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11/13/2002 Archived Entry: "Japanese All Stars Roll Another Eight in Victory"
Kokubo, Cabrera Homers, Kawakami Pitching Sinks MLB 8-2
The Chunichi Dragons Kenshin Kawakami limited a powerful MLB batting order to a two run homer by Barry Bonds Monday at Fukuoka Dome, as the Japanese all star team rolled another eight to topple their stateside opponent 8-2. Hiroki Kokubo, playing second base for the first time in five seasons, hammered a two run roundtripper and first baseman Alex Cabrera added a muy grande fifth inning solo circuit clout to power the NPB offense.
After the great Nishitetsu Lions ace Kazuhisa Inao threw out the first pitch, Kawakami induced a groundout to first from rightfielder Ichiro Suzuki to kick this one off. However, shortstop David Eckstein singled to left and the big leaguers were in business. Centerfielder Bernie Williams fanned, but when Bonds stepped in, Kawakami threw him a first pitch 88mph fastball that was up and over the heart of the plate and the future hall of famer destroyed it, launching a majestic 455 footer into the centerfield bleachers that was his ninth lifetime longball in Japan, and it was 2-0 MLB. That was Bonds' first jack at Fukuoka since 1996. Kawakami then nailed first baseman Jason Giambi with a pitch, but he ended the inning by striking out third baseman Eric Chavez. From there, Kawakami resembled the guy who finished second in the ERA race in the Central League this year, giving his side a chance to comebakc and surmount the deficit.
And the Japanese did just that in the third. Kokubo leadoff by drilling one just beyond the glove of second baseman Junior Spivey for a single. Rightfielder Kosuke Fukudome torched a pitch from MLB starter Mark Buerhle up the leftcenter gap and Kokubo got on his horse and galloped around the basepaths while Fukudome slid into third with an RBI triple. Catcher Motonobu Tanishige popped out to third, but shortstop Kazuo Matsui lifted a fly ball deep enough to center to enable Fukudome to tag up and hustle in knot it at 2-2.
An inning later, Buerhle's night would come to an end. Third baseman Norihiro Nakamura scorched a 3-1 slider down the leftfield line for a double. Buerhle then got an 0-1 cutter up and on the outer half of the plate and centerfielder Godzilla Matsui scalded it back up through the middle and off of the White Sox ace's left shoulder for an infield hit. Miguel Batista was brought in from the bullpen while Buerhle went to the trainer's room, where he was diagnosed with a muscle bruise. Nevertheless, though it was "just" a bruise, one of MLB's best young arms is going to sit out the rest of the series as a precaution.
Cabrera was next and he hit a little groundball to third that Chavez fielded and threw to home on, starting a rundown where Nakamura was eventually tagged as the runners each moving moved up to second and third. DH Michihiro Ogasawara went up hacking, as he always does, and he cracked a single to center to bring in both Matsui and Nakamura, putting the Japanese nine up 4-2. Kokubo then jumped on a Batista second pitch fastball that was up and on the inner half of the plate and air mailed it into the leftfield stands and now it was 6-2 NPB.
In the fifth and with two gone, Cabrera stepped into the box and flattened a third pitch 91mph fastball that was down and in, sending a 455 foot frozen rope deep into the leftcenterfield seats to make it 7-2 NPB.
Hirotoshi Ishii took the hill for the seventh and eighth, tossing two scoreless innings of two hit ball. And in that seventh, NPB got to Batsista yet again. Leftfielder Takayuki Shimizu chopped one into the artificial turf and Spivey couldn't time his leap quite right and the ball continued on into right for a single. Batista jammed Nakamura, who fisted it just to one side of the mound, Batista's only play being to first for the out. Godzilla Matsui grounded to second, Shimizu blazing for third while Spivey flipped to first for the second out. Cabrera squirted a shot through the infield and into left for an RBI and it was 8-2 NPB.
Masahide Kobayashi, who dominated for Lotte this past campaign, was assigned the closing duties this night and had Spivey, catcher A.J. Pierczynski, and Ichiro playing pepper with the infielders and in seven pitches, this one was over. This was the first time since 1990 that an NPB all star team had won the first two games with its MLB counterpart. NPB went 4-3-1 in that series.
For his homer, three hits, and two RBIs, Cabrera was named the game's MVP, for which he received about $2500. He is now 5-8 in the series with two homers and five RBIs. Cabrera spent some time before the faceoff talking to Sandy Alomar Sr., who was his batting coach in A ball.
Matsui, who said that the ball that hit Buerhle came off the end of the bat, stated that he would offer an apology to Buerhle tomorrow. Buerhle revealed that it felt as if someone punched him in the shoulder real hard. On a happier note, Matsui and Giambi are also going to exchange uniform tops and bats.
