I felt like this thread is needed. After all, NPB is the most important Asian league of the world and one of the 10 main leagues of the world. Schedules and Scores Standings Stats PD: Has this any chance of being stickied? It would be a pity to this thread to be missed and since the 99% of the baseball threads of this subforum are MLB stuff, let the only NPB thread to be always in 1st page, please
Bumping this thread because I care! I've always been fascinated with the Japanese version of the game since learning about Sadaharu Oh back in the 70s but, of course, there was no way to watch any games. The WBC perked my interest a bit more but it wasn't until Munenori Kawasaki's famous "I am JapanEEEEEEse" interview a few years ago that I finally began searching for streams to watch. Unfortunately, the 2:00 am start times make it tough to watch on a regular basis. Hanshin Tigers are my favorite team, probably because of their history of having won only one Japan Series and how that victory led to the crazy "Curse of the Colonel" legend that apparently haunts them. Love the "small ball" practice of manufacturing runs no matter the inning. And instead of the 7th inning stretch they have the Lucky 7 where they hold these, uh, funny looking balloons and release them in unison in the hopes of an upcoming rally. https://www.reddit.com/r/NPB/wiki/index
With Spring Camp games having just been completed, the countdown towards Opening Day begins. 開幕日まで4日 I'm resurrecting this thread to provide updates on games and standings during the 2022 season. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NPB https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...g-to-know-about-nippon-professional-baseball/ Professional Baseball - or Puro Yakyū (プロ野球) - in Japan is generally regarded as the second highest level of baseball played on the planet. MLB players, scouts, and sabermetricians have described NPB as "AAAA"; less competitive than MLB but more competitive than Triple-A (AAA). NPB was founded in 1950. 12 teams compete and they are divided into two leagues: CENTRAL LEAGUE - Does NOT use the DH (designated hitter). Yomiuri Giants (Established 1934 as Great Japan Tokyo Baseball Club, current name since 1947) Hanshin Tigers (1935 as Osaka Tigers, current name since 1961) Chunichi Dragons (1936 as Nagoya Club, changed to Chunichi Dragons in 1948, current name re-established in 1954) Yokohama DeNA BayStars (1949 as Maruha Team, changed to Taiyo Whales in 1950, current name since 2012) Hiroshima Toyo Carp (1950 as Hiroshima Carp, current name since 1968) Tokyo Yakult Swallows (1950 as Kokutetsu Swallows, current name since 2006) PACIFIC LEAGUE - Has the DH. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (Established 1936 as Nankai Club, changed to Nankai Hawks in 1947, current name since 2005) Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (1946 as Tokyo Senators, changed to Tokyu Flyers in 1949, current name since 2004) Chiba Lotte Marines (1949 as the Mainichi Orions, current name since 1992) Orix Buffaloes (1936 as Hankyu Club, changed to Hankyu Braves in 1947, current name since 2005) Saitama Seibu Lions (1950 as Nishitetsu Clippers, current name since 2008) Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2005) The Yakult Swallows are the reigning Japan Series champions having defeated the Orix Buffaloes 4 games to 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Nippon_Professional_Baseball_season
開幕日まで3日 Among the differences between NPB and MLB... • NPB baseballs are slightly smaller than its MLB equivalent and has better grip, making it easier to manipulate and spin. MLB balls (Rawlings) are around 23.5cm and weigh roughly 148.8g. NPB balls (Mizuno) are around 22.9cm and weigh roughly 141.7g The texture is also different. NPB balls are relatively unlikely to slip and the seams are made lower. Olympic baseball use the same type of balls as NPB. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2020-bsb-idCAKBN2F02RG - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • NPB field dimensions are generally shorter than MLB ballparks. Rule 1.04 of the American Official Baseball Rules specifies minimum dimensions for American ballparks built or renovated after 1958 be at 325 feet (99 m) down each foul line and 400 feet (120 m) to center field. Of the 13 stadiums used in NPB, three do not meet MLB specifications: - Koshien Stadium (Hanshin Tigers), which features an all-dirt infield. 95m (312ft) down the lines, 118m (387) to dead center. Fence is 2.6m (8' 6") - Yokohama Stadium (Yokohama BayStars) 94.2m (309.1) down the lines, 117.7m (386.2) to the deep center. Fence ranges from : 5.0m to 5.3m (16' 4" to 17' 5") - Meiji Jingu Stadium (Yakult Swallows) 97.5m (319.8) down the lines, 120m (393.7) to straight away center. Fence is at 3.3m (10' 9") Unlike MLB stadiums, where outfield dimensions vary at 26 of 30 ballparks... http://thumbnails.visually.netdna-cdn.com/baseballs-many-physical-dimensions_53344ca673751.png ... all 13 NPB stadiums are symmetrical, from the foul poles to the alleys to center field, although a few parks do have slightly varying wall heights as you go from left field to right, just as most MLB stadiums have. https://jhockey.