Climbing the Ladder with the National League 4/6/2008

Japanese imports shine in debuts

Pitching duels dominated the first week of the season, and after Saturday the league average of runs scored per game was down about half a run from last year.

2007 NL Cy Young Award-winner Jake Peavy picked up where he left off. He held the Houston Astros to three hits and no runs in seven innings on Opening Day. There was still room for improvement, though, after he struck out four and walked three, inducing four groundouts and 13 flyouts.

Improve he did five days later against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He threw a complete game two-hitter, allowing only one run while striking out eight and walking one, inducing 11 groundouts to eight flyouts.

Thanks in part to Peavy’s 2-0 start, the San Diego Padres find themselves atop the NL West at 4-2 a week into the season.

The Dodgers are half a game back despite a slow start from Russell Martin. The young franchise player has only one hit in 19 at-bats.

Fourth starter and Japanese import Hiroki Kuroda impressed in his debut. He held the Padres to three hits and one run over seven innings while striking out four and walking none.

The other Japanese import to the NL this season, Kosuke Fukudome, had an even better debut for the Chicago Cubs. He earned his pinstripes on Opening Day by knocking three of the Cubs’ five hits, including a three-run shot in the ninth to spoil Eric Gagne’s first save opportunity with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Fukudome has kept it up since then with a .600 on-base percentage and an .875 slugging average through the first five games. He had another clutch hit Saturday with a double to drive in the go-ahead run in a victory over the ’Stros.

Despite Fukudome’s success, the Cubs find themselves a game under .500 headed into today’s action. The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cubs in the season-opening series and now stand at 4-1 atop the NL Central.

That series featured two closers looking to make comebacks this season in Gagne and Kerry Wood. Each stumbled on Opening Day, allowing three runs in an inning of work. On Saturday, though, Gagne recorded his first save and Wood his second.

The Cincinnati Reds, meanwhile, got a pleasant surprise from rookie Johnny Cueto, who baffled the Arizona Diamondbacks through seven one-hit innings, striking out 10.

The Reds stand a game over .500 in the middle of the NL Central.

The New York Mets, on the other hand, got an unpleasant surprise on the pitching front as ace No. 2, Pedro Martinez, is headed to the DL again, where he is expected to stay until mid-May.

This injury breaks up the dynamic duo at the top of the Mets’ rotation and spells trouble for a team that stands at .500 after four games.

Perhaps more pleased with their .500 start are the Washington Nationals, who have benefited from surprising starts by Odalis Perez, Tim Redding and Ryan Zimmerman.

Zimmerman, whom John Kruk boldly predicted to hit 50 homers this season, has gone deep twice already, including an Opening Night walk-off blast to top the Atlanta Braves.

The Nats’ 3-0 start was followed by three straight losses, and losing closer Chad Cordero to the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury won’t help their cause.

The Marlins lead the NL East with four wins in five games, but expect the division to turn upside down before long.

One week into the season, pitching has been the key factor in winning ballgames. Bouncing back from injury-plagued seasons and avoiding future injuries will be important for NL pitching staffs this season.