Igawa Mechanics and Balance

- Also, it seems that the middle relief and closers from Japan have more success in the MLB than the starters who come from Japan. Any ideas?

Yes, I too have stated that in the Igawa sent to minors thread. I have no idea.

That's not really true, if you don't count the last 2-3 seasons, the only reliever who had success was Sasaki/Hasegawa.

But in general, relievers usually have a lower ERA than starters. A respectable ERA for starters in the AL would be around 4.5, while relievers are usually about 3.5.

- That's not really true, if you don't count the last 2-3 seasons, the only reliever who had success was Sasaki/Hasegawa.

- But in general, relievers usually have a lower ERA than starters. A respectable ERA for starters in the AL would be around 4.5, while relievers are usually about 3.5.

If you're going to honestly address the question, I'm not sure why you wouldn't include the last 2-3 seasons. The more Japanese pitchers that go over, the larger a sample size we have to draw from for both pitchers and relievers. I should think you'd want to use this information in making the comparison.

FYI, for the 2007 season to date, AL SPs have a collective 4.38 ERA while RPs are 4.10 as a group. In 2006 SPs were 4.73, RPs 4.25. So while you're right that the league average is higher for starters, on the whole the difference is certainly not as pronounced as you make it out to be. Those numbers are available at Baseball-Reference.

That said, the difference very well could be that big for Japanese SPs/RPs - I'm not sure and haven't run the numbers. Does anyone have that info handy?

As an idea however - and this ties in to me agreeing with BigManZam that if it ain't broke, don't fix it - I guess that maybe the difference in work routine isn't as big between the 2 leagues for relievers as it is for starters? Daisuke used to pitch every 6 days instead of every 5, and get much longer throwing sessions on the side in between starts. The usage pattern for relievers is probably going to be more consistent between NPB and MLB, especially for closers. Just an idea which may or may not have any merit.

I think Japanese starters need to be allowed to throw as much as they threw in Japan. You can tell with Matsuzaka that he was uncomfortable when his arm was being babied. Apparently he was allowed to throw over 100 pitches in the pen the other day and he shut down Toronto. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I've read in a few sources that, among other difficult adjustments, Kei Igawa was uncomfortable with the waiting time between his starts as a Yankee. Maybe he would feel more comfortable as a middle reliever (throwing less innings more often) because of that.

This whole aspect of the game has changed so vastly since I was a child - when I saw the 20-game quartet of Oriole arms (Palmer, Cuellar, McNally, and Dobson) go out every four days and throw 9+ innings. Maybe that simple approach to pitching rotation had its advantages.

I agree. I think manager over manager. They lose games in the bull pen the shouldn't lose. Maybe the pitchers are weaker now then compared with the Orioles (which is a good example).

It's really hard for me not to think that Dice-M got away with bat pitches in NPB. Or that the strike zone is a lot different in NPB. However, when the BoSox play National League teams in their home field, I will be watching if the National League umpires call a different zone.

By the way, talking about the Orioles and pitching, I could remember a Saturday TV Game of the Week with Palmer pitching and the manager came storming out from the dugout because he gave up a home run. Palmer and Earl Weaver actually argued on the mound, because Weaver wanted to take him out. I think a lot of pitchers used to feel that way - I want to keep on pitching, don't take me out, I can win the game.