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/japan_ballpark1.jpg - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • NPB teams play a 143-game regular season schedule, 19 games fewer than their MLB counterparts. 18 games are inter-league (3 against each team from the 'other' league) and are usually played in May/June. This means that each team plays each of the five teams within its league 25 times. We'll discuss the post-season format as teams begin clinching playoff spots. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • While the MLB All-Star Game is a single contest affair, NPB usually offers two Mid-Season Classics. There have been occasions where three NPB ASGs have been played during a season. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • MLB teams feature five-man pitching rotations, and managers usually limit starters to roughly 100 pitches. NPB clubs use six-man rotations who have no limit on pitch counts. Starters going at least seven innings is fairly common when they're pitching a quality game. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • MLB game play is quite offensive, with many batters given the green light to 'swing for the fences'. The style of NPB is very much 'small ball' where teams attempt to manufacture runs via stolen bases and hit-and-run. Apart from the players batting third, fourth and fifth in the lineup, it is quite common for a batter to bunt a runner over when first (or even second) base is occupied and there are fewer than two outs. Defensive shifts do exist in NPB but they are not as extreme as what one might see in MLB (i.e. shortstop playing in shallow right field). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • While MLB games are played endlessly until a winner is determined, NPB contests are limited to 12 innings: If a game is tied after 9 innings, a maximum of 3 extra innings are played. If no winner has been decided after 12 innings the contest is declared a tie and is not taken into account in each team's winning percentage (my pet peeve with NPB's format). Why are there ties in NPB? The reason I've heard is that the vast majority of fans travel to and from games via the Shinkansen 'bullet trains'. (Car parking is virtually non-existent at ballparks). Many games start at 18:00 (6:00pm), usually on weeknights. Ball clubs take into consideration that all trains quit running at midnight (at the latest) so baseball officials are careful to have games end before the Shinkansen stop running. It's very uncommon to see a game last over 4 hours. This includes post-season, where tie games can also occur. (More on that later.) This is just a few of the differences between the game in North America and the Far East and doesn't even include the fan experience of attending NPB games (consessions, bands, cheerleaders...) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Major_League_Baseball_and_Nippon_Professional_Baseball
開幕日まで2日 GAIJIN "Gaijin" is the Japanese term used to describe foreigners. There is no limit to the number of foreign players each NPB club can sign. However, on game day each team can only list a maximum of four gaijin on their 26-man roster. At least one must be a field position player and at least one must be a pitcher. Gaijin who play in NPB are often players who are (1) unable to attract the eyes of MLB teams or (2) aging players well past their peak who are either unwilling to call it a career or looking for a final payday. But there may be a new breed of overseas players who may add to the existing criteria. I'll talk more about this tomorrow. New 2022 NPB Imports https://japanball.com/new-2022-imports/ List of current foreign Nippon Professional Baseball players - As of this post, this wikipedia list is not up to date for the 2022 season. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_foreign_Nippon_Professional_Baseball_players - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - JAPANESE PLAYERS IN MLB Although Masanori Murakami was the first player from Japan to play MLB in 1964, it wasn't until the controversial arrivals of Hideo Nomo in 1995 and Hideki Irabu in 1997 that the current MLB/NPB Posting System was established. Japanese players who have played at least nine years in NPB are eligible to gain international free agency. Those who have not attained the required nine years can ask their NPB club if they can be "posted". - When a player is "posted", his NPB team notifies the MLB Commissioner. - The posting fee is based on the type of contract a player signs and its value. - The fee is a flat 25% of the value of a minor-league contract. For MLB contracts, the fee is based on the value of the contract that the posted player eventually signs. - The player is then given 30 days to negotiate with any MLB team willing to pay the NPB team's posting fee. - If the player agrees on contract terms with a team before the 30-day period has expired, the NPB team receives the posting fee from the signing MLB team as a transfer fee, and the player is free to play in MLB. - If no MLB team comes to a contract agreement with the posted player, then no fee is paid, and the player's rights revert to his NPB team. Prior to the current posting process (established in 1998), MLB held a silent auction during which MLB teams submitted sealed, uncapped bids in an attempt to win the exclusive negotiating rights with the posted player for a period of 30 days. Once the highest bidding MLB team was determined, the player could then only negotiate with that team. