Iguchi adjusting well to American baseball...

[bjm676]

http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

Iguchi making great strides in bigs

First everyday player from Japan in franchise history

 

CLEVELAND -- During last Sunday night's 5-2 loss to Minnesota, the second hitter in the White Sox lineup turned in a quartet of quality at-bats against Johan Santana that most players wouldn't get in a year's worth of facing the defending American League Cy Young winner.

 

Those particular plate appearances perfectly illustrated the offensive development made by Tadahito Iguchi, the first everyday player from Japan in franchise history, simply from the start of Spring Training to the close of the regular season's first week. Santana picked up two strikes every time he faced Iguchi, but unlike 11 other times for the White Sox that evening, Iguchi never struck out.

 

In the first inning, with Pablo Ozuna on first, Iguchi ripped a 2-2 pitch for a double into the left-field corner. The hit set up Chicago's first run.

 

Two innings later, with Juan Uribe on third and one out, Iguchi drove an 0-2 pitch to Torii Hunter in center field. The sacrifice fly scored the White Sox's second run.

 

Before the night was over, Iguchi started a two-out rally in the fifth with a single to center on a 2-2 pitch from Santana. He also grounded out sharply to Michael Cuddyer at third in the seventh on an 0-2 offering. It was the sort of performance that didn't go unnoticed by the White Sox or even the seemingly invincible Santana.

 

"I threw a few pitches where I thought I got him," Santana said of Iguchi. "He came back and got me. He's pretty good. What can I say? He put the ball in play.

 

"You're trying to get an idea of what you want to do because I've never seen him before. I never had a chance to face him. Japanese players are totally different than Americans or Latin players. They have different approaches. The way they swing, the mechanics. It looks different."

 

The main difference with Iguchi in regards to facing Santana was his ability to fight off the left-hander's tough pitches while sitting behind in the count. He even managed to make contact against one of the best changeups in baseball, keeping the at-bat alive and eventually getting a look at a better hitter's pitch.

 

Iguchi's approach should be of very little surprise, especially when analyzing the responsibilities of the No. 2 slot, batting behind a top-notch leadoff hitter such as Scott Podsednik. Making contact and moving the runners stand as far more important tasks than coming close to the 51 combined home runs he hit during the final two years with Fukuoka in Japan.

 

During the 2003 and '04 seasons in Japan, Iguchi also cut down on his strikeouts. After surpassing 110 strikeouts in three of his first four full seasons, the 30-year-old fanned 171 times in close to 1,200 combined official plate appearances over the past two years.

 

But the biggest surprise stemming from Sunday was Iguchi's excited anticipation to face a pitcher of Santana's caliber. Going against baseball's best helps Iguchi feel more a part of the game. He doesn't know Santana, aside from video and scouting reports.

 

Then again, Santana doesn't know Iguchi either. Neither does much of the rest of the American League.

 

"I get more excited the more good pitching comes against me," said Iguchi through his translator. "[santana] is a very good pitcher.

 

"I'm just trying to improve my hitting, and I don't want to waste a strike. But my swing feels better, and I'm more comfortable and more confident."

 

Santana made earlier reference to the varied mechanics used by Japanese hitters. White Sox hitting coach Greg Walker pointed to Iguchi's leg kick as something a little different and somewhat unique to the Japanese players, used by Iguchi as a timing device more so than other White Sox starters. It will be on display from both sides of the field this weekend, with Ichiro Suzuki and the Mariners coming to town.

 

But Walker also mentioned that the second baseman's overall mechanics are very sound, right down to the proper use of his lower half during a swing. Those mechanics were of major concern for Walker, from the first time he viewed videotape of the Far Eastern import.

 

If they were off the mark, extenuating circumstances might have made them tough to repair.

 

"He can watch video, and we can have an interpreter tell him," Walker said. "But if we felt like his mechanics weren't going to hold up here, then I would have been concerned.

 

"Mechanics are hard to change, even when you can communicate. That's a big key, communication. You have to get feedback as part of the process. But we looked at his mechanics right off the bat, and knew that he was really solid."

 

As good as Iguchi looked against Santana, both general manager Ken Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen issue constant reminders that Iguchi is a work in progress. In fact, Guillen mentioned that Iguchi could have 500 at-bats this season and take away 500 different lessons. That process works the same in the field and on the basepaths.

 

During Monday's contest at Jacobs Field against Cleveland, Iguchi finished 0-for-4 and watched his average drop to .318. He currently sits at .296, with three runs scored and two RBIs.

 

In the sixth inning on Monday, with Podsednik on second as the tying run and nobody out, Iguchi went down swinging against Kevin Millwood and failed to advance the runner. But if nine games stand as any sort of significant sample, Iguchi's impressive moments on display Sunday look as if they will far outweigh the tough ones.

 

"I'm getting more accustomed to the big leagues with every day," Iguchi said.

 

"His ability to adjust at the plate has impressed me," Williams added. "That's the sign of a good hitter. When you look awful on one swing, make an adjustment, and the next thing you know, the guy is standing on second base. He did that in Spring Training. He's a professional."

[easyw]

uh, I disagree...

 

Like a lot of foreign players, he has no plate discipline - he swings at everything. Look at Dominician Tejada when he was with the A's.

 

http://southsideadventures.blogspot.com/

[BridgeportHeather]

He might swing at everything, but at least he's making contact and seems to be adjusting fairly decently. I can't complain about what I've been seeing from Iggy thus far.

[KevHead0881]

When you consider that he's only played two weeks of American ball, I can't help but be satisfied with what I've seen. Does he have some things he needs to work on? Of course. But he has played pretty well during what was supposed to be a big adjustment period for him.

[maggliopipe]

i actually think he takes pitches pretty nicely. he strides toward a lot of pitches but lays off them, a sign of a good eye in my book. he doesn't have much of a walk rate but who on the team does thus far?

[easyw]

Iguchi struck out 3 times in 4 at bats last night.

 

The one that I saw, it only took four pitches.

 

Awful , just awful.

[Wedge]

Iguchi struck out 3 times in 4 at bats last night.

 

The one that I saw, it only took four pitches.

 

Awful , just awful.

 

Let's bench him.

[greasywheels121]

Iguchi struck out 3 times in 4 at bats last night.

 

The one that I saw, it only took four pitches.

 

Awful , just awful.

 

That's my fault. I picked him as my PTC yesterday. He'll be better today, I promise.

[Wedge]

That's my fault.  I picked him as my PTC yesterday.  He'll be better today, I promise.

 

Greasy, can you pick someone to click on the other team, permanantly (i.e. Santana whenever we face him).

[Soxfest]

I am glad we got TI