< Previous Next > Date: June 12, 1999 Hanshin fans had had very little to cheer about for years. Fourteen seasons since the last championship and four more until the next, there was no telling when the Dark Ages would come to an end. One of the few bright spots on this team was a…
Reference articles found here and here For the first time in half a decade, the Hanshin Tigers have field representation on the all-Japan baseball team. It was announced on Tuesday (2/20) that Yusuke Ohyama (23) would be a member of the team that would play Team Australia in a couple of friendly matches on March…
It’s another precious day off for our heroes on the diamond, so let’s look back on the last few days of spring training action! First, the “news”: Newly acquired relief pitcher Diego Moreno looked good pitching in the bullpen and in live batting practice. Some have called him a “skinny Mateo” – he uses the…
Some of you may know that Valentine’s Day is a different celebration in Japan. Guys, in fact, get to be lazy and just wait for the women in their lives to give them chocolates and other sweets. This word “women” includes spouse, female siblings, female co-workers (especially those younger than you or lower on the…
< Previous Next > Date: July 30, 2004 The ironman was on a mission. And not even a broken wrist was going to stop him. Playing in his 698th consecutive full game (no innings off) on July 29th, Tomoaki Kanemoto needed just 3 more games to match the NPB record of 700, set by Hideshi…
Before we get to the highlights (yes, there were a couple of games!), here are the latest bits of news: – Manager Tomoaki Kanemoto has declared that Yusuke Ohyama will get a chance at third, which means moving ironman Takashi Toritani over to second base. I guess Hiroki Uemoto is out of a job! –…
It’s still just the beginning of spring training. And it’s still cold in mainland Japan. So because of the frozen nature of my fingers, and the lack of heaviness concerning any and all headlines, here’s what you missed, in short spurts: Minoru Iwata threw a 200-pitch bullpen… in case Kanemoto gets really, REALLY mad at…
< Previous Next > Date: October 9, 2012 This moment cannot be properly understood without first understanding the absolute mess this team was before Tomoaki Kanemoto‘s acquisition during the 2002 offseason. Just two seasons removed from the 1985 championship, the team finished… 6th, 6th, 5th, 6th, 6th, 2nd, 4th, 4th, 6th, 6th, 5th, 6th, 6th,…
“We don’t create officially licensed goods,” the store’s owner, Takeshi Matsuda (designerMa2da) explained to me. “Most of the gear you find in other shops are player-centered. I wanted to create items that were more fan-centered. Things they could wear whether at games or not.” But he’s also got some of those items you’ve seen hardcore…
I’ll be honest with you: I’ve had the flu all this month. I haven’t been awake most of the past 5 days. I didn’t see a ton of highlights or read most of the news. But what I did read, and what I do know, I bring to you. And it comes down to one…