Saturday, January 27, 2007

GYROMANIA? Or.........

From SI, excerpts about the guy, OUR guy, who we all are so curious about. After all, he'll be pitching for the Boston Red Sox every five days. And we'll be watching. Read some of this, and then my comments. And I do recommmend clicking on this post's title for the FULL article, after you finish the post. Good stuff! Anyone for a GYRO? I know I'm ready, IF it exists!!!! It just might?! Here ya go......thank you SI.....

"To his Japanese fans, the right-hander is known simply as Daisuke. When he pitches, he often uses a high right leg kick on his follow-through. His fastball checks in at 93 mph. Knees buckle at the sight of his curve. His changeup makes hitters look foolish.
And then there's the gyroball...
"It is a pitch with a gyro spin," explains Dr. Ryutaro Himeno, the director of the Advanced Center for Computing and Communication at the physics and chemistry research institution Riken in Saitama Prefecture.
Himeno, who has done computer simulations of the gyroball's movement since the late 1990s, says that the pitch is delivered much like a "football pass," speeding toward the plate in a tight spiral.
The benefit of the four-seam gyroball, Tezuka says, is its surprising explosiveness. Batters, he believes, are lulled into thinking a typical fastball is approaching only to find that it already streaking through the zone as they start their cut. But most gyroballers, he says, throw the two-seam version because of its speed and sharper break.
"The gyroball is scary," says Tezuka, of the pitch's speed and unpredictability. "It is beyond imagination."

Peter here...sounds a LITTLE like hype to me, but there is so much more in the entire article. A must read...click on the title. But wait......here's a little more, a tease! Hey, without a tease, I wouldn't be doing my best.........

"This April, a Japanese rookie pitcher will make his Fenway Park debut. He'll stand on the mound and probably kick at the rubber a few times before staring down at catcher Jason Varitek. The righty will get his sign, go into his windup and deliver a...
No doubt, Himeno and Tezuka will be following the flight of the pitch right along with everyone else."

Peter here yet again...hard to get rid of me? Well, don't try! And if THAT little snippet didn't get you......read the entire article, with color diagrams and so much more, a must read. The pitch seems to be unique in that the pitcher snaps his wrist downward upon delivery. Fact, or fiction? Are we in Rod Serling's Twilight Zone? Or is this pitch another item in Daisuke's arsenal, one that hitters will be expecting, not knowing when or IF, that will further confuse the guessing game that is major league hitting. We will all find out.
I hope you enjoyed this post, and I know you'll enjoy the entire article. Illuminating. Heck, just plain fun! Thanks for being here, for reading. I appreciate it. Now click on the title, and thanks. And as always, I'd love to read your comments!!! Have a great weekend, although I will be here tomorrow morning with a post, and later today to read your comments. So SHOUT OUT! And thanks, as always. Always and forever.

23 Comments:

At 1/27/2007 9:58 AM, Blogger Ian said...

There are videos of the supposed gyroball pitch on youtube. to me, it just looks like a split fingered fastball. I am looking forward to seeing him throw it though. The question is will Remdawg and Don know that the pitch was a gyroball.

 
At 1/27/2007 10:10 AM, Blogger Peter N said...

Will any of us??????? But it's a great bunch of "confusing to the hitter" hype, at the least. And Ian, it says you on your comment!! And I'm getting used to this new blog stuff...I know most people changed a month or two ago, but it did not allow me until yesterday. I must say the instant publishing is great. But I am not going to make any bigtime changes to the blog's look, because the only touches the template gets are the additions to my link list.
Hey, thanks....GO UCONN. The men are sorely in need of a victory, anywhere, anytime. The women...they'll be fine. I miss Diana, don't you?....take care.

 
At 1/27/2007 10:40 AM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

I am just excited to see what daisuke has to offer with or without the gyroball:)

 
At 1/27/2007 1:18 PM, Blogger Peter N said...

