Kawakami Starts vs the Giants

» 27 May 2009 » In mlb »

So I finally got to see Kenshin Kawakami pitch in a big league game. Being three timezones away from the east coast makes it tough to catch most Braves games, but this week they’re here in California, so in between helping with dinner and the dishes, I got to watch Kenshin pitch against the Giants.

And he didn’t have one of his best games.

On the upside…

  • worked out of a couple of jams
  • decent velocity — hit 94 mph on the gun one time, which is harder than I would normally expect him to throw
  • got a sacrifice down (I wasn’t in the room when this happened, seeing in it the box score)
  • speed giveth: Benji Molina’s lack of pace saved a run for Kenshin

On the downside…

  • got into trouble in every inning he pitched
  • poor control — airmailed a fastball, hit Aaron Rowand, catcther had a passed ball
  • couldn’t get his breaking stuff over for strikes, had a hittable fastball
  • speed taketh away: Rowand stole home

Kenshin’s breaking stuff basically wasn’t working at all. I only saw him get a couple of swinging strikes, and he had a pattern of getting behind on guys and then coming back with very hittable fastballs. 

Anyone else see the game?

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  1. Patrick
    bloodsmurf
    28/05/2009 at 12:26 am Permalink

    “Being three timezones away from the east coast makes it tough to catch most Braves games”

    Hey i’m ELEVEN timezones away from any NPB game

  2. Patrick
    Patrick
    28/05/2009 at 9:24 am Permalink

    I’m 15/16 timezones away from NPB games, depending on the time of year. It’s actually a little easier to catch NPB day games on the weekend, since they start during the night here. MLB games on the east coast start at 4:00pm my time, when I’m at work, and are usually over by the time I get time… and that’s if they are televised here.