February 22, 2007
Iron Man
Matsuzaka threw 103 pitches in his bullpen session today:
General manager Theo Epstein said he's never seen a pitcher throw 103 pitches so early in camp.
"He's in there 80, 90 pitches deep (and) he's still going through the stretch, still checking runners, still taking it like a real game situation," Epstein said. "Every single pitch had a purpose."
Save something for the regular season, Dice-K!
Posted by David Pinto at
10:56 PM
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Good to see Boston letting him train the way he's used to. If absurd bullpen sessions and long toss get him ready for the season, so be it.
Have they announced when Dice is going to start his first game of the regular season? I'm assuming Schilling is #1; DK #2?
Yankee's pitcher Igawa warmed up for the season today by playing 102 games of Dance Dance Revolution on his PS2.
So the Boston's coaches saw no problem letting him throw over 100 pitches this early in spring training? If iI were the GM, I'd be pissed.
Uh...the GM was in on it and was OK with it.
Much as the idea of a pitcher doing a 100-count bullpen session this early makes me cringe, Matsuzaka is used to this. Doesn't mean it's good for him, per se, but there's something to be said for a player's comfort level too.
As a Yankee fan, I have no problem with Dice-K blowing out his arm in spring training.
As a Jays fan, I agree. I see dead arm in his future...
Seriously...just because he's used to training this way doesn't mean it's the smartest thing to do. Schilling appears to train in the off-season by entering donut-eating contests. I'm sure that isn't the best thing for his in-season performance either.
"Yankee's pitcher Igawa warmed up for the season today by playing 102 games of Dance Dance Revolution on his PS2."
that's hilarious!
isn't everyone always complaining about pitching in the situational reliever era? that these guys aren't used enough and are pulled too early? if the guy can handle it, and judging by his past he can, i say go for it.
Do the people who think this is a bad way to prepare for the season have any concrete reason forr thinkin so? This is a serious question, not a merely a rhetorical point.
As a Met fan, coming in a not so close second, I think letting him prepare as he did in Japan is wise. We, being the US, training arms differently, not necessarily better. Time will tell, but I see no reason to criticise the Sox. Mind you, this is coming from a Gen K fan, take it as it's worth.
Capybara: See the chapter in "Baseball Between the Numbers" (Baseball Prospectus) for the statistical proof that throwing over 100 pitches on a regular basis has a very detrimental effect on pitchers' careers. For more anecdotal evidence, see: Kerry Wood.