I've seen them Ian....and you are exactly right....this is a "confuse the hitter" thing, and he DOES have a great selection of pitches. Thanks...comments seem to be OK, and wow, the publishing is instant!
And Kaylee, poor broken Kaylee, are you ok? I'd like a more detailed comment, if it's OK.

 
At 1/27/2007 2:10 PM, Blogger Kevin Scalley said...

They Youtube video of Matsuzaka's gyroball is great. I had used and seen that myself when we first got Dice-K.

In reading the previous posts I am confused about "the publishing is instant!" I have the newer blogger and don't remember a big difference in any real way I could see.

 
At 1/27/2007 2:44 PM, Blogger Bosox Fan in Wichita said...

The gyro sounds like fun ... maybe Dice-K can cause a stir with it. I liken it to Ali's famous "Anchor punch".

 
At 1/27/2007 2:55 PM, Blogger Peter N said...

FB, it's just that there is no "swirling circle" to watch while waiting for publishing to finish.
And BFW, hi to you too...and Ali's most famous moves (hint..1974, against the unbeatable George Foreman?) The rope-a-dope. In other words, let your opponent punch himself silly while he thinks you're ripe for the picking. And then...THEN...BAM!!!!!!!!
Thanks guys!!!!

 
At 1/27/2007 3:15 PM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 1/27/2007 3:18 PM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

yes i am doing okay i guess if that is possile=)

 
At 1/27/2007 3:27 PM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

it feels alot better than yesterday but i am still taking the pain medication that puts me too sleep=)

 
At 1/27/2007 3:44 PM, Blogger Bosox Fan in Wichita said...

Loved the rope-a-dope strategy ... Foreman said after he had thrown a few hundred punches and Ali used the ropes as shock absorbers, Ali said to him "Is that all you got?" and George replied "Yep, that's about it."

 
At 1/27/2007 4:44 PM, Blogger Peter N said...

BFW...I remember listening to the fight like it was yesterday...and we stood, we laughed and we screamed ourselves speechless! I still have that fight, and 12 other classics, on tape.....all three Frazier fights! Thanks for your great comments...and Kaylee...feel better...it's better to not be in pain than to not take a pill that your DR. gave you. BYE!!!!!

 
At 1/27/2007 4:54 PM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

haha yeah true they just put me to sleep=)

 
At 1/27/2007 4:57 PM, Blogger Peter N said...

Better that, sleepy, than to be in pain....Feel better, number one...I'm signing off for the night...and I'm sooo glad it (the newish blog) is working. No more hurting yourself! Peter....promise???

 
At 1/27/2007 4:59 PM, Blogger Peter N said...

AND good night everyone! Thank you so much for your comments, and everything seems to be, and is, working well. Until Sunday! Peter, your host without the most!

 
At 1/27/2007 5:02 PM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

haha yeah that is why I feel asleep in american history yesterday but the teacher knew i was on them LOL:)and god forbid I hope I dont hurt myself anymore!

 
At 1/27/2007 5:05 PM, Blogger Peter N said...

Get a good night's sleep...I'll be up early tomorrow to post..to post..errr.....something! Night K.

 
At 1/27/2007 5:24 PM, Blogger lauren said...

I'm excited to see what Daisuke has.

 
At 1/27/2007 5:29 PM, Blogger Peter N said...

Lauren, I hope the game was a victory...or is it tomorrow?????

 
At 1/27/2007 6:10 PM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

I got a question does anybody think that Lester will return to the rotation?

 
At 1/27/2007 10:33 PM, Blogger lauren said...

Yep victory. 4-0.

And I hope Lester returns to the rotation. He definitely deserves it. It probably depends on how he adjusts to being back and on injuries of other pitchers and stuff. But I hope he comes back. I want Fenway to give him a huge ovation.

 
At 1/28/2007 6:48 AM, Blogger Peter N said...

Lauren, he'll get a huge ovation...so will Trot! Congrats on the shutout!!!!

 
At 1/28/2007 4:46 PM, Blogger KAYLEE said...

Lauren I hope he does too:)

 

Post a Comment

<< Home