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[Brad Jansen]

Tazawa ready to be solid part of Red Sox rotation

Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
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Lost in the shuffle amid Kevin
Youkilis<http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5375>'
meltdown was a very promising debut start from Junichi
Tazawa<http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=30095>,
who went five innings for the win against the Detroit
Tigers<http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=det>.
(He now has the tough-to-maintain decisions/games ratio of 1.)

Tazawa was nervous in the first inning and couldn't command his fastball or
get consistent break on his curveball, and his nerves were compounded by the
Keystone Kops routine by Dustin
Pedroia<http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6393>and
Nick
Green <http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5071> behind
him. After the first inning, his command improved, and in his final three
innings he pitched confidently and showed a sharper, more consistent curve,
mostly 72-78 mph, with good depth and a tighter break. His fastball is
average at 89-91 with a little tail, but it's flat and he's going to have to
locate it well. He also throws an above-average splitter at 79-81 mph with
good bottom, and he could stand to throw it more often, as it really looks
like the fastball out of his hand and should be a weapon against hitters on
both sides of the plate.

Tazawa's delivery looks odd and his arm action is long -- follow how far his
hand travels from when he takes it out of the glove until he brings it
forward toward his release point -- but it actually works well. He repeats
it, generates good momentum toward the plate and, aside from the length,
doesn't have any obvious problems in the delivery. The average fastball/plus
secondary stuff combination can work in a big league rotation, but where it
fits depends largely on command.

The Junichi Tazawa who threw in third, fourth and fifth innings on Tuesday
night would be a solid No. 3 starter in a good rotation, and if his
confidence builds off this outing he should be an asset to the Red Sox for
the rest of this season.


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