Was Sasaki Over-Hyped?

bk400 · #1 05-19-2025, 05:12 AM

I think he's a bust.

jayshum · #2 05-19-2025, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bk400

I think he's a bust.

I think 8 starts is a little soon to call him a bust. He certainly hasn't put up the numbers that he did in Japan, but he wouldn't be the first Japanese pitcher to struggle in MLB before turning into a successful pitcher. I'm not surprised that he's also currently injured as adjusting to a different number of days between starts and a different baseball can cause problems to the shoulder and elbow.

packs · #3 05-19-2025, 12:29 PM

Baltimore's 35 year old rookie from Japan Tomoyuki Sugano has been pretty good so far. He's 4-3 with a 3.08 ERA and an ERA+ of 124.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #4 05-19-2025, 04:48 PM

He's 23, I think there's a little time before we write him off.

packs · #5 05-19-2025, 05:30 PM

He's also making less than a million for the season so it's not like he's an albatross signing either.

I think he just has to pitch more. When I think of the pitchers who have come over recently, Senga and Shota were 30 already and were All Stars. Kuroda was 33. I have fond memories of him on the Yankees.

Nomo, Daisuke, Tanaka and Darvish were all 25/26 and Ohtani was 23 but they all threw a lot more innings in Japan before they came over than Sasaki had.

bk400 · #6 05-19-2025, 05:49 PM

I think the Dodgers should have him spend half a season or more in Triple A. Take him out of the spotlight. For me, the ultimate armchair quarterback who once clocked a 72 mph heater at a carnival, I think it is mental.

Peter_Spaeth · #7 05-24-2025, 10:14 AM

Baseball is such a hard game. I remember three years ago hearing an interview on NPR I think it was with a baseball expert who had seen him pitch and was raving that the kid was unlike any pitcher he had ever seen. I went to ebay and bought his Japanese RC lol. His K to BB ratio was astonishing his first couple of seasons.

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