MASATO YOSHII IN 1999

MASATO YOSHII WITH THE NEW YORK METS IN 1999

National League Championship Series
1st game, Oct. 12
He gave up 2 runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Atlanta Braves. The Met's lost the 1st of the best of 7 series 4 to 2.
(This news was updated by Michiyo's assistant. Sorry, less information.)

Playoff
Yoshii starts Oct. 5
Yoshii won the privelege to start the playoff series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pitching against him was Randy Johnson. Until the 6th inning, Yoshii wasn't doing too bad. He's given up only 2 runs until then while the Mets lead by 2 points. However, Diamondbacks' Gonzalez blasted a 2 run homer to catch up with the Mets. Yoshii was taken off in 5 1/3 innings. The game contined a tie up to the 9th when Johnson was gone leaving bases loaded. Then Edgardo Alfonzo grand slammed. The Met's clinched the 1st of the best of 5 series 8 to 4.

1999 Season
29th game, September 30
Yoshii did well, He gave up only 2 runs in 6 2/3 innings. But the consequence of the game was not good. The Mets played into the 11th inning against the Atlanta Braves and lost 3 to 4. The defeat has weakened the Mets chance of going to the playoff. Meanwhile Yoshii finished the season with 12 wins and 8 losses.

28th game, September 24
Yoshii lost a run in the 4th inning to the Philadelphia Phillies. And that was all. In the next inning, he actually came home. The team was leading until he finished pitching 7 innings. But the Phillies turned the game around for a 3 to 2 win.

27th game, September 18
Yoshii supported himself. In the 5th inning, he drove in 2 runs. He was able to hurl 7 innings giving up only one run. He clinched the 11 to 1 game against the Philadephia Phillies for his 12th win.

26th game, September 10
Again, Yoshii did well. He gave up only 2 runs in 7 innings against the Dodgers. The Mets clinched a 6 to 2 victory, and Yoshii his 11th.

25th game, September 5
For the first time in the Major Leagues, Yoshii revved up his 10th win. He hurled 6 innings, struck out a record 9, and gave up 2 runs to the Colorado Rockies. The Mets won 6 to 2.

24th game, August 30
The Mets blasted-- especially Alfonso with 3 homers. And Yoshii held the Houston Astros to only 2 base hits and no runs in 6 innings. He collected his 9th win. The game finished 17 to 1.

23rd game, August 24
Yoshii gave up a home run. In the 7th inning Mike Piazza drove in a game tying homer. But Yoshii could not get further support. He pitcher 7 1/3 innings. And the game which resulted 5 to 1 for the Houston Astros was a no decision game for Yoshii.

22nd game, August 18
Yoshii hurled a distance. And he gave up only a run to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He clinched his 8th win in the 9 to 1 game.

21st game, August 13
Yoshii was back starting a game. He was homered by the San Francisco Giants twice. The total 3 runs he lost had cost him his 8th defeat. The Mets lost 2 to 3.

20th game, August 8
Yoshii was suddenly appointed to pitch from the middle of the 2nd inning, because the starting pitcher was injured. It's the 2nd time this season that he takes over from another. But he did a terrible job from the time he got on the mound. He lost a 3 run homer. Than in the 5th inning, he lost 2 runs. The Mets lost to the Dodgers 3 to 14.

19th game, July 30
Yoshii had a terrible time against the Chicago Cubs. Sammy Sosa was among those batting in from him. He homered. Yoshii got to hurl just 1 1/3 innings losing a whooping 7 runs. He said after the game that he's never pitched in 39 degrees celsius.

18th game, July 23
In the 1st inning, Sammy Sosa blasted a 3 run homer off Yoshii. At 2 other times Yoshii faced Sosa the same day, he managed to take him out. Yoshii hurled 5 1/3 innings, and lost a total 4 runs. In the 7th inning, Mike Piazza reversed the game with a single, so the game did not count against Yoshii. The Mets won 5 to 4.

17th game, July 18
Yoshii got enough time to give his weary body a break. And he was back starting against the Baltimore Orioles. The first up to bat, Rickey Henderson homered off him. But he held on until the 7th inning. That's when he lost more runs and had to leave the mound. Yoshii gave up 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings. The Mets won 8 to 6, and so did Yoshii at last was given a win. It's his 7th against 7th loss.

16th game, July 2
It must have been a nightmare for Yoshii. In just 3 innings, the Atlanta Braves blasted off him 8 runs. It's the worst ever performance for Yoshii. Those who relieved him were unable to stop the Braves. Meanwhile Greg Maddux was again Yoshii's opposing pitcher. Maddux kept the Mets from scoring at all.

