The Final Score

ANTHONY: NO WAY!

You know how I know Kei Igawa will never be an effective starting pitcher in the big leagues?

Big Papi told me.

Actually, David Ortiz told a lot of reporters this after Igawa's proudest moment as a Yankee. It was last April 28, when Igawa came in against the Red Sox in long relief and pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings in a 3-1 Yankees win. Igawa got the victory -- his second and final one of the season.

After the game, Big Papi was asked what he thought of Igawa.

"He was all right," he said. "Nothing special."

I don't think that was the usual ballplayer bravado. Big Papi was saying what we can all see with our own eyes: Igawa doesn't have the stuff to make it here. Just because the Yankees wasted $46 million on him doesn't change that fact.

JIM: DON'T GO BY BIG PAPI

I need to get Anthony one of those Magic Eight Balls and rig it so it will give him a Big Papi answer. This way, whenever we do a debate, he can shake the Magic Eight Ball and ask, "Big Papi, tell me how I should answer this Final Score debate."

Here's the thing about Igawa: forget about the money the Yankees paid. It's completely irrelevant at this point. If he allows three runs in six innings tonight, Yankees fans are not going to yell at the screen, "Yeah, but we didn't pay $46 million for just that!"

But the question here is, will Igawa be a successful major league pitcher, and I think he will be. There is reason to believe it. He posted strong minor-league numbers last season and he has done well so far this season. And while he wasn't Daisuke Matsuzaka in Japan, he did constantly lead the league in strikeouts.

Yes, he stunk last year. But there is undoubtedly an adjustment period when coming from Japan to the United States. That's by no means the reason for his struggles last year, but it has to be part of the discussion.

Tonight, Year 2 of Igawa begins. Prepared to be surprised.