tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335120672024-02-20T02:42:58.736-08:00Baseball JapanMike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-52597612327212224942008-01-06T02:07:00.000-08:002008-01-06T02:10:27.361-08:00LoHudnessHi first timers at Baseball Japan. Maybe you`ve dropped by from LoHud and Pete Abe`s blog. Welcome.<br /><br />This blog will be absolutely brimming with Japanese baseball posts in the near future. I`m coming back from Japan in a week with an armful of baseball mags and new info about what`s happening here. This season will be huge for the sport of `yakyu` as it`s called over here. NPB, MLB, Amateur baseball, and the Olympic Games in Beijing. Good stuff.<br /><br />Stop by again in about a week for more.....<br />Mike.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-76731284641421418182007-12-12T15:30:00.000-08:002007-12-12T16:07:01.712-08:00FA UpdateIn my last post I gave you a peek at some important free agents with potential to join the Major Leagues. As most of those players have decided their 2008 situations, I thought I'd do a short recap:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kosuke Fukudome </span>- outfielder<br />Fukudome signed a 4-year deal worth 48 million with the Chicago Cubs. Those were the numbers I expected as well as the destination. For what it's worth Nate Silver at BP posted the following PECOTA for Fukudome, noting that the numbers are built on a truncated 2007's data. Bump the plate appearances by 100 or so and you get the idea that a 40 double, 20 home run season isn't out of the question. The .905 OPS also looks very nice.<br /><br /><pre><span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=PA" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('PA'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">PA</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=R" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('R'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">R</a></span> 2B 3B <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=HR" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('HR'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">HR</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=RBI" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('RBI'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">RBI</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=BB" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('BB'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">BB</a></span> SO <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=SB" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('SB'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">SB</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=CS" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('CS'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">CS</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=BA" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('BA'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">BA</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=OBP" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('OBP'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">OBP</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=SLG" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('SLG'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">SLG</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=EqA" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('EqA'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">EqA</a></span> <span class="statdef"><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?search=VORP" onmouseover="doTooltip(event, jpfl_getStat('VORP'))" onmouseout="hideTip()">VORP</a></span> WARP<br />465 80 30 4 15 58 70 94 9 3 .289 .401 .504 .303 29.2 4.4</pre>Me likes. Might have to get a Fukudome Cubs' jersey. I was on WGN radio last week and they seem very excited about Fukudome, as they should be.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hiroki Kuroda</span> - right-handed starting pitcher<br />Kuroda is reportedly signing a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Seems like a good fit. The NL West has a collection of generally poor offensive teams and a few pitchers parks as well. I expect 13-14 wins.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hitoki Iwase</span> - left-handed reliever<br />Iwase resigned with Chunichi. I was disappointed to see him stay in Japan, actually, but he has a chance to break many of the records for closing pitchers and you can hardly blame him to want that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yasuhiko Yabuta</span> - right-handed reliever<br />Yabuta signed with Trey Hillman's KC Royals. He should be able to close for them if that's the plan in Missouri. I like this signing a lot, and I expect him to be an All Star in 2008. Someone has to rep Kansas City, right?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Masahide Kobayashi </span>- right-handed reliever<br />Kobayashi signed with Cleveland and should be the closer by year's end. He is much better than anyone they have for that role right now, although the young arms look extremely promising. Look for big strikeout numbers for Kobayashi and a big fanbase in the midwest.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kazuhiro Wada</span> - outfielder<br />Wada replaces Fukudome in the Chunichi outfield and should help the team get back to the Japan Series. He is a first class veteran player in the NPB, while he would be a league average player in the Majors.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yoshinobu Takahashi</span> - outfielder<br />Takahashi decided to stay with Yomiuri, forgetting about free agency altogether. That made sense and there probably was no better place on Earth for him than the Giants outfield.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Takahiro Arai</span> - 3B<br />Arai signed with the Hanshin Tigers. This makes sense as the Hanshin lineup had so little power it was almost comical. His dismal OBP should fit right in though.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Daisuke Miura</span> - right-handed pitcher<br />Miura resigned with Yokohama for a little more than a million dollars in 2008. Thus ending the least interesting free agency in history.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-27344286137501485062007-11-18T13:58:00.001-08:002007-11-18T14:16:13.296-08:00Japan's Free AgentsIn <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6932" target="_blank">a recent article at Baseball Prospectus</a> I identified a group of players eligible for free agency with possible ties to the Major Leagues. <a href="http://www.japanesebaseball.com/forum/thread.jsp?forum=1&thread=44425" target="_blank">The complete list</a>, and a running discussion of the players on it, can be found at Michael Westbay's excellent site Japanese Baseball. I'd like to spell out the basics of my BP list here and give you an update on the status of the players it contains.<br /><br />If you've read my BP article, you'll know that I grouped the short list of target free agents by my assessment of their chances to impact an MLB roster. The groupings are done in 3 tiers, where the top tier are players with a chance to join the household names Matsui, Matsuzaka, and Ichiro. The next tier are players who can help an MLB club, but fall short of star power. The final tier are marginal types who could make a roster, but look more like bench fodder.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top Tier</span></span><br /><br />Kosuke Fukudome - outfielder<br />Hiroki Kuroda - right-handed starting pitcher<br />Hitoki Iwase - left-handed reliever<br /><br />Of this top tier, Fukudome and Kuroda remain. Iwase was recently offered several attractive options by his home club, Chunichi. With a chance to set a number of NPB records, Iwase has chosen to remain at home. I can't say I blame him. Sometimes being the biggest fish in a slightly smaller pond is a great life to lead. Fukudome has been linked to the Octagon group in terms of his ongoing MLB representation and rumor has it that they've fielded a lot of interest among the clubs on the US side of the pond. Persistent rumors have linked the Cubs to the most aggressive pursuit of Fukudome, but I expect that the bidding for his services will heat up among several teams before it's all said and done. Count the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants among those teams, with the Giants seeking to be very aggressive in keeping the star outfielder in Japan. Watch the money there. Kuroda also figures to be on the Cubs radar, but with the real lack of depth in the MLB free agent pitching ranks, I imagine that we'll see some unexpected players emerge alongside the big money organizations. Kuroda is in a prime position to score a huge payday somewhere.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Second Tier</span></span><br /><br />Yasuhiko Yabuta - right-handed reliever<br />Masahide Kobayashi - right-handed reliever<br />Kazuhiro Wada - outfielder<br /><br />The second tier is headlined by a pair of bullpen mates from Bobby V's Chiba Lotte Marines. Both of these guys will defect to the Majors with a lot of rumors swirling about them in the US. Yabuta is a late inning set up guy with real MLB potential and Kobayashi is a fireballing closer with a chance to do some nice work as well. Recent ties to Kansas City, and former Nippon Ham manager Trey Hillman, have been cited with respect to Yabuta (a WBC standout) but other teams are also rumored to be in pursuit. The same can be said of Kobayashi, who figures to draw interest from the big time organizations looking to drop cash on a bridge to the closer. Kazuhiro Wada may or may not make the jump. The interest in him could dry up quickly with his age and likelihood of decline a reality, but small market clubs could jump at the chance to fill a hole with a short term solution at a bargain price. I expect Wada will get a better offer from Seibu and severl other NPB teams.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Bottom Tier</span></span><br /><br />Yoshinobu Takahashi - outfielder<br />Takahiro Arai - 3B<br />Daisuke Miura - right-handed pitcher<br /><br />Takahashi is going to stay with Yomiuri, if he hasn't already made his plans public. His status as a Giant and the payday he will enjoy to stay with the first place club will be more than he can get in the US. Arai on the other hand stands a chance at an MLB look. I would guess that he will be on a new NPB roster next season, leaving Hiroshima, but he might take a long hard look at a lesser role in the Majors as a personal challenge. Miura is a junk baller who likely will stay put, but as I mentioned earlier, there are desperate MLB clubs looking to fill out rotations and Miura can certainly give you innings.<br /><br />That's it for the current news. As I hear anything regarding any of the names on this list, or the list available at Japanese Baseball, I will post them here. Stay Tuned.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-59269839832390820242007-11-13T09:42:00.000-08:002007-11-13T09:55:01.500-08:00Home BaseWelcome to Baseball Japan, if you haven't by by before. This blog has been in service off and on for the last couple of years, but has been overshadowed by the work I've put together at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.matsuzaka.