2023 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) season

Discussion in 'Baseball' started by unclesox, Mar 27, 2023.

  1. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #1 unclesox, Mar 27, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2023
    Major League Baseball is, without question, where the most elite players are employed.

    But while the Team USA's 30-man roster at the World Baseball Classic tournament was full of MLB talent, they were defeated in the final by a Samurai Japan team that only contained four MLB players.

    The remaining 26 players on the squad compete in Nippon Professional Baseball, which many MLB scouts rate as the next best league after MLB.

    The heroic Samurai players have returned to their clubs ready to begin a new campaign.

    NPB WBC 2023.jpg

    Last year's memorable season was quite a task to keep track of but Japan's success in the WBC has rejuvenated my interest in trying to update the 2023 season as best I can. I likely won't be doing summaries as I did last year but at the very least I will try and post scores on every game day.

    開幕日まで3
     
  2. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
  3. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #3 unclesox, Mar 28, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
    Differences between NPB and MLB

    • Balls
    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

    A tribology study in Japan concluded that baseballs used in MLB are 20% slicker than NPB baseballs.
    https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14804203
    baseballs MLB NPB.jpg

    Field dimensions
    Field dimensions at NPB ballparks 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")

    All 13 NPB stadiums are symmetrical, from the foul poles to the alleys to center field. Only 4 of 30 MLB ballpark dimensions are uniform across the outfield.
    "Japan's 5 Best Ballparks"
    https://allabout-japan.com/en/article/11099/

    • Regular season
    NPB teams play a 143-game regular season schedule, 19 games fewer than MLB's 162-game season.
    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.


    • "Mid-Season Classic"
    While the MLB All-Star Game is a single-game affair, NPB usually offers an All-Star Series that usually consists of two games. There have been occasions where three games have been played during the ASS.


    • Pitching
    Teams in MLB feature five-man pitching rotations while NPB clubs use six-man rotations.
    In general, starting pitchers in each league are allowed to throw up to 100 pitches. But while MLB skippers are fairly strict with this number, NPB managers have been known to relax the pitch count if the hurler is pitching a quality game. Last season, Tatsuya Imai of the Seibu Lions went nine innings in one game having thrown 144 pitches.


    • Small ball
    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 sacrifice bunts, stolen bases and hit-and-run. 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.
    And while MLB has now banned defensive shifts, the tactic still exists in NPB but is rarely employed since bunting is still regarded as a work of art.


    • Tie games
    One of the biggest criticisms by MLB fans of NPB is that games in Japan are allowed to end in ties.
    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).
    The reason I've heard for tied games 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.
    This includes post-season, where tie games can also occur.


    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.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Major_League_Baseball_and_Nippon_Professional_Baseball


    開幕日まで2
     
  4. Nerroth

    Nerroth Member

    Feb 9, 2008
    Ontario, Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    #4 Nerroth, Mar 28, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2023
    As noted in the general NPB thread - and as shown on the cover of this 2023 team guide book - which, alas, does not appear to have an English version - the Fighters have moved into a brand new stadium in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido:



    Also, as this is the 20th year the Fighters are playing in Hokkaido, the team jerseys have swapped out the standard logo on their left sleeves for a special "Together with Hokkaido" emblem to mark the occasion.
     
    unclesox repped this.
  5. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    NOTABLE TRANSACTIONS

    Although trades among NPB teams can happen, it's a bit rare for one to be made.
    To my knowledge, all the players listed below were free agent signings.

