December 10, 2007
Okaji Interview
The Boston Globe translates an interview with Hideki Okajima from Japan. The whole conversation is very good, but I found this interesting:
Y: What, in your opinion, is the reason for your success this year?
O: My best pitch in Japan was a curve ball. But with a more slippery American baseball, my curve wasn't curving as much as it did in Japan. So I had to figure out a different ball. Then after I figured the pitch [the change-up] out, I kept the use of the pitch to a minimum in the spring and the first part of the season, because I didn't want my opponent to know about the ball. I'd only use it at the crucial moment. The pitch is what they named the "Okie Dokie"
So there's a difference in Japanese baseballs that allow pitchers a better grip. Does anyone know why?
Posted by David Pinto at
07:59 AM
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The mud applied to the ball presumably. I've heard it mentioned before.
Kei Igawa had complaints about the grip on the MLB ball as well sometime last spring.
Dice K also said the balls felt different. Dfinberg may be correct. I saw a tv segment one day last year about MLB baseball's production. One guy from one swamp makes all ofthe balls right?
I believe that all of the mud that the balls are rubbed up with comes from one guy's swamp. I don't think he does all the rubbing, though.
According to an article I read in a program some years back, the mud is applied to a few dozen balls by the plate umpire before the game. If that stock runs out, the new balls brought into play may or may not necessarily have been rubbed by someone else.
At any rate, the mud is supposed to give the pitcher better grip, not lessen it.
