Yeah yeah, it’s the USA Today, but this is still an excellent in depth look at Takashi Saito, who has been one of the game’s best closers for two years now.
In the article Dodger pitching coach Rick Honeycut compares Saito’s pinpoint control to none other than former teammate Dennis Eckersley, who put together some of the most dominant seasons by any relief pitcher (73 inn, 48 svs, 5 ER, 73-4 K/BB anybody?)
Thing is, Saito doesn’t even know who Eckersley is, nor does he speak a lick of English.
Sidenote: Saito converted 24 of 26 save chances, struck out 107 in 78.1 innings, and somehow finished 8th in last year’s NL Rookie-of-the-Year balloting behind Hanley Ramirez (ok), Ryan Zimmerman (maybe), Dan Uggla (possibly), Josh Johnson (no), Matt Cain (no way), Andre Ethier (are you kidding?), Prince Fielder (not as bad as Cain and Ethier).
6 responses so far ↓
1 jackson // Sep 11, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Hey, I’m probably gonna get lambasted for this one too, but I think J.J. had a slightly better year last year in terms of being valuable to his team, which is why he got ranked over Saito. But Saito far outplayed Cain or Ethier. If anything, it goes to show that there was a very deep class of rookie talent last year.
2 Bacho // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:26 pm
I don’t know about that…the Dodgers won their division and the Marlins were, what….20 games out? I wouldn’t say Rookie of the Year is really an MVP rookie anyway.
It was a deep class though. Ramirez is looking like the Jimmy Rollins of next year Jose Reyes of last. Uggla did it two years in a row and PF being a possible MVP.
3 Bacho // Sep 11, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Actually the Dodgers were the wild card last year, but they tied with the Padres.
4 A.S. // Sep 12, 2007 at 12:08 am
I was going to get winshare all up in yo Pujols (yes, you did just see that for the 2nd time this year) but Johnson’s was a pretty solid 12.
But I started thinking about the Dodgers last year…and you know their closer was going to be Gagne, then they turned to Baez (uggh) and then Brazoban, who, like JJ had TJS.
They were closer by committe for a bit, then Gagne did come back for a couple games, but then they turned back to Saito in mid June. But they were still a few games under .500 at that point. During August they won 17 of 18…he was 3-0 and saved 15 from Aug 1 on. They finished 12 game above .500. Pretty damn valuable.
5 A.S. // Sep 12, 2007 at 12:10 am
And just for fun…while reading a bit about Johnson’s Tommy John:
Reliever Billy Koch, who had the surgery in 1997, once said he would recommend it to any pitcher, regardless of whether the ligament was damaged, and when Cubs ace Kerry Wood came back from Tommy John surgery, he said his velocity was even better than before the surgery.
So even if the pitcher is perfectly healthy?
Kerry Wood says……bad way to start an endorsement
6 Jim Gin // Sep 12, 2007 at 5:07 pm
I think Saito got forgotten somewhat because he’s in his mid to late 30s and not a rookie when his Japanese totals are considered.
If I was voting that year I would have put him 4th behind Hanley, Zimmerman, and Fielder. That was the real crime in that voting. Writers tend to really dis guys who strikeout a lot and hit a lot of HRs…a la Dunn.
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