Red Sox Warned Against Signing ‘Japanese Babe Ruth’ For One Specific Reason
Summary
Munetaka Murakami, a top Japanese baseball player known for his home runs, is now able to join a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. However, a former Red Sox player has advised against signing him due to concerns about his performance against fast pitches.Key Facts
- Munetaka Murakami is a free agent and can negotiate with any MLB team.
- He is called the "Japanese Babe Ruth" and holds a home run record in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league.
- MLB teams must pay a fee to Murakami's NPB team, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, besides his salary.
- Murakami might secure a deal worth over $100 million.
- Former Red Sox player Lou Merloni cautioned against signing Murakami.
- Merloni's concern is Murakami's low batting average against pitches 93 mph or faster.
- Murakami's historical batting average against these fast pitches is .188.
- MLB fastballs in 2024 average 94.2 mph, with many pitchers throwing over 93 mph.
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