BASEBALL

Darvish back in form as Rangers dump Astros

Sports Jun. 16, 2012 - 02:32PM JST ( 4 )

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4 Comments

-3

some14someJun. 16, 2012 - 05:10PM JST

against Houston Astros? he may do better against Chicago Cubs (bottom teams), too early to say he is back in form.
-4

smithinjapanJun. 16, 2012 - 06:32PM JST

Ugh.... this is one of the things I hate! I have little doubt he tried as hard in the games he's lost than he has in those he's won. Save being sick or injured, and the pressures of the first couple of games, he's not "in form" when he wins and "out of form" when he loses -- you simply win some and lose others, especially given that you play for a TEAM and there are so many other factors.

That said, good on him for the win. He certainly seems to be a good addition to the team, and is definitely helping their stats.
-1

smithinjapanJun. 17, 2012 - 02:27AM JST

Seriously... like I said the other day with the soccer game thing -- it's amusing how quickly people will thumb you down on sports-related threads simply because they feel some unjustified offense at remarks related to would-be heroes or teams.

Darvish had a good game and got the win, and I congratulate him and say he is a crucial addition to team, so why get offended when I suggest it's bogus to say he was 'off game' when he gets a loss? In my opinion, if you think that way you are stating he is in control when he wins, but not in control when he loses -- which means you believe in external locus of control and a lack of talent on the part of the player. On the contrary, I think the guy is doing very well -- certainly much better than I gave him credit for at the start -- but you DO lose some... it's inevitable. Don't be bandwagon fans and thumb down everyone who points that out just because you don't want to hear it.
0

alliswellinjapanJun. 18, 2012 - 10:16AM JST

I believe the interest of many in analyzing his losses is driven purely by the fact that he was simply so dominant and virtually inhittable in Japan and, while he is already doing fairly good in the big leagues, he is still not the same Darvish we have known from his yrs in Japan. Specifically, the challenge he is currently facing with the command of his fastballs, he has clearly never faced in Japan. We are yet to have an understanding of how much of this attributes to the physical difference of the balls used (size, material used, consistency in production quality etc) or whether he simply needs to mentally feel more comfortable with the new environment and bring his confidence to the level he has maintained while playing in Japan. Many are already in agreement that, once he can get his command issue straightened out, he is capable of becoming even more dominant and successful than he is already, and that it seems to be more of a question of time than anything else. I personally enjoy analyzing and following this gradual "evolution" process, probably more so than if I were to see him immediately translate the dominance he showed in Japan and becoming an instant success in the US.