Daisuke Matsuzaka

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Full Name: Daisuke Matsuzaka Primary Position: P Height/Weight: 6'0"/185 First Game: April 5, 2007 Birthdate: September 13, 1980 MLB Experience: 2 years Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan Bat/Throw: Right/Right Nickname(s): "Dice-K", "D-Mat", "The Dice-Man", "The Dicemaster General"

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[edit] Biography

Daisuke Matsuzaka was considered by many to be the greatest and most popular pitcher in Nippon Pro Baseball from 1999-2006 before going to the United States, though he only won one Sawamura Award. Matsuzaka exploded onto the scene as a high schooler. He established himself as a superstar in the Koshien Tournament in 1998. In the quarterfinals, he pitched a 250-pitch, 17-inning game at age 17 for the victory. The next day he was a reliever and won again as his team rallied from a 6-run deficit for a comeback victory. He then cemented his legend with a no-hitter against Kyoto Seisho High School in the finale. He became the only high schooler to go unbeaten all year long and set a high school record for strikeouts (208, broken in 2005 by Tanaka Masahiro). He set a Koshien record with 14 Ks in a game. He also led Japan to the world amateur championship title, getting the MVP award for the tournament. He was the first-round draft pick of the Seibu Lions; Matsuzaka got a 50-million yen signing bonus and a 13-million yen salary.

In 1999 Matsuzaka had a great rookie season, winning Rookie of the Year honors in the Pacific League and making the Best Nine team as the top pitcher in his circuit (the first rookie out of high school to be so honored). He was 16-5, led the PL in wins and was third with a 2.60 ERA. He set numerous rookie records - he became the first kid out of high school to strike out 10 or more in his first exhibition game, got the most All-Star votes at pitcher (the first rookie to do so in 29 years), struck out 5 in the All-Star game (a record for a rookie out of high school) and tied Keishi Suzuki's rookie record with 15 strikeouts in a game. He pitched 5 perfect innings in his first start in Nippon Pro Baseball and became the second rookie out of high school to pitch a shutout in April since World War II. In his first match-up with Ichiro Suzuki, he struck out Ichiro in three consecutive at-bats.

Matsuzaka continued to dominate his next season, when he became the first teenage opening-day pitcher in 15 years. He was 14-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 2000, again leading the league in wins and also topping it in shutouts (2) and strikeouts (144). He again made the Best Nine at pitcher. Off the field, he got into trouble, once being caught out after hours and later driving with a suspended license, earning a fine of 200,000 yen.

In 2001 Matsuzaka had tough luck, going 15-15 and leading the PL in losses; he also led in wins for the third straight season. His 240.3 innings topped the league, as did his 12 complete games, 2 shutouts, 27 homers allowed, 214 strikeouts and 117 walks. He won the Sawamura Award as the top hurler in Japan. He became just the 9th pitcher in NPB history to make three Best Nines.

2002 was the only season Matsuzaka has failed to lead the league in anything, as he missed much of the year with an elbow injury. He was 6-2 with a 3.68 ERA and 78 Ks in 73.3 innings when healthy.

Matsuzaka bounced back in '03. He was 16-7, finishing second in the PL in wins and his 2.83 ERA tied Kazumi Saitoh for the top mark in the league (it was the first such tie in NPB history). He led the league with 215 strikeouts (in 194 frames).

2004 saw Matsuzaka become the first Japanese pitcher to reach 100 mph on a radar gun, which he did during the 2004 Olympics. He shut out Cuba for 8 innings in a win in those Olympic games then lost a 1-0 game to Australia when his offensive support vanished. In NPB that year, he was 10-6 with a 2.90 ERA. He beat Hisashi Iwakuma for the league lead in ERA. Matsuzaka was only okay in the Japan Series but the Lions won their first title in 14 years.

