Tanaka strikes out 11 as Yankees beat Angels

Lookin' pretty good so far, huh? Well worth the $155 mil.

Nothing is worth $155 million, but he is indeed doing a pretty wicked job so far.

Impressive. Lets hope he keeps up his performance and still be modest.

I watched the game on TV. . Tanaka's pitches, balls went strike zone, but Angels power hitters had hard time in connecting. Angels bullpen are awful again. I stopped watching when Tanaka was replaced thinking Angels bullpen would screw up like at Washinton National's last game. I was right, Yankees won. One time, pitching instructor visited mound accompanied by an interpreter. Then all infielders gathered. Then game went on. Angels announcer said Tanaka pitched 167 one day and next day he was ready to pitch then he was told that in USA, pitchers do not play 2 days in row. But I will see how Tanaka will perform when Yankees visit Angels field. How he can do in warm Anaheim. .

I didn't understand what you wrote Toshiko! Tanaka's pitches, balls went strike zone, Umm confusing!

@Toshiko

Tanaka's pitch count was around 100 at 6-1/3 inning when he left the game. Actually, Angels pitcher Richards has some nasty pitches and had command on his 96mph fastball. Richards look unhittable. Tanaka didn't look like he had command of his pitches and continously getting behind the hitters. MLB hitters will learn to lay off the forkball, which is usually his strikeout pitch that is out of the strike zone and concentrate on one pitch, and that is his flat hittable low 90's fastball.

@kamiyachi: I didn't understand what you wrote Toshiko! Tanaka's pitches, balls went strike zone, Umm confusing!

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

When Tanaka was throwing 90 plus miles speed balls, it just stayed on strike zone and Angels batters just miss or watched and umpire caled strike. And video replay display how the ball fooled the batter by showing square box next to batters. Usually we see ball drops out of square box. But Angels batters miss and Tanaka thrown balls went to catchers mitt directly. Best recause Angles did was waliking instead of missing. Trout did not do well. Pujols did not either. They were expected to hit homer but they did not.

Thanks Toshiko! :) :) :)

sfjp330APR. 29, 2014 - 05:35AM JST @Toshiko

Tanaka's pitch count was around 100 at 6-1/3 inning when he left the game. Actually, Angels pitcher Richards has some nasty pitches and had command on his 96mph fastball. Richards look unhittable. Tanaka didn't look like he had command of his pitches and continously getting behind the hitters. MLB hitters will learn to lay off the forkball, which is usually his strikeout pitch that is out of the strike zone and concentrate on one pitch, and that is his flat hittable low 90's fastball.

thats a ridiculous assumption. you can't just lay off a specific pitch just like that. and no he did not continuously get behind on the batters. he did walk 4 BUT he struck out 11! you dont put up those strikeout numbers if you're continuously falling behind the hitters. its plain obvious you didnt watch the game.

gerger Apr. 30, 2014 - 05:44AM JST thats a ridiculous assumption. you can't just lay off a specific pitch just like that. and no he did not continuously get behind on the batters. he did walk 4 BUT he struck out 11! you dont put up those strikeout numbers if you're continuously falling behind the hitters. its plain obvious you didnt watch the game.

You have to remember that this was the first time Angels faced Tanaka. Alot of the Angels with two strikes strucked out mostly by swinging out of strike zones. If Angels were more patient by laying off the forkball pitch at two and two or full count, Tanaka would've walked maybe six or seven hitters. Tanaka just didn't have command of his pitches like Richards did. Maybe it was a cold night and couldn't grip the ball properly. The real test for Tanaka is what happens when Angels face him for the second time.

It's hard to lay off a forkball because it starts off looking like a fastball. And with Tanaka's low 90s fastball, you don't realize what it is until the bottom drops out of it. Two thirds of all strikeouts swinging are balls out of the strike zone. Batters will start to evolve around his style so he'll have to change as well. Maybe bringing more fastballs on 2 strike counts instead of relying on his forkball. Strikeouts are cool. but they get the pitch count up. Tanaka, Dice-K, Darvish, and Iwakuma have all failed to pitch a complete game in MLB.

Maybe Angels young power hitters will be ready when they face to Yankees in May, Yankees batters were excellent, too. Angles bull pen members were not good again. If Angels power swingers can do homer toward Tanaka pitch in Anaheim, that will be fan to watch. I don;t know how Yankees will do in warm Anaheim where pine-tars are never used.