Photo courtesy Kyle Kawabata

---

Kawabata is
mightier in the pen

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

Kyle Kawabata's professional baseball career has not exactly been on the fast track since he was drafted in the 30th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in June of 1995.

But that is not due to any lack of success by the 5-foot-11, 195 right-hander out of Kailua High School and Washington State University.

"He's very successful. He hasn't moved up as rapidly as some, but that's not his fault, it's the numbers," said Del Unser, Philadelphia's director of player development.

If success is measured in numbers, Kawabata's career 2.17 earned run average tells a lot. So do his 129 strikeouts and only 25 walks in 123-1/3 innings.

Kawabata has been a part of successful teams since high school, when he helped the Surfriders to two consecutive Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Divisions titles, a spot in the OIA championship game and berths in the state tournament his junior and senior years.

At Washington State, the Cougars won the Pacific-10 North title his senior year, when he compiled an 11-3 record. Kawabata's name appears in the top 10 of a number of WSU's career pitching categories.

Draft day was another story. Only one or two scouts had made contact with Kawabata during his senior year, so he went fishing.

"The call came the second day and I was the only one home," Kawabata recalled. "I was told I had been drafted and someone would get back to me in a couple of days with details.

"I would have been happy if I was taken in the 90th round. From about the 16th round on, there is no money, they don't pay much attention to you -- until you do good of course -- and you're just a number."

His signing "bonus" -- $800 after taxes.

Kawabata was sent to Batavia (N.Y.), near Buffalo, in the short-season New York-Pennsylvania League, where he was 2-0.

But he didn't make Philadelphia's full-season Class A team in 1996.

"Fortunately, they didn't release me," he said. "They sent me back to Batavia."

A starter in college, Kawabata became a full-time reliever at Batavia, mostly as a closer.

He tied with two others for the most saves (18) in 1996 and had a sparkling 1.93 ERA.

"Relieving is better for my arm," Kawabata said. "When I was a starter and got up to around 100 pitches (in a game), I really had to dig deep to keep going."

This past season he was assigned to Piedmont (Kannapolis, N.C., just north of Charlotte) in the Class A South Atlantic League.

It was another good season for him, just 13 walks and 75 strikeouts in 62-2/3 innings, an even lower ERA (1.44) and a 9-5 won-loss record.

Kawabata throws a fastball (87-88 miles per hour), curve and slider. He considers the latter his KO pitch. "If a guy sits on the slider, then I bust him with a fastball," he said.

His future probably will be more as a set-up man rather than a closer as he moves up baseball's ladder.

"The major league mentality is to go after hitters with hard stuff and I don't throw 95 mph," Kawabata said. "I have to get away with stuff. The bottom line is I have to be a thinking type of pitcher."

"The beauty with Kyle is that he comes in and throws strikes," Unser said. "He keeps his slider down in the zone. He doesn't beat himself. He's pretty polished."

Unser also indicated the Phillies would like to see Kawabata make the Clearwater team in the Florida State League next spring, and, if he does well there, be ready for a promotion to Double-A Reading (Pa.) in the Eastern League.

"When you get paid for it, it's work, day in and day out, but I enjoy it, the 23-year-old Kawabata said. "I'll keep going until they tell me I can't."

Kawabata will keep going this winter. He was added to the Hilo Stars' roster recently.

Kyle Kawabata's
career statistics

Height: 5-11, Weight: 195, Throws: Right. Bats: Right
Schools: Kailua High School, Washington State University

Pitching record

Year, Team, League			G	IP	W	L	Pct.	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA
1995-Batavia, New York-Penn League	18	32-2/3	2	0	1.000	34	13	5	30	3.58
1996-Batavia, New York-Penn League	25	28	1	2	.333	21	6	7	24	1.93
1997-Piedmont, Carolina League		44	62-2/3	9	5	.643	50	10	13	75	1.44
Minor League totals			43	123-1/3	12	7	.632	105	29	25	129	2.17

Notes
Drafted in 30th round by the Philadelphia Phillies, June 2, 1995.
Named Batavia's top relief pitcher in 1966.
Named Piedmont's Most Valuable Pitcher in 1997.

Statistical notes
Tied with two others for most saves (18) in New York-Pennsylvania League in 1996 . . . Recorded 16 saves for Piedmont in 1997.