With all the hype and pressure that comes with signing a $102 million contract for the Boston Red Sox, I guess Dice-K has done a serviceable job. But for that kind of dough we should be able to expect more than 167.2 innings per season.
Fact: Daisuke won 18 games last year
Fact: A sub 3 (2.90) ERA is excellent
Fact: He finished 4th in Cy Young voting (no first place votes)
But on the contrary
Fact: he threw the least amount of innings for anyone with 18 wins in a season in baseball history
Fact: His K/BB ratio is 1.63 to put that in perspective that's not as high as Nick Swisher's for the Yankees right now.
Fact: He was the beneficiary of some stellar bullpen work and a lot of luck last year.
Throughout history Japanese pitchers in the Majors have been nothing short of mediocre. Because of their fan base and how highly they are regarded in the land of the rising sun they have come here and essentially flopped.
The Two/Three Year Wall Theory~
Looking back at the stats EVERY Japanese born pitcher fits this bill to some degree. Examples:
Hideo Nomo~ Bursts onto the scene in '95 and dazzles.
Wins | Losses | ERA | |
1995 | 13 | 6 | 2.54 |
1996 | 16 | 11 | 3.19 |
1997 | 14 | 12 | 4.25 |
As you can see the stats are getting progressively worse…but unlike the following people on this list he actually has had a few other double digit win seasons but hit a Wall for about 3 seasons in between. In 2002 he regained some form when he went 16-6 for LA.
Hideki "The Big Toad" Irabu~ He also hit this proverbial wall with the Pinstripes.
Wins | Losses | |
1997 | 5 | 4 |
1998 | 13 | 9 |
1999 | 11 | 7 |
After these three seasons he has never had a season with more than 3 wins.
Takashi Saito~ Yes Sox fans our newly acquired Saito-Samurai makes the list as well
Saves | |
2006 | 24 |
2007 | 39 |
2008 | 18 |
Now one month into the season has a 5.14 ERA and has been anything but consistent or dominant coming out of a deep Boston 'pen.
What does this all mean you ask? That Dice-BB's early numbers this season could be from overuse in the WBC or could be a pre-cursor to a "clunker" of a season in the near future for the gyro-balling righty. I say maybe you strike while there is still value there and trade for our "catcher of the future" or a middle of the order bat. Theo has been known to make bold moves and with the dirth of pitching they have in the farm system don't be surprised to see a blockbuster. But what kind of PR repercussions does that have between us and Japanese baseball? Time will tell.
Stay Tuned
Ryan
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