Okajima Turning out better than Dice-K

[patsfanofNC12]

While Dice-K is struggling with command Okajima is posting around a 0.63 era. So this makes me feel like as of right now we didn't completely get ripped off (I know John Farrel will work with Dice-K on his mechanics and he will be back to new)

 

[BradyManny]

Dice-K will be fine. He's looked nasty at times this year, you just hope he finds consistency...he and Tek will work together to find pitches he is comfortable throwing for strikes to AL hitters in jams.

 

[DarrylS]

Dice-K will be fine. He's looked nasty at times this year, you just hope he finds consistency...he and Tek will work together to find pitches he is comfortable throwing for strikes to AL hitters in jams.

I agree completely, kinda like Beckett last year, may take that long.. but overall he will be fine. Okajima is a real find though.

 

[sdaniels7114]

Dice K's got too much movement and too much velocity for this trend to continue. Just how good he gets is open to debate, but you just know he's got better days ahead.

 

[Real World]

Dice K's got great stuff, but he's noticabley different from the wind-up to the stretch. Also, as is the case with most Japanese imports, he throws up the zone, which is not a good thing here in the states. He should be fine cuz of his stuff, but his mechanics are inconsistent. Watch the arch on his back, and notice how he has problems with accuracy when cuz he's bent back, as opposed to forward. It might take him a season like Beckett, I agree. Still though, great talent, just a little inconsistent with his mechanics and quality.

As for Okajima, his delivery is what's making him successful right now. It's very awkward, and nobody's ever seen it before. Personally, I can't see someone being dominant with an 86 mph fastball He could do real well against lefties down the road (his nice hook), but I think righties will eventually eat him up as the season moves on, and they get a couple of looks at him.

 

[maverick4]

This is a random Dice-K question. I have read numerous credible publications that say this guy has anywhere from 6-8 legitimate quality pitches. So how does Varitek call the pitches for Dice-K? How do you choose from 7 possible pitches and also communicate location while Dice-K is on the mound?

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Dice K's got great stuff, but he's noticabley different from the wind-up to the stretch. Also, as is the case with most Japanese imports, he throws up the zone, which is not a good thing here in the states. He should be fine cuz of his stuff, but his mechanics are inconsistent. Watch the arch on his back, and notice how he has problems with accuracy when cuz he's bent back, as opposed to forward. It might take him a season like Beckett, I agree. Still though, great talent, just a little inconsistent with his mechanics and quality.

As for Okajima, his delivery is what's making him successful right now. It's very awkward, and nobody's ever seen it before. Personally, I can't see someone being dominant with an 86 mph fastball He could do real well against lefties down the road (his nice hook), but I think righties will eventually eat him up as the season moves on, and they get a couple of looks at him.

Totally agree pretty much on all counts.....

when history is written, Dice-k is the one that will be remembers. One he adjusts (which may not even be this year, his array of pitches will be a b-tch to contend with. Thing is, all of them appear to be delivered practically similarly too.

 

[star12]

I am suprised bye Okajima. He is amazing. Im gald hes on our team. lol

 

[bakes781]

Dice K's got great stuff, but he's noticabley different from the wind-up to the stretch.

I agree that seems to be when he gets in trouble with men on base. I wonder if in Japan they don't ask their pitchers to pitch from the stretch?

 

[sdaniels7114]

There's a stubborn minority of MLB people who don't like the stretch. Jimy Williams being one of those weirdos I'd have trouble with the notion that the Sox would drop 100mil on somebody without full command of all the mainstream tools however.

I'd say it has more to do with the fact that the Strike Zone varies a bit more from ump to ump in the USA that was messing him up. Its gotten better over the last few years, Pedro consistently got the call from some umps even if his pitch was 6" outside back in his heyday. You never see that anymore; but some still insist on not quite calling the book Zone. I'd speculate that that's not the case at all on the other side of the Pacific and was troubling at first for Dice K. Just my speculative $0.02 though.

 

[brdmaverick]

Okajima has been much better than advertised. In fact, with all the Dice-K talk, Okajima wasn't advertised at all.

I find myself to be very confident in Okajima. I am relaxed whenever he is in the game. He makes you forget about the Sox' ace setup guy, Mike Timlin.