View Full Version : Tomo Ohka
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=392987#post392987 target=_blank>Brewers trade Spivey for starting pitcher</a>
<b><font size=4>A new pitcher</font></b>
Right-hander Tomo Ohka, acquired Friday from Washington in a trade for second baseman Junior Spivey, reported and threw a bullpen session before the game. Ohka will make his first start for the Brewers on Tuesday in Tampa Bay.
Ohka, quiet and reserved beyond his somewhat limited grasp of the English language, played down the altercation with Nationals manager Frank Robinson that preceded his departure. In his last start, Ohka turned his back to Robinson when he came out to make a pitching change and was fined by the club for that snub.
"I play with him the last three years and don't have any problems," said Ohka. "It was just miscommunication."
Then, asked about his reaction to the trade, Ohka smiled and said, "I am not shocked. That is baseball."
<b><font size=4>Ohka arrives</font></b>
While Weeks came in a red-eye flight, Tomo Ohka, the Brewers' other new acquisition also arrived on Saturday and was in the clubhouse by 3:25 p.m.
Yost got a chance to speak briefly with Ohka, telling Ohka that he will make his Brewers debut on Tuesday in Tampa Bay. Ohka is pleased to be with the Brewers, especially given the way he left the Nationals.
The right-handed pitcher didn't leave the National League East-leading Nationals under the best circumstances. He was fined by Washington on Sunday for showing disrespect to manager Frank Robinson while being removed from the game the night before, on June 4, in a 7-3 victory over the Florida Marlins. "He was disrespectful to me," Robinson said before the Marlins game June 5. "He had his back to me. I put my hand out for the ball and he didn't give it to me."
Ohka was a little surprised he was traded.
"I was surprised, but I'm happy to be here," Ohka said. "What happened in Washington is past. This is a new team and a new start. I really didn't think it was a big problem [what happened in Washington]. It was just miscommunication. I didn't think I showed [Robinson] up and that isn't what I wanted to do. I didn't say anything to [Robinson]."
<b><font size=4>Ready to go</font></b>
Right-hander Tomo Ohka, acquired from Washington last week for second baseman Junior Spivey, will make his Brewers debut tonight against Tampa Bay. Ohka, who has not pitched in more than a week, had a bullpen session Saturday in Philadelphia that impressed pitching coach Mike Maddux.
"He was a strike-throwing machine," Maddux said. "He repeated his mechanics very well, changed speeds with every pitch. I liked what I saw. He's a pitcher."
<b><font size=4>Ohka's coincidence</font>
Brewers righty spins shutout on night rife with complete games</b>
ST. PETERSBURG -- Tomo Ohka wasn't the only pitcher who had a very good night Tuesday.
The Brewers' newcomer hurled his first career shutout in Milwaukee's win at Tampa Bay, and he was one of six Major League pitchers to go the distance Tuesday -- and one of the four who fired shutouts.
The Cardinals' Chris Carpenter delivered the most commanding performance, dominating his former team, the Blue Jays, on the way to a one-hit shutout. The Yankees' Mike Mussina and the Cubs' Sergio Mitre each fired five-hitters to beat the Pirates and Marlins, respectively, and Ohka blanked the Devil Rays on nine hits.
Is it a sign that pitching is on the rise? "Ask Derrek Lee if the pitching's better," Brewers manager Ned Yost said, referring to the red-hot Cubs first baseman, who leads the National League in all three Triple Crown categories.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time that four pitchers worked complete-game shutouts on the same night in eight years, and the previous instance also involved a Brewer. On June 23, 1997, Milwaukee's Jeff D'Amico blanked the Orioles on four hits on the same night that the Expos' Jim Bullinger, the Pirates' Francisco Cordova and the Cubs' Jeremi Gonzalez pitched shutouts.
Here's another deep cut from the folks at Elias: Ohka became only the second active pitcher to toss a shutout in his first appearance following an in-season move to a new team. The other is Paul Byrd, who pitched a four-hit shutout in his first start after the Phillies claimed him off waivers from the Braves in 1998.
