Butch_Stearns's Blog

Hey gang, checking in from Tokyo once again.  I'm about to go on a blog ramble and give you some more of my random thoughts from here in Japan.  But I would like some more of your feedback on these blogs please.  Let me know what you want to see and hear more of or respond with questions you have that I may not be thinking of and I'll keep updated on this blog and this website.

Right now it is 11:00 am Sunday morning here in Tokyo.  I am in my teeny weenie hotel room here in Akasaka section of Tokyo.   This morning is our first real downtime since we've been here.  We’re always running from place to place.  This is a very interesting yet challenging place for an American.  I have been fortunate enough in my lifetime to travel to places like Greece, Italy, Mexico and other places but this is the first time that the language barrier is a real issue.  Try going out to eat at a place where none of the restaurants speak English or even have an English menu?  I've grown to appreciate menus with pictures.   There are some other quirks from over here.  There are thousands and thousands of people walking the streets. The city is absolutely huge.  Their cars are very small and their steering wheels are on our passenger sides. They also drive on the left side of the road which keeps you on your toes when you are crossing streets.   The people are very friendly and respectful but I have witnessed some anger to each other.  Typical road rage and people in a hurry stuff.   The people here pretty much work 12 hour days.  8-8pm.  Then they go out after work, mostly all together.  Most of them don't speak or understand English.  The ones that do are glad to talk with you and enjoy listening to us speak English.

So far on this trip, we have taken a tour of the city (check out photos and videos here on this page).  We have also been to the Tokyo Dome twice; for a Red Sox workout and for their first exhibition game on Saturday afternoon.   The baseball atmosphere is amazing and this was just an exhibition game.   In the stands they have pretty young girls in the aisles wearing blue uniforms and when a foul ball goes in the stands they blow a whistle to make sure the fans are alert.  Wherever the ball lands they go scurrying over to make sure the fans are OK.  Try to imagine this happening at Fenway!    The crowd is one big huge party.  The Sox played the Hanshin Tigers and their fan base is the most rabid in the country I'm told.  They dress up, bring drums and trumpets and chant in unison all game long. (Check out the video of these fans on this website).   It must be crazy when two Japanese teams are playing each other because this would last all game long.  The Red Sox players, managers, coaches and front office seemed to really enjoy this.  

When you watch the Japanese teams and players take the field the first thing that struck me is that the typical Japanese player is much different from the typical major league player.  If Ortiz and Manny are your typical major league sluggers the normal Japanese player is a fundamentally sound all around player.   Quick bat, some power, always runs the bases well and respects the game at every turn; running on and off the field for example.

In the Sox game I was watching Ortiz and Drew hit first inning homers to give the sox a quick 5-0 lead, but just an inning later Hanshin scored 4 runs on Clay Buchholz and as quick and powerful as the Sox onslaught was the Japanese runs were scored in a whole different manner.   40 pitches by Buchholz, single here, walk there, stolen base there.  Next thing you know a single produces two runs and sends the crowd into a frenzy.  Buchholz gives up four runs but in my opinion actually does a good job to limit the bleeding and finally stop it with a strikeout to end the inning.  

At first glance the Red Sox lineup looks great.    Pedroia leading off, then Youk, Papi, Manny, Lowell, Drew, Varitek, Ellsbury and Lugo.   It’s going to be interesting to see if this lineup continues to produce runs this year like they have the past couple of years.  My first impression is that Francona has many options and interchangeable parts around Papi and Manny if they struggle.  Ellsbury or Lugo moved to top of order if Pedroia struggles.    Lowell, Drew and Varitek alternating in the 5 hole if Lowell doesn't produce like he did last year.   It's hard not to think that JD Drew isn't going to have a big year.   But then again, it's easy to think that when you watch him play.  Drew is the ultimate tease.  He is an ultra smooth athlete with the perfect swing which also has some power.  He reminds me of the left handed Nomar when Nomar was in his prime back in 99-2003.

Anyway, just rambling for a little bit while I've got some time now. Gotta get going soon, heading back to Dome tonight for Sox game vs. Yomiuri Giants.   Tomorrow morning we are heading to Dice K's high school with an interpreter to talk to his former high school coach and see where it all started for him.  We will have a much lengthier piece on Dice K here on this website soon.  We have already spoken to the "Joe Castiglione" of Japan. He is Akira Ueno and he has called play by play for many of Dice K's Japanese games.

I will have a further blog about Dice K coming soon.  Let me say this for now.  Tuesday night here when Matsuzaka pitches at the Tokyo Dome is going to be a phenomenal event.   Dice K coming back to pitch in Japan is a matter of great pride to these people.    From a Boston perspective it reminds me of Larry Bird night.  People are highly anticipating this night, but there is actually a game that is going to be played.   It's been comical listening to Terry Francona peppered with questions about how many pitches Dice K is going to be allowed to throw.   The Japanese people believe that he should throw more than 130 pitches!  They believe that Dice K becomes stronger as that happens and that's what his legend has been built on.  What's comical about this is that they are going to be really upset if he doesn't pitch deep, deep into the game and I know from talking to Francona that he's not going to throw more than 100 pitches.   If Dice k struggles and is taken out in the 5th or 6th inning, it will be interesting to see the reaction from the Japanese people about why Francona didn't let him stay in to work it out.  They don't care that this is still the 3rd full week of spring training. That's how important this is to them and how important Dice K is to these people.

Ok enough for now.  I will check back from the Dome later tonight. 

Ja-Mata

Butchie-son