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Matsuzaka Watch</a>. With the retirement of Matsuzaka Watch, I aim to dedicate my writing to this blog in covering all aspects of the sport of baseball as it is played in Japan at the amateur, industrial, and professional levels.<br /><br />In addition to Baseball Japan, perhaps you've been by to look at some of my other player-oriented blogs such as <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.yudarvish.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Darvish Watch</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.yukisaito.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Yuki Saito Watch</a>, or <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ueharawatch.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Uehara Watch</a>. These blogs, in the crunch of my current graduate work, have been under used and have fallen significantly behind. In the coming weeks and months, I will be rededicating my efforts to those sites to bring them up to date and provide new and dynamic coverage on each of the players they represent. <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/index.php?author=136" target="_blank">My work at Baseball Prospectus</a> has continued, and I am proud to be a regular contributor to their fine body of baseball writing. I will continue at BP as long as they'll have me and create an ebb and flow between my work here at Baseball Japan and in my columns there. If you don't have a subscription to Baseball Prospectus, it is well worth it. I promise you'll be satisfied with the content at BP as I was a subscriber long before I dreamed I'd be writing there.<br /><br />Coming up in the near future at Baseball Japan, I will look at a few of the top prospects from the high school and college/industrial drafts. In addition, there will be some work to do on free agency, the university season, and wrapping up the Hawaiian Winter Baseball season. There's always something to write about at Baseball Japan, and I'll be here to cover everything from A to Z. If you are a member of Facebook, you'll be able to talk Japanese baseball at my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19054096784">Baseball Japan group</a> dedicated to extended discussion of the topics I present in this space, as well as anything that's on your mind.<br /><br />See you back here.<br />Mike Plugh.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-43888902897502564462007-07-01T21:35:00.000-07:002008-12-08T21:38:05.343-08:00Nakata Shares the Crown<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RoiKVnOXc7I/AAAAAAAAAmM/HiEILWbRbBI/s1600-h/86th+dinger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RoiKVnOXc7I/AAAAAAAAAmM/HiEILWbRbBI/s400/86th+dinger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5082464283398730674" border="0" /></a>With his 86th home run against Hatsushiba High School of Osaka, Sho Nakata has tied Hiroyuki Oshima, currently of the Seibu Lions, on the all time home run list. With half a year remaining before he "retires", Nakata should easily eclipse 90 homers, and has set a personal goal at 100. I believe he can do it, even if it seems absurd.<br /><br />In the 6th inning of a 14-0 blowout, Nakata stepped to the plate for the 4th time and launched home run #85 well over the left center field wall. With every at bat cam the anticipation that he could tie the standing mark of 86. The 9th inning saw Nakata take his final crack at history in his 6th at bat, and he delivered on a 1-1 changeup from right-hander Kamei that got too much of the plate. The ball flew to the back screen on a high line drive that hit the upper part of the net at a distance of 394 feet and a height of 46 feet. Those of you familiar with historical home runs might remember that Mickey Mantle's famous shot which hit the facade at Yankee Stadium touched 102 feet, and is believed to have been about 507 feet distance unimpeded. Albert Pujols is credited with a home run which impacted at 95 feet against the light tower at 352 feet. That ball would have sailed about 455 feet if it had continued unimpeded. Mark McGwire hit a monster 470 foot home run against Livan Hernandez on May 16th, 1998, during his 70 home run season, which is reported to have hit at 46 feet up. Considering this ball was a line drive with a small arc, it seems safe to say that Nakata's historical ball had a chance at being in the 450 foot range.<br /><br />When the ball cleared the wall, the Osaka Toin players jumped out of the dugout and gathered near the first base line. Nakata pumped his fist and seemed to enjoy every second of his moment in the sun. It seems only a matter of days before he holds the record alone, and the pitcher/right fielder will be the brightest star at Koshien with a lock on the #1 spot in the upcoming amateur draft. Which NPB team will tank its season with the most zeal to get a shot at this once in a generation talent?Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-7323279672230172372007-05-09T21:07:00.000-07:002007-05-09T21:09:17.684-07:00Japanese Baseball Q&AEric over at <a href="http://extrapolater.wordpress.com/2007/05/09/nippon-baseball-qa-with-mike-plugh/"target="_blank">The Exrapolater</a> sent me some questions about Japanese baseball a while back and we had an interesting back and forth. He's put the interview together for his readers, and I thought I'd link to it. It's a look at some of the important things to know about baseball in Japan, and I think readers here may enjoy it as well.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-31772693236848508112007-04-30T21:17:00.000-07:002007-04-30T21:28:30.697-07:00Subscriber ReadingHey all. I haven't been as prolific here as I would have liked so far, but you can find my work in a lot of other places these days. I've stretched myself thin between baseball writing, my job, my family, and various other things, so I don't get around to these parts as often. The best thing to do here is subscribe to the Atom feed at the top right of the page, and wait for the updates to be sent to you.....I use the word subscribe, but everything is free, of course.<br /><br />What's not free is my work over at Baseball Prospectus. You'll need a subscription to their premium content to get my articles on Japanese baseball, but I think you'll find that it's money well spent. The writers at "BP" are of the finest quality, and their coverage of the sport takes fandom to the next level. Here are the links to my pieces at Baseball Prospectus. You'll get the first paragraph of each piece if you haven't purchased a subscription, but the rest will be blocked. Sign up, get your fill of great baseball writing, and keep checking in here for more. I'll do my best to update this blog more often during the season.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5958">Live From Akita City: The Nippon Professional League</a><br />Mike shares his perspective on the roots of Japanese baseball, and readies you for a season preview.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5994">Live From Akita City: Pacific League Preview</a><br />Mike takes the plunge with the six team Pacific League division, spotlighting outstanding talent across Japan.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6032"> Connecting the Dots: Central League Preview</a><br />Mike turns his attention to the second Japanese major league, and makes predictions as to how it's going to shake down.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6082">Impact Talent in Japan: Give Us Your Best, Yearning to Be Enriched</a><br />A review of who might come to the States as free agents, through the posting system, and names you just want to know.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6123">The Foreigners: Impact Imports in the NPB</a><br />Which foreign-born ballplayers in the Japanese leagues should you know something about?<br /><br />Coming up at BP in the next week, Central and Pacific recaps of the first month of the 2007 campaign. I highlight each team and some of the main storylines that are important to the position each team holds in the standings. Thanks for reading.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-37847529944790456382007-04-18T06:58:00.000-07:002008-12-08T21:38:05.513-08:00Something New<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RiYm_klVubI/AAAAAAAAAc0/nO-gjC101vc/s1600-h/Tanaka%27s+1st+Win.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RiYm_klVubI/AAAAAAAAAc0/nO-gjC101vc/s400/Tanaka%27s+1st+Win.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054770505363863986" border="0" /></a>Sorry I haven't been by to give you anything new recently, but I'm back. Today's item is a congratulations to Masahiro Tanaka of Rakuten on his 1st professional win. Tanaka is the ultra-famous and super-gifted rookie who led Komadai Tomakomai High School to three consecutive Summer Koshien title games, winning the 1st two before succumbing to Yuki Saito in 2006.<br /><br />Tanaka has been shaky in his first three starts, combining for:<br /><br />14.2 IP<br />16 hits<br />11 walks<br />15 K<br />10 ER<br />6.34 ERA<br />1.841 WHIP<br />1.36 K/BB<br />9.20 K/9<br /><br />The biggest problem for the talented young righty has been the lack of control that has added 11 baserunners by free pass. That's just beating yourself. Tonight was a different story against the potent SoftBank Hawks. Tanaka produced a gem with the following line:<br /><br />9 IP<br />9 hits<br />1 walk<br />13 K<br />2 ER<br /><br />He lowered his ERA to 4.56 and boosted the K/BB ratio from 1.36 to 2.33. The K-rate also rose from 9.20 (which is already impressive) to 10.65! If he can string together a few more of those outings, he'll be on his way. Nice to get the first one under your belt though. Congrats again kiddo!Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-79418504513551802202007-03-27T23:37:00.000-07:002008-12-08T21:38:05.756-08:00"Sho" Me the Way to Go Home<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgojgjsFjrI/AAAAAAAAAXY/epUk5rD6GRc/s1600-h/Viana+Welisson.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgojgjsFjrI/AAAAAAAAAXY/epUk5rD6GRc/s400/Viana+Welisson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046885374665002674" border="0" /></a>The 2nd round of Koshien's 79th annual Spring Invitational has just launched itself both literally and figuratively into action. The first game of the 2nd round featured Osaka Toin High School against Sano Nihon University High. If you've been reading here recently you'll know that Osaka Toin means Sho Nakata. In the post just prior to this I recapped Nakata's first game of the tournament in which he was the starting pitcher and #4 batter. I was highly critical of his pitching ability, although I think he's a very good thrower. He was not the starter for Toin today, and instead took his more natural right field.<br /><br />Sano leads off a very interesting left fielder named <a href="http://www.cbbs.com.br/noticias.php?id=3522" target="_blank">Viana Welisson</a> from Sao Paolo, Brazil (pictured above, left). He learned about baseball from the many second and third generation Japanese growing up in a country where soccer is king. Those kids play baseball, and taught Welisson about Koshien. He took to the sport, and came to Japan to pursue his dream. On the big stage today he was excellent, going 2-4 with a walk, a run, and 2 RBIs. Unfortunately for the 3rd year leadoff man, his team was defeated in a slugfest 11-8. Welisson will have to hold his dreams for a Koshien title until the Summer Tournament, when the pressure is at its highest. He finished the event hitting .500 after 2 games.