Yakult
Swallows Home Plate
Japanese
Baseball News
Archives:
June 1998
June 2, 1998:
Kawajiri no-hits Dragons
It wasn't the most beautiful game ever
pitched, but it was good enough for the record books. On May 26
at Osaka's Koshien Stadium, Hanshin pitcher Tetsuro Kawajiri
no-hit the Chunichi Dragons, leading the Tigers to a 2-0 victory.
It was the first no-hitter pitched since Yakult's Kazuhisa Ishii
blanked the Yokohama BayStars on September 2, 1997.
Pitching all nine frames, Kawajiri allowed
two walks. A third batter reached base on an error by Hanshin
third baseman Dave Hansen in the seventh inning. The right-hander
with a side-arm delivery struck out two Chunichi batters.
The event stood out as one of the least
covered no-hitters in recent history. Last year, when Kazuhisa
Ishii no-hit the BayStars, every news and sports program
interviewed the Yakult Swallows pitcher and the Nikkan Sports
newspaper devoted three pages to Ishii, including a photo of each
of his 27 outs. In contrast, the Japanese media virtually ignored
Kawajiri.
TV Asahi's NewsStation only gave
about two minutes of coverage to Kawajiri's game. Only TV Tokyo's
Professional Baseball News offered a nationally televised
interview with the Tigers hurler.
One reason for the lack of coverage appears
to have been Kawajiri's participation in a tax evasion scandal
last year and a subsequent suspension that kept him from pitching
the first month of this season. In particular, the Asahi
Shimbun and its English Language edition, the Asahi
Evening News, strongly criticized the offending players on
their editorial pages. No surprise then that the NewsStation
tried its best to ignore Kawajiri's feat.
Since Japanese professional baseball was
organized in 1936, there have been 77 no-hitters, including
fifteen perfect games. The most thrown by any player is three --
a distinction shared by both Yomiuri's Eiji Sawamura (1936, '37,
'40) and Hiroshima's Yoshiro Sotokoba (1965, '68, '72). Only four
foreign-born players have pitched no-hitters: Victor Starfin
(1937), Gene Bacque (1965), Taigen Kaku (1985) and Terry Bross
(1995).
1998
Sanyo All-Star game
balloting begins
This year, a two-game all-stars series will
be held in late July. The first match will feature the Pacific
vs. Central League All-Stars July 22 at Nagoya Dome while the
second is slated for July 23 at Chiba Marine Stadium. The team
will be managed by Yakult skipper Katsuya Nomura (CL) and Seibu's
Osamu Higashio (PL).
Major League trades...
While Mike Piazza moved from the Dodgers to
the Marlins and Mets within ten days, Hideo Nomo has also been
the subject of recent trade rumors. Though both the Seattle
Mariners and Los Angeles have claimed they are not ready to swap
Randy Johnson for Hideo Nomo, the possibility still exists. Even
if the two do not trade teams in a direct swap, there are clear
indications that both teams want new faces on their pitching
rosters. Johnson has already demanded a trade, and the Los
Angeles Times recently ran an article about "Nomomania
sputtering to an end."
Thanks to all of you who have sent your
thoughts. As mentioned on this page the last two weeks, one lucky
respondent will win the Hideo Nomo baseball card... and that
person is Marc Robinson. Congratulations... and
please send me your mailing address.
A
look around the leagues...
Central
League:
Carp: After three weeks of
pinch-hitting, left-handed first baseman Timoniel Perez resumed
his role as a starting member of the Carp line-up on May 29. In
the three subsequent games, the five-foot-seven Dominican clubbed
six hits and collected two walks in fourteen plate appearances.
In the same period, his batting average jumped from .281 to .324.
BayStars: On May 25, second baseman
Bobby Rose was sidelined indefinitely after suffering a sprained
wrist. Four days later, the team demoted pitcher Pat Mahomes
(0-3, 5.66 ERA) and outfielder Jose Malave (.218, one HR) to the
team's minor league squad. But even with no foreign players, the
BayStars have been on a roll, winning seven of their last nine
games. On Saturday May 30, closer Kazuhiro Sasaki collected his
216th career save point, tying the Japanese record. Sasaki has
indicated that he wants to break the record in a game against the
Yomiuri Giants.
