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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Is Kazuhisa Ishii the New Chan Ho Park?
re-season skeptics became believers after watching Kasuhisa Ishii compile a 1.53 ERA while winning his first three official games as a Dodger starting pitcher. The 10-year Yakult Swallows veteran notched the first win of his new life by methodically icing 10 Colorado batters with a savvy mix of sliders and fastballs while giving up only 2 hits in a 9-2 slugfest. In San Diego he held the Padres to 2 hits and no runs in six full innings for win number two. In his third outing Ishii looked a tad tired but composed as he killed six batters in a 6-3 firefight in Colorado.
Replacing Chan Ho Park or Kevin Brown?
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That isn't bad for a guy who just cleared customs February 20 and went straight to the Dodgers's Vero Beach camp. Less than two weeks earlier he had signed a $12.3 million 4-year contract after the Dodgers beat out three other teams for arguably Japan's best pitcher. Ishii had led the Yakult Swallows to the 2001 championship, silencing quite a few Japanese skeptics.
The 187-pound 6-footer arrived in the nick of time. Chan Ho Park had left for Texas (where, after his first game, he was put on a 15-day disability for a pulled right hamstring). Top Dodgers starter Kevin Brown is struggling to perform with right-elbow pain. Born-again Dodger starter Hideo Nomo isn't quite able to rekindle the glory of his first L.A. incarnation. At the moment newcomer Kazuhisa Ishii is the best starter on the Dodgers lineup. Some are tempted to start comparing him to Chan Ho Park in peak form.
Despite being an 11-year veteran, Ishii is only 28, the same age as Park who began his pro career with the Dodgers in 1995. Ishii's career 3.38 ERA in 244 games over 10 years in Japan is better than Park's 3.83 in 222 MLB games and approaches the career 3.19 of fading Brown. That may be comparing apples and oranges, but Ishii has shown the knack for notching up his pitching heat in direct proportion to the level the pressure. That makes him a natural conserver and his best years may well be ahead.
Is Ishii the new Chan Ho Park? Or maybe the next Randy Johnson?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:01:29 PM)
To JJK,
There was no deal getting rid of ChanHo Park and signing Ishii. They were two completely different transactions.
The dodgers would love to still have ChanHo Park on their team, in addition to having Ishii. The going price for ChanHo was a little two high. If the Dodgers had a healthy Brown, Park, and Ishii on their starting roster, it would've, without a doubt, been one of the best staffs in baseball.
Chitown Depressant
Monday, April 22, 2002 at 22:24:58 (PDT)
That's right. Therefore, it is no coincidence that Ichiro became both MVP and Rookie of the Year because Japan league is equivalent to AAA here. So no one should complain that Ichiro was not a true rookie last year in majors.
yo
Monday, April 22, 2002 at 19:39:34 (PDT)
You guys are a bunch of haters. Ishii shows alot of talent. For a guy to break in the major league with such an impressive performance is consider a great feat. Keep up the good work Ishii! I'll be looking forward to seeing his future games.
janet wong
Monday, April 22, 2002 at 14:34:04 (PDT)
"2 hits in a 9-2 slugfest"? Since when was a game where one team only manages two measley runs considered a slugfest?
"killed 6 batters in a 6-3 firefight" I didn't see any murder rampage headlines in the Colorado newspapers.
BTW, Ishii isn't the next Chan Ho or RJ. He's the next Ishii.
Thomas
Monday, April 22, 2002 at 12:50:40 (PDT)
There can never be RJ Jr. unless you're 6-11 and can throw 100+MPH fastballs. But that is not to say Ishii is not a good pitcher. I see him as next Al Leiter or any other good lefties.
Dodgers made an excellent move by sending Park away and getting Ishii. What a deal!
JJK
Monday, April 22, 2002 at 12:47:53 (PDT)
The next Randy Johnson???? Um... hardly. Ishii however, was a very good and smart pick up for LA. We'll have to see how good he really is when we gauge his statistics at the end of the season. You can't compare his ERA from the Japanese league to ChanHo Park's or Kevin Brown's. The talent level in Japan is comparable to AAA minor league talent here in the U.S.; and that's exactly what Asian baseball leagues are evolving into- minor league systems for the Major Leagues.
Chitown Depressant
Monday, April 22, 2002 at 00:29:49 (PDT)
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