Plenty of people aren’t sold on the idea of Daisuke Matsuzaka being a closer — including Matsuzaka.
After picking up the first save of his major league career in Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Cardinals, the Mets right-hander admitted he wasn’t looking to add to that total.
“I’m not trying to get saves,” Matsuzaka said through an interpreter following his scoreless ninth inning. “That’s not exactly what I want. But as a pitcher, I want to be that pitcher the team goes to when we’re in a tight game and we need to get out of the game.”
And with Bobby Parnell out for the season, Jose Valverde already having pitched his way out of the job and Kyle Farnsworth not always the most dependable option, manager Terry Collins said he would consider Matsuzaka for the role, at least occasionally.
“Farnsworth is still the guy,” the manager said. “But we might need somebody else at the end of the game, so I thought today was a good time to try [Matsuzaka]. Don’t be shocked if something should happen where he ends up pitching the ninth inning.”
On Thursday, Collins went to Matsuzaka primarily because he wanted to rest Farnsworth, who pitched three of the previous four days.
What makes the choice of Matsuzaka somewhat dicey is the length of time it takes him to get ready to pitch and his tendency to walk batters.
“I never really thought I could pitch out of the bullpen because I just take so long to prepare,” said Matsuzaka, who was glad he didn’t have to protect a one-run lead in his first closing opportunity. “Games like today, when you have a few-run [lead], it’s not a big deal if I walk someone. A closer, tighter situation can dictate the direction of the game, so you have to be careful and keep that in mind.”
Matsuzaka nearly courted trouble to begin the top of the ninth, when he fell behind Allen Craig 3-1 before getting him to line out to right. According to Anthony Recker, that represents the most significant differences between Matsuzaka this season from a year ago.
“That’s not the ideal way to start off the leadoff hitter when you’re up three runs, but that’s big,” the catcher said. “It’s going to happen sometimes, but being able to get back into the count with the fastball and then being able to use off-speed stuff is huge.”
Recker said he didn’t even know Matsuzaka would close until he entered the game, but believes he could thrive.
“When he gets ahead, he’s able to put guys away,” Recker said. “I think one of his biggest downfalls, at least what I know of last year, he’d get ahead of guys, but couldn’t put them away. They’d hang on and he’d walk him or they’d chip one in there. He’s been really sharp lately.”