15th game, June 27
Although Yoshii pitched well, he was not supported by his teammates. He hurled 7 innings giving up only a run to the Atlanta Braves. Even better was opposing pitcher Greg Maddux who shut out the Mets 1 to 0.

14th game, June 22
In the 1st inning, Yoshi succumbed to a 2 run homer. But then, he was okay. He didn't lose another run thereafter and pitched a total 6 1/3 innings. But his team was unable to score until only after he left. Then the Mets exploded in the end winning 8 to 2 over the Florida Marlins.

13th game, June 16
This time, Yoshii was able to pick up a win. He gave up 2 runs to the Cinncinnati Reds in 6 innings. The Mets won 5 to 2. The 6th win ties with the number of games he won last year already.

12th game, June 11
Yoshii pitched the most inning. That's 8 innings. And he lost only 2 runs to the Boston Red Sox. The problem was, the Mets were null. After he left the game, Mike Piazza blasted a 2 run homer for a tie. However, relief pitcher John Franco lost a run, ending the game 2 to 3 for the Red Sox.

11th game, June 5
In one of the first interleague series, Yoshii pitched. It was against the Yankees. The Mets were the first to score. But Tino Martinez hit a homerun off Yoshii, and others followed suit taking him down in the 5th inning. Yoshii lost a total 6 runs in 4 0/3 innings. He succumbed to his 5th loss, and his team to a devastating 8th straight loss.

10th game, May 30
Yoshii's winning streak was halted by the Arizona Diamondbucks. Finley attacked Yoshii with 2 homers--a 3 run and a double. He lost a total 7 runs in just 2 2/3 innings.

9th game, May 25
In the first inning, Yoshii lost a leadoff homer by Al Martin. But Brian McRae tripled to reverse the lead. It was only in the 7th inning that Yoshii lost another run. He was pulled out with that. He hurled 6 2/3 innings. The result was a 8 to 3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates--giving Yoshii another win. l

8th game, May 20
Yoshii pitched all innings with a runner on base. He only lost a homer to Jenkins of the Milwaukee Brewers during the 7 innings he pitched. He earned his 4th win which turned out to be the 100th win for a Japanese. The first was Masanori Murakami who played for the S.F. Giants back in 1964.

7th game, May 14
In the first inning in the game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets already batted in 4 runs. Yoshii pitched with good faith, but in the 5th inning he was homered twice. In 6 innings, Yoshii lost 3 runs. He was able to pick up his 3rd win in the 7 to 4 game.

6th game, May 8
Yoshi pitched 6 scoreless innings against the Arizona Diamondbucks. His performance not only boosted his credibility as a starting pitcher...he collected his 2nd win. The game ended 4 to 2 for the Mets.

5th game, May 2
This is a crucial game for Yoshii, because if he doesn't pitch well, it could cost him his place with the Mets. He held the San Francisco Giants to a null during the 6 innings he pitched, and contributed to the Mets' 5th straight victory.

4th game, April 27
In this game against the Detroit Tigers too, Yoshii was not able to last very long. He hurled 4 2/3 innings and lost 4 runs. Although his teammate Ricky Anderson stole another base to mark his total 1300th, the Mets lost. Yoshii had to take his 2nd loss.

3rd game, April 21
Yoshii didn't even last 4 innings. He was in a total mess over the Cincinnatti Reds and gave up 6 runs.

2nd game, April 15
This time, Yoshii was hammered by the Florida Marlins. In the 1st inning, he lost 2 runs, and 2 more in the second. In all, he pitch 5 innings. The game ended 11 to 4 with the win going to the Marlins. With the defeat, the Mets' winning streak came to a halt at 5.

1st game, April 9
Yoshii was the first Japanese to start a game in the Major Leagues this season. However, he had a difficult time in the beginning. He lost a 2 run homer to Montreal Expos' Barnett in the 2nd inning, and another homer in the 4th inning. But after the 5th, he was pitching much better. Meanwhile, his teammates drove in runs. Mike Piazza hit especially well with 3 base hits. Yoshii hurled 7 innings and clinched his first win of the season.

PRE 1999 SEASON NEWS
Yoshii enters spring camp
On Feb. 20 Yoshii, together with Hideo Nomo opened spring camp training in Florida.
Michiyo's Note: Who would've imagined Yoshii would lose his superstar friend soon after. He must have certainly been shocked about Nomo's release from the Mets.


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