Hisanori Takahashi 2K10

In sum, Hisanori Takahashi’s repertoire includes six pitches: a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, changeup, curveball, slider and sinker. And variations thereof.

“It’s almost like it’s a videogame,” said Rod Barajas, who caught Takahashi’s six scoreless innings Friday night. “You can control it. You can make the ball move wherever you want to different locations. You have a comfort level as a catcher because regardless of the count, you can call anything and there’s a good chance it’s going to be a strike.”

In his big league starting debut, Takahashi struck out Nick Swisher and Derek Jeter on what Barajas called his best pitch: a late-moving changeup that breaks away from right-handed hitters.

“The changeup is probably his pitch,” Barajas said. “It has that tumbling, late sink on it where it’s there one second, you go to swing at it and it just kind of disappears at the last moment.”