OF So Taguchi, Phillies Sign 1 Year Deal With 2009 Option
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The Phillies announced Sunday that they moved to consolidate and add flexibility to their outfield as well as to gain a pinch-hitting threat in signing a one year deal with former St. Louis Cardinal So Taguchi. The deal reportedly also includes an option for 2009.
Not only does utilityman Taguchi bring a career batting average of .283 to the Phillies, AP’s report for Yahoo sports notes that “he led all National League pinch hitters with a .406 (13-32) batting average” and MLB.com’s Ken Mandel reports that right-handed-hitting Taguchi is a .284 hitter in 120 career pinch-hit appearances.
Last season, Taguchi hit .290 getting 89 hits in 307 at bats in 130 games for the Cardinals.
Mandel further notes that;
Taguchi’s greatest value to manager Charlie Manuel is his ability to play all three outfield positions, and be a longer-term solution in center field should Shane Victorino suffer an injury such as the strained right calf that cost him most of the final two months of 2007.
Taguchi completes a five-man bench that also consists of Jayson Werth, catcher Chris Coste, Eric Bruntlett and whoever doesn’t start at third between Greg Dobbs and Wes Helms.
The AP report also notes;
As a member of the World Series champion Cardinals in 2006, Taguchi hit .400 (6-15) with two home runs and four RBI in the playoffs. He started in three of the five World Series games.
“Taguchi gives our team more defensive versatility in the outfield,” Assistant General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a statement released by the team. “And he has proven over his career that he can get key hits in big situations.”
And so another Japanese ballplayer is acquired pre-emptively by the Phillies so as to not skip a beat should Victorino go down with injury, just as 2nd baseman Tadahito Iguchi was acquired by trade and performed after starting 2nd baseman Chase Utley went down.
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