"Overall, if I have the chance, I will pitch that ball."
And that was it.
With that answer, or maybe that question, Matsuzaka finished his 40-minute Fort Myers introduction to the media, a press conference that showed a sly sense of humor to go along with an engaging personality that hardly required an understanding of Japanese. He looked at ease, confidence coming through in his answers, and a ready smile flashing in the session conducted at a temporary podium just beyond the third base dugout at City of Palms Park in front of approximately 150 members of the media.
Perhaps the most notable part of the press conference -- outside of his answers to baseball questions -- was the English Matsuzaka appeared to pick up on. Before thanking the media, in English, Matsuzaka seemed to react to things said by Sekiguchi, once adding to an answer during her translation. Matsuzaka said he has been learning English, and he seems to be a quick learner. That should help in mound conferences with catcher Jason Varitek, manager Terry Francona, and pitching coach John Farrell, though Farrell has been learning Japanese.
"In order to get along well with my teammates, communication is very important," Matsuzaka said. "I would like to learn English and I am learning English right now as we speak."
He's also just getting used to Fort Myers and spring training. After his workouts in Southern California at the offices of agent Scott Boras, Matsuzaka indicated his arm was at the stage at which, in Japan, it would normally be at this point in the season, throwing to batters. That sets him ahead of some of his fellow pitchers, some of whom are scheduled to arrive today.
The other pitchers, of course, mostly won't have the same pressure. They're not the signing of the season, the heralded import from Japan, the one with dozens of media outlets following his every move.
They're not the ones who cost the Red Sox $103 million.
"The scale of the contract does not determine how I play baseball," Matsuzaka said. "I feel responsibility a little bit, but I am not pressured.
