Matsuzaka throws 7 shutout innings, gets no-decision

Thursday 01st May, 04:01 PM JST

BOSTON —

Daisuke Matsuzaka received a no-decision after pitching seven scoreless innings in the Boston Red Sox’s 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. Matsuzaka gave up just two hits, walked two and struck out four in a 111-pitch outing after being scratched from his scheduled start last Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels with the flu. Matsuzaka, who is 4-0 after six starts, has lowered his season earned run average to 2.52.

In other action, San Diego Padres second baseman Tadahito Iguchi went 4-for-5 with an RBI in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Kosuke Fukudome was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored as the Chicago Cubs routed the Milwaukee Brewers 19-5. Kansas City Royals reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta gave up two runs and four hits in three innings in an 11-9 loss to the Texas Rangers.

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Latest 15 of 27 Total Comments Show All

northlondon at 01:31 PM JST - 2nd May

Maybe we could do this on every MLB news update ? You know, get a silly Englishman (me) making my usual stupid statements about baseball and then sit back and let you guys argue it out with each other ? It could be fun..
Kwaabish at 02:11 PM JST - 2nd May

Westurn,

Getting back on my soap box...

"Matsuzaka got a "no-decision" because he was responsible for allowing the runner, that eventually scored, on base !"

When, pray tell, did Matsuzaka's runner score?

"Gee, I thought I clarified my position with this..." Ummm.. not really.

BTW, a pitcher can leave the game in a tie game and still get the win. If the pitcher pitches for the home team and the home team scores in the bottom of the inning.

So again, how is Matsuzaka responsible for "his runner" eventually scoring (which never happened).

Oh, I guess Los Angeles would be racist for not showing a Boston vs. Toronto game?

BTW, when ESPN starts doing prime-time cricket, then I may start considering NHK racist.

Or maybe when BET starts showing prime-time Stanley Cup Playoffs.

And I love your "twist" of logic.

Keep trying.

You didn't clearify that statement at all with your
nigelboy at 02:26 PM JST - 2nd May

Hmm, I could swear that 0-0 is a tie.

No sir. It was 1-0 Bosox at the end of the 7th.
westurn at 03:29 PM JST - 2nd May

Nigelboy... But the Jays tied it up ! Thus eliminating Matsuzaka of the chance to win !

And for Kwaabish:

Gee... I coulda sworn I also wrote...

"I'm sure I've missed some detail... but basically thats how it works."

"Oh, I guess Los Angeles would be racist for not showing a Boston vs. Toronto game?"

No but they would be labeled "biased" for blocking out national feeds of all other games that are available ! Seems, someone is cherry picking in an attempt to make a point. Sorry Kwaabish... but there are dozens of ball games, featuring various teams, available on terrestrial tv every month in L.A. ! So why is it we only get games in Japan that include J ball players ? And why does NHK cut away from these games once the J player is benched or replaced ? Speaking of twisted logic !

Oh and　btw, espn in Australia does show cricket ! And in other markets where the sport is popular.

Kwaabish, you would be better off explaining to me how showing only games involving Japanese players here in Japan, on terrestrial TV, is "not" racist. I know for a fact that many Japanese would rather "not" watch games with Ichiro, Matsui, or Matsuzaka. I know of "real" baseball fans that would love to see San Fran. play or the Padres ! But No ! We must suffer from an outdated totally biased mentality by the producers at NHK who think Ichiro, Matsui, or Matsuzaka is the next coming. Nuts to that... it's racist ! And Japan's media outlets should stop promoting race over the interest of MLB ! Booo !
nigelboy at 03:45 PM JST - 2nd May

Westurn. It's painfully obvious that you didn't check the box score or you have no clue how to read the box score.

"Try being the "other" pitcher, that one bettered Matsuzaka by going 7.1 innings of scoreless ball... and not getting a decision !"

Bwahahaha.
Kwaabish at 04:01 PM JST - 2nd May

Nigelboy...

