Dice-K is going back to Japan, so let's send him off with a song about a gyroball
Send Dice-K off with a song about gyroballs
After eight seasons in MLB, Daisuke Matsuzaka will be returning to NPB. This week, the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, winners of the 2014 Japan Series -- not to be confused with the Japan All-Star Series -- announced they had signed the 34-year-old righty.
When Dice-K first came to American shores, it was hard to separate the rumors from the truth. If you believed everything you heard about him, you'd think he was a baseball wizard who threw a mythical pitch called the gyroball that only paladins and those truly pure of heart could hit.
Though an actual "gyroball" might not exist, there's some truth to the second part of that claim:
In his 2007 MLB debut with the Red Sox, he struck out 10. In Game 3 of that year's World Series, he helped Boston beat the Rockies, 10-5. But most importantly, the Red Sox released their version of a "NOW" album, and it was all about Dice-K:
Image courtesy allmusic.com.
Including songs by Duran Duran and LL Cool J, there's also an original track called, you guessed it, "Gyroball," featuring Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo. To listen, click here and scroll about three-quarters of the way down.
We can only hope that a similar rockin' harmonica anthem will greet him in Japan, where NPB is highly anticipating his return, especially perfect human Shohei Ohtani. He told the Japan Times:
Now that's a matchup to look forward to.