Matsuzaka again dazzled in 2005 though he got little offensive support. He went 14-13 despite a 2.30 ERA, his best yet, and 226 Ks in 215 innings. He completed 15 of 28 starts. He led the PL in strikeouts for the fourth time, was 3rd in ERA, tied for 5th in wins, 1st in innings, 1st in complete games (2 less than the 2nd and 3rd pitchers combined) and tied for the lead with three shutouts. Early in the year, he became the fifth-fastest NPB pitcher to reach 1,000 career strikeouts. That season he also won his sixth Gold Glove, as he had won all but one during his career.

Matsuzaka requested to be posted to Major League Baseball after the '05 season, but the Lions refused to honor his request. Numerous MLB teams have expressed interest in Matsuzaka, should he become available. By that point, his arm might have been irreperably damaged by the workload he has shouldered over the years. Matsuzaka had stated he may sit out the 2006 season due to the Lions' going back on a deal that they would post him to the majors if he had a good year in '05; he did not hold to this threat.

Matsuzaka was then named MVP of the first World Baseball Classic after beating Cuba in the final. He went 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in the tournament; Japan's other pitchers were a combined 2-3. He followed by going 17-5 with a 2.13 ERA, 200 strikeouts, 14 complete games and a .92 WHIP in '06. He even went 3 for 9 with a double and homer in interleague play. He was second to Kazumi Saitoh in all three pitching Triple Crown stats, finishing one win behind and five strikeouts off of the pace. He led the PL in complete games. He finished third in MVP voting, behind Michihiro Ogasawara and Saitoh. So far, Matsuzaka is 108-60 in his career, despite a couple years with poor support.

At a press conference on November 1, 2006, Matsuzaka prepped the media for the strong possibility that he would be coming to the USA for the 2007 season. Seibu posted Matsuzaka after the 2006 campaign, living up to their word from a year earlier. Many big-league teams showed interest. Teams expressing the most interest in Matsuzaka were the New York Yankees and Mets, the Boston Red Sox, the LA Dodgers and the Seattle Mariners. The Boston Red Sox won the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka after a $51.1 million posting bid was accepted by financially struggling Seibu. A day before the contract deadline, he inked a deal for $52 million over six years after intense negotiations between Theo Epstein of the Red Sox and Scott Boras, Matsuzaka's agent. ^[1]

[edit] Career Highlights

1998: Amateur, High School senior (age: 17)

• Pitched a 250-pitch, 17-inning game in the playoffs for the win
• No-hitter in the championship game
• Became the only high school pitcher to go undefeated all season
• Set the high school record for strikeouts (208)
• Set a Koshien record with 14 Ks in a game
• Led Japan to the world amateur championship title and winning the MVP award
• 1st round draft pick in Nippon Pro Baseball

1999: Professional rookie season (18)

• Led the Pacific League (PL) in wins (16), while 3rd in ERA (2.60)
• First player out of high school to strikeout 10 or more in his 1st exhibition game
• Struck out 5 in All-star game (record for rookie out high school)
• Tied the record for most strikeouts in a game by a rookie with 15
• Pitched 5 perfect innings in his first start in Nippon Pro Baseball
• Second rookie out of high school to pitch a shutout in April since WWII
• First game against Ichiro: struck him out in 3 consecutive at-bats
• Rookie of the Year in the PL
• Made the Best Nine team as top pitcher in circuit (first rookie out of high school to do so)

2000: (19)

• First teenage opening-day pitcher in 15 years
• Led the league in wins (14), shutouts (2) and strikeouts (144)
• Made Best Nine pitcher again.

2001: (20)

• Led the league in:
  • Wins (15)
  • Innings Pitched (240.3)
  • Complete Games (12)
  • Shutouts (2)
  • Strikeouts (217)
• Won the Sawamura Award for best pitcher in Japan
• Became the 9th pitcher in NPB history to make the three Best Nines

2002: (21)

• Missed most of the year with an elbow injury, but put up a 6-2 record with a 3.68 ERA and 78 Ks in 73.3 innings

2003: (22)

• Second in the league in wins (16)
• Tied for first in ERA (2.83)
• Lead the league in strikeouts (215)

2004: (23)

• Became the 1st Japanese pitcher to reach 100 mph on a radar gun (happened during the Olypmics)
• Shut out Cuba for 8 innings to pick up the win in the Olympics
• Held Australia to 1 run, yet still lost
• Led the league in ERA (2.90)
• Led the Seibu Lions to their first NPB championship victory in 14 years.

