Itsuki Shoda of the Boston Red Sox (briefly)

OK, I've gotten so far behind that this guy has actually been released already, but I still think I should do this post. Back in mid-February, just before spring training started, the Red Sox signed former Fighter and Tiger pitcher Itsuki Shoda to a minor league deal. Now, I've already given away the ending, but Shoda apparently is planning on remaining in the States and trying to sign with someone else.

Shoda was drafted by the Fighters in the 2000 (fall 1999) draft. He became a regular in 2002 and ended up winning the Pacific League Rookie Of The Year award. His effectiveness declined over the next couple years and he ended up being traded to Hanshin in 2007. He spent two years on the Tigers farm team before spending 2009-10 with the Sinon Bulls in Taiwan.

Shoda's first card is actually in the 2000 BBM Preview set's Draft Pick subset (#P125). This was the first time that BBM had done draft pick cards. His rookie card (if you define it as his first appearance in a "regular" set) was #366 in the 2000 BBM set. He doesn't have another BBM card until the 2003 1st Version set (meaning that yes, the 2002 PL Rookie of the Year does not have a 2002 card!). His first Calbee card is from the 2003 set (#077). (As always, this is not a comprehensive list, just a couple of the highlights.)

Here's his first Calbee card (2003 #077), 2004 BBM PL Playoff #P38 and 2007 BBM Tigers #T031: