Japanese pitcher a superstar at 20

Sydney: Japan's likely starting pitcher in their crucial opening game against the United States is already a superstar in Japan despite being barely out of his teens.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, who turned 20 two days ago, captivated the baseball-crazy country for a week in 1998 when he carried his Yokohama high school team to a national championship in the famed Koshien Tournament, a competition which is bigger than the Japan World Series.

After pitching throughout two early wins in the tournament, Matsuzaka pitched 17 innings to win in the quarter-finals and then returned the following day for the final inning to secure victory in the semi-finals.

He allowed no hits in the final the next day.

His performances would shock most coaches in the United States where they severely restrict the workload of young pitchers for fear of permanent arm injury.

On Friday, Japanese manager Kozo Otagaki declined to name his starting pitcher for Sunday's game, although there has been widespread speculation in the Japanese media that it would be Matsuzaka, who said he was ready for the start.

"If I'm told to pitch to the United States, I'm ready to pitch," he told a news conference.

He said playing in the Olympics has been his ambition.

"When I was in high school, I dreamt of playing in the Olympics and then I played professional ball," he said.

"I'm very excited to be given this opportunity and will do what I can to play well."

Matsuzaka, who boasts a fast ball clocking well over 90 miles per hour (145 km/h), was recruited straight into Japan's professional league with the Seibu Lions where he was the rookie of the year last season with a 16-5 record.

This season he has been a little less consistent and has a 12-7 record.Matsuzaka had said before he turned professional that he was thinking of waiting so he could play in the Olympics.

But he decided to sign with Seibu, which promised to allow him to make the trip to Sydney. Under Japan's professional system, after 10 years a player becomes a free agent and can sign with a US team, which means Matsuzaka would be just 28.

But there have also been worries that his heavy pitching schedule -- in Japan pitchers throw a lot more than their counterparts in the United States -- may burn out his arm.



(c) Reuters Limited.