A few weeks ago, in an attempt to help the Phillies woo players from Japan, I began a series of profiles on Japanese players who had previously worn the red pinstripes. Last time, I discussed World Series champion So Taguchi. This time, I’ll highlight a member of the 2007 National League East champions.
In 2007, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley was having an MVP-caliber season. Unfortunately, during a game on July 27th that year, John Lannan pitched him a little too far inside. As Utley was known
to do, he hung in there, but the price was a broken wrist.
With their star second baseman estimated to miss about a month, the Phillies reacted quickly. They sent minor league pitcher Michael Dubee to the White Sox in exchange for Tadahito Iguchi.
Iguchi had begun his career for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in the Japan Pacific League. In 2005, he came to America, signing with the White Sox, and put up good, if not great numbers. But with the Sox struggling in 2007, they felt he was expendable and sent him to the Phillies.
Iguchi didn’t completely replace Utley – nobody could have – but he certainly held his own, putting up an .803 OPS with three home runs in 45 games. Thanks to that solid performance, the Phillies were able to stay within striking distance of the division.
Unfortunately for him (but fortunate for the Phillies), Utley returned to the team at the end of August, and Iguchi was limited mostly to pinch hitting appearances in the final month of the season.
That didn’t stop Iguchi from contributing. In an August game against the Mets, the Phillies were trailing by one with the tying runner at third base. Iguchi was brought in as a pinch hitter and delivered a single. He then stole second base and came around to score the winning run on a single by (who else?) Chase Utley.
After the season, Iguchi wanted more playing time, and signed with the San Diego Padres. But an injury caused him to miss almost two months of the season, and he wasn’t hitting well when on the field. In September, they released him, and the Phillies, seeking another bench player for the stretch run, picked him up.
He didn’t make much of an impact, appearing in just three games before getting two hits in a start on the final day of the season. Because he wasn’t on the roster at the start of September, he could not be included on the postseason roster, so he had to watch from the sidelines as the Phillies and his countryman Taguchi won the World Series.
Considering the thin margin by which they won the National League East in 2007, it is reasonable to think that without Iguchi being able to fill in for Utley, the Phillies would have missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year. Let this be a lesson to all those Japanese players out there trying to decide what MLB team to join. If you sign with the Phillies, you could be the difference between the team making the playoffs or sitting out in October.
