Attn: Tanaka owners

[TOXIC ASSETS]

Not a good start to things:

http://nypost.com/2014/02/15/yankees-bi ... oning-run/

[Outlaw]

Very wierd story and comments by Tanaka. My experiance with pitchers is when they are not runners, don't like running or don't use running for condtioning, they tend to be upper body, strong arm/muscle up throwers, who sooner rather than later have arm problems. Now there are ways to get around the running as far as leg conditioning, but this is not a good sign if he's huffing and puffing on a 1 mile run.

[Teufel Hunden]

I like the attempt to try to push him back in drafts. Although as poorly as Ryu pitched last year after coming into camp out of shape I can certainly see your genuine concern.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

Has nothing to do with that. I don't care where he's drafted -- I never gamble on unknown guys like Tanaka. I posted the story because I thought it was a good read, and because I think it's pathetic that a guy getting all of that money can't run a mile.

[Teufel Hunden]

Sure, because being able to run a mile figures greatly in pitching success. Probably should make sure he can kick a field goal, dunk a basketball while we are at it. Makes me wonder why more teams have not tapped into the Kenyan and Ethiopian running pool for prospects. Clearly they must be great pitchers.

Do you really think Miggy, Ortiz, Fielder, etc. can run a mile any better?

[TOXIC ASSETS]

Miggy, Ortiz and Fielder don't have to pitch 7-8 innings per start. Big difference between hitting and pitching.
You think the guy is great - go ahead and draft him. He may be great. But he might the next Hideki Irabu. Remember him?
Dude was great in Japan and couldn't get anyone out here in the U.S. I remember Big George calling him a fat toad and questioning his conditioning.

[Teufel Hunden]

That makes perfect sense. Running/being in shape is less important for hitters that actually have to run than it is for an American League pitcher that has to cover first occasionally and bat a few times every year in NL parks.

Certainly makes you wonder how CC has thrown 200+ innings each of the last seven seasons as out of shape as he is.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

You didn't answer my question. Do you remember Hideki Irabu?

[Teufel Hunden]

Funny that was the same player brought up when Darvish came over as well. Hate to break the news to you, Irabu did not fail because he was out of shape. Nor did he fail because he was Asian and out of shape. Although if it is convenient for you to paint all players from a specific geographic region with the same brush have at it.

[TParsons]

Pitching is anaerobic, distance running is aerobic. The "running poles" method of conditioning for pitchers is outdated. Unless he's clearly overweight, which he doesn't appear to be, don't read too much into it. It's quite possible that his off-season routine just didn't include distance running for cardio.

[Deadheadz]

When I tried out for a Cal State (academic not penal) baseball team in '89 the very first thing they did with all of us was to run a 4-mile course which had to be finished within a given time or you couldn't get on the diamond...regardless of your talent otherwise.
It was partly to asses your fitness but also to asses your dedication to the program. Probably a good way to weed out some and get the numbers down to a more manageable level too.

I have to assume this practice is common in the Americas but may not be part of the Japanese baseball culture. With reports that Tanaka wasn't a stranger to 150+ pitch outings, I seriously doubt there's a concern he'll get tired or winded late into games.

If the Yankees insist on having him run on a regular basis it will be good for his body. You have to hope it won't mess with his head. Not sure why it would but if he feels he's "above" running or somehow injures himself by running when he's not used to the pace, the is a potential for concern.

[orangemen90]

Has nothing to do with that. I don't care where he's drafted -- I never gamble on unknown guys like Tanaka. I posted the story because I thought it was a good read, and because I think it's pathetic that a guy getting all of that money can't run a mile.

probably a whole lot of millionaire football players as well as baseball players would have trouble running a mile,,not a prerequisite to win now mentality...

[Outlaw]

Now here's a young pitcher that gets its all about the legs, especially for starters. Take a look at any good/great pitcher and they worked the legs. Take a look at pitchers with arm issues and short careers and you'll see lower bodies that look like they never saw a track, let alone a treadmill or Bike. Good For Fernandez, he seems to get it.... I suspect in 10 years when he's 30, his lower body and probably even his upper body will look Big compared to now.

From Rotoworld: Jose Fernandez averaged 600 miles per week on a bike over the offseason.
Fernandez bought a Specialized S-Works Venge racer for around $10,000 and fell in love with it. He wound up losing 25 pounds. "On the bike you can do intervals," he told reporters Monday in Marlins camp. "You go hard and then slow down. It's kind of like an inning, is the way I see it. I'm going really hard for 10, 12 minutes and then I slow down for 5 or 6 minutes. Conditioning-wise, it's amazing."

Somehow I can't see Tanaka riding a Bike 2 miles without falling off of it after reading he had trouble with a 1 mile run. Got a gut feeling Tanaka is the 2nd coming of Dice K, but sure hope I'm wrong.

[Atlas]

This thread reminded me of something Bum Phillips said.
From the Los Angeles Times, 1991...speaking about HOF running back Earl Campbell when they were reunited in N.O. ....


On the first day of the Saints' training camp, each player had to run one mile, but Campbell couldn't make it. He ran only three-quarters of a mile and then stopped. Reporters quickly surrounded Phillips and asked what he would do.

"I said, 'Well, hell, we just won't give him the ball if it's more than three-quarters of a mile,' " Phillips said.

[whale4evr]

FWIW, YES has been showing some of his games from last year. Fastball was topping out around 93 and looked fairly straight; slider/slurve looked a little flat; splitter had good sink but didn't look to be up to the standards of say Tim Hudson/Derek Lowe/Brandon Webb; windup had the pause in the middle that many pitchers from Japan use but the deception was minimal; throws strikes but he looks the type of pitcher who would be most effective with a good infield defense behind him.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

Whale: good analysis. Sounds like a 12-12, 3.75 guy to me!

Atlas: funny story, but it's comparing apples and oranges. At that point in his career Campbell had probably been hit thousands of times. NFL different than MLB, and Tanaka is only 25 years old.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseb ... -1.1683290

Just so you guys can't accuse me of being anti Japanese or something like that, here's a new article on Tanaka.