Kaz 2004 Stats?

His biggest challenge might be dealing with the always present Japanese press corps. Next would be repeatedly answering the same idiotic questions from the often ignorant North American press.

No challenges from hitting MLB pitching or the two seamer? U.S. journalists may be ignorant of Japanese baseball, but they know plenty about MLB baseball. That's what Kaz will be playing next year, right?

- U.S. journalists may be ignorant of Japanese baseball, but they know plenty about MLB baseball. That's what Kaz will be playing next year, right?

Dude, they don't even have to be remotely close to the subject of Japanese baseball to ask the same idiotic questions.

E.g.: "You just hit a game winning home run in the ninth inning! How do you feel?"

or

"How do you feel about losing 6 of your last 9 games?"

or

"What has been the biggest challenge in adjusting to the Majors this year?"

This is, by itself, a very interesting question. However, I'm sure it'll be very tiresome by the time Matsui hears it for the 20th time.

I guess that endless stupid questions and papparazzi happens when one is a celebrity making the big bucks. However, it is the press that can help enhance your value, as well as undermine it. So the smart players learn to overlook the stupid questions and use the press to their advantage, as I think Kaz will.

No offense gang, but which is more stupid?

• Stupid questions from the press (all continents included)? or


• Stupid arguments about stupid questions from the press (all continents included)?

There is so much to argue about in baseball alone!

Batter up!

The Japanese press doesn't ask idiotic questions over and over either? I thought stupid repeativeive questions were the hallmark of sports "journalists" world wide.

I'm hoping that his leg injuries weren't serious and he'll be able to go for 30 - 60 steals.

His high strikeout tendency lately is also worrying me. I really have no clue how he'll do this year.

I attended his workout at Shea Stadium. I don't know about the leg injury, he had but he certainly didn't look to have one when he was running around Shea.

His biggest challenge will be dealing with the losing. When the Mets perform like they have the last few years the New York media will be focusing on why they are losing. So if he gets off to a bad start hitting or fielding wise, he will be asked many questions.

No matter how much the media tried to criticize Godzilla, it was difficult because the Yankees were winning and he was not really asked to carry the team.

I agree that losing is tough on the psyche and won't help things for Kaz if he gets off to a slow start. However, no one is expecting him to carry the team. There will be a problem if Reyes turns out to be a better shortstop than Kaz. Reyes graciously vacated the slot for Kaz, as he should have, but people in New York like to do a lot of second guessing.

However, if Kaz approaches a level he has in Japan, the fans will love him. Hard play, sacrifice, and performance carries much weight over here, too.

I made this prediction a couple of months ago in another thread. Matsui's numbers will roughly be:

280 BA, 9 RH, 40 RBIs, 20 SBs

But he will have stellar defense and finish 3rd in the Rookie of the Year ballot.

I believe Kaz will hit over .300 and score over 100 runs. I don't care how many home runs or RBIs he has since that won't be his job. Instead, I expect fantastic glove work and contagious enthusiasm and this comes naturally to him.

In three minor league seasons, Jose Reyes hit .288 BA/.334 OBP/.429 SLG. In August, Reyes smoked major league pitching with gaudy numbers .355/.408/.509 and the Mets went 14-12.

There will be great synergy produced by these two players at the top of the lineup and in the middle of the field. This will offset Kaz' transition. Their game will be built around speed not power.

As far as losing is concerned, Kaz won't be dealing too much of it. The Mets' unbalanced competition (almost 80 games worth) has weakened considerably.

The Braves are going through "major" reconstruction and look very pedestrian since they exchanged Sheffield for Drew, Lopez for Perez, and Maddux for Thompson. Including Castilla, the Braves need to find 103 home runs to fill the void. Since this team was built around offense, they won't win 90 games this year.

The Marlins have lost the heart and soul of their club (Pudge) along with a lot of their power giving up Derek Lee for Hee Seop Choi. Pierre, Castillo, and all that pitching will still keep them competitive and in contention.

The Phillies - now here's an interesting team. The additions of Milton, Worrell, and Wagner make them early favorites.

The Expos should be named the "De-posed" for the way MLB has been treating them. Aren't "home" games supposed to be the ones you play "at home"? Guerrero is gone and so is Vasquez. This team will inherit last place from the Mets.

Out of respect for Japansese baseball, I don't believe that "established" Japanese superstars should qualify for Rookie Awards. Not after 8 years of service. Maybe after 4, but not 8. Since you picked him 3rd, who do you suppose is going to finish 1st and 2nd on the Rookie of the Year balloting?

I believe his .300 avg and 100 runs while playing in New York will make him a top candidate since he will be eligible (less than 130 MLB ABs). Unfortunately, Reyes no longer qualifies because of his 274 ABs this season.

47 days 'til pitchers and catchers. Honestly, Met fans just can't wait.

Kazuo can fly. Yes, we have to be worried about his knee injury, but at least he stole more in the second half, so maybe he's OK. A lot of people are worried that in his last few years he's stolen less. Well how many bases did Ichiro steal in his last three years in Japan? 11-12-21. So I think that's more a reflection of Japanese teams slowing a game down to a crawl than anything else (which might be one reason a lot of players want to go to MLB in the first place). If Kazuo is healthy, I see no reason he can't steal 40+.

As for his other numbers, I think .285-15 is realistic. And his glove-work will be more than fine. Some players just have star charisma, and I think K. Matsui is one of them.

Projecting stats in a different culture/league is obviously an inexact science, but if healthy, I'd bet Kazuo is a better MLB player than Hideki.

If Kaz has a better "rookie" year than Hideki, then that will be something. I thought H. Matsui did real well. Kaz doesn't have to hit homers. He's expected to play excellent defense, hit for a high average, get on base frequently, and show some stellar base running. I see him as a Rafael Furcal type SS, a notch below A-Rod, and even a small notch below Nomar Garciaparra.

Personally, I'd like to see him smoke Jeter, but for Kaz's sake, he should keep that to himself. He almost took the reporters bait when he was over earlier this month.

I think it's going to be fun watching Kaz and Reyes do the DP.