Wednesday, July 29, 2009
'Blindsided by Daisuke Matsuzaka’s criticism'
Setting aside Dice-K's racial theories (the Japanese are still into that stuff) and the Sox's hurt feelings (I get the impression they're more pissed they didn't get in the first PR punch), can we agree that sometimes some people require very individualized training programs? Dice-K is on the verge of becoming a MLB bust. The Sox have nothing to lose. They should let him go with his hunch about training. ... Dennis & Callahan yesterday were hilarious on this point as it applied to Wade Boggs's Miller Lite training program. The current Sox management would never buy into Wade's case-a-day antics. But it worked for him. Somehow. ...
Update -- From Bert:
Setting aside Dice-K's racial theories (the Japanese are still into that stuff) and the Sox's hurt feelings (I get the impression they're more pissed they didn't get in the first PR punch), can we agree that sometimes some people require very individualized training programs? Dice-K is on the verge of becoming a MLB bust. The Sox have nothing to lose. They should let him go with his hunch about training. ... Dennis & Callahan yesterday were hilarious on this point as it applied to Wade Boggs's Miller Lite training program. The current Sox management would never buy into Wade's case-a-day antics. But it worked for him. Somehow. ...
Update -- From Bert:
From Silverman’s article:
“Matsuzaka is of the belief that the shoulder of a Japanese pitcher differs from that of other pitchers, and that it can withstand more throwing off the mound without having to resort to the extended long-toss programs the Sox, and other MLB teams, believe in.”
I’ve never seen this belief stated by DiceK directly or on his behalf. Did I miss something? Seems to me there’s an age old argument between philosophies on pitchers arms. Dice and the Japanese believe more throwing makes stronger arms, US MLB has come to an almost universal conclusion that too much throwing breaks down the pieces.
But until Silverman states it, I haven’t seen anyone make the case that it has anything to do with where the arm is from. Did I miss something or is Silverman misinterpreting?
On the substance of the dispute, it’s a little like Gates/Crowley to me. Where did flexibility go in this world? When did we all become so obstinate and certain of everything? Shouldn’t we be less so, given how quickly things swing back and forth in the world? Is this desperate clinging to something—anything—unchangeable a sign of a global condition that needs physco-analysis?
