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11/18/2002 Archived Entry: "A Historic Day for Kazuo Matsui, But a Loser for Japanese All Stars"
Kazuo Matsui's Two Historic Homers Not Enough as MLB Evens Series 3-3
Seibu Lions shortstop Kazuo Matsui set a record by homering from both sides of the plate Saturday at Tokyo Dome for the Japanese all stars, but some late errors by the NPB contingent along with a highlight play by second baseman Roberto Alomar allowed the major league all star team to pull away with a 12-7 final to tie their seven game series at three apiece. Arizona Diamondbacks righthander Miguel Batsista, who was tattooed for four runs, three of those earned, in 3.2 innings, was somehow credited with the victory while 21 year old Kintetsu Buffaloes hurler Hisashi Iwakuma, who was blasted for seven runs on 12 hits in only four innings, was hung with the loss.
The big leaguers swarmed on Iwakuma from the outset, as they posted a deuce in the top of the first. Alomar singled to center and stole second on the next pitch. Centerfielder Bernie Willams walked. DH Barry Bonds shredded one down the rightfield line. But Gold Glove NPB first baseman Michihiro Ogasawara made a diving stop and went to first while both runners moved up. First baseman Jason Giambi then singled to left and redeemed Alomar and Williams for a 2-0 MLB lead.
But Little Matsui, batting lefthanded, got an 85mph second pitch cutter that was up and out over the plate opening the bottom of the first and he wacked it on a low line for a solo homer to right, the ball landing in the first couple of rows, to make it 2-1 MLB.
However, Iwakuma got real tore up in the second. Leftfielder Jacque Jones had his bat splintered, but the ball fell into centerfield safely. Catcher A.J. Pierczynski singled to right. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins got jammed, but dunked it into center to load the bases. Rightfielder Ichiro Suzuki attempted to send one through the middle, but it was gobbled up by Kazuo Matsui, who flipped to second baseman Takuro Ishii, who in turn fired to first to nip Ichiro for a double play while Jones crossed the plate. Alomar walked. Williams clocked a single to left for an RBI. Bonds then checked in and pounded Iwakuma's delivery into another universe, the blast estimated at 557 feet as it carromed off a billboard at the rear of the upper deck in right. Unfortunately, it was probably the longest foul ball the Japanese fans will see in their lives. The very next pitch, Alomar took off for third on a delayed steal, catching backstop Masaumi Shimizu asleep and so Alomar slid in without a throw. Bonds then directed one into right to pickup Alomar and it was 5-1 MLB. Jeremy Giambi walked to load the bases. Third baseman Eric Chavez grounded to second to finally end the rally.
The Japanese team charged back to put another run on the big board in their turn in the frame, as Ogasawara singled just past Chavez with one down. Rightfielder Kosuke Fukudome lashed a shot between first and second, but Alomar dove for it, gloved it, and threw to first for the out. Takuro Ishii walked. Masaumi Shimizu then atoned for his earlier inattention by singling through the hole on the leftside of the infield to push Ogasawara in and make it 5-2 MLB. The ball got by Jones and Ishii was ablt to get to third on the error, but Ishii was ultimately stranded.
For reasons known only by NPB manager Tatsunori Hara, Iwakuma was permitted to ascend the hill again in the third and gave up two hits, but one of those was sandwiched around a double play ball, so he got through the inning with no damage sustained. That wasn't the case in the fourth, though.
With two away, Bonds torched one off the rightcenterfield fence for a double. Giambi rolled one between third and short and into left, Bonds stopping at third. Chavez then lined a shot over the head of Godzilla Matsui in center for an RBI double. Then with Jones at the plate, Iwakuma unleashed a wild pitch and Giambi hustled in for a 7-2 MLB advantage.
The NPB forces didn't quit, even with the five run gap. With one out in the fifth, Fukudome singled to center. Ishii walked. Masaumi Shimizu rolled one to Alomar, who tossed it to Rollins, who threw the relay to first away, allowing Fukudome to score, though Shimizu stayed at first. MLB manager Art Howe went to the bullpen for Scott Schoenweiss. Kazuo Matsui, now hitting righthanded against the Angels southpaw, got a second pitch fastball and creamed it, bidding it adieu as it went on its 420 foot journey into the mezzanine section of the leftfield stands to reduce the disparity with MLB to 7-5. Schoenweiss walked leftfielder Takayuki Shimizu, who is having an outstanding series, to bring the tying run to the plate in the person of the big swinging Ogasawara. However, the Nippon Ham superstar flied out to left and that was that.
