Update on North American Players in Japan, Part IV: “E”, “F” & “G”

r league team. He didn’t pitch especially well there, going 1-2 with a 4.68 ERA in four starts. His K’s-BB’s ratio was over 5-to-1 though, and the Hawks called him up.

With the Hawks, Germano has been great so far. After three starts, he’s 3-0 with a 2.60 ERA. In 17.1 IP, he’s allowed one walk and has six K’s.

Because of his age, if Germano can establish himself in Japanese baseball, he could have a long career there. Or, if he dramatically improves as a pitcher over the next couple of years, MLB organizations will be interested in bringing him back to the States.

Ryan Glynn, Yokohama Bay Stars. Glynn is a 34 year old right-handed pitcher who pitched in the majors for the Rangers, the Blue Jays, and the A’s (mostly for the Rangers). The Ballpark at Arlington is a tough place to pitch, and Glynn’s career major league ERA of 6.24 reflects that fact.

The Rakuten Golden Eagles signed him before the 2006 season, and Glynn has had a successful Japanese career until this season. His best year was 2007, when he went 9-8 as a starter for the Nippon Ham Fighters, with a 2.21 ERA.

Glynn’s been kind of a hard-luck pitcher in Japan, with a 25-38 record despite a career 3.53 ERA.

However, he has not pitched well at all for the Bay Stars in 2009. He’s 2-9 with a 5.60 ERA so far this year. Unless he turns it around in a hurry, he’ll likely be demoted or released by the All-Star Break.

Dicky Gonzalez, Yomiuri Giants. Gonzalez is a 30 year old right-hander who pitched mainly in the Mets’ system, and had cups of coffee for the Mets in 2001, and the Rays in 2004. The Yakult Swallows signed him before the 2005 season.

Gonzalez’s Japanese career has been up and down. He went 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA in ‘04, 4-6 with a 5.07 ERA in ‘05, and then went 9-7 with a 3.15 ERA with 95 K’s in 25 BB’s in 114.1 IP before blowing his arm out in ‘06.

He missed the entire 2007 season, and only pitched in eight games as a starter in 2008, which probably means he had Tommy John elbow surgery in late 2006.

This year, the Giants acquired Gonzalez from the Swallows, and it looks as if he’s completely back from his injury. After five starts at the Giants’ minor league team, he was recalled, and is now 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA, 33 K’s, and only four BB’s in 55.1 IP for the Giants.

Alex Graman, Saitama Seibu Lions. He’s a 31 year old left-hander who played his entire U.S. career in the Yankees’ organization. He had very brief cups of coffee in ‘04 and ‘05 (total of 6.1 IP) in which he got hit hard.

He signed with the Seibu Lions in 2006. He was a starter that year, going 4-6 with a 4.21 ERA in 13 starts. At some time in the 2007 season, he became the Lions closer, probably out of desperation since he finished the year with a 4.08 ERA, and finished the year with 17 saves.

Last year, he was one of Japan’s best closers, notching 31 saves and posting a 1.42 ERA with 42 K’s and 13 BB’s in 57 IP.

This year, however, he’s apparently had injury problems, because he’s only pitched in six games. He has three saves, but is also 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA.

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