Ishii Makes First Pitch

It’s one thing to practice English in the privacy of your bathroom, as the Dodgers’ newest pitcher, Japanese left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii, sheepishly acknowledged doing the past few months.

It’s another to do it on a global stage, amid the glare of klieg lights and the scrutiny of a multinational media throng during your introductory news conference at Dodger Stadium.

“Thank you for waiting,” Ishii began Friday after donning a Dodger cap and jersey No. 17. “My name is Kazuhisa Ishii. Please call me Kazu. I finally made it here. I’m happy to come to the Dodgers ... um

The Dodgers don’t expect Ishii to fade like that on the mound. That’s why they paid the Yakult Swallows, Ishii’s Japanese team, $11.26 million for his negotiating rights and spent another $12.2 million to sign Ishii to a four-year deal that includes two option years that could push the total package to $18.35 million.

“What impressed me the most about him was the fact he’s been part of a very good club that has played in six [Japanese] World Series,” Dodger General Manager Dan Evans said. “He’s been in high-pressure situations throughout his career, and he’s excelled. We’re trying to win here, not rebuild.... We’ve heard he’s a great competitor. There is no questioning his ability in big-game situations.”

Ishii’s fastball is average by major league standards--between 90-93 mph--but he has an excellent slider and curve and mixes in an occasional split-fingered fastball. Though he doesn’t change speeds much, Ishii deceives batters with a variety of arm angles. Ishii had a 78-46 career record and 3.38 earned-run average in 10 seasons for Yakult, striking out 1,277 and walking 603 in 1,1841/3 innings.

But the performances that really sold the Dodgers on Ishii were an eight-inning, one-hit, 12-strikeout shutout of the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in Game 1 of the Japan Series championship last season, and a complete-game, three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts in Game 1 of the 1997 Japan Series against the Seibu Lions.

“He could win 20 games here,” said Dodger pitching coach Jim Colborn, who, as a former Orix Blue Wave pitching coach and director of Pacific Rim Scouting for the Seattle Mariners saw plenty of Ishii in Japan. “We want him to find his own level without a lot of pressure, but I’m sure he’ll be a very solid pitcher who wins a lot of important games.”

Evans and Manager Jim Tracy stressed the importance of tempering expectations for Ishii, and the Dodgers hope fellow Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo, who signed a two-year contract with the Dodgers this winter, will deflect some attention from the Japanese media, which attaches rock-star status to Japanese players in the U.S.

“He’s coming to a new environment, a new team, a new city and a new clubhouse,” Evans said. “We can’t put expectations on him in terms of numbers. But if he’s healthy, he will be a solid contributor because he has four quality pitches. That translates well in any stadium, in any country.”

Said Tracy: “Not only does he know how to pitch in a big game, he knows how to win it.”

He talks a good game, too. In one news conference Friday, Ishii probably showed more personality than Nomo has shown in seven years in the U.S., proving that left-handers in Japan can seem as flaky as those in America.

Asked why he wanted to play for the Dodgers, Ishii said, “There is good weather and good golf courses here ... because I am a Californian.”

His favorite American food? “Double-cheeseburger.”

Were there any hitters in Japan comparable to San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds? “Nobody compares to Barry Bonds in Japan,” Ishii said. “That’s why I came to America.”

No elaboration was necessary. Ishii had accomplished all he could in Japan, and it was time to test his skills against the best hitters in the world. It is a challenge both he and the Dodgers look forward to.

An injury-ravaged 2001 Dodger rotation consisted entirely of right-handers, but with Ishii, the Dodgers have seven starting pitchers: Kevin Brown, Andy Ashby, Ishii, Nomo, Omar Daal, Eric Gagne and Odalis Perez. Ishii, Daal and Perez are left-handed, and another left-hander, Terry Mulholland, can start or relieve.

That should help the Dodgers combat the National League West’s top left-handed hitters, such as Bonds, Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez and Colorado’s Larry Walker and Todd Helton. Rotation depth also gives Evans the option of trading a pitcher, most likely Daal or Gagne, for a proven closer or a center fielder, and it provides insurance if Brown or Ashby struggle to return from elbow surgery.

“Our rotation is deeper now than it was at any time last year,” Tracy said. “If we started the season tomorrow, I’d have seven guys to choose from and three left-handers in a division where you’ll find the home addresses of some of the better hitters in baseball.”

Had Ishii and the Dodgers not come to terms by Friday night, the Dodgers would have lost their rights to him. A major sticking point was the no-trade provision. Ishii wanted a blanket no-trade clause but only got that for 2002. After this season, he can select 10 teams each year that he can’t be traded to without his consent.

Ishii received a $1.5-million signing bonus and salaries of $500,000 this year, $2.2 million in 2003, $2.6 million in 2004 and $3.2 million in 2005. Team options of $3.3 million in 2006 and $4 million in 2007 include $1.1-million buyouts. About $4.4 million of the deal will be deferred. In addition, Ishii will receive a $25,000 housing allowance each year and 10 round-trip tickets a year between Japan and the U.S.

The Dodgers and Ishii were far apart in negotiations for several weeks, but talks heated up after Ishii flew from Tokyo to Los Angeles and agent Joe Urbon flew from New York to Los Angeles on Tuesday. While Urbon hammered out details with Dodger assistant general manager Kim Ng, Ishii played catch in a vacant field near Los Angeles International Airport.

“It probably wasn’t the safest area,” Urbon said, “but he got his work in.”

Friday, Ishii played catch in Dodger Stadium before his news conference, and the whole experience left him with goose bumps.

“I’m so excited my hands are shaking,” Ishii said. “That’s how much I want to do well for this team.”

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Projected Rotation

KEVIN BROWN, RH

Ace is 41/2 months removed from surgery to repair a torn flexor muscle on his throwing elbow.

KAZUHISA ISHII, LH

* Led Japan’s Central League with 241 strikeouts in 1961/3 innings in 1998.

ANDY ASHBY, RHTR

* Made only two starts in 2001 before suffering season-ending elbow surgery.

HIDEO NOMO, RH

* Threw no-hitter against Baltimore Orioles in 2001 debut for Boston Red Sox.

OMAR DAAL, LH

Aquired from Philadelphia for two minor leaguers in December; Dodgers would like to trade him for closer.

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Japanese Imports

(text of infobox not included)