What does it mean to wear a number in the 50s or 60's? Most of the time it means you are fighting for a job on the Yankees but in Japan it is a different story. It is an honor for a starting pitcher in Japan to have a number in the teens with 18 being most coveted.
In Boo Boo's (Hideki Irabu) first season with us he wore 35 and that did play head games with him. The next season he wore 14 which was more to his honor.So where am I going with this you may ask?
That brings me to Kei Igawa, he was issued number 29 upon arrival. As a matter of fact you can buy his 29 Jersey already. So you must be thinking, ahhh he must have had a number in the teens in Japan. Heck Dmat wore 18. Wrong again, he wore the same number 29 in Japan.
Was he always a starter in his home country? Or was he a swing man? I don't know alot about him. (Where is Zbi when I need him?) So as Jerry Seinfeld would say "What's Up With That?" Or better yet "How Good Is He?"
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