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March 10, 2007
Matsuzaka A Version Of Trachsel-Lite?
From the St. Louis Post Dispatch the other day -
There were differing views of Matsuzaka's prowess.
Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, as he passed by a throng of interrogators who had surrounded Matsuzaka, shouted, "He's nasty, oh my God. You throw too hard, man. I'm happy you're in the American League."
But one National League Eastern Division scout said he saw only an "average fastball.
"Some Japanese guys told me he could get up to 96 (miles an hour) and probably later in the spring, he'll get up to 93. But he started at 89, then 90, 91, 92 and a couple of 93s. That's as much as he had.
"He had a big, breaking curveball ... reminds me of Dennis Martinez (a Cardinals pitching instructor) and what we would call a circle change.
"He didn't light up your eyes. For all that big buildup, I'm looking for someone who's going to blow them away. But he pitched pretty well."
The scout found one other downside in Matsuzaka's deliberation between pitches. "It was a typical, 'I'm no hurry to do anything,''' said the scout. "He might have some long games."
This observation tied in with that of home-plate umpire Jerry Meals, who agreed, "He's a little slow."
Asked if Matsuzaka, according to new rules, was a candidate for a ball to be called if he didn't pitch within 12 seconds with nobody on base, Meals said, "There's a chance of that."
I hope Joe Torre puts on his Bud Collyer hat when the Yankees face Matsuzaka and makes the umps enforce the new rules. Then again, since the Yankees did not bunt on Schilling in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS, I'm not going to bet my house on Torre doing something to try and upset the Red Sox pitcher.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at March 10, 2007 07:48 AM
Comments
Dennis Martinez, El Presidente, is a Cardinals pitching instructor? Interesting, I was wondering what he was up to.
I'm not as concerned about Mats velocity as others.
Posted by: Raf ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 10, 2007 09:37 AM
During the WBC, ESPN had Mats throwing 94/95, but since that gun is always jacked, it was probably more 92/93. But the actual radar reading isn't that important -- it's how hitters react. And they couldn't catch up to his fastball. Mats' fastball has some of the best late life I've ever seen.
He has a variety of pitches he can throw for strikes, so I don't think he will have too much of a problem adjusting, but as I stated before, I do think his reliance on his four-seamer may get him in trouble. If you throw a 91-mile-an-hour straight-as-an-arrow fastball over the plate in the American League, it leaves the ballpark.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm really excited to see Matsuzaka face the Yankees. Should be one hell of an interesting matchup. I'm sure ESPN will hype it up for a month.
Posted by: baileywalk at March 10, 2007 10:45 AM
I thought 2004 was a figment of our imagination. Are you telling me that actually happened?! No way.
And don't even get me started on Torre's not having the Yanks bunt. I think he should have been fired just for losing that series.
Posted by: Benjamin Kabak at March 10, 2007 12:10 PM
Jeter swinging at Schilling's first pitch that night will stick in my head forever. I understand that Jeter is aggressive and that there was a good chance Schilling was going to try to cookie one in there for a first-pitch strike, but I felt instantly that the team was going about it all wrong. I felt that they had to work Schilling, tire him out and work his vulnerable ankle by making throw as many pitches as possible. Well, water under the bridge....
Posted by: JeremyM at March 10, 2007 05:12 PM