LHP Takuro Sugio joins Cologne Cardinals

The Cologne Cardinals continue to keep connections to Japan alive. They have signed 28-year-old left-handed pitcher Takuro Sugio. He convinced Georg Apfelbaum during a tryout in Fukuoka, Japan last fall. In 2014 Sugio pitched for the Hard Bulls in the second division in Austria. He had a 7-3 record with an ERA of 1.46 in ten starts. He struck out 62 and walked 16 in 67 2/3 innings. He is the first new player on the Cardinals roster for the 2015 campaign.