Dragons: On May 30, Sankei Sports
Shimbun reported that Dragons manager Senichi Hoshino wants
to move Korean import Samson Lee into a starting role by
mid-June. Lee, who has pitched 7 1/3 innings in five relief
appearances, has a 0-0 record and a 6.13 ERA. While posting three
strikeouts, he has also given up three walks, eleven hits and
three home runs. After two weeks on the disabled list, third
baseman Leo Gomez played for the Chunichi minor league team on
May 31. The former Chicago Cubs infielder collected two hits in
three at bats.
Giants: On May 26, the Daily
Yomiuri reported that infielder Masahiro Kawai, suffering a
muscle tear in his thigh, will be sidelined for three weeks while
Mariano Duncan, recovering from a tendonitis in his right thumb,
has resumed practice. Right-handed pitcher Junichi Kawahara will
undergo surgery on his pitching elbow and will likely miss the
rest of the season. In a widely anticipated move, the Giants
released ailing pitcher Eric Hillman on waivers May 31. Hillman,
who was in the second half of a two-year $7 million contract,
pitched just six innings last year and one pre-season inning in
1998. Korean ace Sung Min Cho (5-2, 2.62 ERA) finally got stung
on May 30, as the Hiroshima Carp pegged him for eight earned runs
-- in one inning. On the same day, minor league pitcher Yuji Ono
set an Eastern League record with 20 strikeouts while leading the
farm Giants to a 6-1 victory over the Marines.
Tigers: After pitching a no-hitter
against the Chunichi Dragons on May 27, right-handed submarine
pitcher Tetsuro Kawajiri pitched seven shutout innings while
leading the Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the Swallows on May 31.
Though he was beaten up in his debut a week ago, new foreign
pitcher Darrell May pitched well in his second start (May 30).
Despite giving up two runs in six innings, the former Anaheim
lefty took the loss as Hanshin batters offered little run
support.
Swallows: After several months
rehabilitating from elbow surgery, outfielder Atsunori Inaba
joined Yakult's varsity roster on May 26. Shifted to first base,
Inaba has batted .438 since his return. Lefty Tatsuki Yamamoto
has been slated to become the Swallows newest closer.
Pacific League:
Fighters: Nippon Ham surged to the
top of the PL standing with their offense, but now they are
getting some great pitching help from newcomer Erik Schullstrom
(3-0). Picking up his second save of the season on May 29,
lowering his ERA to 1.69 -- the lowest mark among the league's
top seven relievers. Read more about Schullstrom next
week in an exclusive interview.
Hawks: After serving a two-month
suspension for tax evasion, Daiei shortstop Hiroki Kokubo
returned to the team's roster on May 30. Though still claiming he
did nothing wrong -- Kokubu maintains he was seduced by an
unscrupulous tax consultant -- the infielder signed autographs at
Tokyo Dome for about 30 minutes before Saturday's game. The
following day, pitcher Brian Williams returned to the mound after
a three-week exile on the Hawks minor league squad. Posting his
first win of the season, the foreign hurler pitched six innings
and struck out seven while allowing two runs on two hits and five
walks.
Buffaloes: On May 29, the Buffaloes
acquired infielder Kei Ichihara, 24, who has compiled a .133
average in 50 games with the Hawks and Dragons.
Lions: After surrendering three home
runs and five earned runs in five innings, Terry Bross was
demoted to the Lions farm team. Picking up his fourth save on May
27, Fumiya Nishiguchi appears to be set as the Lions latest
closer... at least until manager Osamu Higashi is carried away by
another whim.
Marines: On May 26, right-handed
pitcher Scott Davison (0-1, 2.35 ERA) underwent arthroscopic
surgery on his pitching shoulder and will miss the remainder of
the season. Reportedly, the Marines are looking for a foreign
replacement.
BlueWave: Making a dramatic
turnaround, 32 year old left-handed pitcher Nobuyuki Hoshino
(6-2, 4.41 ERA) pitched a complete game shutout on May 28,
striking out six Hawks batters while scattering six hits and five
walks. Though he originally squealed when traded to Orix last
winter, 29 year old right-handed pitcher Masao Kida (3-1, 4.03)
has discovered that there is life after Yomiuri -- and it ain't
that bad. In a story appearing in the May 30 Sankei Sports
newspaper, Kida claimed "The Yomiuri attitude was, 'Think
what you can do for the team,' but Orix wants players to do their
best... which in the end will help the team."
