As MLB Delays, NPB and Some Former Twins Begin Play

[Nate Palmer]

While the Minnesota Twins are still not playing games as MLB and the MLBPA continue to hammer away at negotiations, yet another baseball league has resumed play. This time it is Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB), which began play over the weekend.The NPB is widely considered to be the next best league behind the MLB in the world. Like we have seen in the KBO, there are a decent number of former MLB players that make their way to Japan with hopes of proving themselves again to major league teams.

 

Adam Jones may qualify as the most recognizable name for most MLB fans on 2020 NPB rosters. Then there is the now 39-year-old, master of the gyro-ball, and former Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. Among those MLB wide recognizable names are several former Twins who we can keep an eye on while we wait for baseball to resume stateside.

 

JT Chargois (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)

 

Chargois was a second-round draft pick by the Twins in 2012 and it wasn’t long ago that we were lamenting losing the right-handed flame thrower to the Los Angeles Dodgers on waivers. We saw him pitch in 25 games for the Twins in 2016, tossing 23 innings and posting a 4.70 ERA. After Chargois and his upper 90s fastball moved to LA, he put together a solid 2018 with 32 1/3 innings and a 3.34 ERA. A down 2019 has landed him in Japan for 2020.

 

Alan Busenitz (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)

 

There was a period of time where Busenitz looked like he was entrenching himself as a setup man for the Twins. In 2017, as the Twins made their impressive run to the playoffs, Busenitz performed very well, appearing in 28 games with a 1.99 ERA. Much like his NPB teammate, the wheels fell off the next season as Busenitz saw 23 games worth of action and saw his ERA skyrocket to 7.82. While the season is very young, Busenitz is already appearing on the NPB’s Top Setuppers list.

 

Andrew Albers (Orix Buffaloes)

 

Albers had two stints with the Twins in 2013 and 2016. The left-hander did pitch pretty well for the Twins in 2013, starting 10 games and going 60 innings with a 4.05 ERA. Albers will always have the great story of his first start where he loaded up his high 80s fastball to defeat the Kansas City Royals in what was the Twins longest start by any pitcher to that point in the season. In a season that meant little, Albers gave us something to cheer for.

 

Tyler Austin (Yokohama DeNA BayStars)

 

Austin came to the Twins in part of the package that sent Lance Lynn to the Yankees. His career may be marked most by all the potential for power that seemed to be in his bat, but the package just has not been put together at this point. In 2018, Austin saw action in 35 games and hit .236/.294/.488 with nine home runs. In 2019, Austin only appeared in two games for the Twins before being traded to the San Francisco Giants.

 

Kris Johnson (Hiroshima Toyo Carp)

 

If you remember anything from Johnson’s short career with Minnesota it would be his first start. He started the second game of a double header against the Dodgers and gave up no runs in 4 1/3 innings. It wasn’t the prettiest, as it took him 106 pitches and he had a lopsided six walks to his five strikeouts. Johnson only appeared in two more games for the Twins, bringing his totals to 13 1/3 innings and a 4.73 ERA in a Twins uniform before being released in the offseason.

 

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[theBOMisthebomb]

I guess if you would have told me a few years ago that Chargois and Busenitz were going to be part of the backbone of a solid bullpen for the 2020 Minnesota Twins then I wouldn't have been too surprised or upset. It might be fun to catch a Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles game and see if we could catch one of them, or both, in action.

[Twodogs]

Is the Nipon league going to be on TV at all?