    This list is by no means complete, but here are some of the more notable player moves that have taken place since the end of the 2022 season.
    The teams listed in parenthesis are the last team they played for (Arrivals) or where they now play (Departures)



    CENTRAL LEAGUE


    CHUNICHI DRAGONS
    Arrivals

    P - Yoshiki Sunada (Yokohama DeNA Baystars)
    P - Hideaki Wakui (Rakuten Eagles)
    !F - Orlando Calixte (Sultanes de Monterrey - LMB)
    OF - Zoilo Almonte (Sultanes de Monterrey - LMB)
    OF - Aristides Aquino (Cincinnati Reds)
    Departures
    P - Yohan Tavarez (Fukuoka Kitakyushu Phoenix - Kyushu Asia League [KAL])
    C - Ariel Martinez (Nippon-Ham Fighters)
    IF - Toshiki Abe (Rakuten Eagles)
    IF - Yota Kyoda (Yokohama Baystars)
    IF - Luke Wakamatsu (free agent)

    HANSHIN TIGERS
    Arrivals

    P - Jeremy Beasley (Pittsburgh Pirates)
    P - Brian Keller (Boston Red Sox)
    OF - Johan Mieses (Boston Red Sox)
    OF - Sheldon Neuse (Oakland Athletics)
    Departures
    P - Raul Alcantara (Doosan Bears - KBO)
    P - Shintaro Fujinami (Oakland Athletics - MLB) *POSTED*
    P - Joe Gunkel (Softbank Hawks)
    P - Aaron Wilkerson (Leones de Yucatán - LMB)
    IF - Jefry Marte (free agent)
    IF - Aderlin Rodríguez (free agent)
    OF - Mel Rojas Jr. (Toros de Tijuana - LMB)

    HIROSHIMA CARP
    Arrivals

    IF - Matt Davidson (Oakland Athletics)
    Departures
    P - Geronimo Franzua (free agent)
    OF - Hisayoshi Chono (Yomiuri Giants)

    YAKULT SWALLOWS
    Arrivals

    P - Raynel Espinal (Cincinnati Reds)
    P - Keone Kela (Los Angeles Dodgers)
    P - Dillon Peters (Pittsburgh Pirates)
    Departures
    P - Scott McGough (Arizona Diamondbacks - MLB)
    P - Andrew Suarez (St. Louis Cardinals - minor league deal)
    OF - A.J. Cole (free agent)
    OF - Patrick Kivlehan (free agent)

    YOKOHAMA BAYSTARS
    Arrivals

    P - Trevor Bauer (Los Angeles Dodgers)
    P - J.B. Wendelken (Arizona Diamondbacks)
    IF - Yota Kyoda (Chunichi Dragons)
    OF - Trey Amburgey (Seattle Mariners)
    Departures
    P - Brooks Kriske (Kansas City Royals - minor league deal)
    P - Michael Peoples (Seattle Mariners organization: Pitching coach, Double-A Arkansas Travelers)
    P - Fernando Romero (Los Angeles Angels - minor league deal)
    P - Yoshiki Sunada (Chunichi Dragons)
    C - Hiroki Minei (Softbank Hawks)

    YOMIURI GIANTS
    Arrivals

    P - Tyler Beede (Pittsburgh Pirates)
    P - Foster Griffin (Toronto Blue Jays)
    P - Yoan López (New York Mets)
    P - Yohander Méndez (Sultanes de Monterrey - LMB)
    IF - Nobuhiro Matsuda (Softbank Hawks)
    OF - Lewis Brinson (San Francisco Giants)
    OF - Hisayoshi Chono (Hiroshima Carp)
    Departures
    P - Matt Andriese (Los Angeles Dodgers - minor league deal)
    P - Rubby De La Rosa (Los Angeles Dodgers - minor league deal)
    P - Cristopher Mercedes (Lotte Marines)
    P - Thyago Vieira (Milwaukee Brewers - minor league deal)
    IF - Zelous Wheeler (retired, front office advisory role and hitting instructor with the club)
    OF - Gregory Polanco (Lotte Marines)
     
  6. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #6 unclesox, Mar 28, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2023
    PACIFIC LEAGUE

