Dice K isn’t thrilled these days:
“If I’m forced to continue to train in this environment, I may no longer be able to pitch like I did in Japan,” Matsuzaka is quoted as saying in the article, according to WEEI.com’s translation. “The only reason why I managed to win games during the first and second years [in the United States] was because I used the savings of the shoulder I built up in Japan. Since I came to the Major Leagues, I couldn’t train in my own way, so now I’ve lost all those savings.”
(Boston Globe)
There is only one thing to say...
I guess Kei Igawa hadn't built up as much savings in his shoulder before coming over? Maybe MLB needs to start up an FDIC-like program to bail the Red Sox out? I hate to see anyone lose their savings.
[2] Would such a bailout lead to "arms saved or created"?
This is awesome! Is that just Matsuzaka being Matsuzaka, or is this the first hole in the hull of the Red Sux ship....?
I feel TERRIBLE for the dude. Can we Banterers take up a collection?
@ #5: Before we start a collection, which I agree is a great idea, we should ask him if he wants some cheese with his whine.
...but it seems like the sideways hat and clueless look on his face is cheesy enough.
Mats does have a point, he's used to training one way, since coming to the states he has trained a different way. Maybe his body's accumulated to it, maybe he isn't.
But it appears that he is unhappy doing far less throwing here than he did in Japan.
Somebody call the Waaaaaa-ambulance...
[7] seriously that is the first thing i thought of. great pull on the picture alex.
of all the hair-brained theories.
i'm curious to know if shoulders are more inclined to be savers than say toes or elbows.
Regarding Igawa, his problem isn't so much built up savings as an inability to keep the ball down. Haven't seen a non power arm rely so much on a high fastball since Jim DeShaies.
Poor him.
...gyroball!!!
I miss Miller and Morgan screaming "IS THAT THE GYROBALL?!" after every pitch.
The Dice-K thing is just very embarrassing for the Sox' management. Tito has already said that he's very "disappointed" in Dice-K, that the pitcher made public some private conversations, that they'd had what Tito thought were very good discussions about just this subject in the past, etc.
It's not the wheels starting to fall off -- this is just an isolated player, not the team. But it's really embarrassing.
Has everyone seen this much more worrisome Red Sox news from Gordon Edes?
Short version: Sox have offered Buchholz, Bowden, A-ball CF Ryan Westmoreland, and possibly other players, for Roy Halladay.
[14] So do I, actually.
[16] Yeah, I saw that. What can you do? If they get him, they get him. He would probably be worth an extra, what, three wins, over the rest of the season? And he'll cost them plenty of talent. The Sox would be beasts in the play offs, no doubt.
Luckily the rules prohibit the Yankees from meeting them in the first round.
In other news, the Sox added Brian Anderson. That wily Theo nabs another hidden gem.
Yeah, it's the playoffs where it would really be big. Beckett, Lester, Halladay, yipes. And don't forget next year. And even if they don't resign him, the Type A compensation gets some of that youth back.
But we'll still kick their asses.
Woo-hoo...I get another Yankees game tonight on Rogers Sports Net--I love it when the Jays play out west!
[19] But will he waive his no trade clause without getting an extension? If not, the Sox are looking at several years. maybe I am just an embittered Yankees fan (or an embittered expat living in Canada), but I don't see Halladay remaining a dominant pitcher for very much longer.
[19] And I will stick by my prediction that in the end, the jays keep him this year. Did I make that prediction?
[21] I think he will. He believes he can do extremely well on the FA market after 2010, and I'm with him on that.
[22] Let's deem you to have made it. We could vote, but I don't think we constitute a quorum.
[23] It's an interesting position that Halladay is in. He will undoubtedly do well as a FA, but does he have more leverage or less leverage now, since he holds the NTC and the teams courting him are, presumably, contenders desperate for his services. Also, each passing year introduces new risks--an injury this season or next could severely screw him on teh FA market, and he has already landed on the DL this season.
Or, is he really just interested in winning the big one, so he is willing to go to a contender this year and worry about FA next season?
According to Pete Abe, no roster moves again today. Odd. Very odd.
Folks around here are assuming the Sox would want, even demand an extension as part of the deal. But I think not -- Beckett comes up after 2010, and Boston's front office will surely want flexibility.
[26] last year i'm sure you remember the rumors that the sox would trade for cc but NOT want to extend him and just take the picks - so i could see IF they trade for halladay not want to extending him for various reasons
aceves tired and unavialble again today.
hope it is nothing more than that.
[25] According to Pete Abe--
He posted this in the context of the Yankees going with thirteen pitchers rather than adding another OF. This still makes no sense to me. Even with Aceves out, isn't Hughes available, and Coke and Mo...and Melancon (who hasn't pitched since early July) must be well rested...and workhorse CC is starting tonight. Do they really need 13 pitchers?
[28] If Aceves is hurt, in a worst-case scenario, it would be interesting to see how the Yankees deal with the problem. On the one hand, that would shorten the pen, so they might be less likely to shuffle anyone out of the pen. On the other hand, he is also, apparently, the next in line to be moved back into the rotation if the need arises.
[29] I dunno, do you think Melancon is really well rested? He pitched awfully recently. Less than three weeks ago.
RIYank, saw your post from the earlier thread. Missed the news last night but will pick up a trashy sports tabloid on the way to the office and see what the scoop is on Dice-K here. Promise to only read the baseball articles and not the naughty office confessionals columns!
[31] The issue with Melancon is that Girardi only wants to use him in blowouts which we haven't had many of. But then he didn't use him last night so I'm just not sure why that is. It would seem he is better off pitching in the minors. Only thing I can think of is that they want him here to work with him and to have him adapt to hanging out with the major league club. But that seems like a poor use of a roster spot right now. So I don't know.
[32] umm. I would like to hear about the naughty office confessionals. An update would be appreciated. :)
[33] I agree, though I would go further and say that a pitcher who can only be used in blowouts is simply not worth having on the roster at all.
Surely this is not the game thread??
[36] does the idea of looking at dice k all night bug you as much as me?
[37] It makes hitting "show all" that much more painful.