Ohka was also the first pitcher to work a shutout in his Brewers debut since Tom Filer did it against Detroit on May 24, 1988.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=394304#post394304 target=_blank>Day of rest</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=394528#post394528 target=_blank>Positive returns keep coming in from 'Arizona 6' trade</a>
<b><font size=4>New surroundings</font></b>
Brewers right-hander Tomo Ohka, who will make his Miller Park debut tonight against the Chicago Cubs, received a scouting report about his new home city from Tampa Bay pitcher Hideo Nomo, who pitched for the Brewers in 1999.
"He said he liked it," Ohka said. "He said it was a good city and a good team."
Ohka, acquired from Washington in the Junior Spivey trade, will face Cubs right-hander Greg Maddux.
<b><font size=4>No in-between</font></b>
In nine starts with the Brewers since being acquired from Washington, right-hander Tomo Ohka has fallen into a pattern of either pitching well or poorly, with very few outings in the middle. It was definitely the latter Tuesday, when he allowed eight hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings in the 9-8 loss to the Mets.
"You can usually tell real quick if he's going to be 'on' or not," said manager Ned Yost. "If he's on, he's lights out. If he's off, he usually finds a way to compete around it."
Since coming to the Brewers, Ohka is 2-3 with four no-decisions and a 4.85 earned run average. He is making $2.75 million this season and is eligible for salary arbitration for the third time.
Unless Ohka picks up the pace, it's hard to imagine the Brewers offering him a contract for 2006, because major-league rules allow for a maximum salary cut of 20%. It's more likely the Brewers would not tender a contract, then possibly offer a lesser deal.
"That's something we'll talk about after the season," said general manager Doug Melvin.
<b><font size=4>Another decision</font></b>
Right-hander Tomo Ohka, acquired in June from Washington, is making $2.75 million this season and also is in line for a sizable raise in his last winter before free agency. Ohka is 11-8 with a 4.04 ERA, including a 7-6 mark and 4.24 ERA in 22 outings (20 starts) for the Brewers.
Asked if he was tempted to part ways with Ohka, Melvin said, "Not if he's producing."
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=428131#post428131 target=_blank>In limbo</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=437380#post437380 target=_blamk>Arbitration cases</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=438705#post438705 target=_blank>Brewers face arbitration</a>
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=443530#post443530 target=_blank>Mailbag: Sorting out arbitration</a>
<b><font size=4>Ohka talks continue</font></b>
The Brewers continue to talk with the agent for right-hander Tomo Ohka in an effort to avoid a scheduled arbitration hearing Thursday in St. Petersburg, Fla. Ohka, who made $2.75 million last season, filed a request for a $5.2 million salary, with the Brewers offering $4.25 million.
"We had a couple of conversations (Monday) but there's nothing to report," said Ash, who expected to continue negotiations today. "At this point, I can't read the situation at all."
General manager Doug Melvin arrived in Phoenix on Monday to prepare for the start of spring training and would have to travel to Florida on Wednesday if no agreement is reached. Ash will travel to either Phoenix or Florida on Wednesday, depending on the Ohka situation.
"I know I'm going somewhere that day," Ash said. "I just don't know where yet."
<b><font size=4>Brewers, Ohka closing in on a deal</font>
Thursday arbitration hearing still on for now</b>
The Milwaukee Brewers appeared to be closing in on a deal late Tuesday with right-hander Tomo Ohka that would avoid a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Assistant general manager Gord Ash negotiated late into the night with Ohka's agent, Jim Masteralexis, and expressed hope of reaching an agreement today.
"There's no official confirmation of a deal but we're still talking," Ash said.
In the absence of a deal, Ash was scheduled to fly to Florida this morning to prepare for the hearing. General manager Doug Melvin, in Phoenix where the Brewers are scheduled to officially open camp this weekend, made plans to join him.
Ohka is the last remaining player in arbitration for the Brewers, who have not gone to a hearing since Melvin and Ash assumed control of the baseball operations at the end of the 2002 season. The club has gone to arbitration hearings only three times in its 36-year history.