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_system https://www.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/japanese-posting-system List of MLB players from Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Japan Possible MLB players of the future https://japanball.com/mlb-lockout-wont-slow-npb-stars/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Players who have won both the NPB Japan Series and MLB World Series. (This list may be incomplete) * On team roster but did not play in title series. Johnny Logan - Milwaukee Braves (1957) - Nankai Hawks (1964) Jim Lefebvre - Los Angeles Dodgers (1965) - Lotte Orions (1974) Roy White - New York Yankees (1977, 1978) - Yomiuri Giants (1981) Gary Thomasson - New York Yankees (1978) - Yomiuri Giants (1981) George Vukovich - *Philadelphia Phillies (1980) - Seibu Lions (1986, 1987) Dan Gladden - Minnesota Twins (1987, 1991) - Yomiuri Giants (1994) Tadahito Iguchi - Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (1999, 2003), Chiba Lotte Marines (2010) - Chicago White Sox (2005) So Taguchi - Orix BlueWave (1996) - St. Louis Cardinals (2006), Philadelphia Phillies (2008) Hideki Okajima - Yomiuri Giants (1994, 2000, 2002), Nippon-Ham Fighters (2006), Softbank Hawks (2014) - Boston Red Sox (2007) Daisuke Matsuzaka - Seibu Lions (2004), Softbank Hawks (2017) - Boston Red Sox (2007) Hideki Matsui - Yomiuri Giants (1994, 2000, 2002) - New York Yankees (2009) Koji Uehara - Yomiuri Giants (2000, 2002) - Boston Red Sox (2013)
開幕日まで1日 Carter Stewart In June 2018 during the MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Atlanta Braves selected 18 year old right-handed pitcher Carter Stewart out of Eau Gallie High School in Florida with the 8th overall pick. Following the draft, Stewart failed a post-draft physical due to ligament damage in his wrist that he said occurred when he was skateboarding as a nine-year-old. The Braves offered Stewart a $2 million contract which was below the full value of the draft slot. Stewart refused to sign the offer seeing how the No. 8 slot was worth $4.98 million. He filed a grievance but lost. Stewart then enrolled at Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) for the 2018-19 academic year with the aim of being eligible for selection in the 2019 MLB draft. On May 21, 2019 Carter Stewart caused shock waves in the baseball world when he declined to re-enter the MLB draft and signed a six-year contract worth a maximum $7 million with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of NPB. While MLB officials felt that not signing with an MLB team was a risk, many analysts praised the move from a financial standpoint. Had he signed with an MLB club he likely would have pitched 2-3 years in the minor leagues for around $900/month which would increase to $500,000 after his third year. With the NPB deal, Stewart would be making just over $1 million/season while continuing his progression with the Hawks' developmental farm team, or "ni-gun" (second squad) in the Western League, sharpening the curveball that had long attracted MLB teams and working on pitch sequencing, with the goal of making his NPB debut. If Stewart fizzles out in Japan, he will have made big bucks while skipping the years of low pay and uncertainty in the minor leagues. If he proves himself overseas, he would set himself up for a potential return to the United States on a lucrative free-agent deal. But the contract means he must play in Japan for six years before he can return to North America and play for a MLB club. Regardless of the outcome, Stewart appears to have provided future top draft prospects a new pathway to eventually playing MLB. video: "The Carter Stewart Precedent" After spending the 2019 and covid-shortened 2020 seasons in the Western League, Stewart was registered with the Softbank Hawks' first team "ichi-gun" squad at the beginning of the 2021 campaign. On April 17, 2021 with the Hawks leading 7-1 in the 9th inning, the 21 year old Stewart made his NPB debut in Saitama against the Seibu Lions. He struck out two batters, walked one, and his fastball was clocked at 94 mph. Following four relief appearances, Stewart made his first start on August 15 in a home game against the Nippon-Ham Fighters. He faced just one batter over the minimum in five full innings of work, allowing no hits and no walks while striking out nine. He ended up being part of a combined no-hitter but earned a no-decision when the game finished in a 0-0 tie. In total for 2021, Carter Stewart pitched in 11 games (with four starts), pitching 23.2 innings allowing 21 hits, 21 walks and 16 earned runs while striking out 36. His record was 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA.
