Munenori Kawasaki had it all in Japan.
He was the star shortstop for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, and the Kagoshima native had made his eighth appearance in the NPB All-Star Game in July of 2011 and helped the Hawks win the Japan Series later that year.
Still, he traded in his superstar status in Japan for a chance — not a guarantee — to make the Seattle Mariners roster as a non-roster invitee to spring training.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.