    CHIBA LOTTE MARINES
    Arrivals

    P - Luis Felipe Castillo (Detroit Tigers)
    P - Cristopher Mercedes (Yomiuri Giants)
    P - Luis Perdomo (Milwaukee Brewers)
    P - Hirokazu Sawamura (Boston Red Sox)
    OF - Gregory Polanco (Yomiuri Giants)
    Departures
    P - Tayron Guerrero (Cincinnati Reds - minor league deal)
    P - Roberto Osuna (Softbank Hawks)
    P - Enny Romero (SSG Landers - KBO)
    IF - Adeiny Hechavarria (Atlanta Braves - minor league deal)
    IF - Brandon Laird (free agent)
    OF - Leonys Martin (Seattle Mariners - minor league deal)

    NIPPON-HAM FIGHTERS
    Arrivals

    C - Torai Fushimi (Orix Buffaloes)
    C - Ariel Martinez (Chunichi Dragons)
    Departures
    OF Kensuke Kondo (Softbank Hawks)
    OF Renato Núñez (Toros de Tijuana - LMB)

    ORIX BUFFALOES
    Arrivals

    P - Jharel Cotton (San Francisco Giants)
    P - Jacob Nix (San Diego Padres)
    C - Tomoya Mori (Seibu Lions)
    IF - Marwin Gonzalez (New York Yankees)
    IF - Frank Schwindel (Chicago Cubs)
    OF - Leandro Cedeno (Arizona Diamondbacks)
    Departures
    P - Jesse Biddle (Arizona Diamondbacks - minor league deal)
    C - Torai Fushimi (Nippon-Ham Fighters)
    IF - Breyvic Valera (free agent)
    OF - Joe McCarthy (Texas Rangers - minor league deal)
    OF - Rangel Ravelo (San Diego Padres - minor league deal)
    OF - Masataka Yoshida (Boston Red Sox - MLB) POSTED

    RAKUTEN GOLDEN EAGLES
    Arrivals

    P - Manny Bañuelos (Pittsburgh Pirates)
    IF - Toshiki Abe (Chunichi Dragons)
    IF - Maikel Franco (Washington Nationals)
    Departures
    P - Alan Busenitz (Cincinnati Reds - minor league deal)
    P - Hideaki Wakui (Chunichi Dragons)
    OF - Jose Marmolejos (free agent)

    SEIBU LIONS
    Arrivals

    P - Jesus Tinoco (Texas Rangers)
    IF - David MacKinnon (Oakland Athletics)
    OF - Mark Payton (Chicago White Sox)
    Departures
    P - Burch Smith (Hanwha Eagles - KBO)
    C - Tomoya Mori (Orix Buffaloes)
    IF - Jantzen Witte (San Diego Padres - minor league deal)
    OF - Brian O'Grady (Hanwha Eagles - KBO)

    SOFTBANK HAWKS
    Arrivals

    P - Kohei Arihara (Texas Rangers)
    P - Joe Gunkel (Hanshin Tigers)
    P - Roberto Osuna (Lotte Marines)
    C - Kensuke Kondo (Nippon-Ham Fighters)
    C - Hiroki Minei (Yokohama DeNA Baystars)
    IF - Willians Astudillo (Miami Marlins)
    OF - Courtney Hawkins (Lexington Legends - ALPB)
    Departures
    P - Colin Rea (Milwaukee Brewers - minor league deal)
    P - Kodai Senga (New York Mets - MLB) INTERNATIONAL FREE AGENT
    IF - Nobuhiro Matsuda (Yomiuri Giants)
    OF - Yurisbel Gracial (free agent)
    DH - Alfredo Despaigne (free agent)
     
  7. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    開幕日まで1

    Top 50

    On 29 January Yakyu Cosmopolitan released their list of the Top 50 players currently playing in NPB.
    The list is based on input from YC followers on youtube and twitter.

    The 50+ minute video details each player in descending order (beginning with #50, ending with #1)



    2023-01-29 Top 50 players Yakult Cosmopolitan.jpg
     
  8. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #8 unclesox, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
    ROOKIES TO KEEP AN EYE ON

    Norifumi Nishio, a sports journalist with Yahoo/SportsNavi who follows the amateur game, listed his top 10 players from each league who were drafted last October and could be in position to make an immediate impact for their teams.

