Junichi Tazawa Not Fazed By NPB Moves

JAPAN - Highly touted fastballer Junichi Tazawa reiterated his intention Tuesday to pursue a major league career by dodging the Japanese draft amid fierce opposition from Japanese baseball officials.

”I want to play in the United States first. I’m not thinking about coming back to Japan at this point,” the 22-year-old right-hander said in Kawasaki, where his Nippon Oil corporate team held practice the same day.

In a bid to stop further outflows of promising talent, Nippon Professional Baseball decided Monday that those who play for professional teams overseas and return to Japan cannot sign with Japanese clubs for a certain period.

”I’m not going to change my mind because of that decision. I haven’t done anything wrong,” Tazawa said. But when asked to comment on the possibilities that those who have similar intentions might experience difficulties, he said, ”I was only thinking about going to the United States myself. I never thought about the consequences for the next person. If that’s the case, I feel somewhat responsible.”

Tazawa is scheduled to pitch in two games during Nippon Oil’s build-up tour to Brazil starting later this week. The team leaves Japan on Wednesday.

Tazawa throws a fastball at over 150 kilometers per hour and also has a forkball and slider in his arsenal.

He proved his worth in the intercity corporate championship in September, helping his team to its first title in 13 years with four wins in five mound appearances.

Players raised in Japan’s professional leagues normally need to become free agents or use the posting system for opportunities to play in the major leagues. Japanese amateurs, however, can sign with any major league club through free competition without having to enter the amateur draft on either side of the Pacific Ocean.

Only two players, Kazuhito Tadano and Mac Suzuki, have made their major league debuts without having professional careers in Japan. But neither case has had as much impact on Japanese baseball as Tazawa’s.

According to baseball sources, Tazawa has drawn the interest of the Boston Red Sox and a handful of other major league clubs.

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