2005: (24)

• Led the league in:
  • Strikeouts (226)
  • Innings Pitched (215)
  • Complete Games (15)
• Tied for league lead in shutouts (3)
• Third in league in ERA despite being his personal best (2.30)
• Fifth in wins due to lack of run support (14)
• Became the 5th fastest NPB pitcher to reach 1,000 career strikeouts
• Won 6th Gold Glove

2006: (25)

• Named MVP of World Baseball Classic after beating Cuba in the fina
  • He went 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in the tournament<
• Second in the league in wins (17), ERA (2.13), and strikouts (200)
• Led the league in complete games (14)
• Finished third in MVP voting

[edit] YouTube Clips

[edit] External links

• Interview
• Video of Daisuke Matsuzaka, Possibly Throwing the Gyroball
• "Explainer" on the gyroball. from Slate magazine.
• Fake Dice_K Twitter account Twitters as Dice_K for every start, while he's in the game.

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• Posters via AllPosters.com
• Books and Memorabilia via Amazon
• Apparel via Shopzilla
• Various merchandise via eBay

[edit] Scouting Report

Matsuzaka's fastball ranges from 90-96 mph, with good late movement. He is not afraid to challenge hitters with his fastball, and it is his go-to pitch. He also throws a changeup, a slider, a cutter, and (rarely) a forkball/"vulcan" splitter -- all with almost the same delivery. Matsuzaka is reputed to throw the infamous "gyroball" as well, but there has been no documented instance of his ever having used this mystery pitch.

[edit] Pitch selection

(On the 20-80 scouting scale; 20 = lowest, 80 - highest)

Fastball
Velocity: 65
Movement: 40
Control: 65
Overall: 65

Slider
Movement: 55
Control: 50
Overall: 55

Power Curve
Movement: 55
Control: 35
Overall: 45

Change Up/Forkball
Movement: 40
Control: 30
Overall: 35

Pitcher Ratings
Stamina: 80
Pitchability: 65
Durability: 70

[edit] At the WBC

• 64% of pitches were fastballs (87-96 MPH)
• 21% were sliders (79-84 MPH)
• 8% were changeups (75-82 MPH)
• 5% were splitters (78-83 MPH)
• Fastball was a strength (.148 scouted BAA)
• 42% of fastballs were chased out of the strike zone
• Only 43% of fastballs were actually in the strike zone
• 63% of sliders caught the strike zone
• Uses sliders 32% of the time against RHBs, and rarely uses them vs. LHBs
• Threw fastball on 56% of first pitches
• Threw fastball 78% of the time when behind in the count
• Uses changeups 23% of the time vs. lefties, and almost never vs. righties
• 13% of lefthanders faced when 5+ pitches against him, while only 1% of RHBs did so
• 22% of pitches to RHBs were high and inside
• 36% of offerings to righties were high and out of the zone
• Threw to the outside corner 25% of the time vs. RHBs
• Threw to the outside corner 32% of the time vs. LHBs
• 26% of pitches to lefthanded batters were high and outside

[edit] Statistics

   
Year    Team    W     L     IP       H    ER     BB      K    ERA
1999    SL      16    5    180      124   52     87     151  2.60
2000    SL      14    7    167⅔     132   74     95     144  3.97
2001    SL      15   15    240⅓     184   96    117     214  3.60
2002    SL       6    2     73⅓      60   30     15      78  3.68
2003    SL      16    7    194      165   61     63     215  2.83
2004    SL      10    6    146      165   47     42     127  2.90
2005    SL      14   13    215      172   55     49     226  2.30
2006    SL      17    5    186⅓     138   44     34     200  2.13

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