Today the Seattle Mariners introduce new pitcher Yusei Kikuchi from Japan. He had an interpreter giving the media question to him in Japanese however he answered back in English. He gave his answers in small sentences. I am sure we will get more answers in longer sentences in the future. He did answer in Japanese too for the media from Japan in attendance.
General manager Jerry Dipoto said it came as a surprise to the Mariners and for the city of Seattle. The contract not what is considered usual like most fit the Mariners and Kikuchi.
The Mariners have shown Kikuchi and his agent Scott Boras how they will use him especially early on. In Japan, the starting pitchers don't go every five days. It is more like every six or seven days. The Mariners may start him going six innings in one start and then go only an inning or two in his start. Having him throw 30 pitches in the second outing. This could mean a long reliever like Roenis Elias could come in and pitch on the same day. The way the bullpen might be used in the future could work in the favor for the Mariners and Kikuchi.
The formula Dipoto and manager Scott Servais will use to bring Kikuchi along likely will be the same one they will use with other young pitchers like Justus Sheffield and Erik Swanson they picked up in the trade for James Paxton.
He sounds like a fine young man to me. He wants to show the Japanese fans as a fine pitcher here in the USA well as the Mariner fans. His goal is to be a successful pitcher. He apologized for giving short answers in English. I think he pitches anything like he presented himself in the press conference the Mariners will have a good pitcher for sure.
He said that he has never met Ichiro however looking forward to it. He saw Ichiro in person playing his last game in Japan before Ichiro came over to play for the Mariners.
Let you know he is being called YK.
No comments:
Post a Comment