MLB Roundup: May 17th

Welcome to my first MLB Roundup. These posts will focus on the daily performances of various Japanese baseball stars around the league. Leading off the Roundup for Wednesday, May 17th is Ichiro Suzuki's day (quite fittingly). Ichiro provided a 1 for 4 performance that included a 2-out RBI single in the 5th inning that kept his batting average above the .300 mark (he's currently hitting .302). #51 is a career .330 hitter in the Major Leagues and has 573 RBIs. That run batted in proved to be the only one of the game for the M's and wasn't enough as Suzuki's team fell to the struggling Twins (who had lost 9 straight), 2-1.

Elsewhere on the West Coast, Hideki Matsui got only one of the 15 hits collected by Oakland A's batters yesterday, as he went 1 for 5 with a run scored. Godzilla is off to a slow start this season (hitting .233), as he adjusts to his 3rd different team in as many years for the first time in his career. Japanese pitcher Hisanori Takahashi pitched in this game for the Angels, coming into the game when the score was 14-0 Athletics. He had a 1,2,3 8th inning.

Further down the coast, Hiroki Kuroda shut down the Brewers in L.A., tossing seven plus scoreless innings for his fifth win of the year (thus lowering his ERA from 3.21 to 2.80). One can make the argument that he is the best Japanese pitcher in The Bigs right now (his MLB career ERA is 3.52). He is in his fourth season in the league and continues to provide a reliable veteran presence in a respectable Dodgers rotation.

The right hander (Kuroda) in action for the Hiroshima Carp, circa 2006


In Cincinnati, Kosuke Fukudome went 1 for 4 with a walk hitting in the leadoff spot for the cubbies, and his batting average is standing at .323.

In more disappointing news, it was announced on Wednesday that Dice-K has been placed on Boston's 15-day disabled list. He is 3-3 with a 5.30 ERA in 2011.

Also R.I.P. Harmon Killebrew. "Hammerin' Harmon" was a tremendously strong slugger who hit more homers during the 1960s than even "Hammerin' Hank" Aaron. It was fitting for him to wear number 3 on his back.