There are times when Tadahito Iguchi will look like a rookie by swinging wildly and missing a high and outside fastball.
But more often Iguchi has played like a veteran with the experience of eight professional seasons in Japan. More important, he has learned to adjust with impressive results.
Two months into the regular season, Iguchi, 30, has gone from being a question mark to the White Sox’s most dependable player.
And a 2005 American League Rookie of the Year candidate.
“I don’t really think about personal awards too much,” Iguchi said through an interpreter. “With this being my first year, I just want to do my best, and if we have good results, we’ll all be happy.”
Iguchi has batted over .300 since April 26, when he had three hits at Oakland. That also served as a night when Iguchi would have to accept the tougher style of play in the U.S.
Iguchi suffered a right knee bruise when the Athletics’ Scott Hatteberg slid into him trying to break up a double play in the second inning. Since then, Iguchi has become more aware of the more aggressive style that wasn’t always prevalent with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League.
He also has gained a big fan in Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announcer Rex Hudler, a former major-league infielder who spent the 1993 season with the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League before returning to the U.S. and becoming a more polished player.
“The hardest thing for me [in Japan] was guys not sliding hard into second,” Hudler said. “I’m sure he’s getting used to the physical play here.”
Iguchi downplayed the adjustments he has had to make since coming over from Japan. His wife and daughter have joined him, and he’s getting more familiar with Chicago.
But on the field, Hudler believes playing in Japan has helped Iguchi become a more effective player for the role he’s asked to fill with the Sox as their No. 2 hitter.
“He’s going to be successful like Ichiro [Suzuki],” Hudler said. “They’re well-schooled in fundamentals like we should be here. They teach it as soon as they start playing baseball.”
The biggest issue may end up being whether voters from the Baseball Writers Association of America evaluate Iguchi as a rookie or slight him because of his past professional experience in Japan.
THEDEBATE
Case for
Tadahito Iguchi qualifies under BBWAA Rookie of the Year rules that state a player must have fewer than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the majors during a previous season or seasons and hasn’t accumulated more than 45 days on a major-league roster during the 25-man player limit, excluding any time on the disabled list.
Iguchi wasn’t allowed to play in the U.S. until he qualified for free agency in Japan.
Case against
Iguchi had played 894 games and had 3,175 at-bats in a high-level professional league in Japan.
