"Straight Talk" is a regular feature in which The Sporting Tribune's John E. Gibson offers a full translation of media availability with Dodgers Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. He will also help translate when Lakers star Rui Hachimura and LA Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida are asked questions in Japanese.
The job of interpreters in the heat of the moment is difficult without the ability to write down questions and answers and re-hear responses for proper context. That's where John comes in to help.
John currently works as a Japanese-English interpreter and covered pro baseball in Japan for about 20 years. His experience as a sports reporter includes stints at The Orange County Register, The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, The Redlands Daily Facts, The Yomiuri Shimbun’s English newspaper in Tokyo and The Epoch Times.
DENVER -- Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki expresses frustration over not being able to get through five innings or keep the Dodgers in the lead after he allows three runs in 4.2 innings on Sunday in a 9-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Sasaki allows seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts for a no-decision that sees
his ERA go to 6.11.
Q: Roki, first time through the order you were efficient and it seemed like the stuff was in a really good spot. Considering how aggressive this team is, what adjustment did you see them make second time through the order?
Sasaki: Well, the first time through, they were swinging early in the count, and I was basically throwing a lot of fastballs, and they were going after them. The second time around, I started mixing in offspeed pitches – they were mostly forkballs – and there were some good ones and some that got away from me.
Q: Did you find you changed your game plan to them, or do you think they changed their game plan to you?
Sasaki: I didn’t do anything different in particular as far as the game plan goes. I threw according to the pregame meeting.
Q: Do you feel like you’ve been able to keep making strides, or do you feel like you’re kind of in the same spot for the last couple of starts here overall, production-wise?
Sasaki: I’ve been making adjustments the whole time. But, over a week, it’s about how much I can change in a limited time. It’s also about looking at the long run, and then what adjustment I can make quickly for the next start coming. It comes down to one or the other, and that’s how I’m making adjustments.
Q: Are you more frustrated with the results or satisfied with the progress?
Sasaki: Well, they were swinging early in the count and I was able to keep my number of pitches down and get through some innings. But with the way I was pitching and the fact that we had three runs on the board, I should’ve been able to hold on to the lead before coming off the mound.
Q: Do you feel like you didn’t go to the offspeed early because you didn’t have a good feel for it, or is that because they were attacking the fastball early?
Sasaki: Well, the catcher has his ideas, so during the game we discuss things and I just throw the pitch that’s we think is best for each particular situation. That’s more important than the results, and that stuff will change.