To Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Kazuhisa Ishii, being a foreigner and a rookie in the majors is like being Alice in Wonderland.
"Until I go through a whole round of road trips at least once, I'll be feeling like I'm on a sightseeing trip," Ishii said on Thursday.
Ishii has leaped out to a 3-0 start this season -- his best start in 11 years as a professional -- by striking out six batters over six innings in the Dodgers' 6-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday for his third win.
"Of course I feel good. I didn't expect any of this, but sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I never allow the result of a game to affect my confidence. If I'm that insecure, I wouldn't make it over here," Ishii said.
Ishii had no doubts about his future performance, even when he struggled through a shaky preseason that had some critics questioning whether he was ready to be a starter for Los Angeles. He explained that he was still adjusting to his new environment.
"Preseason is preseason. It's nice to pitch well, but unlike the regular season, it doesn't mean anything if I win. I'm allowed to make mistakes then. I've toned up since and learned from that time," he said.
The 28-year-old Chiba native, with a 1.53 ERA, has shown that he is as capable and comfortable in Dodger blue as he had been with the Yakult Swallows, whom he helped win the Central League pennant and Japan Series last season.
But he is also aware of the differences.
"Here (in the United States), I'm cheered for going seven innings without giving up a run. In Japan, they would make a fuss for not going the distance," Ishii noted.
"It's a different kind of baseball."