Opening Day is just hours away! NPB starting pitchers announced for Mar 25 #npbOPENING DAY!!!!! pic.twitter.com/h026YRvjU4— NPB on reddit (@NPB_Reddit) March 24, 2022 History and information on all 12 teams. https://japanball.com/baseball/npb-teams/ Who to root for / Choosing a team (2020 article) Central League: https://graveyardbaseball.blogspot.com/2020/06/npb-fan-guide-part-i-central-league.html Pacific League: https://graveyardbaseball.blogspot.com/2020/06/2020-npb-fan-guide-part-ii-pacific.html Who's Your Team? Comparing NPB to MLB (2020 atricle) https://japanball.com/articles-feat...oduction/whos-your-team-comparing-npb-to-mlb/ Fwiw, I'm a huge Hanshin Tigers fan. In the past ten years I've watched more Hanshin games than I have my favorite MLB team, the Oakland A's. HOW TO WATCH NPB Well... it's not easy. https://www.thehanshintigers.com/2022/03/04/toreba-no-toraba-npb-locking-itself-out-of-usa-market/ But it is possible. https://japanball.com/articles-feat...ow-to-watch-npb-televsion-streaming-overseas/ https://jballallen.com/japanese-baseball-guide/pacific-league-tv/ https://old.reddit.com/r/NPB/wiki/index#wiki_how_to_watch_japanese_games.3F Most weeknight games usually start at 6:00pm local Japan (5:00am U.S. Eastern) while weekend contests often begin at 2:00pm Japan (1:00am Eastern). Mondays are traditionally an off day for all teams.
Highlights: Swallows at Tigers Incredible Opening Day victory for the reigning Nippon Series champions.. 40 year old Yoshio Itoi, playing in his 19th season, had three hits - including a home run - in his first three plate appearances to put Hanshin up 8-1 after five innings. But he was overshadowed by Yakult's Domingo Santana who went 4-for-5 with 5 RBIs and two home runs including a ninth inning blast that completed the remarkable comeback. The home game for Hanshin was played in the Kyocera Dome in Osaka due to the annual National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament (aka "Spring Kōshien") being played at Koshien Stadium. Painful defeat for my Tigers but long way to go. 142 remaining.
Saturday, March 26 Marines at Eagles was postponed (rain). Boxscores: http://hosted.stats.com/npb/scoreboard.asp?day=20220326
Highlights: Dragons at Giants A great comeback by the Giants who trailed Chunichi 5-2 in the 8th inning, three consecutive pinch hits from Hiroyuki Nakajima, Akihiro Wakabayashi and Adam Walker (RBI double in his first NPB at-bat) helping Yomiuri to their second victory of the young campaign. Edit: Adam Walker’s hero interview from tonight pic.twitter.com/X3FWzY5wRT— Tom Mussa v2 (@tom_mussa_v2) March 26, 2022
Highlights: Buffaloes at Lions On a Sunday that saw bullpens implode, exciting contests took place across much of NPB with two games going to extra innings (in Sendai and Tokyo) and a back-and-forth nail-biter in Yokohama. But I'm choosing the epic comeback in Saitama where the reigning Pacific League champion Orix Buffaloes looked to have a safe six run lead in the fifth inning before the Seibu Lions took over the second half of the game. Rangel Ravelo punctuated the early lead for Orix with a two-run shot in the third inning to extend Orix's lead to 6-0. But after pulling a run back in the fifth, the Lions scored four in the sixth capped by Hotaka Yamakawa's two-run blast that just stayed inside the foul pole. Tomoya Mori's double up the right-center alley in the 8th put Seibu ahead for the first time 7-6 allowing Tatsushi Masuda to close the door in the ninth.
