Jason Wilson of the Dallas Morning News has reported that the Texas Rangers sent Derek Holland to Japan to meet with Yusei Kikuchi. The Rangers are one of about six teams thus far to express interest in the 18-year-old. Kikuchi is considering whether to bypass the Nippon Professional Baseball draft in an attempt to start a major league career in America.
So let me see here. The Rangers seem determined to make a splash in international signings and sent 23 year old Derek Holland to Japan to try and sell a guy on why the Texas Rangers are a first class organization.
Holland accompanied Jim Colborn, the Rangers’ director of Pacific Rim operations, in what were described by Japanese media as first-round meetings with Kikuchi. To his credit, Kikuchi understands that he will have to pitch in the minor leagues and picked Holland’s brain on the subject.
I’m not sure how much Holland could sell anyone on joining anything. Sure sending a player rep won’t hurt anything but did it really help anything in the case of the Rangers? Holland could of discussed how the Rangers kept him fed in the minors, and how there was always a bus ride to the next city. Sure I know the reasoning here, young pitcher, left hander. Who knows maybe the two could get together with left handed reliever CJ Wilson and film the next Guitar Hero commercial in their underwear.
I also assume Holland made no mention that Texas is hot as hell in the summer and their ballpark plays like a sand box at an elementary school. Oh those are the finer parts of being a major leaguer though.
Ultimately this news just comes in as underwhelming. Come on Texas this is just another dog and pony show to act like the organization is up to something. The Rangers like to keep their name in the news on this kind of stuff but always seem to be second to fourth when it comes down to anyone’s final choice.