    CENTRAL LEAGUE
    1. Kojiro Yoshimura, 25 - Pitcher, BR/TR (Yakult Swallows, #21)
    2. Hiromasa Funabasama, 26 - Pitcher, BL/TR (Yomiuri Giants, #58)
    3. Mikiya Tanaka, 22 - Infielder (Chunichi Dragons, #2)
    4. Makoto Kadowaki, 22 - Infielder, BL/TR (Yomiuri Giants, #35)
    5. Takehisa Masuda, 24 - Pitcher, BR/TR (Hiroshima Carp, #26)
    6. Hiroki Fukunaga, 26 - Infielder, BR/TR (Chunichi Dragons), #68)
    7. Kei Kawano, 22 - Pitcher, BR/TR (Hiroshima Carp, #46)
    8. Takuma Hayashi, 22 - Infielder, BL/TR (Yokohama BayStars, #00)
    9. Shota Morishita, 22 - Outfielder, BR/TR (Hanshin Tigers, #1)
    10. Tatsuya Hashimoto, 22 - Pitcher, BR/TR (Yokohama BayStars, #35)

    PACIFIC LEAGUE
    1. Ryuji Komago, 25 - Pitcher, BR/TR (Rakuten Golden Eagles, #22)
    2. Gosuke Katoh, 28 - Infielder, BL/TR (Nippon-Ham Fighters, #3)
    - American-born who made his MLB debut last season with the Toronto Blue Jays.
    3. Shoma Kanemura, 22 - Pitcher, BR/TR, (Nippon-Ham Fighters, #24)
    4. Takuya Hiruma, 22 - Outfielder, BL/TL (Seibu Lions, #9)
    5. Haruki Miyauchi, 26 - Pitcher, BR/TR (Nippon-Ham Fighters, #62)
    6. Kota Yazawa, 22 - Pitcher/Outfielder, BL/TL (Nippon-Ham Fighters, #12)
    7. Riku Kikuchi, 22 - Pitcher, BL/TR (Chiba Lotte Marines, #28)
    8. Ryosuke Otsu, 24 - Pitcher, BL/TR (SoftBank Hawks, #26)
    9. Ryuhei Sotani, 22 - Pitcher, BL/TL (Orix Buffaloes, #17)
    10. Atsuki Tomosugi, 22 - Infielder, BR/LR (Chiba Lotte Marines, #10)

    I also want to note that two 18 year old players who starred in last year's 'Summer Koshien' high school tournament, pitcher Haruto Yamada and outfielder Shogo Asano, were also part of the October draft.
    Asano was selected by two clubs in the first round, with the Yomiuri Giants winning the lottery over the Hanshin Tigers.
    Yamada was taken in the fifth round by the Seibu Lions.
     
  9. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #9 unclesox, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2023
    How to watch NPB

    Games 'normally' have two starting times:
    Weeknights, 18:00 JT (5:00am US ET / 2:00am US PT)
    Weekends, 14:00 JT (1:00am US ET / 10:00pm US PT)

    Links that offer methods of watching NPB games.
    https://old.reddit.com/r/NPB/wiki/index#wiki_how_to_watch_japanese_games.3F
    https://japanball.com/articles-feat...ow-to-watch-npb-televsion-streaming-overseas/
    https://jballallen.com/japanese-baseball-guide/pacific-league-tv/

    Additionally, the Pacific League's English youtube channel broadcasts one live PL game per month.



