ORIX BUFFALOES UPDATE
Team GM Yoshio Murayama told reporters that he already had his meeting with Akinobu Okada. Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 7/23/2012
Okada watched Alessandro Maestri throw forty pitches in the bullpen on Sunday. Okada (via Sports Hochi Osaka), “[Maestri’s] control does not look too bad. Could be an interesting [player to have around]. … But we can not use him right now because we do not have any open foreign roster spots.”
Okada (via Nikkan Sports), “[Maestri’s] control does not look too bad and he can throw the change down low. He could be an interesting [player to have around].” Okada (via Sponichi), “[Maestri] threw some good pitches and some bad pitches, but overall, not bad… His fastball was around 148 to 149 km/h and he also showed a good slider.” Maestri will likely be used as a starter at Ni-gun until something opens up.
The Buffaloes tested four other Ni-gun players during the break and probably will not promote any of them. Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 7/23/2012, Nikkan Sports 7/23/2012, Sponichi 7/23/2012