Comments on: Was Matsuzaka worth it?

By: Jake

Jake — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 20:53:04 +0000

I am wondering if they have checked all the players for green cards or citizenship status.

By: Sarah Green

Sarah Green — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:39:02 +0000

Len, all I really know is that he continued to experiment with his training regimen throughout the regular season. It’s not quite what it was in Japan, and it’s not what the US pitchers do either. One day when I get my press pass I will find out!

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By: Sarah Green

Sarah Green — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:54:07 +0000

Wow, Nick, I didn’t even know that about the strike zone. That would certainly explain Matsuzaka’s infuriating habit this season of walking towards the dugout on what he assumes is a called strike three, and which often turns out to be a ball. Man. I wish he would stop doing that. I’m sure it’s not winning him any points with the umps.

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By: Len

Len — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:48:57 +0000

Nick, from what I’ve seen of DM (and granted we’re talking maybe 5-6 starts from a non-Red Sox fan) he always seemed to leave the ball up far too often, especially his fastball and tumbling slider (rather than a tight spinner). Sometimes it was a mistake, oftentimes it looked like he was trying to get the belt-high strike. Regardless, with patient hitters it didn’t seem to work and he’d walk guys or give up hard-hit balls. Maybe I just haven’t seen him enough.

Sarah, I’m curious–did he change his regimen in the U.S.? I knew about his between starts regimen in Japan and I’d have to imagine he kept some of it intact.

For both Sarah and Coley, I never really thought about Beckett, so you make a great point. I think Beckett finally felt free to use the curve more often without fear of blister problems and that helped round out his repertoire and made him much less predictable. Plus his change appears far more reliable than what I remember it from his Marlin days. Maybe Dice-K can do the same, after all.

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By: Nick Kapur

Nick Kapur — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 16:09:18 +0000

Look, I think Matsuzaka’s biggest difficulty this past year was the strike zone. In Japan the strikezone is differently shaped. It doesn’t go quite as low (more like the top of the knee rather than the hollow of the knee like in the US), and it is a bit wider on both sides. From observation, I think a lot of Daisuke’s problems would begin when he wouldn’t get a call on a ball near the inside or outside edge which would have been a strike in Japan. A new strike zone is definitely something that can be adjusted to, in time…

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By: Sarah Green

Sarah Green — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:47:18 +0000

For reference, here is the column I wrote last week on Dice-K. It’s good. You should read it. :)

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By: Sarah Green

Sarah Green — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:37:42 +0000

Len, the pitch-count question is interesting because in Japan, Matsuzaka was well-known for throwing a ton of pitches but getting better as the game wore on. He would even throw long sessions in-between starts. Obviously, the training regimen in the US is completely different, and I wonder how that has affected his transition this year.

For instance, Matsuzaka’s teammate, Josh Beckett, also had a lot of walks and homers last year—and, as I’ve grown weary of pointing out, he was only transitioning from the National League. Yet this year, at the age of 27, Beckett’s pitch counts are more efficient, he’s not giving up so many long balls, and he’s given up a career-low number of walks.

Given that Daisuke is not only coming from a different league, but a different country with different players, a different language, a different number of games in a season, and even a different ball size, I think your characterization of his struggles this season as a “well-known inability” or a “penchant” are a bit premature. If he’s still doing these things next season, then we can speak of inabilities and penchants.

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By: Rich

Rich — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:33:43 +0000

From observation, Dice-K either strikes the batter out, or they get on base.

From Baseball References, Opponent AVGs with no men on is 4th on the list, behind 3, corners, and loaded. Leadoff men (game and innings) have about .100 OPS better than average.

It’s almost like he doesn’t knuckle down until he’s actually got something to focus on, as in a guy on base.

I’m not surprised that he was moved to Game 3 in the ALCS. I just don’t trust him.

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By: Coley

Coley — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:32:35 +0000

Len, you’re right. Byung Hyun Kim is Korean, not Japanese. My mistake.

And I didn’t mention Dice-K’s home run rate, but I did mention his lack of control.

Also, I didn’t mention that in Japan the baseball is a slightly different size than the one used in the US, and that Matsuzaka is probably still getting used to that.

As for his inability to hold base runners, well, that’s a problem that kind of takes care of itself once one stops allowing so many base runners. And one does that by lowering one’s number of walks. which is what I said Matsuzaka needs to do, and which I think he will do.

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By: Len

Len — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:21:33 +0000

In what universe is Byung-HYUN Kim Japanese?

I doubt Dice-K ever gets significantly better, but for the money that was paid him, you could do a whole lot worse than accepting what he offers right now (considering contracts like Zito’s).

No mention of Dice-K’s well known inability to stop baserunners from roaming free, or his penchant for giving up the longball (1.1 hr/9)? Or for ringing up inefficient pitch counts because his control isn’t the best? These aren’t really things that are suddenly learned at age 27-28.

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