Kei Igawa shuts down the best hitting team and critics

This article was originally posted on Yankees Daily

Kei Igawa shuts down the best hitting team, shuts down critics

With all the terrible press Kei Igawa has received from his failures as a Yankee, he has done pretty well in Scranton. In his last 10 outings in the regular season, he has gone 6-2 with a 3.15 era and in the playoffs last night, he was even better giving up 1 earned run in 7 innings against the best hitting team in the International league. On top of it, it was a Red Sox team he pitched against and being a Yankee, there’s always pressure when you face a Red Sox team. The Red Sox team he faced last night is loaded with talent. The Pawtucket Red Sox’s hitting dominated the league this year. Their hitting led the league in almost every category and Igawa pitched lights out against them. The Yankees should give Igawa another chance on the major league level before the year is over. I’m not sure how much longer the minor league playoffs will be but if he could even get one start in for the Yankees, then do it.

You have to give Igawa credit for not folding it up and calling it a day. I thought he’d never pitch well again but he proved himself by being named Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees Pitcher of the Year. Even with the contract he signed with the Yankees he’s still out there trying to prove he belongs. It seems to me that he “does” have the mental fortitude to pitch on the major league level.

What an awesome feeling that must have been, being a fan in the stands watching Igawa send the side down in order in four of his last five innings and retiring the last 10 batters he faced. He looks very small in stature when I’ve seen him pitch but he’s actually 6’1, 210 lbs. He doesn’t look like he’s that big. That has to be a mistake. He looks pretty skinny too. I’m sure Cashman, who has been a failure in every way for the Yankees as a general manager is happy about Igawa’s performance. For now though, Igawa is the man.