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|accessdate= 2006-12-19
|accessdate= 2006-12-19
|publisher= ESPN.com}}</ref>
|publisher= ESPN.com}}</ref>
*In a highlight reel of his Major League debut on [[NESN]], [[Chris Cornell]]'s [["You Know My Name"]] was played.
*In a highlight reel of his Major League debut on [[NESN]], [[Chris Cornell]]'s ''[[You Know My Name]]'' was played.


==Career statistics (through March 2007)==
==Career statistics (through March 2007)==

Revision as of 03:45, 6 April 2007

Daisuke Matsuzaka
Boston Red Sox – No. 18
Starting Pitcher
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
April 5, 2007, for the Boston Red Sox
Career statistics
(through 2007)
Record1-0
Strikeouts10
ERA1.29
Innings pitched7.0
Former teams

Daisuke Matsuzaka (松坂 大輔, Matsuzaka Daisuke, born September 13, 1980 in Tokyo, Japan; IPA: [da̟i̞s-ke̞ ma̟t͡süza̟ka̟]; often rendered as "DICE-k" or "DICE-keh"), nicknamed "The Monster" (怪物 kaibutsu) in Japan [1], is a Japanese professional baseball starting pitcher who became a member of the Boston Red Sox on December 13, 2006. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League.

He has eight pitches in his repertoire: a four-seam fastball that ranges from 90 to 96 mph (145–154 km/h) with some late movement, two-seam fastball, cut fastball, curveball, slider, splitter, shuuto, and a screwball-like changeup which is considered his nastiest pitch; he can throw all eight pitches for strikes while using almost the exact same delivery.[1] He was selected the MVP of the 2006 World Baseball Classic.[2]

Biography

Early life and career

Daisuke Matsuzaka's mother named him after the baseball player Daisuke Araki, who was playing in the Koshien tournament while she was pregnant.[3] Matsuzaka graduated from Yokohama High School in Japan in 1998 and became a national hero that same year when he pitched Yokohama High School into the Koshien Tournament. In the quarterfinals of that year's Koshien national high school baseball tournament, he threw 250 pitches in 17 innings against PL Gakuen. The next day, despite the fact that at the end of the top of the eighth inning the team was losing by a score of 0-6, the team won the game by scoring 7 runs in the last two innings (four in the eighth and three in the ninth). In that game he played in the outfield but came in from the outfield in the ninth inning to record a win. In the final, he threw a no-hitter, the second ever in a final. This performance garnered the attention of a great many scouts. After his graduation, he was taken by the Seibu Lions with the first pick of the 1998 draft.[3]

Professional career in Nippon Professional Baseball

In his first professional season in 1999, he had 16 wins and 5 losses as the team ace, and was voted Rookie of the Year.

Matsuzaka spent a considerable portion of his 2002 season on the disabled list, which does not count towards his service time.

In 2003, Matsuzaka logged 16 wins and 7 losses. He won the Pacific League ERA title with a 2.83 mark. Matsuzaka used to play for Japan's National Baseball Team, and pitched against South Korea.

2004 Olympic Games and the World Baseball Classic

Olympic medal record
Men’s Baseball
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Team

He participated in the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece and was a key player in Japan's acquisition of the bronze medal. In 2006, Matsuzaka pitched for Japan in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. He was named tournament MVP after posting a 3–0 record, including a decisive win over Cuba in the tournament's championship game.

Major League transition

On October 25, 2006, Scott Boras was announced as Matsuzaka's agent to represent him in any contract dealings in the Major Leagues. On November 2, Matsuzaka was officially granted permission by the Lions to pursue a career in Major League Baseball via the posting system.

On November 14, the Boston Red Sox won the bidding rights to Matsuzaka with a bid of $51,111,111.11 (6 billion yen), outbidding the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees. [4] [5] [6] The Red Sox had 30 days to sign Matsuzaka to a contract. If a deal could not be reached, Matsuzaka would have returned to the Lions, nullifying the bid. Scott Boras refused to consider the posting fee as part of the contract negotiations, while Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein recalled, "We tried to come up with a total number, for the post and contract, that made sense."[7] On December 11, Epstein, Red Sox owner John W. Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino boarded a plane to "[take] the fight directly to [Boras]". [8] Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe asserted that Boras, by refusing to negotiate, was using Matsuzaka as a protest or "test case of the posting system."[8]

On December 13, Matsuzaka and Boras joined Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, CEO Larry Lucchino, and Chairman Tom Werner on a private plane owned by Red Sox owner John Henry headed for Boston. During the dramatic flight—which was followed by both the Boston and the Japanese media [9]—the group agreed to terms on a contact. Journalist Nobuhiro Chiba characterized Japanese reaction to the signing: "I think the people are relieved to send Daisuke to the Boston Red Sox."[9] In Boston, Matsuzaka passed his physical and signed the six year, $52 million contract, which could be worth as much as $60 million if he reaches incentives. The details of the contract include a $2 million signing bonus with a $6 million salary in 2007, $8 million in each of the following three seasons (2008–2010), and $10 million in each of the final two years (2011–2012). [10] He also has a no-trade clause, specially constructed by the Red Sox to fit Matsuzaka's contract. [11]

The final agreement was announced Thursday, December 14 at a 5 p.m. EST news conference at Fenway Park.[12] Afterwards some members of the press noted the confusion created by Matsuzaka's translator at that announcement. Art Martone of the Providence Journal commented, "Matsuzaka’s interpreter’s command of the English language was shaky, and thus the pitcher’s translated comments were brief and, occasionally, unintelligible. About the only clear statement related by the interpreter was when Matsuzaka said, 'I’m very happy and excited to be a member of the Boston Red Sox.'"[13]

Matsuzaka's first major league spring training took place in Fort Myers, Florida, with the Red Sox during February and March of 2007. Wearing number 18, the same number he wore during his career in Japan[14], Matsuzaka gave a generally good accounting of himself, pitching well in most of his exhibition starts.

