Dice-K

First off the name Daisuke Matsuzaka has been a big headline throughout the off-season. He has also coined his own nickname before throwing a pitch in Dice-K. This has been derived from the pronunciation of his first name in Daisuke.

The numbers were big, the pressure and expectations are high. As is to be understood when it costs fifty-plus million just to talk to a player. This then in turn was a fifty-plus million dollar contract to the equation added. So what is to be the outcome from such a precedent setting move? An all-star pitcher, a rookie-of-the-year candidate or just an over hyped five-hundred pitcher. What they received is the best pitcher not in the Major Leagues. Which means what exactly? A well proven pitcher tops in his league who won’t overpower hitters and for him to be a success he’ll have to rely on his variety of pitches, because in this league batters will turn on his ninety-two mile per hour inside fastball that got him out of trouble in Japan.

Some like to see the comparisons of Matsuzaka to recent import from the New York Yankees, Kei Igawa. Who is from Japan also, although the two Japanese hurlers have differences as Daisuke is a right-handed pitcher. Igawa pitches lefty and their pitching styles are different too. Kei Igawa will not overpower hitters with his fastball hitting the high-eighties low-nineties. The General Manager for the New York Yankees Brian Cashman has said “he’s not a blower and he’s not a soft tosser. He’s somewhere in between, “I think he knows how to pitch. I know he’s a competitor.” Igawa and the Yankees agreed to terms inking a twenty million dollar, five year deal and paid twenty five-plus million dollars for his negotiating price. He is twenty-seven years of age and will wear jersey number twenty-nine. One of the telling responses from the Yankees GM was in regards to Kei Igawa being compared to Matsuzaka. “He’s not Matsuzaka” remarked Cashman. “Matsuzaka is a front-end-of-the-rotation guy.”

Hearing Boston Red Sox interviews and press conferences has opened my eyes to the hundred million dollar deal that has brought Daisuke Matsuzaka to Major League Baseball. At the start of hearing the fight over negotiations for the Tokyo, Japan product, I had a viewpoint of a cynical nature, I am not afraid to say. The six-foot, one-hundred-eighty plus pound pitcher has continued to win me over as his enthusiasm and smiles with reporters when questions are asked, that he can’t understand without his interpreter. His answers seem to project someone of strong character with a fun-loving spirit and mind set. Matsuzaka looks to be confident in what he brings and truly looks forward to just getting out there and playing some baseball.

One big factor in making Daisuke Matsuzaka a success and to help Boston get back to the playoffs is for Dice-K to trust and learn to completely communicate things with Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, who has caught previously for pitcher Hideo Nomo. Pitcher and teammate Josh Beckett said if he had any advice for Daisuke “it would have to be to trust ‘Tek (Varitek).” “‘Tek spends more time on hitters. I’ve never seen anyone prepare like him.” Varitek has been forthcoming with comments and his support of the move and situation this year. Jason has said that “it comes down to a pitcher’s strengths, what he can and can’t do. And it looks like, in Daisuke’s case, there’s a lot he can do.” Varitek seems to not be fazed by questions coming about his poor offensive numbers of last season, as he was quoted by saying “We’re going to be in this relationship for a while” insinuating that he plans to be the starting catcher in Boston for the next few years. His leadership, the way he handles pitchers and batters is second to none. That is why Manager Terry Francona doesn’t seem worried by the switch-hitting catcher’s output last season. ‘Tek has said “If I have (to learn Japanese) I will, whatever’s going to make him (Matsuzaka) comfortable. I think the fact that Daisuke has Varitek to count on, Schilling, Beckett and Wakefield as fellow starters and key veteran presence to count on he is in the best environment possible for him to succeed.

I will continue to look on with anticipation, as should all baseball fans. It should be fun to watch it unfold with this unknown twenty-six year old rookie jolted into the spotlight. Will it be super stardom or mediocrity stay tuned!

Written by Contributing Editor Scott Penny