Kenshin Kawakami versus PIRATES

1st inning

Kawakami throws 13 pitches - 9 strikes a mix of fastballs, cutters and a nice curve



1. McLouth grounds out to 1st base
2. Jack Wilson pops out to shallow center field
3. Fastball to Freddy Snachez and another weak fly out


3 up 3 down, go Kenshin.......

2nd inning
1. Doumit grounds out to SS 6-3

Adam Laroche hits a bloop single to LF just outside the infield

2. Nasty 12-6 curve, then Alvarez flies out to LF.... 2 OUT

3. Kawakami-san strikes out Tabata with a nice high end strike.....

Great outing by our hero, Kenshin Kawakami

Kawakami Starts Today

The Braves take on those pesky Pirates (of 1992 NLCS fame) in Bradenton Florida. Speaking of 1992 and champions, check out the above picture (care of www.ajc.com).

For our hero this will be a big test as he is followed by hoardes of Japanese media and the hopes of the city of Atlanta. I for one am looking forward to seeing the nasty curve, harrowing cutter and impressive slider 1st hand.

"Shake and Bake"

Kawakami Cooks

Our hero had a great outing at the 2nd day of batting practice yesterday, mixing in some fastballs, cutters and that big nasty 12-6 curve.

Kenshin will commence 2 games in the next week including a showdown against the Yankess and Hideki Matsui in early March.

Kawakami and the Media

Photos courtesy of The Atlanta Journal Constitution (www.ajc.com) and AP

Our hero has a posse of up to 20 Japanese media people following his every move.

We need to get used to this phenomena in Atlanta as Kenshin is a great hero in the western part of Japan and around Chunichi.

His initial nervous session has been followed by some outstanding efforts on the mound and I for one expect big things from our great pitcher in 2009.

In other news, I expect TODAY we will be signing both hall of famers, Tommy Glavine and The Natural, Ken Griffey JUNIOR (best player I have seen, well okay with Barry Bonds).

Kawakami Nervous in 1st Session

According to our favorite AJC beat blogger Dave O'Brien, our great Kenshin Kawakami looked quite nervous today in his 1st bullpen session...

"Kawakami was nervous and it showed in his first bullpen session in front of teammates and team officials (first time Cox or Wren ever saw him throw a pitch). He threw a ball over the catcher and over a canvas-topped little viewing area behind the plate in the outfield bullpen."

The Natural

Lets us Hope

Kenshin Kawakami Pictures

Great smile mate !

Thanks to http://www.ajc.com/ and Associated Press (AP) for these

Kawakami Arrives - Spring Training 2009

The great Kenshin Kawakami, our new beloved Bravo has arrived in the USA after spending his entire major league career with the Chunichi team in Japan.

This is the first picture of the great man at the Braves "Dark Star" training ground (courtesy of http://www.ajc.com/).

We look forward to seeing this great man crush the MLB opposition with his mix of cutter, fastball, 12-6 curveball and exotic "shuto".

"Shake and Bake"

Pitchers and Catchers - 4 Days

Dark Star starts up in 4 days.


So in 2008 we looked awesome into April as Smoltz, Glavine, the uber rookie Jurrjens, Campillo and Hudson started the year in scintillating form.


Then we ALL got injured.


Let us pray that the new off-season fitness regime keeps our boys healthy in 2009.

That includes you CHIPPPPPPPPERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!

AROID and Dogs Bollocks

So did AROD use the old liar liar pants on fire defence. YES YES YES, he is a liar, delusional and not worthy of sympathy, I am sorry because until now I liked the guy.

Let me put this straight, AROD is a BLOODY LIAR and is still lying through his teeth.

His interview yesterday with a very passive (read pathetic) reporter in ESPN's Peter Gammons was a joke.

But let us develop the story and theory. I am a life long trader and poker player and I read people and body language incredily well, often frighteningly well (if I say so myself, actually I just did).

1. Katie Couric Interview

In this interview AROD is asked several direct questions (see right at the start of the youtube interview). When asked "Did you ever take performance enhancing drugs?" AROD responds in the negative "no"............ but read his body language is a YES (see he nods his head, involuntarily/subconsciously). THIS is POWERFUL body language.

When pressed further AROD averts his eyes and shrugs his shoulders looking down, the number 2 subconscious move of an uncomfortable liar. There are many other tells for lying, all of which AROD did in this and the Couric interviews, and many other people have picked up on these as well. If AROD and his overly smug, stupid agent think this crappy interview will fly, they are sorely mistaken.

