Brad Lefton, Reporter followed Japanese Baseball

Tonight at Fenway Park it is the second meeting of who knows how many there will be lifetime it is the second meeting have. Daisuke Matsuzaka against Ichiro Suzuki a matchup that apparently based on what we read and heard brings the entire country of Japan to complete total standstill. Joining us on the line right now is a guy uniquely qualified to discuss this he has covered Japanese base a baseball in Japan and America inner beauty to -- in Japanese by the way he's bilingual covers Ichiro on the mariners for the Japanese media its name is brad left and brad it's -- Michael how aria.

Good morning I'm grateful I would bet that what what a terrific build up.

up now liners and -- to give a graduation speech now.

I mean they you do the you do PR.

I can't if you want it. You know first things first how did you come to the point where you decided you know what I think I'll learn Japanese.

Well I really I really didn't I didn't give you credit planned. They have embark on a career like I did I discussed solid from saint Louis that worked in Sports Radio there and I went to Japan kind of on a -- not knowing anything about it never having studied. Japan -- Asia any time in my life good. I stay there awhile like that I you know I -- in. Doing an interview with the American players who over the air and sending him back to the state. And one thing led to another and I ended up staying in Japan or. For about eight years and working at Sports Radio -- sports television yourself that was -- that was back in the mid. 90s when the noble. Came here for the first time in 95 and I saw it from the Japanese perspective because I was working as forced television there then. And then. And I came back to -- that was just a natural because all of the you know after Nomo in his sixth best. He opened the floodgates and they all started coming after that.

braddock -- from your article before this before the first time. Daisuke met Ichiro here and it's not like each row. He's not like a whole I was thinking man that I didn't realize he talked like this so in that that leads me to this question. We all project and to what we think each row is what we think Daisuke his personality wise you know because you actually talk to them. How would you describe both of these guys.

Well he'd beat you though is is exactly I think the way that he. Would come across and a quote like that he's very. He's very thoughtfully very insightful about the game and he's very he's very specific. And he's very much chooses his words in -- way together. Is word in this spot. A lot of meaning I mean he's not that it about a guy who who participate in the you know what you would call that the that the standard locker room interview. Stock he really he really get into get hit it pretty different interview he really get into the interview and he really get yet a lot of insight. Slip up or die in his approach again.

How well how about it.

Well I have to say I have to you know -- that that cap on that one because I don't I have not really followed him closely like I have to go and really the only he's the only time that I really ever had any experience than it was in the WBC last year and really outside of data that seem to pitch in Japan a couple of times I haven't really followed him like I had Biggio got I mean in general I would I would say that the Japanese players tend to be a pretty spot all bunched who say they approach the game and the and the key is to. Given an environment where you can actually get him to express --

We've only just begun to experience what the Japanese media onslaught is like surrounding Daisuke you've seen its surrounding Ichiro for awhile now. How does he handle it on a day to day basis.

Well this is so this -- each of those seven years so the I guess the you know it. In his first years Seattle with a lot like it is here in Boston it's probably more pronounced than Boston because -- about that thing a pitcher everybody knows when it's time to that descend upon Boston. -- led an Ichiro -- it was you know a 162 games of people would ever there was there was that constant attention. But there are also people coming and going here at all descend upon Boston you know from the day before. See that big game the next the next day. What Ichiro does need ED Ichiro has handled it. Fabulously I think he got into what -- really what he did work that that I thought was was most impressive to me. Was in the early going the first -- victory years he was. Very standoffish two. The media because. You know he was attracting all the attention but he didn't feel that he had done anything over here yet to deserve the attention. So it is I think his approach was I'm not going to feed into the media frenzy of tell I'd done something. In Major League Baseball bat you know thought -- established record over here that I feel is worthy some attention. So really what in the itself every season has 200 hit. Or maybe not even go after the fourth season which is when he broke George hustlers. Single season hits record with 262 really what the thought that point. That he started open up a little more.

Well brad we know that Ichiro is a great player an MVP. We know that Hideki Matsui is a very good player Daisuke looked like he -- be a pretty good pitcher. Host next in the pipeline who's come on over from Japanese baseball that we haven't heard who could be the next sensation whether -- in 2008 or 2009.

Well others there's a lot of players there's a pitcher where's the would erosion name crew broke down. -- very the stock about wanted to come over here but I'm not exactly sure when he's. When -- up first created to -- his contract status there's another bid they have tight about. Beyond does this free agent year but he was really good pitcher who talked about wanted to come over here at the pitcher would. The Softbank hawks who was on the WBC team named lob up that he's young and he's still. A couple of years outs from free agency but you know that he's been talking about wanting to come oh wow there's some thought that. The team would. Would let them out of you know -- would let him come early like it guess what post them really early like let -- at -- over here also. A batter who was on the WB 18 name who could domain I think she thought people you know that. He might come over next year he's an outfielder power hitting outfielder there's a pitcher on the the meatball ham fighters who is not on the WBC -- of the young. I think he's in his third season the name is garbage that -- staff is half Japanese and half. Middle Eastern cut. And he has been really dynamic that you that you he years whoever it is that he's somebody adult talked about wanted to come over and interestingly enough as manager it is one of the four American managing over there trade --

We know how big a deal Daisuke Matsuzaka was and is in Japan. How big a deal was Hideki -- team over there.

When he was playing over there now -- yeah -- know when he went when he was playing Japan. Well he was today you know if he played I think 12 seasons for Yomiuri giants which would be the Yankees the red dot Japanese baseball so he was you know is -- I profile I will buyout team for. The 12 even then I think they want to championships they had a pretty good ride and then his that it final season. With the the fighters. In them. In one season there they won their first championship at 44 years hope Kate thought himself thought -- broke out situation -- contributed to those I think that he you know he was he was always seen as good as good solid that your good contributor to visit the successes of the teams that. I didn't -- But you know he's he was the it wasn't a starter anyone in the academic guy like that much about or like the guy who I just mentioned the young guy Irish who have gone it was a teammate last year and want one of the real in the starting pitchers that let oh regiment. Team the fighters of the championship last.

Final question before we let you go we know that the Japan basically shuts down when Daisuke pitches they show his games live on TV day or night. Well let's continue on after this year is that just kind of a novelty of of his first season in the major leagues.

Article all that well I mean I think it is there's definitely the novelty factor right now now you know now be they'll be interesting to see even what happens -- What happens to -- intentioned after today's game because -- today's game I mean you really had. All of the major current event that is first this first game his first game at Fenway that is first. This first encounter with Ichiro. If Adam play the Yankees here and there and I haven't the second encounter with Ichiro so let -- in terms of -- excitement building of that. I don't know what left but I think that the -- beat the interest will. Kerry through this season the very high level and you know over it might subsided. Next year a little bit but I think there will always be a high level interest in what he's doing over here.

Brad we really appreciate taken a few minutes they help us pennant deciding figure out our own mind with this is all about we knew you were destined for great things when I heard that she wants. Collected sound for Ted surrender it's at this radio station. I mean I -- your career off to a roaring start

I can't believe that you didn't make the Japanese connection to -- just not alone for a fact that Bradley appreciate time thank you. -- you very much take him doctor yeah.

Our -- thank you Pratt left in Seattle times he thought up freelance reporter based in saint Louis. One of those interesting things where he's on the Japanese media talking about American baseball. -- writing in American media talking about Japanese players so he's kind of got all the bases covered