5/12/2012: Yu Darvish, Hideki Matsui, Tsuyoshi Wada

by on May.12, 2012 @ 3:25 pm, under MLB

Games from May 11:

New York Yankees 6 - Seattle Mariners 2 [Nikkan Sports, Daily Sports]
Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) started in right and batted third.  He went 0-for-4: pop out to third in foul territory, fly out to left, ground out to third (force), ground out to the pitcher.  Ichiro also recorded his 100th career assist in the bottom of the 1st (threw out Robinson Cano at second). [Sponichi, Nikkan Sports, Nikkan Sports]

Hiroki Kuroda (NYY) started the game and gave up two runs on six hits over seven innings of work.  He got the win and is now 3-4.  Final line: 7 IP, 105-59 NP-S, 29 BF, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR. [Sponichi, Nikkan Sports]

Milwaukee Brewers 8 - Chicago Cubs 7
Norichika Aoki (MIL) entered the game as a defensive replacement in center in the top of the 9th.  He went 0-for-2: ground out to third (reach on fielder's choice), pop out to second. [Nikkan Sports, Sponichi]

Texas Rangers 10 - LA Angels 3 [Daily Sports]
Yu Darvish (TEX) started the game and gave up three runs on three hits over 5.1 innings of work.  He got the win and improved to 5-1.  Final line: 5.1 IP, 93-57 NP-S, 23 BF, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO, 2 HR. [Sponichi, SponichiNikkan Sports, Nikkan Sports]

Koji Uehara (TEX) entered the game in the top of the 8th, with the Rangers up 10-3, and tossed a shutout inning in relief.  Final line:  1 IP, 22-15 NP-S, 5 BF, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR. [Nikkan Sports, Sponichi]

Pawtucket 5 - Columbus 1 (AAA)
Junichi Tazawa (PAW) entered the game in the top of the 7th and retired all three batters he faced.  Final line: 1 IP, 10-7 NP-S, 3 BF, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR. [Nikkan Sports, Sponichi]

Salt Lake 9 - Round Rock 6 (AAA)
Yoshinori Tateyama (RRE) entered the game in the bottom of the 8th and retired the side in order.  Final line: 1 IP, 11-8 NP-S, 3 BF, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR. [Nikkan Sports, Sponichi]

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Hideki Matsui (TBR) played in a minor league practice game against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.  He started in left and went 2-for-4: single to center, walk, strikeout looking, strikeout swinging, infield hit.  Matsui also handled two chances in left.

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Takashi Saito (ARI) threw thirty pitches at about fifty percent in the outfield at Chase Field on Friday.  He told reporters that his right leg (calf) was no longer giving him problems when he threw.  Saito could toss a bullpen session early next week.  Assuming no setbacks, he might be able to make it back to the MLB roster in two to three weeks.

===

Tsuyoshi Wada (BAL) had TJ surgery on his left elbow on Friday.  And from MLB.com:

Below is a statement from Orioles LHP Tsuyoshi Wada following his left elbow ligament replacement surgery earlier today in Los Angeles with Dr. Lewis Yocum. Wada will not be available for further comment until he begins his rehabilitation in Sarasota, FL, a date that has not yet been set.

"The procedure went as planned and Dr. Yocum felt good about how it went. He predicts a full recovery. I'm glad to have this over with and look forward to beginning my rehabilitation so I can get back to pitching for the Orioles as soon as possible."

===

Via Nikkan Sports, the Associated Press posted an article on Brad Penny and his failure to make it in Japan.  A snip:

"It takes a certain kind of ballplayer to make it in Japan," said author Robert Whiting, who has written several books on Japanese baseball. "I guess Penny wasn't one of those players. It's a sad day when $3 million isn't enough to keep you in Japan."

...

Penny isn't the only former major league player to struggle in Japan. When it comes to playing in Japan, former Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Jim Lefebvre, who played here from 1973-1976 summed it up best: "If you want to succeed in Japan, you have to forget everything you learned in the United States and pretend you are a rookie. Do everything they tell you and you just might make it."


11 comments on “5/12/2012: Yu Darvish, Hideki Matsui, Tsuyoshi Wada

  1. Mike DeJong

    Cool that you put the Wasa and Penny stories together.
    Wada’s case shows the respect major league teams have for player, while Penny shows how players are just like cattle in Japan.

    The O’s could have dumped Wada, claiming damaged goods. But they are sticking with him even though Tommy John surgery could keep him out more than a year.

    Penny’s injury doesn’t sound that bad but the classless Hawks aren’t willing to wait.

    In Japan, employees are not really people, are they?

    Reply
    1. Gen Post author

      Um, Mike, no offense, but you really should learn to read stories as they are updated.

      It has been mentioned, not only here, but also in the article I linked to above, that Penny requested to be released.

      In fact, here is a direct quote from the AP article:

      The Hawks cut Penny on Tuesday, granting the player’s request to be released.

      Why you try to read something bad into everything that happens is beyond me. If you really feel so negatively about Japan, why even follow Japanese baseball?

      Reply
    1. Gen Post author

      Wonder which team is going after him. I think you wondered in a tweet if it might be Yomiuri, but the last I heard the Giants were going after E. Gonzalez.

      Reply
    2. Carter

      well I read that too but it’s been a week and nothing happened. I don’t see a lot of teams needing a second baseman in the CL so who knows.

      Reply
    3. Carter

      Thanks. The only vacant spot is right-field, I don’t see him being any better than any of the infielders Orix already have.

      Reply

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