2003 Sawamura Award Announced

In the midst of the Nippon Series, the 2003 Sawamura Award winners have been announced. Yes, not since 1966 have there been two winners, but that is the case this year.

    Igawa Kei      20-5 2.80
    Saitoh Kazumi  20-3 2.83

Nikkan Sports listed the seven points that weighed in deciding the Sawamura Award winner as:

1. At least 25 appearances
2. At least 10 complete games
3. At least 15 wins
4. At least .600 winning percentage
5. At least 200 innings thrown
6. At least 150 strike outs
7. At most a 2.50 ERA

Seibu's Matsuzaka and the Giants' Uehara were also considered for the award, also clearing at least four of the above conditions. But the 20 wins, first time in 4 years in the Central League, first time in 18 years in the Pacific League, had these two stand out. Here is how the four pitchers compare to each other in the above categories:

    Player              G  CG   W  L   W%    Inn      K    ERA
    Igawa Kei          29   8  20  5  .800  206      179  2.80
    Saitoh Kazumi      26   5  20  3  .870  194      160  2.83
    Uehara Koji        27  11  16  5  .762  207 1/3  194  3.17
    Matsuzaka Daisuke  29   8  16  7  .696  194      215  2.83

Personally, I still think that Uehara deserved it more, clearing six of the seven items. But the five man committee in charge of selecting the winner of the award weighted the 20 wins much higher than they have strike outs in the past. (At least, that's how I see it.)

Fujita-chairman commented that everyone went in with long faces, unable to decide how to select any one player above the others. Then Hiramatsu-san said, "why not two?" That suggestion broke the pondering and Igawa and Saitoh were selected, distinguished by their great winning records and low ERAs. Horiuchi, in his last selection committee as he takes over the helm for the Giants next year, and recipient of the Sawamura Award in 1966 along with Murayama Minoru, the first and, until this year, only time two awards were given in a year, was thinking that two were deserving on his way to Osaka before the meeting.