    For The Fans (FTF) streams same-day delayed coverage of the Pacific League in the United States every gameday.
    Broadcasts usually begin at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT



    The Pacific League's home youtube channel provides daily highlights of every PL game, including inter-league games hosted by PL clubs.
    https://www.youtube.com/c/PacificLeagueTVofficial/videos


    It's tougher to find coverage of the Central League.
    Three of the six CL teams do provide highlights of every home game.
    Yomiuri Giants : https://www.youtube.com/c/DRAMATICBASEBALL2020/videos
    Hanshin Tigers : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqm35j3ustKFyXQVnX5tlXw/videos
    Yokohama BayStars : https://www.youtube.com/c/YOKOHAMADeNABAYSTARSCHANNEL/videos

    Highlights of Yakult Swallows home games are limited to positive aspects of the team. If they lose a game 8-1 they will show the one run scored by the Swallows and other key plays made by the team, but they won't show any of the runs scored by the opponent and it will look like the Swallows won the game 1-0.
    https://www.youtube.com/c/Yakult-swallowsCoJp/videos

    The Chunichi Dragons do not provide any game highlights on their youtube channel but this link will occasionally show very brief highlights of home games. Very much hit-and-miss.
    https://www.youtube.com/c/moedraCH/videos

    I've yet to find a reliable source that shows highlights of Hiroshima Carp home games on a consistent basis outside of Japan. I welcome any input or suggestions.
    EDIT:
    This new channel appears to get the job done.
    https://www.youtube.com/@sptvcarp/videos
     
  10. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #10 unclesox, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
    Picking a team to root for

    The success of Samurai Japan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic has brought much intrigue and interest to NPB.
    If you're new to NPB and are looking for a team to follow, here are a couple of blogs that detail the backgrounds and histories of all 12 NPB clubs.
    The articles are a few years old so the players and projections listed are out of date, but you should get an overall sense of what each team offers.
    2020 JapanBall article
    https://japanball.com/articles-feat...oduction/whos-your-team-comparing-npb-to-mlb/
    Graveyard Baseball is a blog dedicated to the Seibu Lions.
    In 2022 they previewed the teams in the Pacific League.
    http://graveyardbaseball.blogspot.com/2022/03/2022-npb-fan-guide-pacific-league-and.html
    Their last preview of the Central League was during the covid-delayed 2020 season.
    http://graveyardbaseball.blogspot.com/2020/06/npb-fan-guide-part-i-central-league.html

    (FWIW, I'm a lifelong Oakland Athletics fan but in recent years I've been following NPB and have become a big supporter of the Hanshin Tigers, perhaps more so than the A's these days. So the off-season move made by Shintaro Fujinami certainly caught my interest :cool:)


    Repping your team

    If you're interested in buying NPB caps or jerseys, there is a website based in Osaka that ships to just about all four corners of the world.
    Current and retro jerseys are available.
    For obvious reasons, Samurai Japan player jerseys are very hot items at the moment.
    But if you want to impress your friends with a retro jersey of Shohei Ohtani Nippon-Ham Fighters #11 or Ichiro Suzuki Orix BlueWave #51, they have them available.

    Website FAQ
    https://japan-baseball-jersey.com/faq/

    https://www.instagram.com/japanbaseballjersey/

     
  11. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #11 unclesox, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
    2023-03-30 Opening Day.jpg

    Opening Day
    is just hours away.
    Only one game is scheduled for Thursday 30 March as all focus will on the newly constructed Es Con Field Hokkaido where the Nippon-Ham Fighters will host the Rakuten Golden Eagles.
    First pitch is scheduled for 18:30 local Japan.
    Probables:
    Takayuki Katoh (8-7, 2.01 in 2022) vs Masahiro Tanaka (9-12, 3.31)

    2023-03-30 probables.jpg

    And yes, the popular Fox Dance returns with all its glory. :D




    応援歌
    Among the biggest news during the off-season was NPB relaxing the ban on live chants and cheering.
    Since the 2020 season, live cheering/bands were banned in all stadiums due to the covid outbreak. Most teams tried to overcome the ban by pumping recorded cheering over the stadium tannoy, but fans and players alike still noted the lack of atmosphere at the ballparks.
    Cheering returned during the Spring Camp exhibition games in February and was in full force during Japan's WBC games played at the Tokyo Dome.
    Most everyone agrees that the Chiba Lotte Marines have the most enjoyable supporters to watch and listen to.




