NEW YORK, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers, who introduced the
major leagues to pitchers from Japan when Hideo Nomo won the
Rookie of the Year award in 1995, signed lefthander Kazuhisa Ishii to
a four-year, $12.3 million contract on Friday.
Ishii was considered the top lefthander in the Japanese League
and the Dodgers outbid the New York Mets, Seattle Mariners,
Anaheim Angels and Texas Rangers to acquire his rights from the
Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League.
The 28-year-old Ishii went 12-6 with a 3.40 ERA and had 173
strikeouts in 175 innings with Yakult last season. He owns a
78-46 record with a 3.38 ERA over 10 seasons in Japan.
Ishii joins a rotation that includes righthanders Kevin Brown,
Nomo, Andy Ashby and Omar Daal even though Dodgers General
Manager Dan Evans never watched him pitch in Japan.
"But I watched so much video of his games," Evans said. "I felt
I knew him long before we ever got into this situation. We've
done so much homework, I'm very comfortable about this. Our top
scouts, (senior vice president) Tommy Lasorda, everybody who has
seen him, recommends him strongly."
Nomo joined his fifth team in as many years when the Dodgers
reacquired him in December. Nomo enjoyed his best success with
Los Angeles, going 45-36 with a 3.51 ERA in 106 games. He was
the first Japanese-born player to reach the major leagues after
playing professionally in Japan.
Both Brown and Ashby are coming off injuries and the Dodgers did
not re-sign Korean Chan Ho Park, who led the team in wins going
15-11 with a 3.50 ERA. Darren Dreifort is also in the rotation,
but is expected to be sidelined for at least the first two
months while recovering from surgery.
Last season, the Dodgers were among the teams that submitted
bids for right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who signed with the
Seattle Mariners and became only the second rookie to win a Most
Valuable Player Award.