I think Westurn would rather drop the topic of him mistaking how the ga,e progressed.... spoke too quicky without checkin' the facts, me thinks.
northlondon at 04:04 PM JST - 2nd May

Hey Japan Today, I want a precentage cut of this run..
kornholio at 04:32 PM JST - 2nd May

Matsuzaka throws 7 shutout innings, gets no-decision

According to the rules from another site....

A pitcher who starts a game but leaves without earning either a win or a loss (that is, before either team gains or surrenders the ultimate lead) is said to have received a no decision.
thepossum at 05:35 PM JST - 2nd May

Westurn ! You need not worry about the peanut gallery. Those of us in the know are well aware of what you are talking about. Like some are trying to insinuate, Matsuzaka did not deserve a win. He didn't finish the game, much like last year, and subsequently the Blue Jays tied it up... bye bye win ! As for McGowan, the "other" pitcher, he was lights out ! Helluva a performance and a longer outing with more K's and fewer walks that Matsu.

As for the rest, I totally agree, Japan goes way overboard with it's promotions of Japanese athletes. Not only baseball but soccer too !
chouwa at 11:27 AM JST - 3rd May

Westurn wrote:

Buncha baseball illiterates ! Matsuzaka got a "no-decision" because he was responsible for allowing the runner, that eventually scored, on base !

Uh, no. Matsuzaka left after the 7th inning was over. There were no inherited runners, so there could be no runners on base. Manny Delcarmen came in at the top of the 8th with the score 1-0 in favor of Boston, thus Matsuzaka was in line for a win, but he allowed a hit and Okajima came in and allowed another hit. The bullpen should take the blame for Matsuzaka not getting the win.

the possum wrote:

Like some are trying to insinuate, Matsuzaka did not deserve a win. He didn't finish the game, much like last year, and subsequently the Blue Jays tied it up... bye bye win !

You obviously don't know anything about baseball, do you? A pitcher does not need to pitch a complete game to get a decision (a win or loss).

As for McGowan, the "other" pitcher, he was lights out ! Helluva a performance and a longer outing with more K's and fewer walks that Matsu.

Ha Ha Ha! Such a biased comment that is. McGowan was NOT lights out. He gave up 4 hits to Matsuzaka's 2. In fact, McGowan allowed 3 extra base hits (two doubles and a homerun) to Matsuzaka's one (a double). And yes, McGowan had more K's, but he gave up a homerun and one earned run, while DiceK allowed 0 runs. Which is more important? I guess individual statistics like Ks are more important to you than runs allowed, huh?
thepossum at 01:04 PM JST - 3rd May

Speaking of hardy-har-har, Chowda rants:

"The bullpen should take the blame for Matsuzaka not getting the win."

No Way Jose ! Matsuzaka should take the blame for "not" pitching a complete game ! End of story !

More "lies and fabrications" ?

"You obviously don't know anything about baseball, do you? A pitcher does not need to pitch a complete game to get a decision (a win or loss)."

Didn't say he did now did I ? But had Matsuzaka finished with a complete game, well you have no argument as to who the winning pitcher is. But much like last year, Matsuzaka seems to lack any stamina whatsoever. You would have thought he'd have learned ! Especially after having to sit out the final stretch of last years run to the pennant. He was simply useless, and the trend continues.

Finally,

"And yes, McGowan had more K's,"

And fewer walks, and a longer outing... and he was "on the road" !

Lights out, balls to the wall performance if you ask me. The fact that neither pitcher figured into the final decision leaves your "which is more important" rant kinda hanging in limbo now doesn't it ? I will tell you this though, Matsuzaka certainly did not earn his $8.3 million dollar contract but McGowan sure did earn his $400 K ! BoSox fans and management can't be happy.
chouwa at 11:35 PM JST - 3rd May

possuy writes:

And fewer walks, and a longer outing... and he was "on the road" !

Lights out, balls to the wall performance if you ask me.

Uh, wrong! Let me ask you this; How many runs did McGowan allow? And how many did Matsuzaka allow?