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgojMDsFjpI/AAAAAAAAAXI/QAEAublXxG8/s1600-h/79th+Spring+Koshien+Game+%232+2HR.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgojMDsFjpI/AAAAAAAAAXI/QAEAublXxG8/s400/79th+Spring+Koshien+Game+%232+2HR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046885022477684370" border="0" /></a>The story of this ballgame was Sho Nakata. After an 0-3 performance with an HBP and an RBI in Game One, Nakata put on a show today.<br /><br />In the first inning, with two outs and a runner on 1st, Nakata worked a walk against the clearly intimidated starter, Idei, of Sanichi. He scorched the first pitch foul, took a high fastball for ball one, took an outside fork for ball two, laced an inside fastball foul past the third baseman, took a high fastball four ball three, and then watched a change up just miss for ball four.<br /><br />In the third inning, with one out, runners on 1st and 2nd, and a run in, the young slugger took strike one on a fastball down the middle. On the second pitch he watched a fastball sail outside for ball one. On the third pitch, Nakata took a high and inside fastball off the hands foul. The fourth pitch was a fastball outside, for ball two. With the count now 2 balls and 2 strikes, Toin's cleanup man leaned into a pitch and sent it sailing over the left field wall into the stands for a huge three run shot to break the game open. The home run was measured at 150 meters, or 492+ feet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgojTTsFjqI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/3g-9f2vh3eI/s1600-h/79th+Spring+Koshien+Game+%232+2HR+congrats.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgojTTsFjqI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/3g-9f2vh3eI/s400/79th+Spring+Koshien+Game+%232+2HR+congrats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046885147031735970" border="0" /></a>His next at bat came in the fourth inning with no outs and a runner on 1st. At this point the score was already 6-3 in favor of the Osaka club. Idei fell behind Nakata 2 balls and 1 strike on a couple of missed fastballs and a hard foul ball. Nakata looked at a fat fastball and took a full swing lining a bullet into the left center field stands for his 2nd home run of the game. This was the first time a player had hit home runs in consecutive at bats during Koshien since Hideki Matsui did it in 1992. The news services are all running headlines calling Nakata a "monster like Godzilla" this afternoon.<br /><br />Nakata attempted to make this a 3 home run affair in his very next at bat flying out to center, and then duplicating that result in his final at bat in the 8th. Toin advances to face <a href="http://www.tokoha.net/kikugawa/" target="_blank">Tokoha Gakuen Kikugawa</a> on the 31st for a chance to advance to the Final Four. What will Sho do for an encore?Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-60540389052337939302007-03-26T22:55:00.000-07:002008-12-08T21:38:06.012-08:00Koshien Round OneThe 79th Edition of the Koshien Spring High School Baseball Tournament is underway, and we've just completed the first round. I had hoped to write up a tournament preview, but simply have been too busy to get to it. This year is a new beginning of sorts. The Komadai Tomakomai team from Hokkaido, which had dominated the sport for 3 years running, has graduated a number of its most important players, including ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. Waseda Jitsugyo, the school which dominated the 2006 season behind current Waseda University starter <a href="http://www.yukisaito.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Yuki Saito</a>, is also noticeably absent from the competition. Being that this is Koshien, there are always fresh new faces and potential heroes to pick out and follow. To that end, I selected a list of 5 schools and their star players to watch and cheer on. Here is that list:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgjDV5elMVI/AAAAAAAAAWY/PpANcu1jwUo/s1600-h/Nakata+Sho+Spring+Koshien+start+%231.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgjDV5elMVI/AAAAAAAAAWY/PpANcu1jwUo/s320/Nakata+Sho+Spring+Koshien+start+%231.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046498163442397522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Osaka Toin (<a href="http://baseballjapan.blogspot.com/2007/03/sho-nakata.html" target="_blank">Sho Nakata</a> - OF/RHP, 6'0" 207 pounds )</span><br />Osaka Toin beat up on Nihon Bunri High 7-0 behind Sho Nakata's no hitter for 6.2 innings. He gave up one hit and then sat down after 7 innings and 114 pitches.<br /><br />Mets' scout Isao Ojimi calls him the best prospect in Asia and the Cubs and Twins both feel he can be a Major Leaguer in a few years. The NPB teams are hoping he stays put and falls to them in the draft next year. That's the good part. The rough part is that he also walked 7 hitters and blasted a hitter in the midsection in the first inning as he was squaring to bunt. That man was promptly picked off first. Who can blame him? It was the first time I'd seen Nakata pitch and I must say I was not that impressed.<br /><br />He hit 88 on the gun and looked a bit like a stocky right fielder with a little pitching ability. His frame on the mound reminded me a little of the Orioles Jaret Wright. If he were to continue pitching down the road, I think he'd only have a reasonable career as a reliever. Just my opinion after one start. He also went 0-3 with an RBI ground out in the first, and was hit by a pitch himself.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Sendai Ikuei (Yoshinori Sato - RHP, 5'10" 157 pounds)</span><br />All eyes have been on Yoshinori Sato for some time now, and the Sendai ace was out to make a run at a championship this Spring. The tournament started against little regarded Tokoha Gakuen Kikugawa High. Despite hitting 93mph on the radar and showing stellar command in striking out 14, the Ikuei offense never got it going and the boys from Tohoku were sent home 2-1 on the first day. We'll be sure to watch for Sato's revenge this Summer at the big event in August. He'll need to build a little better size to do anything at the next level, but the tools are there.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Narita (Yuki Karakawa - RHP, 5'11" 172 pounds)</span><br />Karakawa was a hard luck loser in 12 innings versus Hiroshima's Koryo High School, 2-1. It really wasn't his day, however, as he gave up 13 hits, 2 walks, and 3 hit batsmen while striking out only 4. At Koshien you're very lucky if you can survive that kind of shaky outing, and the ace of Narita High almost did just that. Almost. Koryo's coach ran himself out of two prime scoring opportunities in this game as he tried the suicide squeeze to no avail. In both attempts, his batters were not able to make contact with the pitch and cost the team a runner on 3rd. You MUST make contact if that's your strategy. In the end, Koryo won despite itself and we will have to wonder if a better second outing was in the cards for the senior righty. Summer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgjDmpelMXI/AAAAAAAAAWo/fZ_RhNwb3-I/s1600-h/Ota+Atori+fans+20.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RgjDmpelMXI/AAAAAAAAAWo/fZ_RhNwb3-I/s320/Ota+Atori+fans+20.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046498451205206386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Teikyo (Atori Ota - RHP, 6'1", 200 pounds)</span><br />Atori Ota is a force of nature. This was my first look at this exciting young player and I have to say WOW!!! He has size, excellent mound presence, and a ridiculous array of pitches. I suppose it's not the variety that impressed me as much as it was his ability to use the fastball anywhere in the zone, and hit the black at will. When he used his fork or change it was truly, truly unfair. This is the best young pitcher outside Darvish and Saito.<br /><br />Ogi High School fell to Teikyo 9-1 (the one run was unearned) and had zero chance from the start. Ogi is a small program, but when a 6'1", 200 pound high school senior goes out and deals 20 strikeouts with only 4 hits and a walk over 9 complete, you have to tip your cap. The 20 Ks was one away from the all time Koshien record. He's got great size as you can see, and he's ready for the next level now. I may have to start an Atori Ota Watch soon. Yes, he's that good.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">. Hotoku Gakuen (Reo Chikada - LHP, 5'9" 185 pounds)</span><br />Hotoku Gakuen found itseld upset by no name Muroto High, 2-1. Hotoku Junior lefty Reo Chikada was on the mound and looked a bit immature to me. He has an immature physical frame, despite a promising lower body, and attitude to match. He smiled a lot and stuck out his tongue each time he surrendered a hit or walk. His mound presence was poor, and I think he needs to grow up a lot before he's a legitimate pitcher. He'll be a pro in 2008, but he needs work. Nevertheless, he struck out nine and worked a shutout through 6 before coughing up two in the 7th inning. That was all she wrote, as his teammates couldn't generate any offense against a very impressive and gutsy Morisawa of Muroto. I have to cheer for Morisawa after watching his passion for the game. Good story. Too bad for Chikada.<br /><br />That's the main scoop from Koshien's 1st Round. I'll do my best to keep you posted on the next round and particularly the Nakata and Ota updates to follow. Stay Tuned!!!Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-89455789675719674202007-03-12T05:53:00.000-07:002008-12-08T21:38:06.587-08:00Sho Nakata<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfVxZ-U4e-I/AAAAAAAAASY/ucoeHUE-djs/s1600-h/Sho+Bust.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfVxZ-U4e-I/AAAAAAAAASY/ucoeHUE-djs/s400/Sho+Bust.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041060048952392674" border="0" /></a>Welcome to the new century. This is the century of Yuki Saito on the mound, and Sho Nakata at the plate. You have seen my blog <a href="http://www.yukisaito.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Yuki Saito Watch</a> by now, I'm guessing, but this is the coming out of Sho Nakata to an international audience. Let me introduce you.<br /><br />Nakata was born on April 22nd, 1989 in Hiroshima Prefecture. He began his baseball career as an elementary school 2nd grader, and played catcher. By the time he had reached junior high school his reputation preceded him to the point that he started over his seniors, although only a first year player. This honor is only reserved for the most outstanding talent in the game. As a third year player in junior high school, Nakata was selected to the All Japan team and was awarded the privilege of representing his country at the <a href="http://www.cabaworldseries.com/" target="_blank">Continental Amateur Baseball Association 15-Year Old World Series</a> in the United States. He won the MVP of the competition and the US coaches remarked at the unreal talent they had witnessed in such a young man. From the August 3, 2004 edition of the NorthWest Herald(Chicago):<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Already a top prospect in his country, Sho Nakata is a name to remember. His long-term goal? He wants t o pitch for the New York Yankees.