Other than 2020 (when the baseball seams were dramatically changed and masa lost his splitter) he was untouchable in the postseason. Can only imagine the type of pitcher he would’ve been if he never injured his elbow in 2014 or if he had decided to get tommy John instead of rehabbing it the way he did
@@kneebarx for 2020 yes because when he went back to Japan he found it again. I think if he was playing in MLB this year or last year (when they went back to the old seams) he would have gone back to his post 2014 self again. My disappointment overall though is I think him choosing not to get Tommy John (while it let him get back to the mound faster) hurt him in the long run as he lost some of the zip he had on his other pitches. If had gotten Tommy John he probably would have had an even better arm then the one we saw at the start of his career with the Yankees. Hind sight is 20/20 but we now all would’ve preferred masa to have missed 2015 and part of 2016 if it meant he had a better arm for 2017-2020
@@skl4189 exactly! when he didn’t get the Tommy John surgery all he did was just dial back to Fastball and throw a ton of sliders. that’s what I thought about the balls that his splitter will come back once they return the baseballs back to normal they wouldnt fly out as home runs all the time either
@@skl4189 if that is the case then Yankee should really think aboutb resigning him again if it’s possible they need a bona fide number two with playoff experience. not sure if I trust Severino Cortez Montgomery taillon as a number two
This man was always an amazing pitcher, but come playoff time it was something else. It was almost as if the pressure and importance “elevated” his game. He was better in the playoffs always. He literally has the Kobe mentality when it comes to being a pitcher. If someone were to ask me the definition of “clutch,” I’d show them this
This dude would be the guy you'd go to in the postseason and shut the other team down. You tell him shut them down and he would. He was filthy in the postseason. What was worse than facing regular season tanaka? Postseason tanaka looking to win it all.
He always turned it up in the big games, miss him in pinstripes
Something about this guy. Just loved watching him get pumped and dominate in October. Was such a stud when it mattered
Most times he loses a lot games is due to the offense not showing up most of the times, that’s just the down side of great pitchers. Need run support
Just watching this now, I want him back...
Other than 2020 (when the baseball seams were dramatically changed and masa lost his splitter) he was untouchable in the postseason. Can only imagine the type of pitcher he would’ve been if he never injured his elbow in 2014 or if he had decided to get tommy John instead of rehabbing it the way he did
when his fastball was in the high 90s he was unhittable
do u think it was the change in the balls that caused him to lose his splitter
@@kneebarx for 2020 yes because when he went back to Japan he found it again. I think if he was playing in MLB this year or last year (when they went back to the old seams) he would have gone back to his post 2014 self again. My disappointment overall though is I think him choosing not to get Tommy John (while it let him get back to the mound faster) hurt him in the long run as he lost some of the zip he had on his other pitches. If had gotten Tommy John he probably would have had an even better arm then the one we saw at the start of his career with the Yankees. Hind sight is 20/20 but we now all would’ve preferred masa to have missed 2015 and part of 2016 if it meant he had a better arm for 2017-2020
@@skl4189 exactly! when he didn’t get the Tommy John surgery all he did was just dial back to Fastball and throw a ton of sliders. that’s what I thought about the balls that his splitter will come back once they return the baseballs back to normal they wouldnt fly out as home runs all the time either
@@skl4189 if that is the case then Yankee should really think aboutb resigning him again if it’s possible they need a bona fide number two with playoff experience. not sure if I trust Severino Cortez Montgomery taillon as a number two
1:51 is just ridiculously nasty. Nastiest swing and miss I've ever seen
Tanaka was everything we thought "I Rob You" would be and more. R.I.P Hideki Irabu
This man was always an amazing pitcher, but come playoff time it was something else. It was almost as if the pressure and importance “elevated” his game. He was better in the playoffs always. He literally has the Kobe mentality when it comes to being a pitcher. If someone were to ask me the definition of “clutch,” I’d show them this
Arguably the best postseason pitcher in recent Yankees history.
what a legend!
Tanaka was absolute money in the playoffs
Masa and El Duque will be yankee legends forever becsuse bigtime postseason stuff.
LEGEND
Something makes me think he would've been helpful in the ALCS this year. But then again the offense was the major problem. I miss my hero Masahiro
This dude would be the guy you'd go to in the postseason and shut the other team down. You tell him shut them down and he would. He was filthy in the postseason. What was worse than facing regular season tanaka? Postseason tanaka looking to win it all.
sayonara tanaka :'(
やっぱりメジャーでもう一度みたい
One of my favorite Yankees