Ishii ready to win with the mets
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Kaz Ishii looks at the number of walks he issues and doesn't flinch.
Sure, the newest member of New York's rotation is well acquainted with the bases on balls, but it's a relationship that can often be one-sided. Ishii has walked 305 batters during the last three seasons, with only Russ Ortiz (308) issuing more free passes over that stretch. Victor Zambrano, who will form the back end of New York's rotation with Ishii, is third in that undistinguished category at 276.
That's not even close to the modern record (post-1900) of 535 walks over a three-year span by Nolan Ryan (1976-78) or even for the most walks over the first three years of a big league career -- 384 by Bobby Witt (1986-88).
Ishii, however, has a reputation of being a bulldog, not giving in when faced with the periodic control problems that have been his nemesis since coming to America. It was a popular topic of discussion on Monday when Ishii arrived at Tradition Field. The Mets were off, and the complex was virtually deserted, but Ishii was on hand to meet the media and Rick Peterson, his new pitching coach.
"It [the walks] don't really bother me," said Ishii, who was given No. 23, previously worn by Jason Phillips, the man for whom he was traded. "I may walk a lot of guys, but I survive for the wins as well. I would like everyone to not get too nervous about the walks.
"I have the most confidence in myself when I'm working from the stretch as opposed to the windup. And I don't think too much about holding runners on, I just practice the slide step and keep doing what I'm doing."
Ishii spoke with Peterson at length Monday afternoon, but won't get on a mound until Tuesday afternoon, when he throws his first side session as a Met. He's scheduled to start Saturday against the Braves in Kissimmee.
"The main issue is keeping run production at a minimum," Peterson said. "You don't get points for touching first base. Pitching with runners on base is not an advantage to the pitcher and it has an impact on the defense as well. But I think when you look at where different pitchers are in careers -- look at Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine -- they consistently evolve. There is constant evolvement, so I see nothing but great things in the forecast [for Ishii]."
While Ortiz and Zambrano often get into trouble because of their propensity to issue walks, Ishii does not. His 36 wins were, along with Hideo Nomo, the most by a Dodgers pitcher the last three seasons, leaving Los Angeles pitching coach Jim Colborn very impressed. In fact, Colborn wasn't entirely sold on moving Ishii.
"When I watched those two guys [Ortiz and Zambrano] from the opponent's side of the field, I don't have the same impression about them as I do Ishii," Colborn said. "I don't know why. Maybe it's just because he's on my side. I always looked at those guys as being tough to beat, and it wasn't their walks that I felt would allow us to beat them. When they had their stuff, they were hard to beat.
"Maybe those guys either have it or don't have it in any one game. With Ishii, he potentially has it every game, even if he walks a bunch of guys in the early part of the game. You've got to believe in him. If he's in there, you've got to believe he's going to win the game. He had a winning record in Japan. To me, that counts the most. That's what is unique about him. He does things in a way that are self-destructive, but he still ends up being successful."
Colborn said that this had been Ishii's best spring with Los Angeles, with the hurler adding that he has been working hard on increasing the velocity of his fastball.
Ishii said it will be a mental advantage for him to get out of Los Angeles and that the move to New York will be a plus both professionally and personally. He has a close friend on the Mets in Kaz Matsui, with Ishii saying it would be a comfort to look around the infield and recognize a Japanese face.
When asked what he knew about the Mets, he said he was aware they had improved this winter and that he was here to "pitch for a ring."
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