Grapefruit League flashback: Hideo Nomo article in March 2000

I wrote this feature story for The Rafu Shimpo, Los Angeles’ English-Japanese newspaper, during spring training in March 2000.

By ED M. ODEVEN
Rafu contributor
Lakeland, Fla. (March 23, 2000) — After an injury-plagued 1998 season, Hideo Nomo re-emerged as one of baseball’s better power pitchers last season.

But it wasn’t an easy ride. In less than two months, Nomo was released by the New York Mets and then made three appearances with the Chicago Cubs’ Triple-A Iowa affiliate before joining the Milwaukee Brewers organization last May. And he had one tune-up start in Double-A Huntsville before joining the Brewers’ starting rotation. In Milwaukee, Nomo led the Brewers with 12 wins and 161 strikeouts. He also proved he still has the stamina to be a durable hurler, working into the seventh inning in 18 of 28 starts.

Now, new Detroit Tigers manager Phil Garner, Nomo’s skipper with the Brewers last…