Ohka, who will be 30 on March 18, filed a salary request of $5.2 million, with the Brewers submitting an offer of $4.25 million. Ohka made $2.75 million last season, when he went 11-9 with a 4.04 earned run average, including a 7-6 mark with the Brewers after being acquired in a trade with Washington.
The Brewers avoided a hearing with centerfielder Brady Clark last week with a last-minute settlement on a two-year, $7 million contract.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=445600#post445600 target=_blank>Brewers, Ohka reach deal, avoid arbitration</a>
<b><font size=4>All hands on deck</font></b>
Friday was reporting day for the players and Melvin said he knew of no late arrivals on his roster. Right-hander Tomo Ohka arrived for his first spring training experience in Arizona and promptly walked past the entrance into the clubhouse.
"He went around the side and came in through the laundry room," Yost said. "He's already lost."
<b><font size=4>No show</font></b>
Right-hander Tomo Ohka was not in the ballpark when the Brewers played their exhibition game against Team Japan on Friday night.
"It will end too late," he said, smiling.
Ohka, who was born and still resides in Kyoto, Japan, is probably the best Japanese pitcher working in the major leagues today but was not asked to participate in the World Baseball Classic.
"Everyone thought they asked him and he said no," said Brewers knuckleballer Jared Fernandez, who was Ohka's roommate in the minor leagues in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. "But they never asked.
"He wanted to play. I don't know what the deal is. When he came to the States, he told his Japanese team (Yokohama), 'I want to go to America. I can make it,' and they were, like, 'OK, go ahead. Whatever.' He came over with no money, no fanfare. And, he made it. I don't understand why they wouldn't want him on their team. It's not like he's a problem kid. He's a great guy."
<b><font size=4>Rough road</font></b>
A day after Brewers manager Ned Yost talked about his pitchers going through a "dead arm" phase of camp, right-hander Tomo Ohka was shelled for seven runs (two earned) and 11 hits in a four-inning stint against the Royals.
An error by Corey Koskie opened the gate for a five-run rally in the third, but it was clear from the outset that Ohka couldn't place the ball where he wanted.
"My arm feels good," Ohka said. "I just made bad pitches. Bad location."
Said Yost: "The quality strikes weren't there today. He was throwing too many pitches down the middle. He threw the ball fine. We told him to get ahead (in the count) and expand and he finally did. But he threw too many pitches down the middle. . . . You can fine-tune off that. . . . It's just part of the process of spring training."
<b><font size=4>Ohka set to return to rotation</font></b>
Phoenix - Barring a setback, right-hander Tomo Ohka will return to the Brewers' rotation Tuesday in San Francisco.
Ohka has been on the disabled list with a slight rotator cuff tear in his shoulder since his last outing on May 1 against Houston. He made his third minor league rehabilitation outing Thursday in the Arizona Rookie League and reported no problems with the shoulder.
"There's a good possibility he'll make that start," said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin.
Before the all-star break, the Brewers sent down right-hander Carlos Villanueva, who had been pitching in the fifth spot in the rotation.
Right-hander Ben Sheets, out since May 3 with shoulder tendinitis, continued his minor league rehab program today in the Arizona Rookie League. Melvin said Sheets would need one more outing in the minors before returning to the Brewers' rotation sometime around July 24 or 25.
<a href=http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=472324#post472324 target=_blank>Restoring the rotation</a>
Transaction: Tomo Ohka
Player: Tomo Ohka
Date: 07/18/2006
Action: Activated from the 15-day DL
From Team: Milwaukee Brewers
To Team: Milwaukee Brewers
<b><font size=4>Expecting the same old stuff</font>
Ohka to take mound tonight</b>
San Francisco - Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux doesn't expect Tomo Ohka to do any magic tricks on the mound tonight at AT&T Park.
"I expect Tomo to be Tomo," Maddux said. "That's all."
Which the Brewers will happily accept. Ohka returns to the mound against San Francisco for the first time since May 1, when he suffered a partial undersurface tear of the rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder in a game against Houston.
