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Big League Stew

Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:32 pm EDT

A first roll of the Dice

By Jeff Passan

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – At 11:04 a.m., he sipped from a cup of coffee. At 11:08 a.m., he tucked his shirt into his compression shorts. At 11:10 a.m., he rolled his neck 360 degrees clockwise, then counterclockwise.

If such minutiae seems meaningless, just be forewarned: Nothing Daisuke Matsuzaka does is meaningless, not when every maneuver is sent back to Japan, where people froth for information about him. Today, especially, is a historic one: Matsuzaka will make his first start in a major-league game for the Boston Red Sox against the Kansas City Royals, the first pitch coming at 1:10 p.m. Central.

It's not just in Japan, though. The 26-year-old Matsuzaka's debut is the most anticipated in baseball since Michael Jordan's failed experiment with the Double-A Birmingham Barons. He is a question mark wrapped in a gyroball.

The usual throng of Japanese media had gathered by the third-base dugout, all waiting to snap the same picture of Matsuzaka ascending the steps onto the field at Kauffman Stadium. They've waited for almost three hours, while Matsuzaka received a full-body massage and went through the rest of his routine, until he trudged toward the bullpen at 12:24 p.m. for one of his legendarily lengthy warm-ups.

All of it will lead to Matsuzaka's first pitch, one he has said will be a strike and one that is of grand importance in Japan.

"The Royals won't plan their whole day on this first pitch," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

It will give them a better idea of what Matsuzaka has. His array of pitches is staggering, from a four-seam fastball that touches 96 mph to a shuuto, the hard sinker with a screwball release that's thrown primarily in Japan.

"With guys like that, you should be able to tell early on if they're going to be around the plate," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "That will help your plan a little bit in terms of getting busy earlier in the count rather than being more impatient."

As Bell spoke more, he tried to temper the expectations on Matsuzaka, saying "you don't want to put him in the same category as (Curt) Schilling or (Josh) Beckett yet."

Not yet. Though maybe soon enough.


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163 Comments

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  1. <i>granchamp</i>
    1. Posted by granchamp Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:19 pm EDT

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    It seems to me that people lose perspective in baseball so quickly and will readily throw cash at a pitcher who isn't a proven commodity in the Major Leagues. I wish this guy the best but it's hard to forget all the hype surronding a number of other players from Japan who really never panned out.It seems like for every Ichiro or Matsui there have been 4-5 other guys who have flamed out before their careers ever took off.
  2. Geoff T
    2. Posted by Geoff T Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:24 pm EDT

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    Of note, however, are the facts that Ichiro and Matsui were proven all-stars back in Japan. I don't think there was enough hype behind the likes of the Kaz Matsuis and Tsuyoshi Shinjos who came to America.
    And let's not forget the handful that flew under the radar. The pleasant surprises like Kenji Jojima, Tad Iguchi, Akinori Otsuka, and Kaz Sasaki.
  3. [ Hidden ]
    3. Posted by [ Hidden ] Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:24 pm EDT

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    DeJesus single, here we go...
  4. Castle
    4. Posted by Castle Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:31 pm EDT

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    Oh my god! A single and a walk!! And a double play ball. A lucky first inning? Or is he suddenly a ground-ball machine? Never mind the fact that he's facing the KANSAS CITY FRICKIN' ROYALS!! It's like pitching against a minor league team!!! Who cares what he does!!! Lets see how he does against the Blue Jays, or the Yankees, or the White Sox... or a REAL FRICKIN TEAM!!!
  5. brianpci
    5. Posted by brianpci Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:32 pm EDT

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    1-6-3, that's how you end it. Hopefully Dice will get Greinke's strike zone width....
  6. Castle
    6. Posted by Castle Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:42 pm EDT

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    Leave it to a Sox fan to whine about the strike zone being afforded to the immortal Zach Greinke... after the first inning.
  7. Erik W
    7. Posted by Erik W Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:42 pm EDT

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    Anyone know why the gyroball is such a mystery... You are telling me with today's technology and record keeping, no one in the media can be certain that if he has that pitch or not? Seems like a bunch of #@$@#!
  8. Sean S
    8. Posted by Sean S Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:43 pm EDT

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    Let's keep in mind the Royals KILLED the Red Sox in the first game of the series
  9. Castle
    9. Posted by Castle Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:46 pm EDT

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    Yeah, because Schilling looked every one of his 72 years old... he is 72 now, right? The Royals are a frickin' joke. Ryan Shealy? Emil Brown in the cleanup hole? Their 3 hitter powered them all the way to 18 home runs last year? Lets not make this into more than it is.
    And as for the gyroball... its a frickin slider for crying out loud. Thats all it is. A slider.
  10. Geoff T
    10. Posted by Geoff T Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:54 pm EDT

