Keiichi Yabu
| IP | 126 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4 |
| WHIP | 1.468 |
| BB/9 | 4.143 |
| SO/9 | 6.571 |
- Full name Keiichi Yabu
- Born 09/28/1968 in Mie, Japan
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Tokyo Keizai University
- Debut 04/09/2005
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Looking for some veteran pitching depth at the major league level after trading Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, the A's dipped into the Asian market to sign Yabu in January. General manager Billy Beane first took note of Yabu when he pitched well against the Yankees in exhibition games before the 2004 season. An 11-year veteran of Japan's Hanshin Tigers, Yabu was the 1994 Central League rookie of the year. He signed a one-year contract with a $750,000 salary for 2005, plus either a $250,000 buyout or $1.5 million for 2006. A classic Japanese pitcher who has no single eye-popping pitch, Yabu throws strikes with a rich variety of offerings. His fastball sits at 88-90 mph, and he can dial it up to 92 on occasion. He also uses a cutter, splitter, slider and changeup. Oakland anticipates Yabu will have little difficulty adjusting to the U.S. majors and, at 36, won't require any minor league seasoning. He'll compete with youngsters Joe Blanton, Dan Haren and Dan Meyer for the open rotation spots behind Rich Harden and Barry Zito. The A's think Yabu also could succeed in a swing role if necessary.
