Matsuzaka, Tazawa On Kikuchi-To-MLB Possibility

Posted by Adam Hart October 17, 2009 at 5:17 pm

As NPB teams court Japanese high school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, 18, prior to the upcoming NPB Draft, two Red Sox pitchers share their thoughts on Kikuchi potentially jumping to an MLB organization.

NPB Tracker’s Patrick Newman translated quotes from both Nikkan Sports and Sanspo articles in which Red Sox pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Junichi Tazawa spoke on the potential of Kikuchi moving directly to MLB from high school.

According to Newman’s translation, Matsuzaka once considered making such a jump himself, but decided against it.

“I thought about it (going to MLB after high school) too, but I didn’t yet have what it would take to make the decision, and I thought I would go after getting results in Japan,” Matsuzaka said, as translated by Newman. “If he has confidence that he can do it, either way is good.”

While Matsuzaka was acquired by Boston via the posting process, Tazawa was a trail blazer of sorts — he signed with the Red Sox after NPB imposed a new rule suspending any player who attempts to return to NPB after first dodging its Draft to play overseas. To him, it was the right decision, but he would not go as far as to suggest a similar path for Kikuchi.

“It’s his own life so I want him to make a choice he won’t regret,” Tazawa said, as translated by Newman.

Be sure to check out Newman’s post titled Kikuchi’s First Day of Meetings for further comments from the two pitchers concerning Kikuchi and their respective time in Boston.

The Red Sox are reportedly one of four teams scheduled to meet with Kikuchi on Monday. The meeting would be the first step in bringing his eephus pitch to the organization: