Bats/Throws: L/L

Height/Weight: 5’10”/172

Acquired: International FA 2/11/10

Born: 4/2/75

2009 Rank: NR

Why Ranked Here: He goes to Spring Training in St. Lucie with a chance to break camp as a fifth starter.  Crazy, but true.  His fastball lives between 85 and 90 mph, but he uses a sinker at 80 mph almost as much as his heater.  He mixes in a cutter around 85, a slider in the upper 70s-low 80s and an goofy curveball at 65 mph.  He throws so many pitches with a full range between 75 and 90 with a few 65s that it’s not hard to see him keeping the league off-balance his fist time through.  Thanks NPB velocity tracker!

2009: 10-6, 2.94 Era in 25 G with 126 K in 144 IP for the Yomiuri Giants.

Dr. Pangloss Says: The Mets fifth starter.

Debbie Downer Says: He’s old, small, he doesn’t throw hard, and the NL will eat him alive, but he’ll be a dominant force in the International League.

Projected 2010 Start: Sampling the sushi in Buffalo.