Ohka does not have the high profile of the Brewers' other injured starting pitcher, Ben Sheets, who is expected to return next week. But manager Ned Yost knows better than most how much the club has missed the 30-year-old right-hander.
Ohka is one of those grinders, a pitcher who eats up innings, throws strikes and keeps his team in the game. In six starts before being injured, he went 2-1 with a 3.18 earned run average.
"He makes the hitters beat him," Yost said. "He's not out there walking four guys an inning. He's a pitcher. He goes out and throws strikes, changes speeds, gets fairly quick outs."
It has been well-documented how poorly the Brewers fared in the absence of Sheets and Ohka. Six pitchers used as fill-ins produced a 5-17 record for the club.
At one point, when the starters were going only an inning or two, there was a devastating trickle-down effect in the bullpen, which became overworked. Rookie lefty Zach Jackson, who started Monday night against the Giants, stabilized that situation somewhat but there is no substitute for experienced pitching.
After watching Ohka throw a 77-pitch bullpen session over the weekend in Phoenix, Maddux was convinced Ohka's shoulder was 100% again. Ohka did not hold back, throwing all of his pitches crisply.
"I don't expect to see a guy who's injured and holding back," Maddux said. "He's ready to rock and roll. Let the chips fall wherever they may, but whatever happens it won't be because he was hurt."
The stoic Ohka, who rarely shows his emotions, insisted that he was not overly excited about returning to the rotation. He noted that he already had pitched three times in the minors, suggesting this is just another game.
There's no way that can be true but the business-like Ohka made it clear he feels prepared to face major-league hitters again.
"I don't have any pain, pitching," he said. "I'm ready for (tonight), good or bad. I feel good. I just want to throw and get outs. That's my job."
It took 10 weeks for Ohka to work his way back to the Brewers' rotation, and he admitted that he didn't think it would take that long.
"I tried to go faster," he said. "The trainer said, 'No.' He doesn't want it to get hurt again."
<b><font size=4>Ohka to be activated Tuesday</font></b>
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Brewers will wait until Tuesday to activate Tomo Ohka from the disabled list for his start later that night against the Giants.
Ohka has not pitched since May 1, when he exited after five innings with a subsurface tear of his right rotator cuff. He slowly built arm strength before making three Minor League rehabilitation starts, most recently Thursday in the Arizona Rookie League.
"I don't have any pain pitching," said Ohka, a free agent at season's end. "I'm ready for [Tuesday], good or bad. I just want to throw and get outs. That's my job."
Ohka was 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA in his first six starts before the injury. The Brewers have struggled at times to hold together the starting rotation in the wake of injuries to Ohka and Ben Sheets (shoulder), going 5-17 in games started by replacements before Zach Jackson's outing Monday night.
"I tried to go faster, but the trainer [head athletic trainer Roger Caplinger] said no," Ohka said. "I told him, I want to throw the ball. He doesn't want it to get hurt again."
Ohka made two of his rehab starts at Class A Brevard County, where the athletic trainer speaks Japanese. He made his final tuneup in Arizona, where the big-league Brewers started the second half, and pitched in front of a contingent that included Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, manager Ned Yost and pitching coach Mike Maddux.
"I expect Tomo to be Tomo," Maddux said. "What I mean is a guy who's not injured or holding back, or anything like that. He's ready to rock and roll. The chips will fall where they may, but it's not going to be because he's not healthy."
Ohka and the Brewers avoided a salary arbitration hearing in February by agreeing to a one-year, $4.53 million contract for 2006. The Brewers will have to make a corresponding move to clear a 25-man roster spot for Ohka, and they may elect to send Jackson back to the Minors to stay on a regular schedule.
Player: Tomo Ohka
Date: 10/29/2006
Action: Elected Free Agency
From Team: Milwaukee Brewers
To Team: Free Agent
Brewers Ohka reach preliminary deal with Blue Jays (http://www.addictsports.com/baseball/showthread.php?p=508466#post508466)
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