June 9, 1998
Exclusive interview
with
Nippon Ham relief ace
Erik
Schullstrom
Though he hasn't gotten many headlines yet, he
probably doesn't have long to wait. Nippon Ham reliever Erik
Schullstrom has quietly gone about his business getting opponents
out while helping his team win games. In his nine appearances
since May 3, the six-foot-five right-hander has allowed no runs,
and his current ERA stands at 1.47 -- the top mark among PL
closers which he shares with Daiei's Akira Okamoto.
One reason Schullstrom has yet to gain much
publicity is that he's only earned seven save points (four relief
wins and three saves), ranking him fourth in the league. Spending
most of May in middle-relief left him unable to post stats
similar to Okamoto's 12 saves.
But after an apparent shift back to the closing
role, 29-year-old Schullstrom earned a win on June 4 and a save
the following day. If the role is his to keep, the former
Minnesota Twin will go a long way in helping the Fighters stay in
the PL pennant race. This is a guy to watch.
For more information, check out this exclusive
interview with Erik Schullstrom, conducted June 1, 1998 exclusively for this web
site by Dan Latham.
Sanyo
All-Star Game voting:
a few surprises...
Voting began for the Sanyo All-Star Game roster on
June 1 and will continue until July 2. Fans may either cast their
votes at the pro ballpark of their choice or over the Internet at
the official Sanyo All-Star Game web site --
which also includes ticket information, game times, and other
information in English.
Preliminary results indicate a few surprises. A
month ago, the Asahi Evening News ran an article pondering how
much damage the ten to twenty tax-evading players had caused to
professional Japanese baseball. According to the fan balloting,
not much. Daiei's Hiroki Kokubo, just back one week after his two
month suspension, is currently leading all PL third baseman in
fan balloting. As of June 8, he was batting .192 with no home
runs -- hardly an all-star performance. Tetsuro Kawajiri, who
returned from a three-week suspension in late April and pitched a
no-hitter a month later, is currently ranked fourth among CL
pitchers.
Only two foreign players lead any categories. Korean
shortstop Jeong Bum Lee of the Chunichi Dragons holds a
comfortable lead over his peers while Marines second baseman
Julio Franco holds a commanding lead, earning more than five
times the votes of his nearest competitor.
Hideo
Nomo traded
to New York Mets
A few weeks ago we discussed how the loss of Mike
Piazza (then traded from the Dodgers to the Marlins) would affect
Hideo Nomo. That point has now become entirely moot now that
Nomo, himself, has been reunited with two former teammates --
Piazza and Masato Yoshii -- in New York. One reader suggested
that part of Nomo's problem -- his poor record and bloated ERA --
was due to homesickness. Assuming that Nomo had a three-year
delayed reaction (where was this malady his "rookie"
year?), Yoshii presence should help. Also, in Bobby Valentine,
Nomo will have a manager who was eager to acquire him and who has
more than a little experience with Japanese players.
But Nomo's problem remains a mystery. Last year he
had surgery on his arm, and his fastball has been in the mid to
high-80s for the past few months. Without much zip, that fastball
has looked more like a beach ball to opposing batters. So, what
do the Mets do with Nomo? Do they try to find out what the
problem is? Maybe it's psychological -- in favoring his hurt
elbow, Nomo may have thrown his wind-up out of whack, resulting
in a loss of velocity. Perhaps in favoring his elbow he actually
did physical damage to his shoulder. If it's physical, would Nomo
need more surgery -- either on his elbow or shoulder?
For now, it all remains a mystery... which will
either be cleared up or prolonged depending on how Nomo performs
in his debut with the Mets.
A
Look around the leagues...
Central
League:
Hiroshima Carp: Though still possessing the
strongest offense in the Central League, Hiroshima's hold on
first place depends on their pitching staff -- now only the third
best in the league. Reliever Shinji Sasaoka has been highly
erratic while starter Yasuaki Yamauchi (5.06 ERA) continues to
decline. Pitching one inning of relief against the Swallows on
June 6, Yamauchi allowed three runs on two walks and two hits.
