What is Japanese for “mortal after all”
Mar 11th, 2007 by Rob Bradford
Was watching the end of the Red Sox game today, with NESN going to the split-screen for the Daisuke Matsuzaka press conference (minus sound) and my wife asked me an interesting question: “Do they expect him to go undefeated?” My answer? “Some people do.”
Two things jumped out at me in regards to Matsuzaka’s performance today: 1. When he gets in trouble he is up in the zone. This was the case during his first batting practice session, and has continued. It is understable considering the eagerness, but I will say watching his nice, tight, two-seamer tail back over the knees while sitting behind home plate was fairly impressive. 2. The change-up will be his most effective pitch. The action it gives off is very similar to my Wiffleball, one-finger, fanny-kicker. There’s not a whole lot of pitchers who can simulate it.
On to the questions:
- Jeff asked about my obvious curiosity with Bryce Cox. I have seen him throw, although just briefly. When talking to Jason McLeod about him the other day he reiterated that Cox has been using that arm angle for a very brief time, so it is still somewhat of an adjustment. He said that the Rice catcher was actually the one who deserves credit for convincing Cox to implement the throwing motion more than just on practice throws from third base. In terms of other youngsters who are impressive, I think when Sox fans get a look at Clay Buchholz they will like his delivery. He’s got kind of a Roy Oswalt thing going. And Jacoby Ellsbury, as many saw this spring, is going to be tough to keep down too long.
- This isn’t really a question, but Dave brings up interesting parallels between Ted Williams and Manny Ramirez after reading Leigh Montville’s one-for-the-ages book. These from Dave:
Never arrived on time for spring training, even as a rookie. Usually he was a week or more late.
He requested to be traded several times during his Red Sox career, virtually every year in his last 6 with the Sox. He even “retired” at the end of one year out of disgust, but ended up deciding to play and showing up very late to camp the next spring. He actually was dealt once for Joe DiMaggio, but the deal was rescinded the next morning when Tom Yawkey sobered up (a bit).
Teddy lived in a hotel for much of his Sox career and often felt trapped there because he couldn’t go out without being besieged by Boston fans.
Was accused more than once of faking injuries or not playing through them. He was also often accused of not running out ground balls (then again, there were plenty Yaz never ran out, either) and being more concerned with his personal stats than the team. T.W. was also given a lot of crap for taking walks rather than swinging at pitches just outside the zone that he probably could’ve hit. Manny has an equally discerning eye, but this is lauded in todays game where OBA & OPS is favored over batting averages.
Ted Williams was a bonafide and widely acknowledged “flake” - no, he never disappeared into the Green Monster, but he did miss a fly ball once because he was practicing his swing during a game while in the outfield and had his back to the plate as a ball was hit. He also came to Fenway on an off day with a rifle and shot several dozen pigeons then had the batboy clean up the carcasses. Other crazy activities noted in the book.
He had a contentious relationship with the media.
Teddy Ballgame was also a hell of a hitter, a hard worker and a student of hitting, as is Manny.
- Paul wanted to know if the chances of the Red Sox re-signing Jason Varitek after his contract runs out following 2008 are good. I would say they are good, but at the right price. Considering Varitek prioritized playing in Boston in the last round of negotiations, I think finances won’t be the issue as much as role/performance. One of the early aspects of this team to really keep a close eye is Varitek’s bat speed. He came into camp in remarkable shape, but he still has to overcome the images of last season’s injury-plagued campaign. If you’re wondering, A.J. Pierzynski is the only other starting catcher scheduled to hit the market in the ‘08 offseason.
Paul also comments that the closer situation should be smothered in patience. He is preaching to the converted. At least wait two more weeks, and if nothing has filtered itself out than explore a deal. And if that isn’t a possibility, see what transpires early in the season. Going wire-to-wire with Keith Foulke was certainly an aberration among recent World Series winners.
Some people have brought up Chad Cordero’s name. My guess is that the Nationals are asking for a fair amount, certainly more than Wily Mo Pena. (Have you seen their starting rotation?) He was actually better away from the cavernous RFK, his strikeout-rate is better than any of the Boston closer candidates but Brendan Donnelly, and while his ERA was higher last season than any of his previous three it was at 2.30 for the second half. He is equally effective against lefties and righties. He is also a flyball pitcher, which can be said about the majority of the Red Sox starting rotation.
All of this piqued my curiosity, so I called somebody who scouted Cordero out of Cal State Fullerton. This scout believed at the time the Expos tabbed the reliever as the 20th pick in the 2003 draft it was too high a selection, having identified him more as a second or third rounder. (David Murphy was taken three spots prior.) He sat on 93 mph (which is still the case) and located the heck out of the heater. And that was the wild card when deciphering why he could make it to the majors in his first professional season and not look back - the command of his fastball.
Now, I asked this said scout an interesting question (at least in my book): If you dropped in from the sky during each of their respective College World Series showcases, whom would you identify as the closest to the major leagues - 1. Cordero; 2. Huston Street (who was a closer for Oakland by his second professional season); 3. Bryce Cox. His answer - 1. Cox; 2. Street; 3. Cordero. Just food for thought.
A familiar face from last year’s spring training, infielder Jed Lowrie, made his first appearance with the big club this spring today. Last year Lowrie left Fort Myers with his stock at an all-time high, having taken advantage of Dustin Pedroia’s injury to notch five hits in 12 at-bats while showing the kind of fielding prowess that prompted Boston to draft him with the 45th pick in the ‘05 draft.
Lowrie couldn’t capitalize on his momentum during the regular season, hitting .226 in April, missing five weeks with a sprained ankles starting in May, continuing to slump with a .227 June. He did bounce back in July, hitting .350, but by then the images of Fort Myers were long gone.
The Red Sox asked Lowrie to put on some muscle in the offseason, which he accomplished. But with fellow Boston first-rounders Craig Hansen, Jacoby Ellsbury, Michael Bowden, and Clay Buchholz either carving out some big league time or top prospect status, the picture for the infielder isn’t clearly quite as rosy as last March.
5 reader comments to “What is Japanese for “mortal after all””
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1Anonymous said:
Great job on this one, Rob.
I still don’t like Cordero much, especially at the price Washington will want. Wily Mo is valuable, and we all know Theo is not trading any of the young pitching.
I’m still in the camp that we take our time with the current candidates (Piniero and Donnelly mostly,) and if they don’t work out, then perhaps the minor leaguers. Ideally, I’d like to see Hansen in AAA all year until the rosters expand, unless he rediscovers the slider and starts locating the fastball a little better.
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2Allen said:
Some people have brought up Chad Cordero’s name. My guess is that the Nationals are asking for a fair amount, certainly more than Wily Mo Pena. (Have you seen their starting rotation?)
No. But then again, the Nationals haven’t seen it either.
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3griffin said:
Thank you so much for providing a modicum of common sense regarding the Red Sox bullpen in the face of mounting (but predictable) insanity.
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4Ricky said:
“Going wire-to-wire with Keith Foulke was certainly an aberration among recent World Series winners.”
Not to mention this was in spite of his rather uninspiring Spring Training stats!
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5paultodd said:
Ted Williams, Yaz and Manny. Good point.
Ted Williams and Yaz had something else in common, both were booed regularly and made far less money than Manny during the days when players were “owned”. Manny gets a Pass from most fans, despite taking some heat in the press. Too bad we did not give Ted Williams and Yaz the same kind of understanding we give Manny.