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"He's special," Japan team advisor Fujio Seki said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Already, Nakata's fastball has been clocked at 86 mph. It may be about 5 or 6 mph slower than the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/2006rnd.php?rnd=19" target="_blank">Seattle Stars' Cam Nobles</a>, but Nakata's presence helped Japan to wins in its first seven CABA outings, including a 9-8 victory against the McHenry County Hurricanes on Thursday at Lippold Park. Propelled by Nakata's 17 hits, Japan was averaging 11.9 runs per game. Nakata also won both of his pitching starts, including one complete game....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">After high school, Nakata is eligible for the top level of Japanese baseball. After a couple seasons there, Nakata wants to come back to the United States – and pitch for the Yankees.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"I practice every day," he said through the team's interpreter, Seki. "The whole year, I play baseball."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nakata has flashed five-tool potential throughout CABA. His power – both on the mound and in the batter's box – is overwhelming. This is where the damage comes in. Nakata claimed the CABA home run derby Wednesday night, and he launched a first-inning home run against the Hurricanes that developed on a pitch Giesey called to be in a different location. On the first fastball he faced, following three curves, Nakata raised the plane of his swing, connecting on a three-run shot to right-center field.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfVxfuU4e_I/AAAAAAAAASg/BzyZSoRoUdM/s1600-h/Sho+Height+Chart.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfVxfuU4e_I/AAAAAAAAASg/BzyZSoRoUdM/s400/Sho+Height+Chart.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041060147736640498" border="0" /></a>As a first year player at Osaka Toin High School, Nakata was relegated to the bench. His ballclub made the final four at the Summer Koshien in 2005 and he contributed several big hits along the way. Last year was his big chance. As a second year player, Nakata hit cleanup and both pitched and played right field. He had grown to a healthy 183cm(6 feet) and 94kg(207lbs) and was a force all over the field. He reportedly benches 105kg(231 lbs) and squats 240kg(528 lbs), and can run a 6.2 second 50 meter dash, which seems slow for a track athlete, but very nice for a power hitting right fielder. As a pitcher, Nakata topped out at 151kph(94mph) and proved to be an imposing presence with a curve, slider, and palm ball in his arsenal. As a hitter, he is the most fearsome force in Japanese baseball at any level. Well, he may have some things to work on to rate him that highly compared to his professional seniors, but the ceiling is unlimited. In the 2006 Summer Koshien, Nakata hit a 140m(459 foot) line bullet to the left center field back screen against Yokohama High School. Unfortunately, in the second game of the tournament, Osaka Toin was matched up with the bulldozing Yuki Saito of Waseda Jitsugyo and young Sho fanned three times in four unsuccessful at bats against the ace.<br /><br />In the 2006 Kinki Regional Fall Tournament, Osaka Toin managed a strong 2nd place finish and Nakata was a monster. In a quarterfinal game against Ohmi High School, Nakata blasted his 65th career home run, passing PL Gakuen legend Kazuhiro Kiyohara for 3rd place in Japanese high school baseball history. Kiyohara is still clinging to a professional career at the age of 39, with 525 home runs and a Hall of Fame career behind him. He rounded first and threw up a "guts pose", pumping his fist. Against Ichikawa High School of neighboring Hyogo Prefecture, the eye-popping outfielder launched a 1-2 slider 560 feet, which left Kimiidera Field, traveled over several houses, and landed in an irrigation ditch! His 66th career home run merited a special certificate from the stadium owner, showing his appreciation for the unprecedented feat as no ball had ever traveled remotely so far in the long history of the park.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfVxrOU4fAI/AAAAAAAAASo/of_9-IQLVwo/s1600-h/toin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfVxrOU4fAI/AAAAAAAAASo/of_9-IQLVwo/s400/toin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041060345305136130" border="0" /></a>Sho Nakata enters the 2007 season with a total of 68 home runs, tied with current Seibu Lions infielder, Hiroshi Hirao. Next on the list at 70 are Ryosuke Hirata, Nakata's Osaka Toin senior of two years and Chuinichi Dragons outfielder, and the Mariners' Kenji Johjima. At 74, SoftBank Hawks minor leaguer Ryuya Ina sits in 3rd place just 15 behind the two players tied for second place with 83, Takeya Nakamura (current Seibu 3B) and Ken Suzuki (aging Yakult infielder). Current Seibu reserve outfielder, Hiroyuki Oshima is the all-time leader with 86. It only seems a matter of time before Nakata holds that record with a two year average of 34 home runs, and only 18 ahead of him to tie Oshima. Oops. Make that 17. On March 12th, playing on the grounds of Osaka's Daito City Stadium, the Toin slugger crushed the first pitch of his first at bat in the first inning against Kyoto Ryoyo High School sending a high line drive over the left center field fence. Number 69 in his storybook career, and with only 11 days to go before the open of the 2007 Spring Koshien Tournament.<br /><br />I'll keep you posted on Nakata's amazing run. He has been scouted already by the Minnesota Twins and more recently by the Mets' scout Isao Ojimi who apparently posted a report to his bosses in Flushing about the slugger. Ojimi has also been seen in attendance at a few Yuki Saito practices recently. It is almost certain that Nakata will be a pro in 2008. The NPB draft awaits him eagerly, and I'm quite certain that he will be the #1 pick. If he wants to sign a deal with a Major League club, that's certainly out there as well, but I wonder if any of the teams across the Pacific will ante up as much guaranteed money as the Japanese teams. Stay tuned.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-38807860476737532032007-03-11T18:32:00.000-07:002008-12-08T21:38:06.652-08:00Baseball Prospectus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfSvleU4e8I/AAAAAAAAASI/6uI_4cOshdQ/s1600-h/BP2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RfSvleU4e8I/AAAAAAAAASI/6uI_4cOshdQ/s320/BP2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040846941265099714" border="0" /></a>I'd like to announce that I will be writing for the outstanding baseball think tank <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/" target="_blank">Baseball Prospectus</a> during the 2007 season, covering Japanese baseball in all its various forms. This is an exciting opportunity to expand the coverage of the Japanese game in an English language medium via the most respected and intellectual organization in the baseball writing community.<br /><br />Baseball Japan, and the other blogs I have created to cover specific players, will continue as a source for information and analysis on the Japanese game. These blogs will only be made better by the association with BP, and I hope to provide expanded and in-depth coverage of the issued raised and examined in my work there. These sources should provide a synergy that will help the rabid baseball fan dig deeper into the specifics of the sport in Japan, while also giving the casual fan a broader scope on the personalities and cultural points that exist across the Pacific.<br /><br />Thank you for your continued support here and across the range of my other work. Please drop by Baseball Prospectus as often as possible to read our work and make sure to pick up your copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452288258/baseballprospect/ref=nosim/" target="_blank">Baseball Prospectus 2007</a> for the skinny on anything and everything related to Major League Baseball in 2007. See you around!Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-14432039296454313242007-03-06T07:48:00.001-08:002008-12-08T21:38:06.740-08:00Yuki Saito Watch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/Re2NHLlBDBI/AAAAAAAAAP4/ogZubDgNJAM/s1600-h/Yuki+Saito+Watch+Banner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/Re2NHLlBDBI/AAAAAAAAAP4/ogZubDgNJAM/s400/Yuki+Saito+Watch+Banner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038838712604101650" border="0" /></a>This blog has been a long time in the making, and there is perhaps no player I am more excited about in Japan than the star of the 2006 Summer Koshien, Yuki Saito. The Waseda University season is about to start, and so is my intense coverage of Saito's young career. In 2011, he will be a free agent at 23 years old and perhaps open to the market in the United States. Keep an eye on him and support <a href="http://yukisaito.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Yuki Saito Watch</a>.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-83226405885937575902007-03-05T04:44:00.000-08:002008-12-08T21:38:06.856-08:00I Made ItRecently I posted about ESPN's coverage of the Asian game, and noted that I missed the cut in the pieces on their website. It appears that I was premature in that statement, as Eric Neel's latest piece on who to watch is now available, and <a href="http://proxy.espn.go.com/mlb/asia/columns/story?columnist=neel_eric&id=2766756" target="_blank">yours truly gets a little mention</a> at the bottom of the article. Thanks to the always informative and enjoyable Eric Neel for the mention. Look for more from me very soon at <a href="http://www2.blogger.com/www.baseballprospectus.com" target="_blank">Baseball Prospectus</a>. More on that to come.....<br /><br />If you're arriving for the first time via the ESPN story, welcome. The content here is still a bit thin, but 2007 will be absolutely full to the brim with both NPB and Koshien coverage. Likewise, my player specific blogs will continue, with a much more active <a href="http://www.yudarvish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Darvish Watch</a>, <a href="http://www.ueharawatch.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Uehara Watch</a>, and the debut of <a href="http://www.yukisaito.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Yuki Saito Watch</a>. Of course, <a href="http://www.matsuzaka.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Matsuzaka Watch</a> is still in full force. Come back often and tell your friends!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RewQfXyYw8I/AAAAAAAAAOg/QlbmzoXMvTk/s1600-h/ESPN+Byline.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RewQfXyYw8I/AAAAAAAAAOg/QlbmzoXMvTk/s400/ESPN+Byline.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038420214268085186" border="0" /></a>Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-27406296345443138132007-02-28T23:18:00.000-08:002008-12-08T21:38:06.982-08:00ESPN on AsiaESPN has a rather <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/asia/index" target="_blank">large spread on the sport</a> of baseball in Asia at their website. It discusses Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China and there are several interesting pieces to check out. I have spoken and e-mailed with Eric Neel on a number of occasions, and he is a tremendously nice guy. I was hoping to make the cut in <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/asia/columns/story?columnist=neel_eric&id=2766707" target="_blank">his latest piece</a> about the bridge between Japan and the US, but it just wasn't to be. I'm down, but not out. Give it a read, and support the building interest in the East Asian wave. It makes for good reading, and helps to drive the popularity of writing like mine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/ReZ_mLQROoI/AAAAAAAAAOI/neDPtvUMgFI/s1600-h/ESPN+Asia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/ReZ_mLQROoI/AAAAAAAAAOI/neDPtvUMgFI/s400/ESPN+Asia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036853527093262978" border="0" /></a>Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-1393128175478428272007-02-12T16:00:00.000-08:002008-12-08T21:38:07.282-08:00A New Beginning<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RdEE8PZg6nI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/86HwMDWVXjw/s1600-h/1031_large.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RdEE8PZg6nI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/86HwMDWVXjw/s320/1031_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030807691721763442" border="0" /></a>Welcome to the 2007 campaign at Baseball Japan. This blog was created in the waning days of 2006 as a way to communicate with English-speaking baseball fans about the game in Japan. The World Baseball Classic opened a lot of eyes to the sport on an international level, and the wave of successful Japanese ballplayers to brave the Major Leagues has increased significantly. With all that has transpired in a very short period of time, the interest in Japanese Baseball has also boomed. That's where I come in.<br /><br />Prior to this post, Baseball Japan has been in a slow test mode. I've written a bit about Japan's place in the overall scheme of things, the deep roots of baseball in Japanese tradition, and even a few provocative ideas about Ichiro's future. This post marks the beginning of a fruitful future for Baseball Japan as the professional league has started its Spring Training circuit, the high school students are ramping up their training for the Spring edition of Koshien (and the preview magazines as well), and the Tokyo Big 6 League of the Japanese university level is preparing to add Yuki Saito to the rotation of the storied Waseda University team. All games will be televised in 2007!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RdEFQ_Zg6oI/AAAAAAAAAGY/Rc9aqXUiOlA/s1600-h/yuki+saito+with+flag.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_I7ZR9V0Heag/RdEFQ_Zg6oI/AAAAAAAAAGY/Rc9aqXUiOlA/s320/yuki+saito+with+flag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030808048204049026" border="0" /></a>So much to write about this year. I hope to bring you a great variety of information about Japanese baseball in 2007. Please stop back often, or click the "subscribe: Atom" link in the right margin, just below the title banner. I'm relatively new to the RSS/Atom feed system, so I would love to have any suggestion about how to improve my service. If you'd like to contact me about this, or anything at all, please click the link under "Contacts". Just drop me a line and I'll do my best top reply in a timely fashion.<br /><br />What can you expect to read here in the weeks and months to come? I'll give you a sneak peek at what's coming next at Baseball Japan (not necessarily in order):<br /><br />1. NPB Season Preview - A look at the stories to follow in Japanese Professional Baseball 2007<br />2. Kosuke Fukudome: To the Major Leagues? - A profile of the next big name to cross the ocean<br />3. Sho Nakata: The Future - A profile of Japan's 17 year old baseball prodigy<br /><br />That's the short list of things to come back for, and there will be plenty more as the games begin. In the meantime, if you want to do some reading, I have a number of player specific blogs that you may find interesting (if you haven't seen them already):<br /><br /><a href="http://www.matsuzaka.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Matsuzaka Watch</a> - Following "Dice-K"<br /><a href="http://www.ueharawatch.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Uehara Watch</a> - Following Japan's #1 Free Agent-to be<br /><a href="http://www.yudarvish.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Darvish Watch</a> - Neglected, but ready to roll for 2007, following the young ace<br /><a href="http://www.yukisaito.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Yuki Saito Watch</a> - To Begin in March!<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by. Don't be a stranger. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-1163561810516562412006-11-14T19:26:00.000-08:002006-11-14T22:37:07.390-08:00The Future Meaning of Ichiro<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Matsuzaka%20Red%20Sox.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Matsuzaka%20Red%20Sox.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Matsuzaka sweepstakes is over. Boston has made their $51.1 million uber-bid and is set to negotiate an astronomical deal with the Japanese ace. The repercussions of this situation will be felt in many places. It will be felt in cities all over the US, where free agent pitching prices will hit an all time high. Many of the mid and lower market teams will be priced out even further than they were before. This is the new economics of baseball. It will be felt in New York, where both the Mets and the Yankees coveted Matsuzaka, and will have to watch him don the colors of the Red Sox Nation. That particularly stings for the Yankees, who will face him a number of times throughout the season, and deal with a cut in their Japanese market share. It will be felt by Seibu, both positively and negatively, as they have reaped a financial whirlwind but given up their best player at the same time. It will be felt in other Japanese cities, where big money is waiting for struggling clubs who wish to sell off their stars to eager Major League owners.<br /><br />Nowhere will the impact of this wave of big money postings be felt than in Seattle. Seattle, you ask? How will this affect Seattle more than anyone else? Trust me. Let me spell it out for you.<br /><br />The Mariners went from being a club full of superstar players, including Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey, Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Edgar Martinez, to a struggling Pacific Northwest franchise reliant on their Japanese owner to farm the Far East for underexposed talent. They made the first volley by bringing Kaz Sasaki to the US, and continued with Ichiro, and more recently Kenji Johjima. It is a formula that worked to keep the Mariners competitive and actually even saw them post the best single season record in the history of the sport, with 116 wins in 2001. All of that may be over at the end of the 2007 campaign. It may be over because Ichiro Suzuki is a free agent.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Ichiro%20258.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Ichiro%20258.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Mariners owner, Mr. Yamauchi, has been pooling his financial resources to keep the wildly popular Ichiro in Sea-town. The Mariners are extremely popular in Japan, thanks to the success of Ichiro and his fellow Mariners from the Far East. He is omni-present on television, billboards, textbooks, and magazine covers. Ichiro is a national hero. The problem is, Ichiro wants to win. Seattle has become the victim of an overpriced marketplace, where pitchers are going for $16, 17, 18, and 25 million a pop. If it’s an ace, it costs as much as the GDP of a small country. The Mariners have mid-market financial resources and little hope of finding a real #1 starter in their farm system. Ichiro isn’t getting any younger. Perhaps you see where this is going….<br /><br />How likely is it that the stellar right and center fielder will be back for another tour of duty, while the Rangers, Angels, and Athletics are all getting stronger? How likely is it that there will be other suitors out there willing to spend big on Ichiro to break into the Japanese market and follow the lead of the Red Sox in making a big spending splash? I think it’s more than a little likely. Who are those big spenders? Who needs an All-Star caliber centerfielder with ties to the second largest economy in the world? I have a few ideas.<br /><br />The Red Sox now have their chip. They are in. The problem is, they are in once a week when Matsuzaka pitches. The Yankees and Mariners are going to get their share of NHK broadcasts by right of having famous everyday players on their rosters. Likewise, the White Sox have Iguchi and will probably get some airtime as well. Adding <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Akinori_Iwamura" target="_blank">Akinori Iwamura</a> to the mix in 2007 will help some as yet unknown franchise get their foot in the door. Unless that team is also the Red Sox, they will need to bolster their investment with a good player with star quality for everyday exposure. That player may be Iwamura, if the Sox have a comprehensive “Japan Plan” for this offseason. It also may be <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Michihiro_Ogasawara" target="_blank">Michihiro Ogasawara</a> of the Nippon Ham Fighters, who won the Pacific League MVP and is currently an under the radar free agent. Matsuzaka knows how good he is…..<br /><br />Should those plans fall through, what’s to stop the Red Sox from splashing on Ichiro. It would do two things. One, it would add an All-Star outfielder with a great bat, legs, and throwing arm. Two, it would permanently steal the Japanese spotlight from the Yankees, who are wildly famous and popular, and reposition it on the Red Sox. The Yankees would be famous, but the Red Sox would be Japan’s team. Theo Epstein knows this and I guarantee they are working on a plan to acquire Ichiro already. With Ichiro and Matsuzaka, the Sox would not only be good, they’d be the most famous franchise in Japan. What kind of dollar figures can you put on that?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/matsui%20ichiro.jpg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/matsui%20ichiro.jpg.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The flip side to that situation is that the Yankees know this too. The Yankees could use a centerfielder who hits, runs, and plays defense. Johnny Damon is good, and Melky Cabrera is up and coming, but let’s face it….Damon’s defense is in decline, and Melky is probably better suited to left. If the Yankees choose to counter the Matsuzaka move by spending huge on Ichiro, they will solidify their strong hold on Japan, and perhaps do so irreversibly. That’s goes double if the Yankees are able to land the Yomiuri Giants’ <a href="http://www.ueharawatch.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Koji Uehara</a> in the same 2007 offseason. What is that worth to the Yankees?<br /><br />In either case, the Red Sox and Yankees rivalry is now global. The frontlines are drawn and they extend all the way around the world. For fans who are already sick of the two teams, it’s more nausea. For Yankees and Red Sox fans, it’s more fuel to the belief that the world revolves around the ebb and flow of Boston against New York. For Mariners fans, it’s something to mourn. Unless Ichiro is so intensely loyal to Mr. Yamauchi, or intent on returning to Japan to end his career, the money that will be out there for him in a year’s time will make A-Rod’s deal look like pocket change.