[Previous entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Pudge Talks Japan"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "BLUE'S NEWS"]
12/20/2002 Archived Entry: "Fox's Rose, Kruk Embarrass Themselves Over Matsui Issue"
The Most Dubious Baseball Analysis, Period
Thursday night on The Best Sports Show, Period, former Phillies first baseman John Kruk and pretty boy host Chris Rose weighed in on the Yankees acquisition of Yomiuri Giants outfielder Hideki Matsui. Kruk started out by insisting that he didn't think a power hitter such as Matsui would get it done in MLB due to the fact that the pitching Godzilla saw in the Central League was "crappy." Furthermore, he "wouldn't be surprised if [Matsui] would be down in the minors by mid-season." Then he finished by snearing that "if [Japanese pitchers] were so good they would be playing here [in the big leagues]," which showed that he was not only ignorant of player movement between the U.S. and Japan pro leagues, but it called into question as to whether he had given this issue any kind of careful thought.
Of course, it may be hard to take seriously someone who is used mainly as comic relief for his girth and his crudity, but the fact is that Kruk was a decently successful MLB player and so his opinion carries some weight (no pun intended). But the reality is that once Japanese begin working in their top pro league, they are stuck there for between 9-10 years and there is an agreement with MLB that enforces that, which is why many of Japan's best aren't here yet. And it is also true that baseball fans who aren't conversant with Japanese baseball will tend to take Kruk's comments more at face value.
In John's defense, though, he is generally right about Japanese pitching. Most of the back ends of NPB rotations aren't major league quality. On the other hand, Ichiro Suzuki faced pitchers in the Pacific League, which is inferior qualitatively to the hurlers in the rival CL, and hit .350 there and then in MLB and now has MVP trophies from each side of the Pacific Ocean. Tsuyoshi Shinjo, as much of a mediocrity as he has been, has hit slightly above his Japanese career average in MLB. Kazuo Matsui has absolutely torched MLB pitching in NPB-MLB all star games (while Hideki Matsui, by the way, has hit .253) facing PL moundsmen. So I think that perhaps Kruk needs to show more respect.
Rose is another kettle of fish. His remark is attributable not just to sheer ignorance, but the increasing tendency of members of the news media to not do their homework. Rose actually asked, "why doesn't this guy have to face a draft?" Ex-squeeze me? Since when do free agents have to go into the draft pool Chris? Has the agreement between the players and owners changed while I wasn't looking? And even more astonishingly, the rest of the program's panel actually treated that question seriously rather than chastizing Rose for saying something not just dumb, but downright retarded. If Rose is wondering why he has been consigned to cohost a dorky sports show with uber-cretin Tom Arnold (whose career is one of the eight wonders of the world---how he has one), moronic statements like the one he made Thursday are a good start at an explanation as to why he hasn't been given a more high profile gig.
If I had a dime for every wrong thing I've read about Japanese pro baseball in the U.S. media, I would have retired by now. Too bad that they don't see fit to make a better effort.
Japanese Media Frothing at the Mouth After Matsui Announcement
Well, here we go. If you weren't tired of hearing about Hideki Matsui, the Japanese media are going to hit you with some more. According to Sankei Sports, NHK is reportedly over the moon about Godzilla's migration to the Big Apple since they hold the satellite broadcast rights to MLB games. They wired up Safeco Field at their own expense for digital broadcasting after Ichiro Suzuki went to Seattle and now it will be interesting to see if they do something similar to Yankee Stadium for Matsui. However, NHK's rights expire after the coming season and competitors are already formulating a strategy for seizing those rights once they go up for bid.
Sankei Sports itself ran 13 Matsui related pieces on its website after his signing announcement, ranging from his reaction at a press conference he held in a hotel in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo ("I hope I can wear number 55") to quoting Derek Jeter's thoughts ("I've heard a lot about him. He sounds like an exciting player. I look forward to meeting him") as well as what the buzz is in NYC's Japanese community ("it will make going to games more interesting," etc).
Inevitably, they had to go ask Shigeo Nagashima about this and he offered, "more than the money, I'm glad he was able to go to the team he wanted to play for. Speaking for myself, I was hoping he would join the Yankees. But I think that they got him a bit cheap."
As to what Matsui's status will be once his three year deal is up, he will be a free agent at that time.
Yomiuri owned Hochi Sports noted in a disappointed tone that ESPN only had a short matter of fact item on the Matsui negotiations being completed and that was it, a marked contrast to the media frenzy in Japan.
Nikkan Sports tracked down Ichiro, who just returned to Japan earlier today, and asked his opinion on this: "I hope he'll work hard and have the kind of season he can be happy with. I look forward to meeting him on the playing field." Yep, they were able to get in an Ichiro item while talking about Matsui wrapped around the prestige of MLB, no doubt making this a red letter day for the folks at that sports daily.
They were also able to get in a quote from Kazuhiro Sasaki, who averred, "I don't remember having trouble with him when I played with Yokohama," the Mariners closer started." I always had the confidence that I could put him away." He went on to add, "after going to the majors, I would get especially pumped up facing the Yankees. They are a famous team with a long tradition and their fans are passionate. Yankee Stadium has a special atmosphere. Because he's going there, I think he will be up for it. Since he's Japanese like me, I would like to see him do well, but when we get on the playing field, we're enemies."
Sasaki is correct, though. He owned Godzilla, giving up just two hits to him in 25 at bats (.080) with no homers and one RBI. As to what Matsui's weak points are, Daimajin said, "I can't tell you how I'll pitch to him, but he has a few weaknesses. I'll be lecturing everyone on the pitching staff, including the pitching coach," he remarked with a wicked grin. "But I haven't faced him in three years. I think he's grown a lot as a player. That's why I would like to see him as soon as possible. This will make our games against the Yankees more interesting."
Dodgers southpaw Kazuhisa Ishii, who dominated Matsui for the first few years of his career only to see Godzilla turn the tables on him in 2000 and 2001, put in his two cents on all this: "Just like the Dodgers, the Yankees are a famous team. I hope we can face each other in the World Series. If that happens, not only will Japanese be excited, but it will also excite fans across the U.S. since it will be the greatest pairing." Overall, Matsui went 22-109 (135 total plate appearances) against Ishii while the latter was with Yakult with five homers for a .202 average. On the other hand, in 2001, Matsui hit .370 against Ishii.
In any event, if you got to go to a high pressure team, you can't have a better manager than Joe Torre, who is good at keeping the team as well as himself focused amid the craziness generated by New York fans and media, not to mention owner George
Steinbrenner. He should prove to be a good influence on the Japanese slugger. Matsui said he wanted to go to an east coast team where there is pressure to perform, Well, he got it. Now let's see what he does with it.
By the way, no word on what a nude photo of Matsui will bring.
Matsui Signing Part of Yankees Global Strategy
See story at: NY Post Article
Yankees Have High Hopes for Matsui
See story at: Newark Star-Ledger Article
Godzilla Set to Roar for Yankees
Nice work by Dan Sloan at: Reuters Article
Cromartie: Matsui Will Improve Yankees
See story at: MLB.com Article
Nakamura Accepts Mets Offer
See story at: Newark Star-Ledger
Mets Racking Up Long Distance Charges in Attempt to Build Competitive Team
See story at: NY Times Article
Nakamura in Matsui's Shadow
See story at: Newsday Article
