Junichi Tazawa is the Red Sox’ latest import in the Jap - 美國職棒

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Junichi Tazawa is the Red Sox’ latest import in the Japan-to–Boston pipeline

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, March 23, 2009

BY DANIEL BARBARISI, Journal Sports Writer



FORT MYERS, Fla. –– The Red Sox should give their Pacific Rim scouts a big
bonus this year. When it comes to Japanese pitching acquisitions, the team
can do no wrong.

Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima already have been success stories, and
so far it that seems the next direct-from-Japan arrival, prospect Junichi
Tazawa, is as good as advertised.

Tazawa was optioned to the minors yesterday to get more seasoning, but he
made quite an impression in his first month on an American mound. In nine
innings this spring, Tazawa allowed only one run. He has given up only five
hits and walked one. He has struck out 10.

“Tazawa was lights out,” said manager Terry Francona. “Commanding his
fastball, breaking ball was swing-and-miss –– he had an extraordinary camp.
”

Tazawa’s performance is even more remarkable in light of his relative
inexperience.

The 22-year-old has never faced professional hitters in either America or
Japan. Tazawa came to the Red Sox from the Nippon Oil ENEOS of the Japanese
industrial league, the equivalent of the minor leagues in Japan. Most
Japanese signees have already proven themselves in Japan’s pro leagues and
come with extensive pedigrees.

So Tazawa was more of an unknown. Because he had little track record against
the best Japanese competition, there was no way to know how he would fare
against American big-leaguers. On top of that, the fact that he was dealing
in America for the first time, and Tazawa had a built in excuse if he
struggled.

He didn’t need it.

“All the things he was fighting –– the new culture, the big differential
from an industrial league to a major-league camp –– he handled everything.
Nothing threw him off,” Francona said.

Tazawa will now go to Double-A Portland to get some seasoning.

Through a translator, he said that among the biggest surprises for him was
witnessing the work ethic of some of the more well-known players, and
learning that fame did not sap their desire to improve.

“Famous players are focusing on their play. He got to learn how they manage
their practice and their training,” Tazawa’s translator said.

Tazawa has taken English classes this spring alongside Latino reliever Ramon
Ramirez, and seemed comfortable in the clubhouse despite the unfamiliar
environment.

He has leaned on another new Red Sox, veteran reliever Takashi Saito, to
guide him through.

“Because everyone was supporting him, it was very smooth, more than he
thought,” Tazawa’s translator said of the pitcher’s transition to America.

Tazawa attacks the plate with a fast, toppling delivery. He rears back and
then releases the ball toward the plate with deceptively little motion.

“There’s no moving parts,” Francona said. “He was the quickest guy to the
plate on our staff.”

Tazawa’s irregular motion is unfamiliar to American hitters and that may be
at the root of some of his early dominance. But his quickness to the plate
will be an asset always, as he’s so fast that stealing off him is extremely
difficult. From the start of his windup to the release of the ball he takes a
lightning-quick 1.1 seconds.

“You’ve got to get a bunch of hits to score off him. You can’t steal, and
he’s not going to walk you,” Francona said.

Tazawa will work on game situations in the minors, and get as many innings as
he can under his belt. The team wants to see him work out of the windup more
and to see how he handles some adversity and the grind of a long season.

“Hopefully, he’ll just pick up where he left off, because he’s been
really, really good,” Francona said.



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