Comments on: Abreu looks ready to go

By: SJ44

SJ44 — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:10:19 +0000

Its what it is, hype. You can hype anybody. We see it every year come NFL Draft time.

Sports is based on hype. Darvish will get hyped by people who have only seen him pitch on You Tube. If a team wants to invest nine figures to get him, good luck.

The problem with Japanese pitchers is, regardless of how smart talent evaluators think they are, they are playing against average competition in their homeland. You can’t evaluate how they will adjust to playing in the US.

Let’s be honest. They are striking out guys who can no longer play baseball in the States. That doesn’t exactly make me want to spend 100 million + bucks to get Darvish.

Most Japanese pitchers are taught to pitch up in the zone. They have done it their entire lives. They can’t pitch up in the zone and be successful in the States. They now have to change the way they have pitched their entire lives. Not easy to do.

Its why so few Japanese pitchers have had success in the States.

Darvish is a young guy with a cool name. You put some You Tube video up on him and everybody salivates.

Will the hype live up to the posting fees? It hasn’t yet for Dice-K. I have a hard time believing it will with Darvish.

By: Old Goat

Old Goat — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:15:53 +0000

I’m not so sure about Abreu coming in great shape last year though. In the early games he was pushing around a lot of excess weight. So was Damon and Melky. I agree the oblique pull was different from being in shape, that can happen to any player. I think it was the major reason for his troubles at bat in the first part of the season last year.

By: LibertyBelle

LibertyBelle — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:58:37 +0000

I’ve followed him for most of his major league career, and Abreu is what he is, which is a pretty darn good baseball player. He has historically played nearly every game- the guy generally knows what it takes to get himself ready for the season and stay healthy. He’s one of the guys who plays pretty much year round (except for last winter- Yankees decision- and when they shut down the Venezuelan winter league because of political unrest a few years ago). BTW- An oblique pull has nothing to do with being in shape or not.

I’m headed to Clearwayer in a few days and can’t wait to see some baseball, even if it is just boring drills and bp!

By: TurnTwo

TurnTwo — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:44:47 +0000

SJ,

if all these Japanese pitchers are overrated, can you tell us about the hype that surrounds Yu Darvish?

By: BronxBomber77

BronxBomber77 — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:27:37 +0000

Anyone see how the Post said Sienna Miller ignored Jeter at a bar and had to ask a bartender who he was? Please… Who the heck is Sienna Miller?

As long as he steers clear of:

Brittney
Paris
Lindsay

I see no problems… Ah…. the Mariah years…..

By: BronxBomber77

BronxBomber77 — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:23:18 +0000

Hey Pete– Just got a new computer at work today, so this is my new IP addy… Just didn’t want anyone to think I was hijacking handles for troll mayhem…

Hmmm I believe pointed it out… LAst year was a free agency/option year for Bobby, and he came to camp out of shape and stunk it up for two months before getting his act together… Pulled Oblique=too much White Castle…

And, to a previous post… I’m not saying they sign him SOLELY based on his OF defense and fear of walls. But, with a young rotation, the Big Three will need an OF they can depend upon, defensively!

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:06:12 +0000

I hope Austin Jackson makes it to the majors just so I can say his nickname all the time. A-Jax is awesome.

By: Dougko

Dougko — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:05:40 +0000

Re:Tabata’s nickname

Why don’t we just wait for Sterling’s insipid HR call.

“It’s Ta Ta from Tabata!”

By: bigjf

bigjf — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:58:53 +0000

Igawa runs all year long anyway, so that wouldn’t concern me so much. He has to take off from it sometime, but I’m hoping by the end of July that I won’t have to care about Igawa’s running schedule anymore. Please trade him.

By: SJ44

SJ44 — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:58:32 +0000

Japanese baseball is the equivalent to AAA-AAAA baseball in the states.

Its why you can’t take stats or video from their games and draw any conclusions about players.

Dice-K was supposed to dominate MLB. What we saw was a run of the mill #3 starter who can eat innings. Nice to have on a team but, certainly not worth 100 million dollars.

Igawa was supposed to be a “strikeout machine” with a “great” changeup. Well, we saw a guy who, like most Japanese pitchers, pitches up in the zone. When you throw 88-90, which is what he throws (despite the hype to the contrary) you better have great movement to pitch up in the zone. He doesn’t have great movement.

His change? Believe me, Joba, Dan McCutcheon and Edwar have better changeups.

He’s just a guy they missed on, IMO. I don’t see any sudden improvements coming from him. In the words of Brian McNamee, “it is what it is”.

Its why, next to the Gyroball, the most overhyped thing in baseball is a Japanese pitcher. They are ALL overrated.