Bradford: Daisuke: I want to play at least 10 more years in the U.S.

And then he can wake Bob Feller. Ok…that might be a bad idea.

Daisuke Matsuzaka has gone exactly halfway through his six-year contract. He is 29-years-old. And the pitcher has been a professional baseball player now for 10 seasons.

Tuesday morning he decided to take stock of his past and talk of his future.

“I think both personally and from a family standpoint we’re all enjoying our lives over here in the U.S., and if at all possible I would like to play over here as long as I can,” Matsuzaka said through translator Masa Hoshino. “I guess in the very least I hope that I can play for at least another 10 years here in the U.S. Yeah, 10 years is a long time and it’s tough to imagine what it’s going to be like that far out, but at the same time when I’m 40, or older than 40, I want to still be able to pitch.”

Then, after a pause, came a term that needed no translation.

“Nolan Ryan.”

As it turns out, just before entering high school Matsuzaka got a hold of the book, “Nolan Ryan’s Pitching Bible” thanks to some older teammates, who had an infatuation with the major leagues. It not only changed his approach in the short term, but helped mold the long term goals he carries with him today.