Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
April 11, 2007
Games of the Day

Boston hosts the pitching matchup of the day as Felix Hernandez and the Mariners face Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Red Sox. Both pitched outstanding game in their first starts, combining for 15 innings, 3 walks and 22 strikeouts.

Of course, the even bigger matchup comes when Dice-K faces Ichiro. It's the stuff of legend in Japan, as the indispensable Matsuzaka Watch tells us:

Daisuke Matsuzaka is the same kind of person for the Japanese. He transcends mortal man in a way, because he has forged his own legend on the biggest stages in baseball. Koshien, Rookie of the Year, the Sawamura Award, the Japan Series, and finally the World Baseball Classic. All that remains is a Cy Young and a World Series championship. Matsuzaka has the potential to mean as much to Japan as Ichiro. Ichiro was the pioneer and the trailblazer, but Matsuzaka is the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Yamato. He walks the path that Ichiro cleared, but he does it as an anointed national treasure. A kind of royalty.

The upcoming series between the Red Sox and the Mariners carries with it a significance that perhaps will not be understood until both heroes have retired. I was at the first meeting between Ichiro and Matsui, and it was electric at Yankee Stadium. This meeting, in contrast, is a direct confrontation, where the Yankees and Mariners series was merely a sideshow act. When Matsuzaka takes the mound in the top of the first and stares down Ichiro it will be watched by more people that you can possibly imagine. It will be scrutinized more than any at bat has ever been scrutinized in the history of the sport, perhaps. Japanese television will run the highlights, not for days, but forever. This will be the Japanese people's living and breathing irresistible force meeting the flesh and blood immovable object.

He includes video of the first meeting between the two in Japan. Ichiro struck out three times in the that game before drawing a walk.

Meanwhile, down in New York Oliver Perez sees if he can continue to shake off the last two years of lousy pitching against the hapless Phillies (it's too bad someone can't bottle and sell hap.) Despite years in the NL, Eaton only pitched at Shea twice, stopping the Mets both times with impressive numbers.

And out in Arizona, two rookies face each other after impressive debuts. Matt Belisle held the Pirates to one run on one walk and six strikeouts, while Micah Owings one-hit the Nationals for five innings. He's yet to allow a run.

Enjoy!


Posted by David Pinto at 08:42 AM | Matchups | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Interesting and seemingly accurate insights from a writer living and working in Japan, and of course, the big plus is, Mike Plugh is a lifelong Yankees fan, but one obviously possessing a unique and balanced perspective. Thanks for bringing Plugh's blogs to our attention!

Posted by: Jan Bottone at April 11, 2007 12:06 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?