Godzilla to date in confrontations with MLB aggregations is 28-103 .272 with four homers and 18 RBIs. Ichiro was 15-37 .405 when he played in Japan with no homers and nine RBIs. Tsuyoshi Shinjo was 9-22 (.409) with no homers and five RBIs. So the question is, how much stock can you put in an individual player's performance in these things?
Ichiro said that Kawakami looked like a different pitcher to him than the one he had seen while he was with Orix, averring that the Dragons righthander had seemed to have taken a more American approach.
Sumo Yokozuna Musashimaru took in the ballgame and then visited the players in the locker room, having a good time taking pictures with the players and signing autographs.
See related story at:Associated Press Article
See another realted story at:Japan Times Article
Pictures:
Godzilla Undresses Buerhle
Kokubo Homer Swing
Nakamura Homer Swing
Pitching Lines:
MLB:
Buerhle (L, 0-1) IP 3.0 PC 45 H 5 HR 0 K 0 BB 0 R 4 ER 4 ERA 12.00
Batista IP 4.0 PC 70 H 7 HR 2 K 3 BB 1 R 4 ER 4 ERA 9.00
Gagne IP 1.0 PC 11 H 0 HR 0 K 1 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 0.00
NPB:
Kawakami (W, 1-0) IP 6.0 PC 103 H 5 HR 1 K 4 BB 2 R 2 ER 2 ERA 3.00
H. Ishii IP 2.0 PC 27 H 2 HR 0 K 1 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 0.00
M. Kobayashi IP 1.0 PC 7 H 0 HR 0 K 0 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 0.00
E: T. Shimizu
SB: Fukudome
2B: N. Nakamura
3B: Fukudome
HR: Bonds (1), Kokubo (1), Cabrera (2)
RBI: Bonds 2, Kokubo 2, Cabrera 2, Fukudome, K. Matsui, M. Ogasawara 2
SF: K. Matsui
PB: Tanishige
HBP: Ja. Giambi (Kawakami)
LOB: MLB 8, NPB 4
Series Status: MLB 0, NPB 2
Game Time: 2:50
Attendance: 42,000
Umpires: Tamba (HP), Sederstrom (1B), Kittaka (2B), Young (3B)
Lineups:
MLB:
RF I. Suzuki (0-5, .000)
SS Eckstein (2-3, R, BB .666)
(SS) Rollins (0-0, .333)
CF B. Williams (0-4, K .125)
DH Bonds (1-4, R, 2 RBI .142)
1B Giambi (0-2, BB .200)
(1B) D. Lee (0-1, .500)
3B Chavez (1-3, K .500)
(3B) Hinske (1-1, .500)
LF Burrell (0-3, K, BB .000)
2B Spivey (0-4, K, .000)
C Pierczynski (2-4, K .400)
NPB:
SS K. Matsui (0-2, SF, RBI, BB, .400)
LF T. Shimizu (1-4, R .500)
3B N. Nakamura (1-4, .500)
(3B) Iwamura (0-0 .333)
CF H. Matsui (1-4, R .250)
1B Cabrera (3-4, 2R, 2 RBI .625)
DH M. Ogasawara (2-4, R, 2 RBI, K .428)
2B Kokubo (2-3, 2R, 2 RBI .666)
(2B) T. Ishii (0-1, .250)
RF Fukudome (2-4, R, RBI, K .400)
C Tanishige (0-3, 2 K .000)
(PH) Tani (0-1, .500)
(C) M. Shimizu (0-0 .000)
Gold Glove Winners Announced
According to Sankei Sports, these are your 2002 most excellent defenders (number of times that player has received that award are in parentheses):
Central League:
Pitcher: Masumi Kuwata (8); Catcher: Shinnosuke Abe (1); 1st Base: Roberto Petagine (3); 2nd Base: Toshihisa Nishi (4); 3rd Base: Akinori Iwamura (3); Shortstop: Shinya Miyamoto (5); Outfield: Yoshinobu Takahashi (5); Outfield: Hideki Matsui (3); Outfield: Kosuke Fukudome (1).
Pacific League:
Pitcher: Fumiya Nishiguchi (3); Catcher: Kenji Johjima (4); 1st Base: M. Ogasawara (4); 2nd Base: Hiroyuki Takagi (1); 3rd Base: Norihiro Nakamura (4); Shortstop: Kazuo Matsui (3); Outfield: Tatsuya Ozeki (1); Outfield: Tatsuya Ide (2); Yoshitomo Tani (2).
