Irreplaceable? The Hanshin Tigers' Search for the Next Randy Bass

Randy Bass was the best foreign player the Tigers ever had. In 1988, they cut him to save a piddly amount of money. Since then, they've had a hell of a time trying to replace him. Let's see how they did.
My Twitter: / gaijinbaseball

[@GaijinBaseball]

For anyone wondering about the players who've played in the years since this video has gone out: Jefry Marte: B Mel Rojas Jr.: C Sheldon Neuse (active): F Johan Mieses (active): D

[@salvagaming4678]

Wtf they did one of their best hitters like that? That ownership does not deserve Randy Bass.

[@TheJasonBigdaddy]

Money

[@EU_Red_Fox]

Missed chance to award some solid Es! But man this really shows the pattern and it’s even more entertaining just watching them do the same thing again and again. Keep on doing your thing Tigers

[@Uiabird]

Speaking of dead balls it reminds me of the 2012 power pros game where outfield fly balls would just die. Also small note Alonzo Powell is in the Old Boys team, and it’s for his entire time with Chunichi. Fun times.

[@GreenHornet553]

Another great video Mr Gaijin Baseball. It's astounding to me that the Tigers saw one of the best players in franchise history as a replaceable spoke on the wheel, when it was clear that Randy Bass was more than that. I guess hubris knows no bounds.

[@ffenixrising]

I rarely comment on KZbin, but I must say your channel should be viewed and subscribed by more people! I wish you nothing but the best. May the algorithm reward you for all your effort.

[@RicciChoi1109]

I still hope that Teruaki Sato will end this 35+ year-search in the coming years.

[@GaijinBaseball]

He's certainly the best player they've developed in house for a long while. It really says something that the best player on the 2000s teams, Kanemoto, was poached from the Hiroshima Carp

[@hanshintigersenglishnews]

@@GaijinBaseball "Poached" makes it sound like they did something unethical. If you listen to what Kanemoto said about his move, he thought the Tigers were a joke of a team, so it's not like they were the Giants, buying other teams' best talent and dominating for decades on end. That said, Kanemoto also said that Hoshino basically threatened him during negotiations, haha.

[@Ad-zh9sb]

i had no idea scott coolbaugh and glen davis played in japan lol WHAT

[@derkaiserzen]

The "Next Randy Bass" probably already arrived.. But not to Hanshin or Osaka in general.. But at the South of Tokyo Bay in Yokohama. *see Tyler Austin

[@jmramos0109]

he's a Yokohama Baystar, a BIG rival to the Tigers. The Tigers better do something now to stop that man or else.....

[@khaikhuc1432]

@@jmramos0109 maybe it's karma all along.

[@juanjo19438686]

Amazing like always

[@mikeykimm6719]

haha sounds like what Hanshin's front office would do.

[@VisualTedium]

I'm sure Luken Baker is frustrated enough to make the move

[@SpacklerTurf]

Gotta love Lew Ford....I get to watch him everyday working for the LI Ducks..guys like 50

[@offbrandurbanism]

This was a really interesting video and glad I found your channel while trying to find Hanshin highlights to practice Japanese haha! Kind of dumb question... Why was Bass so good given his MLB career wasn't anything crazy, and why did so many foreign Hanshin players suck? Like were they just *that* bad at scouting and had no idea how to find players? I heard this year foreign player hitting has been really atrocious. Would love to chat about NPB sometime!

[@patmazeikafanchannel]

so many Fs

[@poop_knife2256]

like the Yakuza music

[@k1dd874]

a video i would really love to see even as a GB Mini, is Yuli Gurriels stint in the NPB. Not to many people know he played for the Baystars and it would be cool too see a video on it

[@khaikhuc1432]

Not to mention, funnily enough, how he perpetually ended up being the final out in championship moments. '06 WBC, '08 Olympics, '21 World Series, a more regular sight than expected really.

[@AWPtical800]

I'm surprised they haven't tried to find a guy named Wawa, after having a guy named Sheet[z] on the roster.

[@ItsAVolcano]

Huh, so the Tigers found at least a few guys who could have been a decent Bass replacement, only for cheap ass ownership to screw themselves time and time again. 🤣