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-1158574614917238742006-09-18T01:38:00.000-07:002006-09-18T03:17:19.126-07:00Baseball Bunka<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20286.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20286.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I return from Osaka after a nice long weekend of sightseeing, sampling of local cuisine, and contemplating the role of baseball as a part of Japanese society. My short stay in Japan's most free and individualistic city turned up more than a few glimpses of the intersection between baseball and traditional culture. I'll present a snapshot of my trip, with a special emphasis on the baseball moments that I enjoyed.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osaka" target="_blank">Osaka</a> is Japan's 3rd largest city, with a population of just under 3 million people. It is a metropolis by any definition of the word, and the people enjoy the benefits of big city life. They also suffer from some of the typical pitfalls of urban excess. My impression of this vibrant community is similar to my affection for my native New York. It's a place where good food, good drink, and colorful characters are found at every turn. The local sports culture is rabid, and the fans take their Hanshin Tigers very seriously. The cheering section of that club is as loud and boisterous as any found anywhere in the world. The Spring Sumo Tournament is held in Osaka during March and draws a very supportive and passionate audience as well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20259.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20259.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sampling the famous local cuisine was, of course, a highlight of the trip. I ate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okonomiyaki" target="_blank">"okonomiyaki"</a> which is like a pancake made in front of you on a teppanyaki grill. It's filled with various things depending on your preference, and the name actually means "whatever you like, cooked-up". I shared a seafood pancake and a cheese pancake with my wife on my first night in town. Good stuff with a frosty mug of beer.<br /><br />I also made my way to the highly entertaining section of the city called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dotonbori" taqrget="_blank">"Dotonbori"</a> where neon is used like it's going out of style, and the wackiest elements of Osaka culture are out in force. It's a place famous for crab, ramen, and takoyaki. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takoyaki" target="_blank">Takoyaki</a> are basically balls of batter and octopus fried into a kind of dumpling. If you've ever had a New England crabcake, replace the crab with octopus, and voila...takoyaki.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20355.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20355.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>There's a lot going on in Dotonbori. Icons of Japanese popular culture are both created and celebrated in the flashy environs of the street malls. It was here that I photographed the most gigantic version of the NTT (Nippon Telephone and Telegraph) ad campaign, spanning the entire height of a building. The recent campaign touts the high speed broadband that NTT uses to provide reliable and clear service to anywhere. Ichiro Suzuki is the poster boy, in full Mariners regalia, and has his ultra-cool poster boy face in effect. My wife noted as we stared at the giant hommage to Ichiro that he's always concerned with appearances, including his endorsements, while Hideki Matsui is always playful and at ease in pajamas, traditional summer robes, or serious in his Yankee uniform.<br /><br />That was hardly my only brush with baseball during the weekend. I have to backtrack to when the whole trip began to tell the story.....<br /><br />From the plane I looked down on a glimmering night scene, with both neon splendor and the gentle glow of homes and apartments in the middle of the city. My eyes immediately were drawn to Osaka-jo (pictured above), or Osaka Castle as it's called in English. The castle is one of the centerpieces of the city and a national cultural treasure that is often used in tourism promotions and the like. It has an important role in the unification of feudal Japan, and the Osakans revere the traditional grounds with great respect. The interesting point to this story, is that the illuminated castle was flanked on 3 sides by illuminated baseball fields. It was at that moment that I knew my 1st day's itinerary.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20309.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20309.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Touring the castle and its grounds was fascinating. I'm a history buff, and I felt connected to the events of history that took place on the very ground I was standing. As I learned more, I realized that some of the most important battles in the unification of Japan were fought on the soil upon which I tread, and the blood that was shed, in some way, was responsible for the current order of things. The castle itself is beautiful and one is treated to a display of artwork, architecture, and history on each of the 8 stories of the stronghold. From the 8th story observation deck I circled around to the West to find the baseball field that I had seen from the sky the night before. It was quite large for a public park, and I could clearly make out that it was something of a huge sandlot. The juxtaposition of the ancient castle ornaments and the baseball grounds in the distance made a nice photo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20314.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20314.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>From the castle I bolted for the field. I wanted to see what was going on there, and what kind of facility the city of Osaka had provided for its citizens to enjoy the great game of baseball. To my surprise it was quite spartan and bombed with graffiti. There was the requisite X-rated graffiti featuring male genitals, and there was also a poor rendition of Mickey Mouse on another concrete wall. Go figure. I wasn't sure what to make of the riff-raff that was hanging around outside the grounds. There was a mix of moms with their little children, chain-smoking salarymen with big dark circles under their eyes, and even more suspicious looking characters in yellowing golf shirts kind of moping about. I stopped to take in the practice that was going on just inside the walls. There were kind of portholes cut out of the concrete backstop, and it was apparent that they were the best views in the house for the loitering fans. The guys taking batting practice against live pitching seemed to be part of a local amateur team just out for a little sunshine and some exercise.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20324.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/Picture%20Group%20Canon%20324.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I made my way around to the far side of the stadium to get a clearer look at the practice from the opening in the left field fence. It was there that I got my best view of Osaka Castle in the background, looming as the players took their reps. A handful of junior high school players, in their uniforms, were waiting around on their bicycles for their coach to arrive and start their afternoon practice. I approached them and asked if they practiced here everyday. They replied that their practices always took place on the grounds, and that they in fact played everyday in the shadow of the castle. I thought it was a powerful metaphor for the game that unified Japan on the grounds of the bloody war that defined the course of that same nation. Could any of those warlords, or any of their soldiers, have imagined that the battlefield where they lost their lives and struggled for ultimate control of the riches of Japan would one day be a symbol of populist life, and an arena dedicated to a game brought to Japan by missionaries centuries later.<br /><br />In the end, my short stay in Osaka did not include a professional baseball game, as the home team was out of town. It was more a complete cultural experience with a lot of exploring on the menu. Baseball was hardly the main attraction of the time in the vibrant city, but it was also something impossible to escape. If the people of Osaka, and other cities all over Japan, nestle their sandlots and stadiums in the heart of their most important cultural zones, it's not difficult to imagine how much the game means to the identity of the Japanese. It's also one of the reasons I feel so at home here despite the octopus cakes and typhoons. Long live baseball!!Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-1157776462339897392006-09-08T19:26:00.000-07:002006-09-09T07:13:55.003-07:00Risk Factor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/RealCrespo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/RealCrespo.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>With the notion that Daisuke Matsuzaka may be posted and join a Major League ballclub in 2007, there has been an increasing buzz around the internet and in the major media outlets about the risks involved in paying big money to a Japanese ballplayer. I'd like to examine those risks here to put them in perspective, and offer some thoughts on where they may come from.<br /><br />Some years ago, Latin ballplayers were looked down upon and many Major League teams refused to sign or play them. It was a lot of bigotry and a healthy dose of ignorance to the level of their play as well. Please, look at this snippet from the website <a href="http://www.latino-mlb-players.com/" target="_blank">Latino Baseball Players</a>:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Players of Latin American heritage have a deep ardor for the gam</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">e of baseball, and have made immense contributions to the national pastime. So </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">many great players have come out of Latin America and seeing them playing shows how integrated the sport of baseball has become. Three to four decades back baseball didn’t approve the Latino players. As a matter of fact the Latino baseball players were the victim of similar negative perceptions and discrimination that many of the early black players had to undergo and triumph over. For ins</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">tance, the Yankees gave up their superstar Vic Power, a Puerto Rican due to his dark complexion and due to his courtship with White women. In 1954, the Yankees traded him to the Philadelphia Athletics. With his new club, he beca</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">me a constant All-Star. Following the decade of 50s the budding of Latino baseball players increased significantly. Currently, 30% of Latino players form the dominant force in the Major Leagues.