Okajima is Oky-Doky
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by user Smmonroe2
The Boston Red Sox signed a 50 million dollar deal with a Japanese star pitcher this year, as I am sure you are all aware. Dice-K has put up some decent numbers so far winning nine games, striking out 110 batters, while walking thirty-six and allowing forty-five earned runs in 106.2 innings worth of work, and compiling an ERA of under four. Not bad so far.
However, there seems to be another Japanese pitcher who isn’t getting quite as much hype. He pitches in the middle innings and has trademarked some sort of funky delivery, let’s face he is worth the two million he is being paid.
Hideki Okajima is this pitchers name, and for a “rookie” reliever he is putting up some unreal numbers, similar to Jonathan Papelbon’s numbers from last year. In thirty-eight innings of work Okajima has given up just twenty-two hits and four earned runs, while walking only ten and striking out thirty-four, and picking up two wins and four saves on nights that Papelbon isn’t available. He has proven to be worth the hype he didn’t receive, posting a 0.95 ERA after allowing a homerun on his first MLB pitch. This guy is good.
He may not be as tested as Dice-K, due to his role as a relief pitcher. However, this guy is looking to become an excellent force in the bullpen on a contending team. Look for him to come up big when it counts, like in October.
