Hasegawa in Mariners' Starting Rotation?

I disagree with you. He has been great in the role that he has been in during his MLB career. Putting him in a starting role would put more stress on his previuosly injured arm. Why take such a risk. I don't see that happening.

Tone it down, dude! I was merely offering a suggestion. Yes, Shige has done a marvelous job in relief. The Mariners have been struggling in vain to find two additional starters for the past few years.

Spring training is the time to consider starting Hasegawa to determine if this is a workable solution. Shige could keep his relief role if starting would hurt him or the team.

Tone it down dude??? All I stated was that I disagreed with you and stated my reasons.

I thought Gil Meche, Franklin, and the other young prospects were capable of grabbing a starting role. Besides, with Hasegawa, Nelson, Rhodes, and Sasaki, the starters only need to go about 6 innings.

The March 6, 2003 Tacoma News Tribune [Link] has a column article about the "relief-author" Shigetoshi Hasegawa. Dave Boling cites Hasegawa's versatility as a person and a player.

Shige has written three books in Japan. The books' topics range from English study, a Japanese players' adaption to American baseball, and self-management. Hasegawa self-taught himself English.

He also says he knew about the quality of NPB players. But, American baseball and Japanese players didn't realize how good the NPB players were.

Hasegawa has always been very adjustable, as I think this article shows.

As was pointed out earlier in this thread, Hasegawa was a starter most of his career in Japan. What's more, when he first went to the Majors and was made a reliever, much of the Japanese press thought that it was an insult - or that Hasegawa had failed somehow. Starters and closers are put up on a pedestal here in Japan, middle relief is for starter want-to-bes.

But did Hasegawa complain about being moved to middle relief with the Angels? No. He took the role seriously and did very well with it. Many have tried to point out Hasegawa's success to the Japanese, but there's been a great deal of resistance due to anti-middle relief prejudice.

My feeling is that if Hasegawa wants to give starting a try, his English is good enough that he can make it clear to the coaches that he wants to. I doubt that they have any prejudice against giving a long time middle reliever a shot at it if he's got the stuff.

I think that given the depth of Seattle's relief staff mentioned above as well, that Hasegawa can make it the "necessary" six innings for a starter. Or was his being part of the relief corps a requirement to give starters six innings for a "quality start"?

In MLB the role of the set-up man has become very valuable to the point that some make very good money (Steve Karsay $5 million). Hasegawa has become a very reliable set-up man and he has also filled in as the closer at times (Anaheim when Percival was hurt). Therefore this idea about being a starter may possibly be a media or fan speculation. Besides, most organizations, including Seattle, would like to develop young starters in the #4 and #5 roles. In the long term it pays off. To take an effective reliever like Hasegawa and make him a starter again is not worth it unless that is the last option.

Speaking of media speculations, in the Yankee camp the Japanese media had been very curious about what batting order Matsui would bat in. Torre had put him in the 5th slot, but had said that it was not that important, especially in pre-season. Now that he hit 2 HRs and Giambi is hurt the Japanese media is asking if Matsui will hit clean-up for the Yankees. Makes for good headlines, but sometimes the press gets a little carried away.

Good points - Westbay and Sonoda. Shige has a great command of English and should be able to get his point across. He did have difficulty in English when he first came to the Angels.

I'm just a Mariner fan who's concerned about Seattle having only three starters. They should consider all options until they find someone. Hopefully one of the younger guys will turn it around.

Hasegawa isn't going to start for Seattle. Ryan Franklin is the fifth starter and if any spots in the rotation come up, either Ken Cloude or Meche is likely to get it.

When Shigetoshi was with Anaheim and started, his pattern was that he would do fine the first time through the lineup and then get hammered. And while he has a little more zip on the ball now than he did when he first came up with the Angels, I think his best use is one time through the order and then take the rest of the night off.

Shigetoshi is more likely to be the first Japanese pitching coach in MLB or the first manager in the big leagues than he is to end up in Seattle's rotation.

There is no shame in being a middle reliever. And Hasegawa is one of the best in the business.

You are right. The starting idea wasn't mine. Last year in an interview, Hasegawa expressed wonderment about not being considered to start. I will search for the article. I remember he said that he was willing and able to start. He said he felt typecast. Shige said when he came to America, the Angels coaches didn't know what to do with him.

Anyway, I will drop the idea until Shige brings it up again - lol.

What do you think of Hasegawa as an author?

Ken Cloude looked pretty good yesterday and he was good in Tacoma last year. I hope Meche, Franklin, or someone else can fill the gap too. So far it's a big question mark.

I agree with you. There is nothing to be ashamed of in being a set up man for the closer. It is another story if you were a mop up reliever who comes in when the team is being blown away early.

In the age of specialty pitchers Hasegawa has become a well respected pitcher in MLB. And I respect the fact that he has adopted to the language. Just like Japanese businessmen that learn to communicate with their colleagues, a baseball player should try to do the same.

The April 14, 2003 Tacoma News Tribune quoted Shigetoshi Hasegawa on his playing time "Unless I'm hurt, I don't say anything. That's for managers and pitching coaches to decide."

Last year, Shige did state his willingness to start.

           W L  ERA G GS CG SV  IP   H R ER HR BB SO
S Hasegawa 0 0 0.00 7  0  0  0 10.2  5 0  0  0  3  7
R Franklin 1 1 5.25 2  2  0  0 12.0 14 7  7  3  5  6
G Meche    1 1 7.59 2  2  0  0 10.2 14 9  9  5  5 12