The answer is: McGowan allowed one run and DiceK allowed zero. Now tell me this; who is the better pitcher; the one who allows one run or the one who allows zero? The rules of baseball state that the team that scores more runs than the other team wins. Bottom line is this: The pitcher's main goal is to stop the other team from scoring runs. Heck, your mate McGowan did a suck job at that. In fact, he allowed a HOMERUN! A HOMERUN! Matsuzaka allowed ZERO homeruns! YES, ZERO to McGowan's ONE HOMERUN ALLOWED! McGowan did a suck job at stopping the runs!

Oh, and the fact is, Matsuzaka lasted 7 innings. McGowan lasted 7.1 innings. Wow! McGowan lasted 00000.1 innings more than DiceK. McGowan faced one more batter than Matsuzaka. Wow! Which is more important in winning a game? Allowing no runs scored, or lasting one more batter than another pitcher?

Well, we'll see how many World Series rings McGowan has to Matsuzaka's at the end of their careers. After all, we all know that if you don't win games and you don't end up winning the World Series (which DiceK has already done), then how important was it to go one more batter than the other pitcher? Oh, and for your information: last time I checked, McGowan has no postseason wins. Matsuzaka on the other hand, has two wins in the postseason, and he has that bling-bling to go with it.
thepossum at 12:50 AM JST - 4th May

Chowda still misses the point...

"Well, we'll see how many World Series rings McGowan has to Matsuzaka's at the end of their careers."

Like many a blind supporter of J players, chowda seems to think this is all about the nipponjin, well it isn't !!! Want proof ? Tell me chouwa, just how many "world series rings does Ichiro have ? Whatzat ? None you say ! Well then, maybe it's more about the "team" than the nippon players then. Matszaka is on a good team, nothing more nothing less ! He's simply along for the ride... he certainly proved that last year !

After all, we all know that if you don't win games and you don't end up winning the World Series (which DiceK has already done), then how important was it to go one more batter than the other pitcher? Oh, and for your information: last time I checked, McGowan has no postseason wins. Matsuzaka
thepossum at 07:03 PM JST - 4th May

"Yes, Matsuzaka can't get the win on his own"

You are absolutely right ! So why does this website only focus on these players, who can't do it themselves, as being only newsworthy ?

"But in no way was him not completing the game at all his fault or a bad thing."

Sure it is ! In fact, Matsuzaka was sold to the Bosox fans as a guy who once pitched 20+ consecutive innings ! The fans of Boston have been fed a half truth. They have been sold one thing but the reality is another. Fact is Matsuzaka can't seem to get past 5-6 innings on a consistent basis.

"Tell me chouwa, just how many "world series rings does Ichiro have ?"

Not a red herring, just a response to this lame comment:

"Well, we'll see how many World Series rings McGowan has to Matsuzaka's at the end of their careers."

Point is,it's not about the individuals it's about the teams !

Moderator: Readers, please stay on topic.
chouwa at 12:07 AM JST - 5th May

So why does this website only focus on these players

Are you so daft? What was the name of this website again? "Japan Today" seems to imply news about "Japan", doesn't it? If I read "El Hispanic News Y Mas", all I get is news about Spain, Latin America, and other Spanish speaking nations, but nothing about the rest of the world (ala U.S.), but that seems to be common sense to most people.

Point is,it's not about the individuals it's about the teams !

Seems to me like you are the one talking out of both sides of your pussyhole. In one post you say McGowan had a great individual performance and was lights out, then you go on and say it has nothing to do with the individual. Which is it?

Yes but not one of these nations is as self absorbed about its nationality to the point where it runs stories, articles, news, whole websites or Broadcasts games simply devoted to just their own nationals !

Oh no? Have you even taking a peek at "Gringo Times", or "PuertoPlata News"? They are pretty one-sided on their local heroes.

You want some unbiased reporting? Check this non-Japanese website:

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080401&contentid=2478648&vkey=newschc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc