DAISUKE MATSUZAKA
Name: Daisuke Matsuzaka
Born: September 13, 1980 Kanita, Higashitsugaru District, Aomori, Japan
Daisuke Matsuzaka (born September 13, 1980) (pronounced
"Dice-K") is a Japanese starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He previously
played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of
the 2006 World Baseball Classic and is an Olympic bronze medalist.
He was born on September 13, 1980, in Kanita, Higashitsugaru District, Aomori,
Japan. Aomori is his mother's hometown. After a month, he then moved to his
father's home in Koto, Tokyo, so his player profile says he is from Tokyo even
though he was born in Aomori. After excelling at the Little League and junior
high level, Daisuke Matsuzaka was admitted into Yokohama High School, a baseball
powerhouse, in the spring of 1996. By his second year (Japanese high schools
consist of three years), he had developed into the school's ace pitcher. Despite
his early success, he would experience a setback that summer when he allowed a
go-ahead wild pitch in the semi-final game of the Kanagawa Prefecture
preliminary round of the National High School Baseball Championship (Summer
Koshien). Hungry for redemption, Matsuzaka trained fervently during the off-season.
It was about that time that his fastballs started to regularly clock in at
around 90 mph (140 km/h) and he was given the nickname, "The Monster". After
easily pitching his school to the championship of the National High School
Baseball Invitational Tournament (Spring Koshien), Matsuzaka set his aim on the
1998 Summer Koshien. He would go on to become a national hero in this tournament
after pitching in three particularly memorable games, and, eventually, leading
his school to the championship.
Matsuzaka is married to television journalist Tomoyo Shibata, formerly of
Nippon TV in Japan, and in 2005 she gave birth to the couple's daughter, Niko.
Daisuke is nicknamed "The Monster" in Japan and "Dice-K" or "D-Mat"
in the United States by the Boston Globe and USA Today.
Matsuzaka and his wife are expecting their second child at the start of the 2008
season.
Matsuzaka made his first major league regular season start for the Red Sox on
April 5, 2007 in an afternoon game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman
Stadium. He walked one, recorded 10 strikeouts, and at one point retired 10
consecutive batters. He allowed only a solo home run on 6 hits while throwing
108 pitches (74 for strikes) over 7 innings and recorded the win as the Red Sox
triumphed by a score of 4-1. He was, however, beaten 3-0 by Félix Hernández (who
pitched a one hitter), Ichiro Suzuki, Kenji Johjima, and their Seattle Mariners
in his Fenway Park debut on April 11, 2007 and defeated again, 2-1, by the
Toronto Blue Jays in his third major league start despite striking out 10
Toronto hitters in only 6 innings. Matsuzaka still became the only pitcher to
strike out 10 or more batters in 2 of his first 3 big-league starts since
Fernando Valenzuela did so in 1981.
Name: Daisuke Matsuzaka
Born: September 13, 1980 Kanita, Higashitsugaru District, Aomori, Japan
Daisuke Matsuzaka (born September 13, 1980) (pronounced
"Dice-K") is a Japanese starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He previously
played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of
the 2006 World Baseball Classic and is an Olympic bronze medalist.
He was born on September 13, 1980, in Kanita, Higashitsugaru District, Aomori,
Japan. Aomori is his mother's hometown. After a month, he then moved to his
father's home in Koto, Tokyo, so his player profile says he is from Tokyo even
though he was born in Aomori. After excelling at the Little League and junior
high level, Daisuke Matsuzaka was admitted into Yokohama High School, a baseball
powerhouse, in the spring of 1996. By his second year (Japanese high schools
consist of three years), he had developed into the school's ace pitcher. Despite
his early success, he would experience a setback that summer when he allowed a
go-ahead wild pitch in the semi-final game of the Kanagawa Prefecture
preliminary round of the National High School Baseball Championship (Summer
Koshien). Hungry for redemption, Matsuzaka trained fervently during the off-season.
It was about that time that his fastballs started to regularly clock in at
around 90 mph (140 km/h) and he was given the nickname, "The Monster". After
easily pitching his school to the championship of the National High School
Baseball Invitational Tournament (Spring Koshien), Matsuzaka set his aim on the
1998 Summer Koshien. He would go on to become a national hero in this tournament
after pitching in three particularly memorable games, and, eventually, leading
his school to the championship.
Matsuzaka is married to television journalist Tomoyo Shibata, formerly of
Nippon TV in Japan, and in 2005 she gave birth to the couple's daughter, Niko.
Daisuke is nicknamed "The Monster" in Japan and "Dice-K" or "D-Mat"
in the United States by the Boston Globe and USA Today.
Matsuzaka and his wife are expecting their second child at the start of the 2008
season.
Matsuzaka made his first major league regular season start for the Red Sox on
April 5, 2007 in an afternoon game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman
Stadium. He walked one, recorded 10 strikeouts, and at one point retired 10
consecutive batters. He allowed only a solo home run on 6 hits while throwing
108 pitches (74 for strikes) over 7 innings and recorded the win as the Red Sox
triumphed by a score of 4-1. He was, however, beaten 3-0 by Félix Hernández (who
pitched a one hitter), Ichiro Suzuki, Kenji Johjima, and their Seattle Mariners
in his Fenway Park debut on April 11, 2007 and defeated again, 2-1, by the
Toronto Blue Jays in his third major league start despite striking out 10
Toronto hitters in only 6 innings. Matsuzaka still became the only pitcher to
strike out 10 or more batters in 2 of his first 3 big-league starts since
Fernando Valenzuela did so in 1981.