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Stellar performances by Latino players in the major leagues have dismissed the myth of the inferior talent of athletes from Latin America. For all the ba</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">seball-loving Latinos who are proud of their roots and culture it is a great satisfaction that the dignity of their culture has always been maintained by Latino big-leaguers and the stars of the present. Today, Latinos make up a significant portion of both the Major League Baseball player and fan bases. As of Opening D</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ay 2005, 204 players born in Latin American countries were on Major League Baseball Club rosters accounting for nearly 25 percent of the overall MLB player base. The Dominican Republic led all countries with 9</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 players, followed by Venezuela with 46 and Puerto Rico with 34. The contemporary Latino megastars like Juan Gonzalez, Sammy Sosa, Bernie Williams, Vinny Castillo, Ivan Rodriguez, Pedro </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Martinez, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and many others with their will and determination have proved that they are no more less than any other white American player. This brilliant constellation of stars, in their full swing has become the most wanted of their respective teams and admirers. Sammy Sosa has become the preeminent player of the Chicago Cubs and Alex Rodriguez in the uniform of Texas Rangers has encouraged every slugger. These two Dominicans have proved that they lead the pa</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">ck of Latino players followed by the Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Venezuelans, Mexicans and Colombians."</span><br /><br />The players mentioned in the article are a bit out of date, but you could easily replace them with David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero, Johan Santana, and others and all of the above would hold true. We have witnessed a boom of Latin influence in baseball over the last few decades that has reinvigorated the sport and increased the talent pool significantly. It would be beyond insane for anyone to question the level of talent that Latin players possess as a group. Why is it then, that a Japanese player's name is mentioned and people immediately conjure up Kazuo Matsui and Hideki Irabu and their chief examples? Why is it that people aren't more excited for their teams to bring over the next Ichiro or the next Hideki Matsui? In fact, why do fans ignore the possibility that they may be treated to the next Pedro Martinez or Johan Santana when their team pursues a talented young player from the East?<br /><br />I'd like to present the following chart to preface my next point. Please click the chart to enlarge:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Baseball%20Countries%20A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/400/Baseball%20Countries%20A.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />You see four countries in the first group. They have a collective population of 50 million+ people and an average per capita Gross Domestic Product os $9050. The second group features 3 countries with a total population of about 185 million people and a per capita GDP of nearly 3 times the first group, at $26,500. All 7 countries feature talent pools of baseball players. All 7 countries have professional leagues of some kind. The wealthier countries of Group 2 have major leagues, minor leagues, universities, and very high level youth baseball ranging from pee wee to high school. As you might imagine, the players in Group 1 often grow up without proper equipment, and are absorbed into the US coaching system around junior high school. They are signed directly into the professional minor leagues if they show promise. Take a look at the same chart with the countries names included:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/Baseball%20Countries%20B.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/400/Baseball%20Countries%20B.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Major League ballclubs spend 10s and maybe 100s of millions of dollars every year supporting Latin ballplayers at the youth level. They dole out $2-3-4-500,000 signing bonuses for the top high school talent in these countries, and fans everywhere walk around like roosters with their chests puffed out about the crop of young talent that is now in their team's stable. The Latin influence in the Majors has been so ingrained in fans' collective consciousness that people are willing to suspend disbelief about 16 year old Dominican kids called "the next Miguel Tejada" than they are about 25 year old Japanese pitchers, who have played, at the equivalent of the AAAA level, in the Japanese professional ranks since they were 18 years old. I'm talking about Daisuke Matsuzaka, of course. He of the 2.04 ERA, 0.918 WHIP, 9.86 K-rate, and 5.97 K/BB ratio. People who have seen him call him the best pitcher of his generation in Japan. People who have seen him are drooling at the prospect of him joining their favorite club next year. Those without 1st hand knowledge of Matsuzaka are consistently comparing him to Hideki Irabu and Kazuo Matsui. Why choose the Least Common Denominator of player to set your level of expectation?<br /><br />I have a theory. There are several factors that contribute to the impression of Asian players as compared with their Latin counterparts. Here are a few:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/hot%20and%20spicy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/hot%20and%20spicy.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>1. Latinos are fiery. Asians are passive.<br /><br />This stereotype is as much a part of Western collective consciousness as any other set of cultural labels assigned to these groups. You hear former Major Leaguers in the broadcast booth use the "passionate" or "fiery" adjectives to describe a Latin player's demeanor on a nightly basis. Whenever Chien Min Wang pitches, you hear guys like Jim Kaat of the YES Network admire his stoic character on the mound, attributing it to his Asian background. He often says things like, "It seems that these Asian pitchers come over here and bring a kind of cool to the mound."<br /><br />What this does in the psyche of baseball fans is build a foundation by which all other players from the same background are understood. Ichiro is a little slap hitter who can run, so that's what Japan is full of. Matsui comes as a slugger and his homers turn into doubles, so the stereotype of Japanese sluggers is now defined as some kind of failure. Latin players on the other hand get the opposite treatment. Vlad Guerrero shows 5-tool skills and the expectations are that other "fiery" Latin players will also grace the outfield of your local team with the same free swinging dominance as Vladdy. Nevermind that Guerrero is not fiery, and his aggressiveness is born of preter-natural talent that allows him to hit balls thrown behind him for home runs. There are plenty of truly fiery Latin players who swing aggressively and sport .225 averages and find themselves in the minor leagues, or out of baseball.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/expos%20irabu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/expos%20irabu.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>2. Failed analysis<br /><br />The analysis of Latin talent is far more advanced than that of Asian talent among the general population. There are plenty of scouts in Asia now, after the success of Ichiro and Matsui, and the level of understanding among professional has grown exponentially. That hasn't translated to the general public because the sample size of Latin talent in the Major League ranks goes back a generation, and most casual baseball observers have grown accustomed to the hundreds of guys named Gonzales, Rodriguez, and Rivera that have been on the Game of the Week. They've literally seen thousands of Latin ballplayers, good and bad, over the years. The opposite is true of the Asian player. Until Ichiro came to the US the majority of fans had seen a few Nomo games, a handful of Korean minor leaguers, and maybe a Taiwanese or two. The total sample size was less than 10 players. Since Ichiro, a wave of players has come into the MLB ranks, which now stands in the dozens, with more in the minor leagues.<br /><br />The sample size is still miniscule, and has actually hurt the casual fans' ability to accurately understand the level of talent in Asia. I'll stick with Japan for my current observation, as it is the most advanced baseball country in Asia, with the longest professional structure of any real quality. Fans have seen Ichiro win the Rookie of the Year award and the MVP. They have seen Hideki Matsui hit 30 homers for the Yankees and drive in 100+ runs every season to date. Those two players represent the only top level talent from Japan to cross the ocean. Nomo was damaged goods on arrival, and Irabu was seriously overrated by all the people that scouted him at the time. He spent about half of his career in Japan as a middle reliever with a 3.60 ERA. The best players of the last generation have not left Japan. They have been bound by contracts forcing them to perform 9 years of Japanese Professional service before they are allowed free agency, and therefore are well into their early 30's in many cases before they can leave their clubs. At that point, the money they can make on a guaranteed contract in Japan far exceeds what a Major League club is willing to spend on them. They stay.<br /><br />In contrast, the Latin ballplayer is scooped up and nurtured in the American system. By 18 they are playing at A ball, or above, and Major League scouts have watched them play 100s of times. When they are ready, they are B-lined to the Major Leagues and Joe Average gets a good close look at them in their prime. The number of failed Latin players is gigantic, but we are willing to forgive those expenditures for the chance at getting the diamond in the rough. Nevermind, the fact that some Minor League All-Stars fall flat in the pros.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/dominican%20baseball.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/dominican%20baseball.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>3. Raw versus Structured<br /><br />Scouts are trusted to deliver talent into the systems of their respective teams and Latin players are the hot thing. Teams want to be the first to enter the Venezuelan market, for example, to grab up the top players in that nation of 26 million people. If the talent pool of the Dominican Republic has scouts scrambling to sign the top young talent, it doesn't take a stretch to understand that a country with 16 million more people may have a deeper selection of great players for the organization willing to spend money to find it and nurture it. There are few regulations to speaking with these players, and no professional league to stand in the way.<br /><br />In Japan, for example, the aforementioned free agency system was created to maintain the economic viability of a professional league which has been around for something like 85 years. The Japanese are baseball fanatics and their are billions of dollars spent on baseball between the pros, industrial leagues, and high school kids. People stop what they're doing to watch baseball, and no one in power wants to hurt that love of the game, for money or pride. The structure in Japan does two things. It robs Major League fans of the opportunity to see legit star players in their primes. It also discourages Major League clubs from actively scouting and evaluating talent. That is, until recently. Daisuke Matsuzaka is 26 years old this week. He will be able to join a Major League club next year in his prime. He's the best pitcher of his generation, and will likely be a #1 pitcher in the Major Leagues. No one believes this because they've never seen him pitch, and there's so little precedent for a top level Japanese player to enter the Majors in his prime that only Irabu and Kaz Matsui fears come to mind.