Igawa Sucks

It's laughable to think how the Yankees signed Kei Igawa to try and match the Red Sox getting Dice-K. I'll argue Dice-K isn't nearly as good as he's perceived but even Sydney Ponson holds his own against Igawa. But at least Kei was always good in Japan and has that to fall back on right? Pete Abraham posted today about why Kei isn't involved in the WBC for Japan:

The WBC is a huge deal in Japan. Reportedly tens of thousands of people showed up to watch their national team practice about 10 days ago. They’ve been getting ready for three weeks and it would hardly be a surprise if they defend their title.

Meanwhile Kei Igawa toils away here for the Yankees, unwanted and unloved. He’ll probably be in the Scranton rotation.

One of the Japanese reporters in Tampa covering Hideki Matsui was asked why Igawa was not considered for the WBC roster. He searched for the right words.

“They think … he is not so good,” the man said.

I'm sorry but that's pathetic. Not on the reporter, just how Igawa's star (if he ever had one) has fallen. About 2.5 years ago Igawa was considered one of the better pitchers in Japan, and now he can't even make the Japanese WBC roster. A Japanese reporter isn't going to want to embarass his own country mate let alonea teammate of the man he's covering (Matsui), and the best he could say was that? That's pretty harsh.