While the rest of the rotation gets ready in Ft. Myers Dice-K will be training with the Japanese National team. The Red Sox are taking some precautions according to Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. From the Herald:
“I know a lot of national pride will be at stake in this setting and we want to respect any individual’s desire to pitch for his country…We have to do what’s consistent with our approach to getting a pitcher ready for the start of our season and mesh that with their approach….Technically speaking, do we have jurisdiction over that? No, but we can make our preferences known….He’s had two years with us now, he’s lived with the challenges of adapting to our approach and he’s more understanding of it. For him to have spring training over there rather than in Fort Myers under our watch, are the mega-bullpen sessions more likely to take place than otherwise?”
The Red Sox have struggled to get a handle on Dice-K’s approach. He throws far too many pitches in the early innings and shows fatigue latter in the game. Maybe the Japanese team can help him get past this, but more fatigue from pitching in the World Baseball Classic is not what the team needs.
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