DATE: Tuesday, April 15, 1997               TAG: 9704150446

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   38 lines

KASHIWADA PITCHES TO CONQUER LANGUAGE

With as many problems as have arisen in the New York Mets' bullpen, is it any wonder they searched the world over for help?

Mets brass believes it may have found at least part of the solution in Japanese lefthander Takashi Kashiwada, the newest addition to the Norfolk Tides.

Kashiwada, who took part in the Mets' spring training camp as part of what was termed an ``educational experiment,'' was acquired by the Mets three days into their major league season and assigned to Norfolk. The Mets acquired him from the Yomiuri (Tokyo) Giants for cash considerations.

``Once he got his feet on the ground in spring training, he improved enough that we pursued him,'' said Jack Zduriencik, Mets director of minor league operations. ``He just got here and everything's new to him, so we know we've got to be patient and take it all into consideration. But you always want to sign talent and he showed enough of it this spring.''

Kashiwada, 25, still tired from jet lag, pitched one inning of relief in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader and gave up a single, a double and a run.

``I felt heavy,'' Kashiwada said through an interpreter. ``I could only demonstrate 20 percent of what I have.''

``He hasn't pitched for 10 days,'' said Zduriencik, referring to the time between when the Mets aquired Kashiwada and when he had all his paperwork in order to fly to the U.S. ``He's had two weeks off between St. Lucie (where the Mets train) and here.''

Baseball shouldn't be the hardest part of this transition. Kashiwada had a 1-1 record and 3.82 ERA in 26 appearances with the Giants. As a Japanese minor leaguer, he was 31-19 with a 3.38 ERA in 133 games.

Language, however, could be a chore. ``I have tried to learn from watching TV, but the people on the news talk too fast,'' he said. ``Now I'm reading books and doing a lot of talking with the players.''

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