Yakult setup man Hirotoshi Ishii, who has been disappointing so far, entered from the bullpen and enabled the major leaguers to grab some insurance. Pierczynski leadoff with a single to left. Rollins flamed one off the leftfield wall for a double. Ichiro hit a ground ball between first and second and Ishii was able to knock it down, but that was all and it was 8-5 after Pierczynski toed the dish on the play. Alomar struckout. Williams cracked a hot shot near third, where it was snagged by third baseman Norihiro Nakamura, who sidearmed it over to Ishii. Ishii's throw to first, though, was in the dirt and Ogasawara couldn't pick it and Williams was safe and Rollins was on the bench with another MLB tally to make it a 9-5 contest. Bonds was next, but he flied out to left to keep the score where it was.
Again, the Japan leaguers surged closer in the seventh with Brad Penny pitching. Takayuki Shimizu singled to center. Nakamura zapped one back toward the middle, but Rollins slid on both knees to knock it down and went to second to get the runner. Godzilla Matsui bounced one over Giambi's head. Giambi turned his back to the plate and managed to get to it and toss to Penny for the out at first. Penny hit DH Alex Cabrera. Ogasawara insideouted a ball through the hole between third and short and into left to load the bases. Fukudome whistled one just under the glove of Chavez to drive in a pair and it was now 9-7, the runners moving up another base when Jones made an errant throw home. Again, thank you mightily to ESPN and Fox for keeping us from seeing this exciting game, since we wouldn't be able to handle it. Backup second baseman Akinori Iwamura, playing that position for the first time in his career, struckout, but the ball got by Pierczynski, who then made a bad peg to first, and Iwamura reached to reload the bases. With the winning run now on first, pinch hitter Makoto Imaoka chopped one to Chavez, who chose to run to the bag for the third out. Third base coach Haruki Ihara went ballistic, as he claimed that Chavez missed the base. The call by the MLB umpire stood, though, and the rally was over.
In the eighth, NPB reliever Shinji Mori hung a forkball on the inner half of the zone and Williams blasted it into rightfield bleachers to put his side up by three at 10-7. Pinch hitter Eric Hinske singled to right and backup first baseman Derrick Lee walked. But Chavez grounded into a 4-6-3 twin killing to limit the NPB losses.
The Japanese then endeavored to make something happen in their portion. Kazuo Matsui singled to left and stole second. Takayuki Shimizu walked. Howe dialed local for Eric Gagne, who struckout Nakamura. Hideki Matsui grounded into a force at second and Kazuo ran to third. Cabrera, who could tie the ballgame with one swing, fanned and the opportunity went by the wayside.
Hara made another questionable decision when he waved in Yasuhiro Oyamada, who hasn't pitched very well thus far in the series, though the problems he had in the ninth were only partially own doing. Jones commenced things by torching a ball off the rightfield wall. Fukudome played it really well, though, and Jones had to be satisfied with a single. Pierczynski attempted to bunt for hit down the third base line. Nakamura gloved it and then dropped it for an error. Rollins bunted one toward third and Oyamada got to it in good fashion, but then threw it past Ogasawara and Jones wheeled on home while the other runners each moved up a base. Ichiro worked a walk to pack the sacks. Backup second baseman Junior Spivey flied out to right and Pierczynski tagged and sprinted in for a 12-7 MLB hegemony.
Gagne got the first two NPB hitters in the bottom half, but Iwamura then singed a double beyond Williams' reach in center. Yoshitomo Tani struckout and this series was even and the Dodgers closer had himself a game MVP.
Of the call on Imaoka's bouncer, Ihara told reporters after the game that "we got done in by that old man. Japanese umpires are better." That is a pretty cruel assessment, even if the quality of MLB officiating has been substandard for the last decade.
