I had to dust of the keyboard for this one. It's been 87 days since I last wrote a blog and the Cubs sure haven't given me a reason to. Yeah I probably could've written my thoughts on the signing of Craig Counsell who's a top 3 manager in baseball and immediately improves the team. But hey, Jacksbackstop.com is working on a tight budget with limited, underpaid writers right now so cut the team some slack.
The big news ahead of the 2024 Cubs Convention (!!!) is that the dormant Cubs have finally made a splash in the Free Agent market signing Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga. Imanaga was kind of in the shadows as most of the attention went to the power pitcher from Japan, Yamamoto, but don't sleep on this guy. His nickname in Japan is the "The Throwing Philosopher"...remind you of anyone? Well he should and probably will.
Imanaga feels like a higher velocity Kyle Hendricks. He relies on his fastball that averages 92mph and tops out at 96mph but can also spin a pretty nasty changeup and a sweeping slider. His game is command. He had a walk rate below 4% last year but he also records a good amount of strikeouts, just ask Paul Goldschmidt. Imanaga started the WBC against the United States going the first 2 innings striking out both Goldschmidt and Cedric Mullins but later giving up a homer to Trea Turner.
2016 - 2023 Shota Imanaga
2x NPB All-Star (2019, 2023)
Central League strikeout champion (2023)
Pitched a no-hitter on June 7, 2022
I know the MLB is a different beast but the talent in Japan isn't anything to look down on. What's impressive about Imanaga is that walk rate. Walking under 2 guys per 9 on average over the last 3 seasons. For context, I added in Blake Snell's 2023 CY YOUNG season. Was Snell better, of course. Would I rather have seen them sign Snell at 30 over Imanaga at 30? Sure. But those numbers aren't that different. Snell obviously wins in ERA and hits/9 but it gets close in things like HR/9 and SO/9. And then clearly Imanaga has that control walking significantly less batters and a slightly better WHIP.
The Cubs are a better baseball team today with Imanaga in the rotation. He'll slot in nicely as a 2/3 and eat up innings. He's not going to WOW you like a Yu Darvish or a Kodai Senga. But Kyle Hendricks is the farthest thing from jaw dropping and I'll take another 30 year old Kyle Hendricks on my team any day of the week.
And if you want to watch a 7 minute video where he dominates the Yomiuri Giants then here you go.
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