Dice-K is currently out of the starting rotation. Now what? He is pitching terribly. I saw him pitch recently in Minnesota, and even though I was 30 rows up I could still see we do not have last year’s Dice-K. He gives up walks, but not the calculated walk he use to. He’s missing his spots badly, and his stuff is almost non-existent. His last start against his Japanese counterpart Kawakami was an absolute joke. He got hit by nearly every batter (or so it seemed). If I could make a prediction we will not see the old Dice-k in 2009. It will be a while before he is back to form.
The Red Sox say it is health related, I’m not so sure. Japanese pitchers start out with tricky stuff the first couple years, then they get figured out and they get worn out by different pitching schedules and systems. I think Dice-K should get some rest on the DL and then be put in the bullpen, or if the Red Sox can handle it and it doesn’t hurt his ego send him to the Pawsox (this seems like a last resort option) I kind of like the suggestion of Bob ryan, Get him into a japanese pitching mindset, accommodate his background and style, after all the Red Sox have loads of money invested in the guy.
But Dice-K is gonna be long story not just an overnight problem. We will have to wait if we want to see the old Dice-K. Time will tell if it is worth the wait.