Aside form the fact that Kazuo Matsui became the first Japanese to go yard from both the left and right sides in an NPB-MLB faceoff, his two dingers in a single game in this sort of series is rare in itself. The first time a Japanese went the distance twice in a tilt against an MLB outfit was in 1956, when Yomiuri Giants first baseman Tetsuharu Kawakami did it against the Dodgers. Lotte great Shinichi Etoh did it in 1962 against Detroit and Sadaharu Oh pulled it off in 1966 in the tenth game of a series with L.A.. The Chunichi Dragons Masaru Uno did it twice, the first occasion being in 1981 against Kansas City and then he also accomplished it in 1984 against Baltimore in the 13th game of that tour.
The Lions shortstop also noted the late movement on the pitches of the MLB hurlers, so he worked in the batting cage before the game on letting the ball get in on him more in order to get a better read on the ball. It appears that was effective.
See related story at:Japan Times Article
See another related story at:Yomiuri Shimbun Article
Pictures:
Finishi on Williams Homer Swing
Another View of Williams Jack
Kazuo Matsui Unloads in the First
Pitching Lines:
MLB:
M. Batista (W, 1-0) IP 3.2 PC 84 H 5 HR 1 K 4 BB 2 R 4 ER 3 ERA 8.22
Schoenweiss IP 1.1 PC 23 H 1 HR 1 K 1 BB 2 R 1 ER 1 ERA 2.70
Penny IP 2.0 PC 56 H 4 HR 0 K 3 BB 1 R 2 ER 2 ERA 13.50
Gagne (S, 2) IP 2.0 PC 30 H 1 HR 0 K 3 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 0.00
NPB:
Iwakuma (L, 0-1) IP 4.0 PC 88 H 12 HR 0 K 2 BB 3 R 7 ER 7 ERA 12.60
H. Ishii IP 2.0 PC 36 H 3 HR 0 K 3 BB 0 R 2 ER 2 ERA 5.06
S. Mori IP 2.0 PC 37 H 2 HR 1 K 1 BB 1 R 1 ER 1 ERA 2.25
Oyamada IP 1.0 PC 25 H 1 HR 0 K 1 BB 1 R 2 ER 0 ERA 6.00
E: Rollins, N. Nakamura, Oyamada, Jones 2, Pierczynski
SB: Alomar 2, K. Matsui, Hinske, Rollins
2B: Bonds, Chavez, Rollins, Iwamura
HR: K. Matsui 2 (2), B. Williams (1)
RBI: Ja. Giambi 2, B. Williams 3, Bonds, Chavez, I. Suzuki, Spivey, K. Matsui 3, M. Shimizu, Fukudome 2
SF: Spivey
WP: Iwakuma, H. Ishii
HBP: Cabrera (Penny)
GIDP: I. Suzuki, Pierczynski, Chavez
LOB: MLB 9, NPB 11
Series Status: MLB 3, NPB 3
Game Time: 4:01
Attendance: 55,000
Umpires: Honda (HP), Sederstrom (1B), Kawaguchi (2B), Young (3B)
Cabrera Reportedly Negotiating With Four MLB Clubs
According to Hochi Sports, Seibu Lions first baseman Alex Cabrera has his agent, Alan Nero, talking to four MLB teams. They are the A's, the Orioles, the Braves and the Royals. There aren't really ano other details about this except for the fact that there may be some questions about the status of the ex-Diamondback's contract and just who holds the option for next season. Stay tuned.
Rose to Join Lotte
According to Sports Nippon, 35 year old former Angels and Yokohama Bay Stars infielder Bobby Rose has reached agreement with the Chiba Lotte Marines on a contract for 2003. Rose missed all of 2001 and last season after he and Yokohama couldn't come to terms on a new deal. Rose, a nine year veteran of the Central League, lives in Colorado.
His one year pact with Lotte will reportedly pay him $650,000
Carp May Replace Kanemoto With Newark Bears' Hurst
According to Sports Nippon, the Hiroshima Carp are considering signing 30 year old Newark Bears outfielder Jimmy Hurst, a 6'6" 225 pound slugger who won a Triple Crown in the independent Atlantic League this past season by batting .341 with 35 homers and 101 RBIs in 113 games. He was also named the circuit's championship series MVP.
His major league experience consists of just 13 games with Detroit, with whom he played in 13 games and batted .176 with one homer and an RBI.
