The Asian Sensation

As the buzz started picking up over Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, the first thing that came to mind was, "Didn't the Yankees already try this once?"

Name me a Japanese starter who made an impact and hung around long enough to be considered a good investment.

Hideo Nomo? Eh, big splash, quick fizzle.

I'm talking someone who spends eight or more years as a workhorse in the majors. Blame it on age or whatever you like, but Japanese starters just haven't made the breakthrough that their position-playing brothers have.

ESPN.com ran an article on Matsuzaka today and had a sidebar on Hideki Irabu. My favorite quote:

Conditioning was at times an issue for Irabu, whose portly physique prompted Yankee owner George Steinbrenner to label him a "fat, pussy toad.''

Heh.