BATTING Average .500 - Shogo Sakakura (Carp) .500 - Takashi Uemoto (Carp) .500 - Yoshihiro Maru (Giants) .462 - Hideki Nagaoka (Swallows) .462 - Domingo Santana (Swallows) On-Base % .615 - Munetaka Murakami (Swallows) .571 - Takashi Uemoto (Carp) .538 - Yoshihiro Maru (Giants) .500 - 4 players tied OPS 1.615 - Domingo Santana (Swallows) 1.288 - Yoshihiro Maru (Giants) 1.155 - Takashi Uemoto (Carp) 1.135 - Ryosuke Kikuchi (Carp) 1.128 - Shugo Maki (BayStars) Home Runs 3 - Domingo Santana (Swallows) 1 - 15 players tied RBIs 8 - Domingo Santana (Swallows) 5 - Ryoma Nishikawa (Carp) 4 - 4 players tied AVG with RISP 1.000 - Kazuma Okamoto (Giants) 1.000 - Yoshio Itoi (Tigers) 1.000 - Yasutaka Shiomi (Swallows) 1.000 - Taishi Kusumoto (BayStars) .667 - Shugo Maki (BayStars) Stolen Bases 1 - 6 players tied PITCHING ERA 0.00 - Keiji Takahashi (Swallows) 0.00 - Hirotoshi Takanashi (Swallows) 1.50 - Yuji Akahoshi (Giants) 2.25 - Masato Morishita (Carp) 2.70 - Daichi Ohsera (Carp) WHIP 0.43 - Keiji Takahashi (Swallows) 0.83 - Yuji Akahoshi (Giants) 0.83 - Iori Yamasaki (Giants) 0.86 - Yuya Sakamoto (BayStars) 1.00 - 2 players tied Innings pitched 8 - Masato Morishita (Carp) 7 - Keiji Takahashi (Swallows) 7 - Shintaro Fujinami (Tigers) 7 - Yuya Sakamoto (BayStars) 7 - Yūya Yanagi (Dragons) Strikeouts 8 - Keiji Takahashi (Swallows) 7 - Shintaro Fujinami (Tigers) 6 - Daichi Ohsera (Carp) 6 - Ippei Ogawa (Hawks) 5 - 7 players tied Wins 1 - 9 players tied Holds 1 - 10 players tied Saves 2 - Taisei Ota (Giants) 1 - Scott McGough (Swallows) 1 - Raidel Martínez (Dragons) 1 - Ryoji Kuribayashi (Carp)
BATTING Average .455 - Hotaka Yamakawa (Lions) .455 - Brian O'Grady (Lions) .455 - Ryoya Kurihara (Hawks) .429 - Arismendy Alcántara (Fighters) .400 - Shogo Nakamura (Marines) On-Base % .583 - Kensuke Kondo (Fighters) .556 - Arismendy Alcántara (Fighters) .500 - 4 players tied OPS 1.841 - Arismendy Alcántara (Fighters) 1.682 - Hotaka Yamakawa (Lions) 1.591 - Ryoya Kurihara (Hawks) 1.136 - Brian O'Grady (Lions) 1.055 - Shogo Nakamura (Marines) Home Runs 2 - Hotaka Yamakawa (Lions) 2 - Ryoya Kurihara (Hawks) 2 - Arismendy Alcántara (Fighters) 1 - 6 players tied RBIs 6 - Hotaka Yamakawa (Lions) 4 - Ryoya Kurihara (Hawks) 4 - Freddy Galvis (Hawks) 3 - 3 players tied AVG with RISP 1.000 - Brian O'Grady (Lions) 1.000 - Yuma Mune (Buffaloes) 1.000 - Yutaro Sugimoto (Buffaloes) 1.000 - Haruki Nishikawa (Eagles) 1.000 - Hiroaki Shimauchi (Eagles) Stolen Bases 2 - Haruki Nishikawa (Eagles) 1 - 8 players tied PITCHING ERA 0.00 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Buffaloes) 0.00 - Chihiro Sumida (Lions) 0.00 - Ayumu Ishikawa (Marines) 0.00 - Tetsu Miyagawa (Lions) 0.00 - Yuki Matsui (Eagles) WHIP 0.43 - Ayumu Ishikawa (Marines) 0.57 - Chihiro Sumida (Lions) 0.63 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Buffaloes) 0.67 - Tetsu Miyagawa (Lions) 0.71 - 2 players tied Innings pitched 8 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Buffaloes) 7 - 5 players tied Strikeouts 10 - Roki Sasaki (Marines) 9 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Buffaloes) 8 - Kodai Senga (Hawks) 7 - Takayuki Kishi (Eagles) 7 - Nao Higashihama (Hawks) Wins 1 - 8 players tied Holds 1 - 11 players tied Saves 2 - Yuito Mori (Hawks) 1 - Tatsushi Masuda (Lions) 1 - Liván Moinelo (Hawks)
