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03/15/2004 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Twins Interested in College Pitcher; Nagashima Improving"
Miscellaneous Cont'd
Mets shortstop Kazuo Matsui started Friday as a DH against Detroit and finally collected his first spring basehit on a hard ground ball toward first. Pitcher Jeremy Bonderman was outrun to the bag by Matsui on the play. He walked his next time at the dish and singled to right the third and stole a base, too, finshing the afternoon 2-4. "I'm starting to see the ball a little better," he told reporters....Indians reliever Kazuhito Tadano was brought in for the sixth Friday against Detroit and surrendered two one out hits before wriggling out of the jam by inducing a double play ball. It was his second scoreless outing in a row....Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui spanked an RBI single to right Friday against Houston....Meiji University pitcher Yasuhiro Ichiba struckout seven batters in a row on the way to fanning a total of 13 against Kinki University Saturday in a four hit 9-0 shutout. He was clocked at 92mph. Ichiba, who also features a cutter, a slider and a forkball, is being hotly pursued by six Japanese pro teams. In addition, a scout from the Minnesota Twins, Koji Takahashi, was in attendance to check the hurler out. "He has a variety of pitches and keeps them all down," Takahashi assessed. "He could start in the big leagues one day." The Dodgers have also scouted the righthander.
Shigeo Nagashima According to Sankei Sports, former Yomiuri slugger Shigeo Nagashima is improving. He is getting up every morning at 6 a.m. and has gotten his appetite back. He is able to get around in a wheelchair and his conversational rhythm is becoming smoother. Hochi Sports, a Yomiuri subisdiary, and other media outlets have been accepting messages from well wishers to pass on to the ailing hall of famer.
Today's Photos
Hiroki Kokubo Getting Some Lift
