Tatsuya Imai has some big shoes to fill with the Houston Astros. The Japanese phenom will be trying to fill the shoes of one of MLB's best and most consistent starting pitchers in Framber Valdez. With contract projections between $150-$190 million, his settling for a deal that can pay him a max of $63 million instantly raised some concerns.
What was it about Imai that caused the entire league to back off? It would be hard enough for him to adapt to a new culture, a new league, and the subtle differences in the way the game is played stateside versus Japan, and now doubt about his overall ability entered the picture.