    ジェット風船
    Unfortunately, the 'jet balloon' releases during the Lucky 7 (Japan's version of the 7th inning stretch) are still outlawed in most stadiums.
    The only venue I know of that will allow their return is Hiroshima's Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium where the Carp will include a special pump with the balloons to encourage fans from having to blow them up through their mouths.

     
  12. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Predictions

    Some members of the Japanese baseball media listed their predictions on the final standings of each league.
    The top three qualify for the post-season playoffs.

    Central League
    Consensus:
    1. Hanshin Tigers
    2. Yakult Swallows
    3. Yokohama BayStars
    4. Yomiuri Giants
    5. Chunichi Dragons
    6. Hiroshima Carp


    2023-03-30 predictions CL.jpg

    Pacific League
    Consensus:
    1. SoftBank Hawks
    2. Orix Buffaloes
    3. Seibu Lions
    4. Lotte Marines
    5. Rakuten Golden Eagles
    6. Nippon-Ham Fighters


    2023-03-30 predictions PL.jpg


    My predictions...

    Central League
    1. Yakult Swallows
    2. Hanshin Tigers
    3. Yomiuri Giants
    4. Yokohama BayStars
    5. Hiroshima Carp
    6. Chunichi Dragons

    Pacific League
    1. Orix Buffaloes
    2. SoftBank Hawks
    3. Rakuten Golden Eagles
    4. Lotte Marines
    5. Nippon-Ham Fighters
    6. Seibu Lions
     
  13. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    野球が帰ってきました!
    ¡Vuelve el béisbol!
    Baseball is back!

    2023-03-30 Opening Day first pitch.jpg
     
  14. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
  15. Nerroth

    Nerroth Member

    Feb 9, 2008
    Ontario, Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    So far as MLB-to-NPB comparisons are concerned, I might have sooner viewed the Fighters as being more akin to the Toronto Blue Jays, not least with the somewhat Jays-esque makeover the Hokkaido club has undertaken as of late.

    Just as the Jays have all of Canada to themselves since the Expos departed Montréal, the Fighters are the sole NPB team on a northern island which in many ways is quite distinct from the rest of Japan.

    Although, whereas the Jays used to share the SkyDome with the Argonauts before the latter moved in with Toronto FC over at BMO Field, it's Consadole who now have the Dome to themselves in the wake of the Fighters' relocation to Es Con Field.

    -----

    On a separate note: it's somewhat ironic that one of the songs recorded for the Fighters' music CD is about a dish named after the man whose grandson launched two large-scale invasions of Japan itself...

     
    unclesox repped this.
  16. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #16 unclesox, Mar 30, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2023
  17. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #17 unclesox, Mar 30, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2023
    An amusing Opening Day first pitch ceremony to open the new Es Con Field Hokkaido featured three former Nippon-Ham managers:
    Trey Hillman, 2003-2007 (2006 Japan Series champions)
    Masataka Nashida, 2008-2011 (2009 Pacific League pennant)
    Hideki Kuriyama, 2012-2021 (2016 Japan Series champions)
    Hillman, the team's manager when they moved from Tokyo to Sapporo in 2004, was due to throw out the first pitch but allowed Kuriyama, who recently led Samurai Japan to WBC glory, to do the honors instead.



    Maikel Franco went 3-for-4 including a double and a mammoth second deck home run to lead the visiting Rakuten Golden Eagles to a 3-1 victory.
    In the fifth inning, the unlikely figure of Yukiya Itoh hit the first home run of the 2023 NPB season, the dong also being the first ever home run hit at the new venue.
    Masahiro Tanaka pitched 5.2 innings for the Eagles allowing one run on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He also hit a batter after surrendering his first hit in the fifth inning.
    Yuki Matsui fanned two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to pick up the save.
    The remaining 10 teams will open their seasons on Friday



     
  18. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #18 unclesox, Mar 30, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2023
    This won't be a daily thing but since the remaining ten teams open their campaigns on Friday here are the probables for each game (with 2022 stats):