Yomiuri Giants: One week after surrendering
eight earned runs in one inning, Korean starter Sung Min Cho came
back with one of his finest performances of the season,
three-hitting the Chunichi Dragons on May 6 -- his fourth
complete game and second shutout of the season. Cho struck out
three, allowed three walks and hit two batters. Perhaps because
of the overwork, Cho's strikeout count is slowing to an ebb. On
April 25, he posted ten strikeouts. A week later, thirteen. But
Cho isn't the only overworked Yomiuri hurler -- the Kyojin
pitching staff have combined for twelve complete games since the
season started. Like Yakult, the Giants have very few dependable
hands in their bullpen and seem willing to let their starters go
the distance. And while this may help the Giants win some games
now, it could hurt their starters in the long run.
Chunichi Dragons: Samson Lee, Chunichi newly
acquired pitcher continues to struggle. Appearing in one inning
of relief on May 6, Lee allowed five earned runs on two hits,
three walks and one hit batter. His latest performance, and his
10.80 ERA, led one Dragons fan to fax a plea to the Tochu
Shimbun (Tokyo Chunichi Sports Newspaper): "I really
hope that the Dragons will promote Jarvis and Yamada to the top
team and send Samson [Lee] to the Western (minor) League for this
year -- so he'll be ready for next season. It will be good for
Samson because he seems to have lost his confidence." Before
being demoted to make room for Lee, Jarvis had compiled a 4.41
ERA.
Yokohama BayStars: What goes up must come
down. A week ago, the BayStars were shooting toward first place.
Now they are crashing back to earth, having lost six of their
last eight games. On June 4, Ace reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki posted
his fourteenth save of the season and his 217th career save
point, breaking the old record, as he had vowed, against the
Yomiuri Giants.
Hanshin Tigers: Newcomer Darrel May, in his
third start of the season, pitched a complete game shutout
against the Yokohama BayStars at Sapporo. In nine innings, May
gave up just four hits and allowed one other base runner (hit by
a pitch) while striking out ten.
Yakult Swallows: The Swallows had a great
week, capped by a sweep of their two game series against the CL
leading Carp. The Swallows have now won seven of their last games
and, though still in last place, are within seven games of the
top spot -- their best position since the opening of the season.
On June 6, second baseman Hatsuhiko Tsuji appeared in his 1,500th
career game while the Swallows won for the first time in twenty
years at Morioka -- a small ballpark in northern Japan where they
usually play one game a year against the Carp. The following day,
at Fukushima, starter Tomohito Ito pitched his first complete
game in five years. And on June 6, Travis Driskill pitched five
shutout innings for the Yakult minor league team.
Pacific League:
Nippon Ham Fighters: With one of the
deadliest line-ups in Japan, the Fighters feature five batters
with ten or more home runs: Yukio Tanaka (13), Atsushi Kataoka
(10), Jerry Brooks (10), Nigel Wilson (10), Katsuhiro Nishiura
(10).
Fukuoka Daiei Hawks: The Hawks have been in a
virtual tie with the Fighters for the Pacific League lead for the
last several days. Although Hidekazu Watanabe has done a fine job
pitching, fellow tax-evader Hiroki Kokubo (.192, no home runs)
has yet to spark the team's offense. Despite allowing just one
run on three hits in 7 1/3 innings, Brian Williams took the loss when the
Hawks failed to offer any run support on May 7. In that game,
Kintetsu defeated Daiei 1-0.
Kintetsu Buffaloes: On June 7, starter Phil
Leftwich was demoted to the Kintetsu farm team. Though the former
California Angels pitcher got off to a strong start in April, his
ERA has consistently risen through May, from 1.80 on April 26 to
4.86 on June 6.
Seibu Lions: Lions shortstop Kazuo Matsui now
appears to be sharing the lead-off batting role with center
fielder Susumu Otomo. Meanwhile, in Sunday's Japan Times, Wayne
Graczyk reports that the last Tuesday's Fighters vs. Lions game
at Seibu Dome was canceled not because of rain (of which there
was none), but because the Lions had pitching problems. According
to Graczyk, the home team controls the playing of the game until
the line-up cards are exchanged.
Chiba Lotte Marines: Not much of a
power-hitter, Julio Franco currently has tied his 1995 home run
total, when he also played for the Marines, with ten
roundtrippers. The latest came at Tokyo Dome on June 6.
