Tensions Mount up Between Two Best Baseball Players of Asia

The war of words has broken out between Korea’s best hitter、Lotte Marines Lee

Seung-yeop，28 years old, and Japan’s best pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka, 24 years old, the ace of Seibu Lions and is heating up Japan...

Matsuzaka shot the first salve when he said in an interview with Sports Nippon, “It is important to forestall Lee in the first game.” He added, “My revenge will come at the season opener in Seibu Dome, my home turf, on March 27.”

He went on saying as if he still had a score to settle with Lee, “I will make Lee preempt his appearance from any games in which I take the mound.”

The reason why Matsuzaka keeps on stroking his fighting spirit against Lee is due to his painful memory about him and the 2002 Sydney Olympics. Matsuzaka, who pitched in a preliminary match and the playoffs, had five strikeouts and gave up two hits to Lee. However, the two hits he gave up were the game-deciding ones. He allowed a two-run homerun in the preliminary game. The two-base hit Lee made against him in the playoffs reversed the score just as a sword being stabbed in the Japanese pitcher’s heart.

This, however, was merely the record of Matsuzaka as a rookie. Although Lee became Asia’s homerun king last year with 56 homeruns in a season, Matsuzaka racked up a more impressive track record. He was the Rookie of the Year of the Pacific League in 1999. He has been the opening pitcher for five years in a row. Last year, he posted 16 wins and seven losses with a 2.83 ERA.

Lee, who trains himself by day and analyzes Japanese pitchers at night with video clips, said, “Matsuzaka’s speed, control as well as curve balls are just breathtaking.” Lee added, “He pitches lightly and at the same time powerfully.”

Asked about Matsuzaka’s provocative remarks, Lee answered, “We competed in two games in Sydney, which can be the frame of reference.” “We will see,” he said resolutely.

Who will win round two? All depends on whether Lee can conquer the Japanese islands or not.

Hwan-Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com