Japanese pitcher at Citizens Bank Park

Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto - who played minor-league ball as a young buck in Japan - will throw out the first pitch at Tuesday's Phillies game vs. the Mets as part of Asian-Pacific Celebration at Citizens Bank Park.

The wheels for this began spinning in May 2011 when Morimoto hosted a "Morimoto for Japan" fundraising event at his restaurant on Chestnut Street to help the Philadelphia-Japan Disaster Relief Fund.

Lunch with Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel was auctioned off as a live item, and when the time came for the auction winners to have their lunch with Manuel, Morimoto decided to join.

Morimoto got to chatting with Manuel - who played in Japan - and they were together like salmon on rice.

So can Morimoto pitch? I hear he has a wicked cutter.