<br /><br />Let's look at the players that have entered the Majors from Japan in recent years and their age at MLB debut.<br /><br />Ichiro Suzuki (27 years old)<br />Hideki Matsui (29 years old)<br />Tadahito Iguchi (30 years old)<br />Kenji Johjima (30 years old)<br />Akinori Otsuka (32 years old)<br />Takashi Saito (36 years old)<br />So Taguchi (34 years old)<br />Hideo Nomo (26 years old)<br />Kaz Sasaki (28 years old)<br />Shigetoshi Hasegawa (30 years old)<br /><br />Kazuhisa Ishii (28 years old)<br />Hideki Irabu (28 years old)<br />Kazuo Matsui (28 years old)<br />Tsuyoshi Shinjo (29 years old)<br /><br />There are 4 or 5 other inconsequential players. Is this group a representative sample by which to draw your conclusions? The Japanese baseball ranks go back 85 years. There are currently 12 professional teams with around 25 players on each roster. In fact, if you look at this list what you see is a 1st group of players that fans have been very happy with. It includes a few All Stars, a few Rookie of the Years, and an MVP. The second group represents players who haven't provided much to their clubs and ended up villified. If you have any doubts about these players, check their stats. Even So Taguchi, who hardly jumps out at you sports a career line of .283/.330/.401 which isn't dismal. The 4 players in the 2nd group were bad. Shinjo has never been very good in Japan either. Ishii was a mediocre pitcher. Irabu was a marginally effective middle reliever who turned in 2 or 3 nice years as a starter before coming over. Kaz Matsui is a legitimate flop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/1600/matsunaka.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4427/1562/320/matsunaka.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>What you'll notice is that these players played their most productive years in Japan. It's common knowledge that most players achieve their peak around 25, 26, 27 years old before slowing declining. Star players decline at a far less extreme rate than marginal players. Every player on this list came to the US at the start of their decline period. After a year or so of adjustment, many of these guys were in their early 30's. Guys like Hideki Matsui, Kaz Sasaki, Tadahito Iguchi, and probably Kenji Johjima continued to produce very nice numbers for years. What you need to understand is that there are players in their primes, or entering their primes, playing in Japan that are as good as these players. We've missed out on seeing <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Nobuhiko_Matsunaka" target="_blank">Nobuhiko Matsunaka</a> in the Majors. He has been an MVP and won the Japanese Triple Crown. He's 35. We've also missed out on <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Kazuhiro_Kiyohara" target="_blank">Kazuhiro Kiyohara</a>, who is a legend and still hanging on to his dwindling baseball life at 39 years of age. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Michihiro_Ogasawara" target="_blank">Michihiro Ogasawara</a> is about to turn 33. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Kosuke_Fukudome" target="_blank">Kosuke Fukudome</a> is 29. The cream of the Japanese crop is passing its prime, and new players will step into their shoes. The same restrictions apply to them, so you won't be seeing them in your living rooms unless you live in Japan. It doesn't mean that the next Ichiro isn't out there. My focus has been on Daisuke Matsuzaka because he is just such a player. It's the rare chance to see a Japanese legend in his prime. You'll see the level of play that Latin players bring to the game when they are stars and in their primes. Perhaps, this perspective will help to change the notion that somehow a region, Asia, with 3 times the baseball loving population and 3 times the wealth is inferior to the Latin talent pool. My hope is that people will be less knee jerk in their analysis of the Asian athlete, and that the wave of baseball players from this part of the world will affect the game in the same way that Latins did a generation ago.<br /><br />In the end, you probably won't see too much change in Japan. It will require much better scouting and a new approach to drawing Japanese players to the US minor leagues before the pros get their hands on them for 9 years. Tomo Ohka did it. It could happen again in the future and change the way Japan handles free agency, but in the meantime there's no reason why the average American fan can't follow Japanese ball more closely. There is always room to appreciate players in their native environment. The level of competition is much higher than people generally believe. Come back to Baseball Japan to get your fill, and I will do my best to provide the background, analysis, and anything you want to hear about. Comment on the pieces and let me know what you want more of. Thanks for reading.Mike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33512067.post-1156907356581594192006-08-29T20:01:00.000-07:002006-08-29T20:09:16.593-07:00Welcome to Baseball JapanWelcome to Baseball Japan.<br /><br />Recently, I’ve found myself increasingly engaged in writing about baseball in Japan. During the summer of 2004, awaiting my move to Japan, I had a notion that Japanese baseball would be an important part of my life in the East. I frequently imagined the various aspects of baseball that draw America and Japan together. At the same time, I recognized the enormous gap that exists between the brands of baseball that are played on opposite sides of the world, and it intrigued me to explore all of these various similarities and differences.<br /><br />As a dedicated New York Yankees fan, I have been blessed with the comfort of watching my favorite club’s games on NHK thanks to the presence of Hideki Matsui. I have also been treated to a nice cross-section of Mariners, White Sox, Mets, and Cardinals games with the ever-increasing profile of Japanese players in the Major Leagues. My connection to the US and to Major League Baseball has gone largely unbroken thanks to this cross-cultural exchange of talent. Hearing and reading the Japanese point of view on these players’ accomplishments, struggles, and personal lives has helped me to expand my mind and observe the sport from a much more wide angle perspective.<br /><br />More than the Major League angle, I have seen Japan’s love affair with baseball from the root level all the way to the domestic professional ranks. I have watched Junior High School students riding their bicycles in the snow, already in full uniform, as they head to practice. It’s a year round phenomenon that is as much about building character, collective goals, and group harmony as it is about ground balls and batting practice. Following local youth teams has been a rewarding experience, as the universal love of the game translates without words. A glove is a glove. A ball is white and red. A bat is narrow at one end and thick at the other. It’s a different style of game, but it’s still baseball.<br /><br />Blogging has been a pleasant and fulfilling enterprise in my time here. Japan has so much to offer from a cultural standpoint. Immersion in the language and customs changes a person forever, and gives greater meaning to the identity we assign ourselves. At the same time, the core of our being must shine through and remain connected to its roots. Baseball has always been that for me, and blogging has allowed the essence of my character to remain firm, even as it is reshaped by my daily experiences in a foreign land. <a href="http://www.canyonofheroes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Canyon of Heroes</a>, a Yankees blog, is my labor of love. It helps me to keep the New York in the man, although the man is out of New York. A good community of readers and fellow Yankees bloggers have built that project into a strong outlet.<br /><br />From time to time, I have found myself contributing my work on Japanese baseball to COH, and in turn to the outstanding and ecclectic site <a href="http://www.japundit.com/" target="_blank">Japundit</a>. Player profiles, recaps of the <a href="http://canyonofheroes.blogspot.com/2006/03/oh-japan.html" target="_blank">World Baseball Classic</a>, impressions of the Japanese game, and the like, have filled in the blanks where my Yankees commentary has left room. My intense appreciation for Seibu Lions pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka led to the creation of a spin-off blog called <a href="http://matsuzaka.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Matsuzaka Watch</a>. That project has become a tool for scouting and informing fans of the game outside of Japan about the remarkable talent that will likely join the Major League ranks in 2007. A second project called <a href="http://yudarvish.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Darvish Watch</a> is a similar campaign to inform fans of baseball about a gifted young player with a unique background. More of such specialized blogging is certainly in my future plans, but something dawned on me as I contemplated this variety of work.<br /><br />There’s so much to say about Japanese baseball that Western people don’t know. Certainly there are other excellent sites dedicated to Japan’s pursuit of the game, and many books which have enlightened us and shared the wit and wonder that our own brand of baseball has provided over the last 100+ years. Those are still the foundation of everything I do here. I will do my best to draw attention to the people, publications, and media that talks about Japanese baseball in greater detail. My aim is not to replicate what they have done so well already. It occurs to me that the great wealth of information that has been provided through those outlets is strong for its breadth. What a good blog can do is add meat, or depth, to that archive.<br /><br />I find myself wanting to explore a particular player in more detail, or relate an interesting story that I happened upon. Scouting potential Major Leaguers, or toasting the accomplishments of young Japanese players is another important goal. There are angles to be explored, and gaps to be filled. I can’t manage all of them, but I hope the stories I post here will increase the understanding and appreciation of the players from Japan. I hope this will be one of many gateways for Japanese-Western cultural exchange. To that end, please participate in this project by coming back often. Spread the word. Build the following with me. Perhaps you’ll learn something about a player that is coming to a Major League team near you. Perhaps you’ll find an interesting story that amuses or intrigues you. For sure, the other sources of knowledge about the Japanese passion for baseball will be introduced to you here if you pay attention. In the end, there will be something for everyone who loves the sport of baseball.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by and supporting me.<br />Mike PlughMike Plughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08180838171989998353noreply@blogger.com1