Right now, the figure being bandied about in contract negotiations is $300,000 plus incentives. You can read more about Hurst at the Bears official website:Hurst Wins Triple Crown
Also, to replace the recently departed Eddie Diaz, Hiroshima may put Devil Rays infielder Andy Sheets in their shopping cart.
Hot Shots....
Japan lost to Cuba earlier today 5-0 in the Intercontinental Cup Tournament....Tohoku High School junior righthander Yu Darwish, a lanky 6'4" Iranian-Japanese righthander, was clocked at a high of 91mph today in tossing a 12 strikeout seven hit 2-0 shutout of Heian High School. He has also reportedly added a forkball to an arsenal which already includes a cutter, shuuto, curve ball, slider, and knuckler....Hanshin Tigers
president Katsuyoshi Nozaki says now that Tsuyoshi Shinjo is a free agent, he would like him to return to the club. There had been speculation, however, that the flashy "young prince" just isn't manager Senichi Hoshino's type. But Hoshino himself is saying that he would welcome the ex-Met's return....Hoshino is also going to tryout centerfielder Norihiro Akahoshi at shortstop this coming spring since with the addition of Tomoaki Kanemoto, there is no room for him in the outfield. Akahoshi played both second and short in high school....A scout from the Braves met with the agent of Yokohama free agent closer Takashi Saito earlier today. No offer was made, but they did schedule another meeting....Both Matt Skrmetta and Bryant Nelson have returned to the U.S.. In Skrmetta's case, he will be back in January while whether Nelson will also be heading to Japan again hasn't been spelled out by the Daiei Hawks, with whom he had been working out during their fall camp....Makoto Suzuki says he would be interested in playing in Japan if Yakult or another team drafts him.A salary figure that has appeared in the press is $800,000 plus another $500,000 in incentives ....Yomiuri formally offered Norihiro Nakamura a four year contract at $6 million a season....The SF Giants are said to be expressing interest in Nakamura, with sources cited in the Japanese press estimating that he will likley be proffered a two year deal somewhere in the $4 million a season range, which seems a bit pricey.... Yomiuri righthander Masumi Kuwata had his elbow examined by Dr. Frank Jobe in L.A. yesterday and it was pronounced in good working order....Former Cuban national team members German Mesa, 35, an infielder, and outfielder Luis Ulacia, 39, are working out with the Yokohama Bay Stars this fall to try to win spots on the ballclub....Nippon Ham manager Trey Hillman was seen carrying a copy of the popular manga (comic book), Dokaben home the other day, apparently to help him learn Japanese. Gambare Hillman-kantoku!
MLB Players Appreciative of Being in Japan
This is a tremendous piece of work from Jim Caple: ESPN Article
Yomiuri, Yankees Sign Working Agreement
See story at:Associated Press Article
See related story at:YomiuriShimbun Article
NY Times: Yomiuri-Yankees Deal Not About Matsui
Yep, and the Pope ain't Polish: NY Times Article
In a similar vein is this story:Newark Star-Ledger Article
However, Hochi Sports, a Yomiuri paper, is saying that shortly after noon JST, the Yankees executives changed their tune and now they will meet with Matsui Monday. It is clown time in Suidobashi, as this pic displays: Suits Thinking They're Cool
Orioles: Camden Yards Good Park for Matsui
See story at: Baltimore Sun Article
Bonds to Do Promos for Yomiuri Newspapers
Considering how much Barry loathes the press, this is especially ironic. See story at:Yomiuri Shimbun Article
Discovering Japan: MLB Stars Find Improving Japanese Players
See story at:NY Times Article
Move North Paid Off for Hinske
See story at:Japan Times Article
MLB Still Can't Decide on Worldwide Draft
Geez, these owners like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off. ESPN Article
Taiwan Gets into Second Round of Intercontinental Cup
See story at:Taipei Times Article
Correction
In an earlier article, I had mistakenly written that Kazuhisa Inao was with the Hankyu Braves during his playing career. I attempted to go back and correct the error a few hours after I noticed it, but the program that is used to log my reports wouldn't let me. Thus, I am making the correction here.
Today in Japanese Baseball History
This report is for Novenber 16th and on that date in Japanese baseball history in 1959, Nishitetsu Lions outfielder Hiroshi Oshita, known for his blue bat as well as his three batting championships, retired.
