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Who Is Dice K?Career Profile and Statistics of Red Sox Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.The newest member of the Boston Red Sox pitching staff was an ace hurler in Japan long before he came to Beantown.
Daisuke (pronounced "Dice K") Matsuzaka is a starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Prior to signing with the Sox in December of 2006, Dice K was a star pitcher in Japan's Pacific League. Here is a brief history of the pitcher. Dice K's Early Life and Legendary High School Career After excelling at the little league and Junior High level, Dice K was admitted into Yokohama High School, which was a well-known baseball powerhouse. By his second year (Japanese high schools consist of three years), he had developed into the school's top pitcher. Despite his early success, however, he experience great humiliation that summer when he threw a wild pitch that allowed a go-ahead run to score in the semi-final game of the National High School Baseball Championship. Dice K redeemed himself the next year. In the quarterfinals of the National Championship, Matsuzaka pitched his team to victory by throwing 250 pitches in 17 innings, and striking out 33 batters. The next day, he started in left field, but came in as a relief pitcher in the ninth inning, struck out the side and recorded his second tournament win. Then, in the Championship game the very next day, he threw a no-hitter. The amazing three-day performance elevated Dice K to rock star status in Japan and also garnered him the attention of many scouts. After graduating from high school, he was taken by the Seibu Lions of the Japanese Pacific League with the first pick of the 1998 draft. Japanese Professional Career In his first professional season in 1999, when he was just 18 years old, Dice K had 16 wins and only 5 losses, and was voted Japanese baseball's Rookie of the Year. In 2003, Matsuzaka logged 16 wins and 7 losses. He won the Pacific League ERA title with a 2.83 mark. In his eight-year Japanese baseball career, Matsuzaka was 108-60 with an ERA of 2.89. Dice K also participated in the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece and was a key factor in Japan winning the bronze medal. In 2006, Dice K pitched for Japan in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. He was named tournament MVP after posting a 3–0 record, including a decisive win over Cuba in the tournament's championship game. Dice K Comes to America After the 2006 season, Matsuzaka decided that he wanted try his stuff in the Major Leagues. He hired baseball super-agent Scott Boras to represent him. Because he had an existing contract with Seibu, however, Major League teams had to bid against each other to post a fee just to negotiate with him. Ultimately, the Red Sox posted $51 million and won the rights to try to sign Dice K. If the team inked him to a deal, they would have to pay that money to Seibu as consideration for letting the pitcher out of his existing contract. On December 14, 2006, the Red Sox signed him to a 6-year, $52 million contract. With the posting fee, however, the Sox actually paid a total of $103 million for Matsuzaka's services. Dice K's MLB Career Dice K made his major league regular season start on April 5, 2007 in a game against the Kansas City Royals. He walked one, recorded 10 strikeouts, and at one point retired 10 consecutive batters. He allowed only a solo homerun on six hits over 7 innings and recorded the win as the Red Sox triumphed by a score of 4-1. He was, however, beaten 3-0 by Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners in his Fenway Park debut on April 11, 2007. At just 26 years old, Dice K has already had a legendary Japanese baseball career, and by the looks of things, he has a very promising MLB career ahead of him as well.
The copyright of the article Who Is Dice K? in Baseball is owned by James Lincoln Ray. Permission to republish Who Is Dice K? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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