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Tumbling Dice

seawolf17 Aug 22 2013 10:00 AM Dice-K?

Say wha?!?! http://metsblog.com/metsblog/heyman-met ... matsuzaka/

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 22 2013 10:08 AM Re: Dice-K?

Mark my words: once SugarPants comes back, we are so poised to make a late run at the 2007 Wild Card.

seawolf17 Aug 22 2013 10:11 AM Re: Dice-K?

5-8, 3.92 in 19 starts with Columbus this year. 39 BB/95 K in 103 innings.

metsguyinmichigan Aug 22 2013 10:25 AM Re: Dice-K?

Considering the injuries to Mejia and Hefner, and the lack of someone able to step up from Vegas, I don't think this is a bad signing at all. I'm assuming he'll just get us through the end of the season.

Edgy MD Aug 22 2013 10:42 AM Re: Dice-K?

Yeah, if it's only about maintaining their commitment to innings limits, well, he'll be more interesting than Schwinden.

Frayed Knot Aug 22 2013 10:46 AM Re: Dice-K?

Whoa! Can't say that I saw that one coming. On the other hand: with two starters going down essentially at the same time; the two young'uns due to hit a wall and/or an innings limit in the next few weeks; a desire not to burn any 40-man roster options before they're needed; and a possible audition for a 5th/6th starter for next year, it's not a totally crazy move. On the down side: If you thought Met games have been taking too long before this ... Matsuzaka has been known to turn each pitch into a mini-opera.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 22 2013 11:20 AM Re: Dice-K?

In the Mysterious Transaction thread, I did call for the Mets to sign a throwaway veteran starter.

Edgy MD Aug 22 2013 11:33 AM Re: Dice-K?

This should do wonders for gyro sales at Citi Field. Yeah, the Mets are always a potential landing point for a veteran of a huge contract that has gone bad. And if he's just around for 4-6 weeks while other stuff falls into place. Coolio. He's the nu Rick Ankiel. Hey, I wonder if they considered Rick Ankiel?

metirish Aug 22 2013 11:34 AM Re: Dice-K?

I didn't even know he wasn't with Boston.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 22 2013 11:48 AM

Edgy MD Aug 22 2013 12:13 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

If those games were for the Mets, he'd be 15th all-time on the team's win list. Don't know if he has a second act. Likely not. Does hie have a knuckler?

TheOldMole Aug 22 2013 12:23 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

It makes sense to fill out this season. They need an arm that will eat up innings, if arms can eat.

metirish Aug 22 2013 12:25 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

TheOldMole wrote: It makes sense to fill out this season. They need an arm that will eat up innings, if arms can eat. His arm can't eat but it sure can serve up juicy meatballs right down the middle.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 22 2013 12:30 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Edgy MD wrote: If those games were for the Mets, he'd be 15th all-time on the team's win list. He'd be one win behind Bobby Ojeda. And I wouldn't want Ojeda pitching for the Mets either, unless the goal was to chase down next year's overall #1 draft pick, which is not an unreasonable goal once the team's out of it.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 22 2013 12:31 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

metirish wrote: TheOldMole wrote: It makes sense to fill out this season. They need an arm that will eat up innings, if arms can eat. His arm can't eat but it sure can serve up juicy meatballs right down the middle. Mmm... Gyro balls!

metirish Aug 22 2013 12:32 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Damn, I new there was something I was missing.....

Lefty Specialist Aug 22 2013 12:33 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvso-HGJqs4

metirish Aug 22 2013 12:36 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

That's hilarious.

smg58 Aug 22 2013 12:47 PM Re: Dice-K?

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Considering the injuries to Mejia and Hefner, and the lack of someone able to step up from Vegas, I don't think this is a bad signing at all. I'm assuming he'll just get us through the end of the season. Pretty much my thinking. I mean, why not?

Edgy MD Aug 22 2013 12:52 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

In the quarterfinal of the 1998 Summer Koshien (Ed: the high school championship in Japan), Matsuzaka threw 250 pitches in 17 innings in a win over PL Gakuen. (The previous day he had thrown a 148-pitch complete game shutout.) The next day, despite trailing 6–0 in the top of the eighth inning, the team miraculously won the game after scoring 7 runs in the final two innings (four in the eighth and three in the ninth). He started the game in left field, but came in as a reliever in the ninth inning to record the win in 15 pitches. In the final, he threw a no-hitter, the second ever in a final. This performance garnered him the attention of many scouts. And any coaches reading, that's the way you treat a young arm.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 22 2013 12:53 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

It's really not at all about how good or bad he is. It's just to prevent the Mets from getting too many innings from young arms in meaningless September games. I was expecting a signing like this. I was actually thinking it might be Dontrelle Willis.

Zvon Aug 22 2013 01:12 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Benjamin Grimm wrote: It's really not at all about how good or bad he is. It's just to prevent the Mets from getting too many innings from young arms in meaningless September games. I was expecting a signing like this. I was actually thinking it might be Dontrelle Willis. I'd have preferred Dontrelle. That guy can hit.

Ashie62 Aug 22 2013 01:36 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Dice-K is our heritage replacement for Hideo Nomo....Go get em!!

Lefty Specialist Aug 22 2013 01:39 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Well, ten years from now he'll be part of a trivia question about how many Japanese players toiled for the Mets. I'm betting he'll be the last one named, and everybody will say, "Ohhhh yeah, I forgot he played for them".

seawolf17 Aug 22 2013 01:52 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Well, ten years from now he'll be part of a trivia question about how many Japanese players toiled for the Mets. I'm betting he'll be the last one named, and everybody will say, "Ohhhh yeah, I forgot he played for them". This is the guy you're going to forget. The rest are all more memorable: Ishii, Nomo, Komiyama, the two Takahashis, Shinjo, Matsui, Yoshii, and Igarashi.

smg58 Aug 22 2013 01:55 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

In the quarterfinal of the 1998 Summer Koshien (Ed: the high school championship in Japan), Matsuzaka threw 250 pitches in 17 innings in a win over PL Gakuen. (The previous day he had thrown a 148-pitch complete game shutout.) The next day, despite trailing 6–0 in the top of the eighth inning, the team miraculously won the game after scoring 7 runs in the final two innings (four in the eighth and three in the ninth). He started the game in left field, but came in as a reliever in the ninth inning to record the win in 15 pitches. In the final, he threw a no-hitter, the second ever in a final. This performance garnered him the attention of many scouts. And any coaches reading, that's the way you treat a young arm. I think the Red Sox should have read Wikipedia before they signed him.

Frayed Knot Aug 22 2013 02:00 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Eh, there was nobody who didn't know Matsuzaka's history prior to him landing on this side of the Pacific. In fact there were some stories talking about how his history was going to be a good thing and some of his routines were going to teach a few things to American pitching coaches. I believe there was a Verducci story along those lines right around the time of his arrival.

metirish Aug 22 2013 03:58 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Dice-K will make the start Friday according to various Mets beat writers on Twitter.

Edgy MD Aug 22 2013 04:13 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Eh, there was nobody who didn't know Matsuzaka's history prior to him landing on this side of the Pacific. In fact there were some stories talking about how his history was going to be a good thing and some of his routines were going to teach a few things to American pitching coaches. I believe there was a Verducci story along those lines right around the time of his arrival. Right-ho! Good memory. More important, Matsuzaka is a potential agent of change. It's his throwing regimen, rather than his place of birth, that makes him the ultimate foreigner to major league baseball. If he succeeds in the U.S., he could transform the accepted industry practice of overprotecting pitchers. The system guarantees diminishing returns: Despite advances in medicine, nutrition and training, teams work pitchers less than ever before and yet pay them more. Then he supports that with a magic quote from Bobby Valentine that may be about a lot of differences between the US and Japanese games, but probably wasn't an unwavering endorsement of throwing 50 innings in a week. "After being part of this for three years," former big league manager Bobby Valentine says by e-mail from Japan, where he's the manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines, "I am convinced we do a bad job of coaching in the U.S. for pitchers."

bmfc1 Aug 22 2013 05:15 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Edgy MD wrote: Don't know if he has a second act. Nice cross-reference to G-Fafif's link in the "Pop Culture" thread.

RealityChuck Aug 22 2013 07:27 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Is it 2007 all over again?

Benjamin Grimm Aug 26 2013 02:47 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Now with Harvey out, the Mets may have to grab yet another veteran throwaway starter. I still feel a Dontrelle Willis vibe...

seawolf17 Aug 26 2013 02:49 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

He signed with the Angels a few weeks ago.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 26 2013 02:57 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

Edinson Volquez cut loose by Padres.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 26 2013 02:58 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

seawolf17 wrote: He signed with the Angels a few weeks ago. Oh. Who's next on the depth chart? Bartolo Colon? Jerry Koosman?

batmagadanleadoff Aug 26 2013 03:09 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Edinson Volquez cut loose by Padres. What the hell happened to this guy? After his first full season, he looked like he'd be an all-star for years to follow.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 26 2013 03:16 PM Re: Tumbling Dice

He's been a bit unlucky BABIPwise, if you buy that. But also, his control has been poor, he doesn't strike anyone out and the Mets can score off him. But I mean, if you're looking for lightning in a bottle...

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 27 2013 12:04 AM Re: Tumbling Dice

Benjamin Grimm wrote: seawolf17 wrote: He signed with the Angels a few weeks ago. Oh. Who's next on the depth chart? Bartolo Colon? Jerry Koosman? Laugh it up, fuzzball-- Bartolo Colon is 14-5, 2.97, and an All-Star this year. I can't find Koos' stats. Has he been out of circulation or something?

Benjamin Grimm Aug 27 2013 04:19 AM Re: Tumbling Dice

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Laugh it up, fuzzball-- Bartolo Colon is 14-5, 2.97, and an All-Star this year. Really? Wow. I figured he was a Long Island Duck or something. Shows how much attention I've been paying. Let's go with Koosman then.

Frayed Knot Aug 27 2013 05:38 AM Re: Tumbling Dice

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Laugh it up, fuzzball-- Bartolo Colon is 14-5, 2.97, and an All-Star this year. I can't find Koos' stats. Has he been out of circulation or something? Bartolo Colon ate him.