岡島のデビュー戦もまずまず

MLB HPより抜粋。
With the day filled with buzz for Daisuke Matsuzaka's impending debut, another pitcher from Japan quietly made his first appearance in a Boston uniform.

Though there was some interest in Hideki Okajima's first Grapefruit League inning, it's safe to say that the reliever was safely under the radar of Matsuzaka-mania.

While Matsuzaka was on deck for Friday's nightcap against Boston College, Okajima breezed through a perfect inning against the Blue Jays during the matinee.

Overshadowed by Matsuzaka? No problem, said Okajima, who came up with a perfect one-liner.

"I am willing to be a hero in the dark," Okajima said through his interpreter.

The Red Sox did not sign Okajima so that he could be Matsuzaka's travel companion. They did so because they think he can be an important cog in their bullpen.

Okajima, who signed with the Red Sox for two years plus an option for 2009 on Nov. 30, offered a glimpse of what he might add, getting two of his outs on curveballs and the third on a fastball.

"I was very nervous and very excited," said Okajima. "Until I got one batter out, my nervousness continued. After I got one more out, I felt better."

The Red Sox weren't reading anything into it either way.

"[It was a] veteran left-hander getting his first inning of Spring Training," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "He spun a couple of breaking balls, one he left up, a couple he threw OK to left-handers. It's an inning getting back acclimated to competition, just like everybody else."

The 30-year-old Okajima is a veteran of 439 games in Japanese professional baseball, going 34-32 with a 3.36 ERA.

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岡島は期待されていないので、余程活躍しなければ記事にならない。