Devils Rays Iwamura earning his gills, early
By The Heckler
Baseball Big Mouth
baseball blog
For those Major League Baseball fans who feel this year’s Japanese import story begins and ends with the Boston Red Sox’ Daisuke Matsuzaka, heres a heads-up to what is going on down in Tampa Bay – where the Devil Rays appear to have landed a big catch of their own from the same Pacific waters.
Akinori Iwamura has just finished his first week in the big leagues – and what a week it was. Thus far, he is hitting an even .500 through six games (including one homerun and three RBI) to go with seven runs scored, five walks and two stolen bases. In fact, average-wise, he is off to the fastest start ever by any Japanese import, ahead of players such as Ichiro (.417 with Mariners in 2001); Tsuyoshi Shingo (.400 with the Mets in 2001); Tadahito Iguchi (.389 with the White Sox in 2005); Kenji Johjima (.333 with the Mariners in 2006); Kaz Matsui (.316 with the Mets 2004); and Hideki Matsui (.304 with the Yankees in 2003).
A six-time Golden Glove winner with the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Central League, the 27-year-old Iwamura brought a lifetime .300 average with him to MLB this year, along with 188 homeruns and 570 RBI in 977 games amassed over a ten years career. The 5’-9”, 175 lbs. Iwamura signed a three-year deal with Tampa Bay in the off-season – outbidding the Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres, a signing all but lost amid the Matsuzaka hype. The D-Rays paid only $4.5 million for the right to negotiate a contract, then promptly signed Iwamura to a deal worth $1.8 million in 2007, $2.4 million in 2008 and $3.25 million in 2009. Tampa Bay holds a $4.25 million option for the 2010 season or a $250,000 buyout. Of note, Iwamura was also the starting third baseman for the winning Japanese squad at last year’s World Baseball Classic.
While writing for MLB.com, Iwamura explains the joy he felt after playing a huge part in the Devil Rays exciting, come-from-behind victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in their home opener, by getting four hits (including his first homerun) and scoring the winning run :
“We were down 5-3 going into the ninth inning, but Delmon Young hit a two-run home run to tie the game. I was up next and executed a bunt toward third base and made it safely to first. Elijah Dukes followed with a single and then B.J. Upton got an infield hit and I scored the winning run. We were celebrating so excitedly that my teammates fell on top of me. I was the smallest and I was on the bottom of the pile. It was awesome. Then, when I was talking with the American press in the clubhouse after the game, one of my teammates, James Shields, shoved a shaving cream pie in my face. It is ritual that the Devil Rays players like to do after a win. What a great way to end the evening and my first game at Tropicana Field.”
Indeed. And what a great way to start a career. Incidentally, Iwamura follows former big-leaguer Hideo Nomo as the second Japanese player ever to suit-up in the regular season for the Rays. Finally . . . Akinori Iwamura . . . a reason to watch more D-Rays games!