Fresh from the Tigers' PR Dept.:
DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers today announced the club has agreed to terms on a minor league deal with lefthanded pitcher Fu-Te Ni from Taiwan. Ni will be in major league camp with the Tigers this spring as a non-roster invitee.
Ni spent the past two seasons pitching for the China Trust Whales in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. In 2008, he finished 5-12 with a 3.34 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 145.1 innings pitched. Ni led the CPBL with 132 strikeouts in 2008. He finished 7-12 with a 3.53 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 122.1 innings pitched during the 2007 season. Ni finished third in the CPBL with 125 strikeouts that season, while he was eighth with his 3.53 ERA.
“Our personnel that have scouted Ni project him as a major league pitcher,” Tigers President, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager David Dombrowski said. “The efforts by Al Avila (vice president/assistant general manager), Tom Moore (director, international operations), Kevin Hooker (pacific rim coordinator) and Allen Lin (Taiwan scout) have brought this well-scouted prospect to our organization. We are pleased to add Ni as we continue to expand our international scouting efforts.”
He saw action with the Taiwan National Team at the 2007 Baseball World Cup, while he also pitched for Taiwan at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Ni is slated to pitch for Taiwan at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.Ni is the second native of Taiwan signed by the Tigers organization, joining outfielder Chao-Ting Tang. Tang was signed by the Tigers on April 28, 2008 and he saw action with the Gulf Coast League Tigers this past season.
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The Braves announce the signing of an MVP pitcher from Japan (Kenshin Kawakami), and the Tigers land a guy who was 5-12 with 3.34 ERA in, gulp, China!! Did anyone notice the pitiful performance of the "top" Chinese players in the Olympics? Good Lord, this guy could be a community college player for all we know. Sorry to be instantly pessimistic, but he CAN'T be the answer for a bullpen that's already in disarray, can he? Save your money, Dave, and use it to sign a legit pitcher that might actually help this year.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for more to be in my stocking Santa.
ReplyDeleteDerek Lowe would have been a wonderful addition to the Tiger rotation to replace Kenny Rogers (too big a Gambler - he's so old he might have a storke this year.)
with a name like that I wasn't sure if this was bogus or not.
ReplyDeleteBraves just signed Derek Lowe. Tiges let another one slip away.
ReplyDeleteThe name is real, Chuck, but as a pitcher he's probably bogus.
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