May 14, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Chris Resop (44) pitches the ball against the Texas Rangers during the tenth inning at O.co Coliseum. The Texas Rangers defeated the Oakland Athletics 6-5 in ten innings. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The primary purpose of this move is to help find a combination of relievers who can solidify the back end of the Athletics bullpen, which has struggled mightily this season.  Resop, one of the prime suspects in this case, had started the season quite strongly as he didn’t allow a run in his first 7 appearances.  But he had allowed 11 earned runs in his 12 appearances since then.  His ERA made a steady ascent from a nice and tidy 0.00 all the way to 6.00 in a matter of weeks.  The final straw came on Tuesday night when he surrendered two solo home runs to the Texas Rangers in the top of the 10th inning to put the A’s down by two, they would rally for 1 run but fell short.

Hideki Okajima was a late addition to the fold for the Athletics, and showed some signs of his former self with the Boston Red Sox during Spring Training.  But consistency was still lacking and he was sent to Triple A Sacramento to continue working on his stuff in hopes of getting a call up to Oakland.  In 16.2 innings with the River Cats Okajima has posted a 2.16 ERA with a WHIP of just 0.78.  His command has been there as well, walking just two batters while striking out 18.  He will be a useful veteran presence in the bullpen for the Athletics and will be available tonight for Bob Melvin.

From the get-go, his arrival on U.S. soil was overshadowed by the pomp and circumstance of the signing of his fellow countryman Daisuke Matsuzaka just prior to the 2007 season. The Boston Red Sox laid out the red carpet for Matsuzaka  showering him with a massive contract, a full no-trade clause, and even a contractual promise guaranteeing him jersey number 18. As a result, Okajima’s deal was largely overlooked.

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Matsuzaka, in his own right was an International Superstar even before his signing. The record breaking 51 Million Dollar posting fee paid by Boston for the right to negotiate with the starter, spoke volumes about both his promise and talent. Okajima, on the other hand was a veteran left-handed reliever riding the coattails of successful 2006 spent in the bullpen of the Nippon Ham Fighters. His career statistics did little to inspire excitement in the Boston press, and his modest deal created nothing more than a footnote in the Boston Globe.

With Okajima firmly entrenched in the shadow of Matsuzaka the notoriously persistent Boston media initially didn’t know what to make of the 31-year old. Dismissed by the local beat writers for his shyness; he was audaciously hinted at as being nothing more than a companion piece for Matsuzaka.

Miscast as a glorified safety blanket. A travel buddy. Someone who would provide a sense of comfort and familiarity to their prize investment as he adjusted to a new country.

To his credit, he took it in stride and yielded the spotlight to a man whom he shared no history and failed to develop anything more than a “professional relationship” with after becoming teammates. Focusing on the field, Okajima showed that he could effectively harness his funky delivery in the Majors and after adopting a revised change-up at the behest of John Farrell,  became a vital member of the Red Sox bullpen. Finishing the season as an All-Star and a World Series Champion, Okajima shined with a 2.22 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and at one point did not allow a single earned run over a two month period. He had silenced critics, and earned the respect of the media and his teammates.

To his dismay, the next 3+ seasons weren’t nearly as kind. His ERA and WHIP climbed significantly each season, his once solid splits began to show a disparity as right-handed hitters made the proper adjustments and clubbed his offerings resulting in a .340/.396/.540 clip in his last full season in 2010. To make matters worse, he began to develop the reputation as being a difficult interview amongst the media. Unaccustomed to the intrusive and violating nature of playing in a major market, Okajima explained that as is custom in Japan all members of the press are banned from the clubhouse following games and all interviews are pre-arranged through the team’s PR director. Even with a trusted translator to his side, the constant media barrage was at times overbearing for the sullen and isolated man.

Cut lose from the dream turned nightmare in Boston, Okajima caught on with the New York Yankees after a tumultuous 2011 which found him unceremoniously Designated for Assignment and later exiled to Triple-A by the Red Sox. However, his stint with the Bronx Bombers was stopped short before it would begin after failing a physical at the start of spring training. Citing “left shoulder concerns”, The Yankees released him from his contract but not without Okajima refuting the claim that he was injured.  Returning home to Japan, he latched on with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and simply dominated in his return to his native land. Showing no signs of a damaged shoulder, he posted a 0.94 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in 56 games putting him in position for a return to the Majors.

Presently, Okajima finds himself with the Athletics competing for a role in the crowded Oakland bullpen. This spring, he has appeared in 3 games and has yet to allow an earned run. The alleged balky shoulder has showed no issues and by all accounts he has been amicable with his press and has spoke highly of Oakland granted him another chance. The long road traveled has not been kind to Okajima, but a happy ending may still be in sight.

March 6, 2011; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Hideki Okajima (37) during a spring training exhibition game against the New York Mets at Digital Domain Park. The Mets defeated the Red Sox 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Of course nothing is official by any means, and until it is the A’s announce it nothing is set in stone.  But the more I think about adding the experience of Okajima to the relatively young A’s bullpen the more I like it.  Last night I looked at the ZiPs projections for the Athletics bullpen, and the addition of someone like Okajima seems like a good fit.

The theme for the Athletics this offseason hasn’t been making splashy moves and adding impact players, it has been keeping the core of what made them successful in 2012 intact, and fortifying it by adding quality players for depth.  Aside from the addition of Chris Resop, the bullpen has been untouched.  Sean Doolittle and Jerry Blevins will be secure in their roles without a doubt, but Jordan Norberto is far from guaranteed considering his injury history last year and general bouts with inconsistency.

Okajima would slot in as a lefty specialist primarily, holding left handed hitters to a .216/.277/.323 slash line throughout his career in the major leagues.  If he can maintain that level of success against lefties he would undoubtedly be a welcome addition to the bullpen.

So as we eagerly await the first glimpses of the 2013 Athletics tomorrow as pitchers and catchers first report to camp, one eye will be kept on Billy Beane to see if he adds one last piece to the puzzle.