    2023-03-31 probables.jpg

    Yomiuri (T. Beede : NPB debut) -vs- Chunichi (Sh. Ogasawara : 10-8, 2.76)

    Yakult (Y. Ogawa : 8-8, 2.82) -vs- Hiroshima (D. Ohsera : 8-9, 4.72)

    Hanshin (K. Aoyagi : 13-4, 2.05) -vs- Yokohama (K. Ishida : 7-4, 2.95)
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Seibu (K. Takahashi : 12-8, 2.20) -vs- Orix (Sh. Yamashita : NPB debut)

    SoftBank (T. Ohzeki : 7-6, 2.93) -vs- Lotte (K. Ojima : 3-11, 3.14)
     
  19. Nerroth

    Nerroth Member

    Feb 9, 2008
    Ontario, Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada


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    To follow up on that song about Kublai's granddad: since the dramatic turning points of both the 1274 and 1281 invasions took place in and around Hakata Bay, that tune might lead to some beef - or would that be (Nippon-) ham? - with the Hawks...

    Also, I'd forgotten how quickly it takes for the Fox Song to outstay its welcome.

    So, I ink the Fighters need a better music selection. They octo see if a certain video game company which "leaves luck to heaven" might help them out:



    Oh,, I was manta say that I was referring to the part of the above video starting at 31:36. (Not to belittle our favourite canine guitarist/disc jockey, of course.)
     
  20. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
  21. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #21 unclesox, Mar 31, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2023
    One of the big player moves during the off-season was catcher Tomoya Mori going from the Seibu Lions to the Orix Buffaloes.
    Mori made an immediate impact against his former team when he hit a game-tying two-out home run in the ninth inning while Yuma Mune slugged a go ahead solo blast in the tenth as the Buffaloes began defence of their Pacific League and Nippon Series titles with a come-from-behind 3-2 win against the Lions in Saitama.
    Mune and Keita Nakagawa each went 2-for-4 on the night while rookie starting pitcher Shunpeita Yamashita struck out seven over 5.1 innings in a no-decision effort
    Shuta Tonosaki went 3-for-3 with two walks for Seibu while Aito Takeda homered in the seventh.

     
  22. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    The Pacific League’s English YouTube channel will be live streaming its first of six games this season tonight at 12 midnight ET / 9:00pm PT
    Nippon-Ham Fighters vs Rakuten Golden Eagles



     
  23. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
  24. unclesox

    unclesox BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 8, 2003
    209, California
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    #24 unclesox, Apr 1, 2023
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2023


    Koji Chikamoto's bases-loaded drive to deep centerfield brought home Kento Itohara from third to give the Hanshin Tigers a walkoff 6-5 victory over the Yokohama BayStars in Osaka.
    With the score knotted at 5-5 in the 12th and final inning, the BayStars sent their closer Yasuaki Yamasaki to try and prevent a defeat. (Games are recorded as ties after 12 innings max)
    But after quickly getting the first two batters out Yamasaki struggled. Itohara singled to right, Ryuhei Obata drew a walk and Seishiro Sakamoto singled to left to set up Chikamoto's sayonara hit that centerfielder Masayuki Kuwahara could not catch up to, delighting the 36,000+ at the Kyocera Dome.
    Chikamoto ended the night going 3-for-5 with a walk and a run scored.
    Kuwahara also went 3-for-5 with a walk and a run scored while Toshiro Miyazaki homered for Yokohama.
    The contest lasted 4 hours and 26 minutes.

     
  25. Nerroth

    Nerroth Member

    Feb 9, 2008
    Ontario, Canada
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Better late than never, it would seem:



    I was surprised to hear that the lead commentator for the English-dubbed stream is a Torontonian. So we know from where he started... and where he is at the present time.

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    In other news, it would appear that things are not quite entirely going to plan, as regards the new JR station set to be constructed near Es Con Field:



    -----

    And also:

    Is Es Con Field not asymmetrical? At least, it appears to be so on this map.
     

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