Lets move forward to the Peter Gammons interview here where he is asked what he was using at about the 2.25 minute level. AROD responds that he is NOT sure what drugs he was using with yet again that fatal NOD of the subconscious head (confirming yes he knew).

This is very strange, why tell one lie in a serious of lies when you have been caught, as badly as my mum caught me with my hand in her purse all those years ago for which I got a good whooping............. "I wasn't stealing your money mum", sure, tell it to the judge kid.

In the words of a GREAT songman we have been discussing recently on Dave O'Brien's www.ajc.com blog, "Its a matter of Trust"..

2. Liars contniue to Lie until they Fess Up (totally)

AROD is further asked in the Gammons interview if he used PED's in high school or college, yet again he denies such a thought but YET AGAIN confirms his guilt with a subconscious head shake in the affirmative...

So lets assume he is still lying; what we all should know or learn is this,

1. The steroids AROD tested positive too are very very sophisticated ILLEGAL drugs THAT CANNOT be obtained from prescription (that makes selling, buying and using a Federal Offence)

2. Such Primbolean, the steroid is a masking drug that enables users to piggyback other more bulking roids' into combined use.

3. Such steroid is not easily detected and is used by those with such knowledge.

4. Such steroid is not a 1st time user/s type of drug, it is hard to get and very sophisticated.

5. Steroid research indicates that steroids help improve concentration, hand-eye coordination, recovery of muscles, rapidity of muscle growth, fast twitch improvement etc and on and on.

6. HGH use (which is the drug of choice post 2003/04) is very hard to detect and in large quantities has some horrible side affects. These being BONE GROWTH (Barry Bonds is well documented to have feet and a head that has grown since 1998-99), high blood pressure leading to many nose bleeds (AROD has had many as recently as 2007), heart growth, new hair growth as well as the muscle and tendon/ligament regenerative powers. HGH also IMPROVES aging eyesight (hence improving one's ability to hit a baseball).

Now in defence of Alex Rodriguez he was one of 104, yes 104 bloody cheats from around 750 tests in 2003/04. NAME the names, everyone and then maybe we can move on.

The other 103 who know they cheated should "MAN UP" and come forward at the same time and take the pressure off AROD, he alone should not carry this burden as the 2009 poster child for all.

Otherwise it is all DOGS BOLLOCKS.

PS, Miguel Tejada was just charged with lying to congress. Very sad; who is advising these players, why isn't baseball standing up and doing the right thing, why is the MLBPA giving poor legal counsel to these known users.

I think this firestorm will continue until all the players who used PEDS fess up, because now every reporter in the land will be hunting the 103 other names........

Glavine / Kawakami for 4-5 Spots, No OHMAN

The decision, it appears, is that the Bravos will be jettisoning "The Dude" in favor of haggling with HOF calibre superstar Tommy Glavine after an opening $1.8-$3M bid for his services in 09'.

Let us look at what we think will happen and why.

1. Atlanta will sign Glavine for somewhere in the range $3.3-4.6M (including incentives) for 1 year. I expect Glavine will be our 4th starter ahead of Kawakami until our Japanese hero gets used to the big time.

2. Will Ohman will be bid bye-byes, sadly for those "Big Lebowski" fans amongst us. Yes I admit to being a huge "Dude", "Ohman" and Coen Brothers fan; not to mention also that Jeff Bridges is my favorite actor (go see Starman folks, you will understand why).

3. Jorge Campillo, with that nasty-smasty change up (which lefties hate) and JoJo (Lefty) Reyes will be sent to the bull-pen and one or both will also platoon with Kawakami as 5th starter in case Kenshin tires post July.

4. We will trade some pitching and maybe a more minor prospect somewhere for a hitter, at this time probablyfor the Yankees Swisher (god knows why as I think he sucks) but that is the word on Bravo Street. Also, why did those idiots sign him (Swisher) knowing they would pay a bazillion for the highly over-rated over-paid overly self-righteous TEXEIRA (boo).

5. The rotation on starting day will be;

1. Derek Lowe - he of the nasty sinker and devastating finish to 2008
2. Javier Vazquez - he of the most MLB strikeouts since 2005
3. Jair Jurrjens - he of the 13 win rookie season who many have compared to a former HOF calibre Bravo (Mad dog)
4. Tom Glavine - he of the 305 wins and gutsy gutsy attitude
5. Kenshin Kawakami - he of the nasty cutter and 12/6 curveball

Now that is a great rotation if ever I have seen one, not one at any one position (except Lowe) that will make hitters terrified but one ACROSS THE BOARD that will grind down opposition offences.

