Tag: npb

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By Robert Whiting (2011) On a recent visit to the Oakland Coliseum, to see the Athletics host the Seattle Mariners, I had a long conversation with a security guard there who has worked at the ballpark for many years and has watched many MLB games. He offered me these insights about Ichiro and Seattle: “I…

The Last Stand of Kei Igawa – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2011) There should be a picture of Kei Igawa in the dictionary under “persistence.” Since signing a five-year, $20 million contract in 2007 with the New York Yankees (who paid another $26 million to the Hanshin Tigers of the Central League for the right to negotiate with the team’s left-handed ace), Igawa…

Whither Hideki Matsui? – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2009) The more one thinks about the accomplishments of Hideki Matsui in the World Series, the more remarkable they become. Not only did he win the MVP with a performance of power that put him in the pantheon of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle and Reggie Jackson, he also accomplished something that a…

Upside Down – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2009) It used to be, many, many years ago, that aging MLB stars would come to Japan for one last big, fat paycheck. Those of you older readers might recall the days of Gary Thomasson, the multi-million dollar “Giants Human Fan,” who signed a big money deal for Kyojin and delivered mediocre…

Super Rookie Yusei Kikuchi – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2009) One of the big differences between baseball in Japan and baseball in the U.S. is that in the former, 19-year-old high school pitching stars are the subject of intense, nationwide scrutiny, while in the US, they are virtually ignored. The only amateur baseball star to get mass media scrutiny that remotely…

Strike Three – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2009) As many of you vividly recall, Ichiro Suzuki was thrown out of a game late in the season for arguing a called third strike, the first ejection in his entire baseball playing career. According to present MLB custom, it is absolutely forbidden to argue judgement calls—which include called balls and strikes—so…

Hard Luck Ichiro – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2009) Ichiro just can’t win. On September 13, Ichiro broke a record that has stood for over 100 years when he got his 200th hit for the 9th season in a row. It was a remarkable achievement combining batting artistry, durability and dedication. One has to play a lot of games every…

Divorce, MLB Style – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2009) What does divorce law have to do with Major League Baseball? Well, a lot if you happen to live in California. The Los Angeles Dodgers—present home of Hiroki Kuroda—have been turned upside down as a result of the impending divorce of Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife, Dodgers CEO Jamie…

Albatross – Yukan Fuji

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By Robert Whiting (2009) “It has been the best of times and the worst of times.” These days, for Japanese baseball in the United States, Charles Dickens’ opening line in “A Tale of Two Cities”—may be the most fitting. On the one hand, Japanese baseball’s reputation in the USA hit an all-time peak in the…

Remembering Hideki Irabu – Yukan Fuji

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