KingFish
02-20-2002, 09:11 PM
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii arrived at the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training camp Wednesday exhausted from a 14-hour flight but eager to continue the influx of Japanese talent into the major leagues.
"I'm a little nervous but more excited," the 28-year-old left-hander said through interpreter Acey Kohrogi, the Dodgers' director of Asian operations.
Ishii stepped out of a blue van late in the afternoon and immediately received a handshake from Dodgers general manager Dan Evans, who was waiting for him in the parking lot.
Eight cameramen crowded around Ishii and Evans as they walked into the Dodgertown conference center. Ishii, who signed a four-year, $12.3 million contract Feb. 8, then held brief separate news conferences for the American and Asian media in the Dodgers' clubhouse.
Ishii didn't make it in time for Tuesday's first day of full-squad workouts because of visa problems.
"I didn't want to cause any trouble by being behind," he said. "I've practiced hard, so I don't think it will take a long time."
In fact, Ishii, who said he threw 130 pitches from a mound Monday in Japan, is probably ahead of his teammates. He remained tired from the workout and the long flight to Orlando, so he probably will only play catch during his first workout Thursday, and plans to throw from a mound again Friday.
Ishii had a 78-46 record and a 3.38 ERA in 10 seasons with the Yakult Swallows in Japan. He went 13-6 with a 3.40 ERA last season, striking out 173 in 175 innings.
Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said he was eager to get a firsthand look at Ishii after hearing so many predictions about the pitcher's potential impact.
"We can get away from speculation," Tracy said. "I deal with speculation occasionally as far as expectations and things like that, but then I do get to a point where I'm tired of it."
Ishii's debut in a Dodger uniform won't represent the only good news for the team's pitching staff this week. Kevin Brown will throw from a mound Thursday for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a torn flexor muscle in his right elbow Sept. 27.
Andy Ashby, also recovering from elbow surgery, could pitch batting practice Saturday.
"It's like Christmas morning," pitching coach Jim Colborn said.
Dodgers notes
Dodgers team orthopedist Frank Jobe will undergo coronary artery bypass surgery Tuesday at the Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, Calif., the team said. ... Former big league outfielder Rick Monday, who's now a member of the Dodgers' broadcasting team, will undergo surgery Friday to repair a torn ligament in his left knee. Monday also broke his right fibula in a fantasy camp mishap earlier this month.
"I'm a little nervous but more excited," the 28-year-old left-hander said through interpreter Acey Kohrogi, the Dodgers' director of Asian operations.
Ishii stepped out of a blue van late in the afternoon and immediately received a handshake from Dodgers general manager Dan Evans, who was waiting for him in the parking lot.
Eight cameramen crowded around Ishii and Evans as they walked into the Dodgertown conference center. Ishii, who signed a four-year, $12.3 million contract Feb. 8, then held brief separate news conferences for the American and Asian media in the Dodgers' clubhouse.
Ishii didn't make it in time for Tuesday's first day of full-squad workouts because of visa problems.
"I didn't want to cause any trouble by being behind," he said. "I've practiced hard, so I don't think it will take a long time."
In fact, Ishii, who said he threw 130 pitches from a mound Monday in Japan, is probably ahead of his teammates. He remained tired from the workout and the long flight to Orlando, so he probably will only play catch during his first workout Thursday, and plans to throw from a mound again Friday.
Ishii had a 78-46 record and a 3.38 ERA in 10 seasons with the Yakult Swallows in Japan. He went 13-6 with a 3.40 ERA last season, striking out 173 in 175 innings.
Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said he was eager to get a firsthand look at Ishii after hearing so many predictions about the pitcher's potential impact.
"We can get away from speculation," Tracy said. "I deal with speculation occasionally as far as expectations and things like that, but then I do get to a point where I'm tired of it."
Ishii's debut in a Dodger uniform won't represent the only good news for the team's pitching staff this week. Kevin Brown will throw from a mound Thursday for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a torn flexor muscle in his right elbow Sept. 27.
Andy Ashby, also recovering from elbow surgery, could pitch batting practice Saturday.
"It's like Christmas morning," pitching coach Jim Colborn said.
Dodgers notes
Dodgers team orthopedist Frank Jobe will undergo coronary artery bypass surgery Tuesday at the Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, Calif., the team said. ... Former big league outfielder Rick Monday, who's now a member of the Dodgers' broadcasting team, will undergo surgery Friday to repair a torn ligament in his left knee. Monday also broke his right fibula in a fantasy camp mishap earlier this month.