate Cake Ball" though.

Anyway... It looks like if they end up signing him, he'll be sent to the minors, deep into the minors. Even further down than CC Lee, who started at Kinston. Could be in Single A at some point in the season though.

So last season we signed someone from Tawain and sold Tom Mastny to Japan.

This year we've signed a Japanese prospect.

By the way how is Tom Mastny doing? I don't know, I couldn't find stats, but here is his Japanese Baseball Profile.

That's a fantastic lego rendering of Tom.



As you can tell, this is the only piece of news I have, or else I wouldn't be rambling on about shuuto pitches and Tom Mastny. The truth is my first class got canceled (beautiful day) so I have time to kill and energy to waste.

Shuuuuto Mastny!

It's going to be a long week if we don't get any news about Acta's staff. Long ass week.