Picking Abe, who becomes the youngest ever at his position to earn a Gold Glove at 23 years and seven months, over the Dragons' Motonobu Tanishige at catcher is a disgrace. Abe had nine passed balls to Tanishige's seven and turned 15 double plays to Tanishige's 25, plus Tanishige was gunning down baserunners right and left, which Abe was not. Atsuya Furuta should also have finished ahead of Abe (three errors, eight passed balls, 11 double plays on bad knees). Yokohama leftfielder Takanori Suzuki should have gotten the other outfield spot over Hideki Matsui. Again, Godzilla's popularity got him a defensive award he has never deserved. The Hawks' Hiroki Kokubo should have beat Nakamura, who has now won that award four seasons running despite leading PL third baseman in errors with 14. Nakamura himself acknolwedged that perhaps he was unjustly honored.
Kuwata's eighth Gold Glove ties a Japanese record for most by a pitcher with former Giants hurler Takashi Nishimoto.
It's been 26 years since five Giants have won Gold Gloves in the same season, on that occasion Davey Johnson being one of those so annointed.
Tokuyama University Hurler Iida Signs With Twins
According to Sankei Sports, Tokuyama University righthanded reliever Hiroyuki Iida has inked a deal with the Minnesota Twins. The 22 year old 6'1" 180 pounder will leave for the U.S. minors in February.
The interesting thing is that he almost became a volleyball player rather than a baseballer. However, a friend of his was on the baseball team in junior high and so he made it on to that nine as a position player, where he floundered. But one day, he was sent to the mound and has been a pitcher ever since.
Iida is a graduate of Kudamatsu Kogyo High School in Yamaguchi Prefecture. He is still raw mechanically and scouts think that once he matures and takes on a disciplined workout routine, he could ratchet his 90-92mph fastball up into the 95-96 range. Consequently, while he was handicapped to go in the upper rounds of the draft, he was somebody who is a potential guy that will need some time to develop before he can be promoted to the big club. In addition to the fastball, he also throws a slider, curve and forkball.
Japan Battles Back from Big Deficit Againts Cuba, But Then Loses
The Japanese squad playing in the Intercontinental Cup baseball tournament in Cuba saw themselves go down 6-0, but powered by a grand slam into the leftfield seats from third baseman Katsuaki Furuki, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday, and helped by a timely fielding miscue, they rallied to take a 7-6 lead with a seven run uprising in the sixth, only to lose see their opponent tie it and then win it on a solo homer to centerfield from Barbaro Canizeras in the ninth off of Shigetoshi Yamakita 8-7.
While his team lost, the Japanese manager, Goto, said that he was encouraged by a lot of what he saw from his charges.
See related story at: Voice of America Article
Hot Shots....
Daiei backup catcher Takashi Uchinokura announced that he will retire....The Yakult Swallows have picked up Seibu infielder Ken Suzuki and his 147 lifetime homers for an undisclosed amount of cash....George Steinbrenner said to be considering a trip to Japan after the NPB-MLB series is concluded to ostensibly meet with Yomiuri Giants executives, though the real purpose is thought to revolve around the attempt at signing Hideki Matsui....Congratulations to Chunichi Dragons centerfielder Koichi Sekikawa, 33, who is marrying a 30 year old TV Tokyo sports program announcer before the end of the year....Move over Jim Thome department: the Dragons new offer to Roberto Petagine is two years at $11 million a season, according to Sports Nippon. Also, Yomiuri has prepared a two year deal for $8 million per. Hanshin faxed a similar proposal to Petagine's agent, Peter Greenberg....Yokohama has put out a three year offer at $25 million and is sending a team official to Venezuela to meet with the now former Yakult MVP....Popular Seibu Lions ace Daisuke Matsuzaka says he will refuse all requests for tv appearances so that he can prepare for next season....Senshu University hurler Hirotaka Egusa has signed with Hanshin. He said he wants to use his 90mph fastball to saw off Yomiuri first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara.He also throws a slider and a forkball....There are said to be conflicts between manager Senichi Hoshino and Hanshin owner Shunjiro Kuman over the possibility of aquiring Roberto Petagine....No other teams have yet contacted Tigers free agent outfielder Shinjiro Hiyama.... Kintetsu's newest offer to Nakamura was six years at a base salary of $5 million a season plus incentives.... Hosei University hurler Ryutaro Doi has caught on with Yokohama, good news for a pitching staff that disintegrated last season.
Robert Whiting Interview With Ichiro
For those of you just beginning to get aquainted with Japanese baseball, Robert Whiting has written two tremendous books about it, The Chrysanthemum and the Bat and You Gotta Have Wa. In this article, he sits down with Ichiro Suzuki for an illuminating interview, especially about his relationship with this father:
Time Magazine Article
Ichiro's Exploits Pump Up a Deflated Japan
See story at: Time Magazine Article
Godzilla vs. MLB
See story at: Time Magazine Article
Focus on Matsui at All Star Series
See story at: NY Daily News
Uehara Grows Into Ace
See story at: Japan Times Article
Japanese Players' Success a Mixed Blessing
See story at: Reuters Article
Korean Baseball and Economics
See story at: Korea Times Article
