Sports Redux: Dice-K Debuts

Did pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka reveal his "Ultimate Galactic Dragon Gyroball Pitch Power Explosion" in the Red Sox game against Boston College?

No. But, in Dice-K's own - translated - words, he did okay. He played two innings, and a BC player scored a double off his very first pitch. (Did that player's stock go up, or what?) After that, Matsuzaka decided he wasn't going to mess around, and no one else scored.

Also, we were left with a question. What is the official nickname for Daisuke Matsuzaka? In a cruise of the local nightly news, we heard a few references to "D-Mat." "D-Mat"? We're all for innovation and going against the grain, but that's too close to "doormat," in our opinion. We're going to stick to "Dice-K" unless Mr. Matsuzaka himself chooses which nickname he prefers.

Oh, and other players besides Dice-K do exist. The other Japanese pitcher on the Red Sox, reliever Hideki Okajima, pitched well in a spring-training game against the Blue Jays. However, the Red Sox still lost, 9 to 6. Okajima is also great at dishing out the sound bites. He told reporters of his second-banana role under Dice-K: "I am willing to be a hero in the dark." Keep talking - or translating - like that, and you'll be a hero in the broad daylight!

In other sports, Corey Dillon was officially released from the Pats. He says he wants to retire, but we're curious to see what he'll do next.

Image of Dice-K looking downright gleeful as a Seibu Lion from robsjapanesecards.com.