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Wada ready for challenge of pitching in American majors

Tsuyoshi Wada met with American reporters for the first time on Sunday since his introductory news conference at Oriole Park.
Tsuyoshi Wada met with American reporters for the first time on Sunday since his introductory news conference at Oriole Park. (Associated Press photo)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- New Orioles pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada went through his first workout with the team on Sunday and said that he is going into spring training with the intention of winning a job in the starting rotation.

"I haven't heard anything officially about that yet. But I want to be a starter,'' Wada said through interpreter Danny MacLeith, "so I'm going to do what I have to do to fill that role."

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The Orioles have brought together a dozen candidates to compete for the five places in the starting rotation, including Taiwanese pitcher Wie-Yin Chen. Chen is currently viewed as the more likely of the two Asian newcomers to pitch as a starter. Wada is considered a candidate for both the rotation and the bullpen.

He met briefly with the Orioles media on Sunday and again said that he is confident that he'll be able to adapt to the more demanding schedule that faces pitchers in the American major leagues. Japanese pitchers generally start on five days rest, while major league starters in the US usually start on four days rest.

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"I thought about that while I was pitching on five days rest, on six days rest in Japan,'' Wada said. "I knew that it would be on four days rest here so I planned on coming here and having done something. But no matter what I do, I'm going to have to get used to it in the end. So I have that mindset. That I'm going to do what I have to do to get used to it."

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