If we translate Vazquez to pitchers park with his "stuff" we will see a 15+ winner with many many Ks. In fact outside of possible Lincecum and Santana, I expect Javier to head NL strikeouts in 2009.

Why Should We Pay for Tommy?

Glavine is a renowned warrior, a modern day gladiator who has battled injury and until 2008, he famously had NEVER been on the DL.

Glavine is a touch pitcher, a craftsman, a thinking man's gun. Tommy uses away away away and then pounds you inside with a modest yet pinpoint fastball and his changeup is devastating.

Glavine uses his brain and determination to outwill the hitters.

At only 42, with a brand new elbow to boot, this great man should have a few more seasons in him.

Screw It - We are in A Depression - How About $4M

I was the worst RF in baseball in 2008 but I did not give a rat's arse about trying to improve myself.

Oh pay me $4M in 2009 cause I am worth more than Ludwick, Ankiel, Kelly Johnson, ad infinitum but I do not give a rat's arse

I have changed my swing this winter but I do not give a rat's....

I have lost the 20lbs I put on last winter but I do not give a rat's...

There is a DEPRESSION in the real world but I do not give a rat's.....

How about $4M for a bad attitude, sure Jeff, where do I send that check ?

Oh - MAN ! - Please Be Signing the Dude

So 13 days left to pitcher and catchers time and "The Dude" still is not signed. Why oh why we ask.

Has Frank Wren and homeboy upstairs run out of loot, is Tommy G going to be more than $3M for the year, is it a leap year............... DOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Lets us look at what JJ Putz (well named fat fuck) cost the Mets to set-up the MOST OVERRATED closer in history (that'd be K-Rod)..... and we are balking at paying Will "most appearances for a Bravoooooo in 2008" Ohman a decent chunk of change...

Come on boys, lets offer Will a little more than our 1st offer and lock this "Dude" up already.

Casey Kotchman Signs

You little beauty.... arbitration was avoided by some nouse on both sides.

WTF am I talking about ?

Casey Kotchman - our Atlanta Braves, gold glove calibre 1st base man. I for one GUARANTEE, yes guarantte that the young Casey will rebound in 2009 (pending no family health problems) and put up some excellent offensive and top of the league defensive numbers.

TODAY, we the Atlanta Braves avoided arbitration by signing Casey to a $2.88 Million deal.

Excellent news all around.

Now, let us look at what happens in all things BRAVO, in 2009.

To start 2008 (and 2007 for that matter) Atlanta lead the National League until MANY PITCHERS decided to roll up and die...... our injuries and 11-30 record in 1 RUN games, yes BLOODY 1 run games killed us !

2009 - The difference between the chokers (Mets), over-rateds and us is minimal...

Let us play the young studs, Anderson in LF with Diaz in a platoon, Schafer in CF and Frenchy in RF (maybe with a back-up in case 2009 is really 2008). Let us throw the awesome Tommy Hanson in at the deep end (as it were) and see if he swims with the big "White Pointers"

............ a lot of ifs and lot of heart will get us back to 1999 levels again

"SHAKE AND BAKE BRAVES"

So Kawakami is UNDERRATED

Having seen baseball games in many different countries and having played the game at a high level as a junior I am quite surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for Kenshin Kawakami.

"Kenny" has good stuff, just not in a fundamentally normal American way (remember one Greg Maddux was not a flame thrower either). Kawakami's best pitches are; a quite slow and nasty 12-6 curveball which "accelerates" his modest 88 mph fastball.

He also throws a type of shuto and a cutter which can be effective "out pitches".

The plan with this blog is to follow "Kenny" quite closely as he plays in his rookie MLB season and to post on any other things of note not limited to;

The Braves
Pitching
Food
Music
Movies
TV Shows
Being a Braves Fanatic in New York City
Travel

and pretty much anything I bloody well want to write about.

Which brings me to todays thoughts...

1. Wall Street has totally lost the plot and any semblance of connection to the real world.
2. Skip Bayliss is an old tool who needs to be taught some R-E-S-P-E-C-T (go Aretha)
3. I hate the bloody shitty cold NYC weather except when the border collie and I are in Central Park

Spring training starts in 15 days.... lets rock on BRAVES