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    I reserve any comments about teams until the first week of the season is over. It's easy to call the Royals a bad team. It's easy to call the Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, and White Sox good teams. But this week holds only 6 of 162 games to be played.
    Can we call the Pirates a bad team for rolling over last year, even though they swept the Astros? Can we call the Cardinals a good team for last year's series win, despite the 0-3 mark the Mets dropped on them? It's the first week. Chill.
  11. porn WhoRe
    11. Posted by porn WhoRe Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:02 pm EDT

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    who cares about anything but the DETROIT!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOOOOOOOO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  12. <i>ghostcom00</i>
    12. Posted by ghostcom00 Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:06 pm EDT

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    Dejesus single here we go......TO SHUTTING THE ROYALS DOWN!!
  13. <i>ghostcom00</i>
    13. Posted by ghostcom00 Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:07 pm EDT

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    Lets keep in mind the Sox KILLED the Royals in the second game
  14. Castle
    14. Posted by Castle Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:08 pm EDT

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    Oh come off it Dai_kun. Seriously... look at this roster for the Royals. How many of these guys are legitimate major leaguers?
    Emil Brown? Ross Gload? Come on dude. This is obviously a terrible team. Zach Greinke is their #3 starter for crying out loud. They have no bulpen, no closer, a quarterback at third base... Esteban German in the #2 hole... where is the quality? They're a minor league team at best.
  15. <i>dancerbh@...</i>
    15. Posted by dancerbh@... Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:15 pm EDT

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    who comment #9...
    who killed the royals last night? oh wait that would be the sox boys.
    trust me my boston boys are way better than kansas...they prove it...lets keep that in mind.
  16. RobertM
    16. Posted by RobertM Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:15 pm EDT

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    Obviously you guys are not sophisticated enough to detect greatness when you first see it. I recall listening to the young Pavarotti singing for Italian lira on the hard-scrabble streets of Naples and thinking, "I think this guy will be a star one day!" It's the same with Dice-K. He's got IT.
  17. kcclyde
    17. Posted by kcclyde Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:17 pm EDT

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    Yea, the Royals are a Frickin joke. Just like the Sox, neither made the playoffs last year and I believe the Royals took the season series last year. I remember them making the Sox closer looking like John Papel Bon Bon. Soft and gooey.....
  18. <i>spsmith1975</i>
    18. Posted by spsmith1975 Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:19 pm EDT

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    Hey Offensive it's actually not a "fricken slider"... it's a changeup with screwball action.
  19. <i>h20universal1</i>
    19. Posted by h20universal1 Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:22 pm EDT

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    ota must be a yankers fan!
  20. rico
    20. Posted by rico Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:24 pm EDT

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    Yeah the gyroball actually doesn't move at all, it just appears to be about to break, but in reality it is just straight. (All this is if the pitch actually exists!) Why are all my red sox fans arguing with royals fans? In all reality, it is funny to see these royal fans actually still hold faith for their team. I won't waste my time arguing with them, because obviously they are living in a different dimension. Greinke, immortal??? Are you serious?
  21. <i>spsmith1975</i>
    21. Posted by spsmith1975 Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:25 pm EDT

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    9 consecutive gyroballs to strikeout the side in the 4th. I don't believe my eyes.
  22. Castle
    22. Posted by Castle Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:26 pm EDT

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    I was being sarcastic Rico. These guys are making this out like it's game 7 of the series against Murderers Row.
    He's facing a roster full of guys who couldn't make the Bad News Bears starting lineup.
    The Sox paid more in posting fees for Dice K than the Royals are paying their entire team. Nuff said.
  23. Chris G
    23. Posted by Chris G Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:27 pm EDT

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    Wait till this guy get owned and r aped! by a real team such as the Yanks, Blue Jays, and the best team of all the Angels!
    Let's see if the "gyroball" will save him from Vlads potent bat.
    In fact, he is lucky to be pitching for the Red Sox, or else Manny and Ortiz would greet him with back to back homers.
  24. Craig C
    24. Posted by Craig C Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:30 pm EDT

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    Two facts, the series is even at one game a piece and there is no such thing as a gyroball. Sox are up 2-0 and Dice-K has 8 different pitches plus two different arm angles. It's only April people...
  25. <i>h20universal1</i>
    25. Posted by h20universal1 Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:33 pm EDT

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    shutting down the Royals doesn't prove he will do the same to the yankers, but it sure is better than if the Royals were pounding him. I think steinbrewer would love to have him about now. what will he do, buy a 75 year old Clementine for july,august and september. They won't be needing him in october unless they need him for a foursome on the links

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