Orange County Register

Not a lot to go on, but a couple reports have the Angels (and a half-dozen other teams) kicking the tires on Kenshin Kawakami, one of the top Japanese free agents available this offseason.

Here’s the scouting report on Kawakami:

Kawakami is a smart, creative pitcher who is known for finding ways to get even the toughest hitters out in big situations. His heavy fastball is not overpowering, but his crafty assortment of off-speed pitches makes him a ground-ball specialist, which should draw interest from teams in the USA’s smaller ballparks. His curve can be especially knee-buckling.

He’s won three Gold Glove awards in Japan and has a reputation as a big-game pitcher. His stats show him to be a control pitcher who can also dial up the K’s occasionally — check out 2006 and 2008 — and he looks to be getting better as he ages. A 2.30 ERA in 2008 is the best of his career. He’s 33.

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