Hirotoshi Ishii will close for BoSox in 2007?

[Havok1517]

29 year old Japanese closer Hirotoshi Ishii. He has already been promised that he will in fact be posted at the end of this year and would help cement the Sox closer situation with Pap reportedly starting next year. I think Foulke will move on, Timlin is clearly not the answer, and Hansen obviously isn't ready.

There are strong indications Ishii will be allowed to move from Japan to the majors via the posting system this offseason, the Japan Times reports.
08/21/06

http://66.218.69.11/search/cache?p=Hirotoshi+Ishii+2006+season&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-500&x=wrt&u=www.all-baseball.com/firebrand/archives/024170.html&w=hirotoshi+ishii+2006+season&d=YiEGfiQ8NYvj&icp=1&.intl=us

http://bostondirtdogs.boston.com/Headli ... sox_1.html

[thedude]

I guess the red sox would be the obvious front runner to grab him, unless of of course the yankees make a huge bid to keep him away from the red sox.

[soxfan364]

And so Papelbon starts then...

[DirtyKash]

Kaz Ishii's brother??

[thedude]

And so Papelbon starts then...

That decision has pretty much been made. The Red Sox never saw him as a closer long term, and now the shoulder problem makes them think he would benefit from a regular schedule.

[PlayingWithFire]

where the heck would everybody take Papelbon next year? The guy could post decent numbers as a SP too.

[cordscords]

Probably where Smoltz was going when he returned to the rotation.

Round 10.

[Havok1517]

Kaz Ishii's brother??

They aren't related. I believe Ishii is a pretty popular last name in Japan.

[Yoda]

Probably where Smoltz was going when he returned to the rotation.

Round 10.

I would stay away from Papelbon as a starter. I know he was dominant as a closer but starting is a whole new ball game especially for someone as inexperienced as Papelbon.

[slomo007]

Probably where Smoltz was going when he returned to the rotation.

Round 10.

I would stay away from Papelbon as a starter. I know he was dominant as a closer but starting is a whole new ball game especially for someone as inexperienced as Papelbon.

I agree. When pitchers who are as talented as Randy Johnson and Josh Beckett fail to even be decent fantasy starters, I am steering clear of any question marks who happen to start in the AL east. Let someone else take the gamble on him.