Major League Career

Matsuzaka made his first major league regular season start for the Red Sox on April 5, 2007 in an afternoon game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. He walked one, recorded an amazing 10 strikeouts, and at one point retired 10 straight batters. He allowed 6 hits while throwing 108 pitches (74 for strikes) over 7 innings and recorded the win as the Red Sox triumphed by a score of 4-1.

Personal life

Matsuzaka is married to television journalist Tomoyo Shibata,[15] formerly of Nippon TV in Japan, and in 2005 she gave birth to the couple's daughter.

Trivia

  • Matsuzaka is the pitcher most associated with the pitch known as the gyroball, although he denies ever throwing it intentionally. His shuuto and changeup (breaks like a screwball, similar to Pedro Martinez' change) are commonly confused with the gyroball.[16]
  • His nickname in Japan is "Kaibutsu", which means monster.[17]
  • Baseball players that were born in the 1980 fiscal year (from April 2, 1980 to the following April 1, 1981) have been called the Matsuzaka generation (松坂世代, Matsuzaka sedai) in Japan.
  • In May 16 1999, when Matsuzaka was in his rookie season at age 18, he faced Ichiro Suzuki for the first time and recorded 3 strikeouts in 3 at bats with a walk.[citation needed]
  • His height is 1.83m (6 feet); his weight is approximately 85 kg (187 lbs).
  • He has been nicknamed "Dice-K"[18] by the Boston Globe[19][20]
  • His nickname in Japan is "Kaibutsu", which means monster.[21]
  • In a highlight reel of his Major League debut on NESN, Chris Cornell's You Know My Name was played.

Career statistics (through March 2007)

PACIFIC LEAGUE (JAPAN)
Year Team W L GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
1999 Seibu 16 5 25 6 2 180.0 124 55 52 14 87 151 2.60 1.17
2000 Seibu 14 7 27 6 2 167.2 132 85 74 12 95 144 3.97 1.35
2001 Seibu 15 15 33 12 2 240.1 184 104 96 27 117 214 3.60 1.25
2002 Seibu 6 2 14 2 0 73.1 60 30 30 13 15 78 3.68 1.01
2003 Seibu 16 7 29 8 2 194.0 165 71 61 13 63 215 2.83 1.18
2004 Seibu 10 6 23 10 5 146.0 165 50 47 7 42 127 2.90 1.42
2005 Seibu 14 13 28 15 3 215.0 172 63 55 13 49 226 2.30 1.03
2006 Seibu 17 5 25 13 2 186.1 138 50 44 13 34 200 2.13 0.92
TOTALS 108 60 204 72 18 1402.2 1140 508 459 112 502 1355 2.95 1.17
AMERICAN LEAGUE (U.S. MAJOR LEAGUES)
Year Team W L GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2007 Boston 1 0 1 0 0 7.0 6 1 1 1 1 10 1.29 1.00

Notes

  1. ^ Tom Verducci (March 20, 2007). "Riddle of Matsuzaka". SI.com. Retrieved 2007-3-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ Bloom, Barry M. "Japan crowned Classic's first champ - Starter Matsuzaka claims tournament's MVP award", 2006 World Baseball Classic, March 21 2006
  3. ^ a b John Powers (2006-12-15). "At home on the big stage". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  4. ^ "Matsuzaka departs for U.S. to meet agent". JapanBall.com. November 15, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  5. ^ "Red Sox's winning bid for Matsuzaka: $51.1 million"
  6. ^ Michael Silverman (December 15, 2006). "Why $51,111,111.11? John Henry explains". www.bostonherald.com. Retrieved 2007-4-2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ Mike Petraglia (December 14, 2006). "Red Sox no longer need to hide secret". MLB.com. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  8. ^ a b Nick Cafardo (December 12, 2006). "Boras demands way out of line". Boston.com. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
  9. ^ a b Karen Guregian (2006-12-14). "It's a Japanese stakeout in Hub". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2006-12-14.
  10. ^ Matsuzaka agent Scott Boras told ESPN.com the contract includes a "litany of personal comforts." Matsuzaka will get a massage therapist, physical therapist, interpreter and personal assistant, and the Red Sox agreed to provide Matsuzaka with 80-90 flights over the course of the deal, along with special housing and transportation arrangements and accommodations for his wife. "Matsuzaka, Red Sox agree to terms"
  11. ^ Michael Silverman (2006-12-14). "Matsuzaka has full no-trade clause". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
  12. ^ "Matsuzaka, Red Sox reach agreement on six-year deal", ESPN.com, December 14 2006
  13. ^ "Red Sox Nation looks to expand". Providence Journal. 2006-12-15.
  14. ^ Stan McNeal (February 15, 2007). ""Time for Dice-K to get into action"". sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-4-2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. ^ Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa (2006-12-14). "Dreams of Rocket(s) have us seeing stars". Retrieved 2006-12-17.
  16. ^ Tom Verducci (March 27, 2007). ""Dice-K on the gyroball, doryoku and more "". SI.com. Retrieved 2007-4-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  17. ^ Boston.com Staff (December 15, 2006). ""Lost in translation?"". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  18. ^ Tim Brown (December 18, 2006). ""At the letters: Shooting Dais"". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2006-12-20.
  19. ^ Gordon Edes (2006-12-07). "Getting dicey with Matsuzaka". Boston.com. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  20. ^ ""Japanese baseball expert Robert Whiting's Matsuzaka chat"". Boston.com. November 21, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  21. ^ Boston.com Staff (December 15, 2006). ""Lost in translation?"". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
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