Highlights: Tigers at Carp Tuesday included an extra inning contest in Lotte while in Osaka, Masahiro Tanaka pitched seven strong to pick up his first win in his second start. But the drama was in Hiroshima where Seiya Suzuki wished the best for his former team and the Carp obliged by taking the lead in the third inning. In the sixth, RBIs by Yoshio Itoi and Yusuke Ohyama ended a 28 consecutive inning scoreless streak and gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead which they took to the ninth. It was a lead they, once again, could not hold. Closer Kyle Keller had a second horrific outing in as many appearances (his name began trending in Japanese immediately following the game), loading the bases with one out before he was pulled. And Atsuki Yuasa couldn't stop the bleeding as Ryoma Nishikawa singled to deep right scoring the tying and 'sayonara' runs to maintain their undefeated start to their campaign . The defeat wasted a good performance by Hanshin starter Yuki Nishi who went 6-1/3 allowing four hits and one earned run.
Highlights: Hawks at Marines A valiant comeback effort that fell short in Nagoya, the Carp stay unbeaten while the Fighters and Tigers continue to look for their first win. But I'm going with the rare afternoon weekday contest in Chiba off Tokyo Bay. Akira Nakamura's liner into center field was misplayed by Hiromi Oka allowing two runs to score to give Fukuoka a 2nd inning lead. In the 3rd, Yudai Fujioka cut the lead in half after scoring on a deep sacrifice fly by Akito Takabe. An inning later Taiga Hirasawa went deep left near the fence, Brandon Laird trotting home with the tying run. Toshiya Satoh then scored the lead run for the Marines after Takuya Kai threw to no one covering second on an attempted steal. Softbank retook the lead 4-3 in the 7th when reliever Shota Suzuki walked in two runs with the bases full. And after Liván Moinelo struck out the side in the 8th, Yuito Mori maintained the Hawks' undefeated start to 2022 by getting Takabe to fly out with the tying run on second.
Seiya Suzuki's first hit (a home run) in a Cubs uniform receiving lots of love in Japan. Home run, Seiya Suzuki! ホームラン、鈴木誠也選手！ pic.twitter.com/Fw7FQILdn0— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 30, 2022 鈴木誠也選手のホームラン！嬉しい！✨— 松坂 大輔 Daisuke Matsuzaka 18 (@matsu_dice) March 30, 2022 https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20220331/k10013560251000.html https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/30ad0e14927203b4960719f1c603c63028173601
If anyone is interested, the National Invitational High School Tournament (aka "Spring Koshien") championship is being played tonight (Thursday afternoon in Japan). This tournament isn't to be confused with the more prestigious National High School Championship (aka "Summer Koshien") but is also highly regarded. First pitch is scheduled for 8:30pm Pacific (12:30pm Thursday, Japan) Omi (Shiga) vs. Osaka Toin (Osaka) Yahoo Japan is streaming the game live. https://sports.yahoo.co.jp/livestream/senbatsulive/hsb/games/live #第94回選抜高校野球大会夢と志が集う春🌸今年も涙あり笑顔ありの熱戦が数多く繰り広げられました⚾️いよいよきょう、春の頂点が決まります☺️ pic.twitter.com/Fw8PLMetrU— センバツLIVE! (@SenbatsuLIVE) March 31, 2022
I guess there's no 'mercy rule' in this tournament. Osaka Toin hammering Omi 14-1 after seven full innings. Now a grand slam in the 8th... 18-1 (!)