Funny as it seems, being passed over for the major leagues might have been the best thing that could have happened to Atsunori Inaba.
In the years since attempting to test the MLB waters, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder has established himself as one of the NPB's elite players.
Beloved on the northern island of Hokkaido, Inaba's overall star power was on display Monday when it was announced he received the most fan votes of any player for the 2009 All-Star Series.