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Paulwny
06-29-2004, 04:30 PM
Heard today on the Mike and the Mad Dog Show WFAN/YES Net

Mets ss Matsui is having trouble throwing out runners who have hit the ball into the ss hole. The Mets noticed that he always goes around the ball and tries to be in front of it. The Mets have asked Matsui to start back-handing the ball and then he won't have to hurry the throw. The problem is, he doesn't know how to back-hand. Matsui told the Mets that Japanese coaches insist that you be in front of the ball, back-handing a ball is a sign of laziness and is looked down upon. The Mets have been teaching Matsui how to back-hand.

With so many teams showing interest in Japanese players, especially Matsui, how is it that mlb scouts didn't know this and didn't see this?
SoxFan76
06-29-2004, 05:57 PM
Well Matsui is right. You are supposed to get in front of the ball. That is one of the first things you learn in baseball. That just isn't a Japanese thing. Backhanding a ball was always frowned upon by my coaches.
daveeym
06-29-2004, 06:53 PM
Well Matsui is right. You are supposed to get in front of the ball. That is one of the first things you learn in baseball. That just isn't a Japanese thing. Backhanding a ball was always frowned upon by my coaches. I think the difference is he can't backhand when he needs to though. I hate the guys that wait for a ball to backhand it instead of getting in front of it but it sounds like matsui can't backhand at all.
Paulwny
06-30-2004, 09:46 AM
Well Matsui is right. You are supposed to get in front of the ball. That is one of the first things you learn in baseball. That just isn't a Japanese thing. Backhanding a ball was always frowned upon by my coaches.
Of course, everyone is taught to get in front of a ball, but with a runner with speed you have to back hand or you'll waste too much time trying to get in front of the ball when it's hit deep into the hole.
When he tries to get in front of the ball when going into the hole, according to the program, he can't throw out any runner with decent speed, so he started hurrying his thows and hasn,t been accurate. In a few cases a runner on first has beaten his throw to 2nd .