Orix BlueWave: Former relief ace Masafumi
Hirai has been having some trouble recently. In six games this
season, he's compiled a 4.85 ERA and he allowed the game-winning
run on June 7, as the Lions defeated Orix 9-8 in twelve innings.
Perhaps a better choice for closer than either Hirai or Edwin
Hurtado (4-1, four saves, 4.38 ERA in 19 games) would be Taira
Suzuki, who now has a 1.80 ERA in fifteen games.
June 16, 1998
How about a little run support?
Had there been a few clubhouse homicides
last week, I would have been the last to be surprised. Along with
some fantastic pitching, there has been a recent flurry of
pathetic batting.
Case in point: June 13 at Tokyo Dome,
Yakult right-hander and former Rookie of the Year Tomohito Ito
pitches eight shutout innings, striking out six while allowing
just five hits and three walks. In the ninth, he allowed a walk
and surrendered a two-run homer to Yomiuri's Daisuke Motoki.
Problem is, Yakult batters squandered seven hits over nine
innings with nothing to show for it, handing the Giants a 2-0
victory.
Virtually the same thing happened to Ito's
teammate, Kenjiro Kawasaki, who lost 2-0 on June 9 as Swallows
batters offered zero run support. But at least Kawasaki (2.68
ERA, 6-4 win-loss record) can be consoled by the fact that he
occasionally receives some run support. Ito (2.17 ERA, 1-4)
hasn't been as fortunate. But at least these guys have pitched
consistently well.
Someone who hasn't been consistent is
Chunichi's Shinji Imanaka (4.70 ERA, 2-6). Formerly the team's
Sawamura Award-winning ace, years of overwork have left Imanaka
with a very unreliable left arm. But on June 12, the 27-year old
hurler allowed just two runs on three hits and a walk over eight
innings while striking out nine Yokohama batters. But lack of run
support placed an "L" next to Imanaka's name as the
BayStars defeated the Dragons 2-0.
Still, not everyone has something to
complain about. Ito, Kawasaki and Imanaka were defeated by
Yomiuri's Sung Min Cho (2.00 ERA, 7-2), Yokohama's Daisuke Miura
(3.41, 5-3) and Hiroki Nomura (2.35, 5-4). In a triad of tight
pitchers duels, the latter three got just enough run support to
earn a "W". But several other hurlers have gotten more
than their share help.
On June 14, Nippon Ham's Hiroshi Numata
struck out seven Hawks batters while only allowing one hit and a
single in eight innings despite walking seven and hitting one
Daiei batter. For his effort, the Fighters' line-up rewarded him
with seven runs. While Kintetsu's Masaki Maki combined with four
other relievers in a three-hit 4-1 victory over the Lions on June
13, teammate Hiroshi Takamura pitched a complete game two-hit
shutout the following day as the Buffaloes prevailed 5-0. And on
June 12, Lotte's hot-headed Tomohiro Kuroki -- who routinely
smashes dugout objects when his teammates screw up -- pitched a
complete game three-hitter while leading the Marines past the
BlueWave, 2-1. Good thing he got some run support.
Tom O'Malley: Newark manager
Arguably the top foreign player of the
decade, former Hanshin and Yakult infielder Tom O'Malley recently
became manager of the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic
League. In an interview with the Nikkan Sports, the 37-year-old
New Jersey-native claims to be happy with his job, though he
stated his real hope is to come back to Japan and manage the
Hanshin Tigers, whose fans he claims are the best in Japan.
O'Malley also mentioned that, should New York Mets manager Bobby
Valentine return to Japan as manager, he would like to serve as
his batting coach. A third baseman for the Tigers from 1991-94,
O'Malley also offered a critique of struggling All-Star center
fielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo: ignore all the batting coaches, and do
what feels comfortable. Earning one Central League batting title
(.329 in 1993) and MVP in 1995, O'Malley ought to know.
May MVP Awards
Tetsuro Kawajiri, who returned to the
Tigers after serving a three-week suspension for tax evasion
earned the Central League MVP award for pitcher while Yomiuri's
Hideki Matsui took the honor as the league's top batter. Kawajiri
won four of his five starts, including a no-hitter against the
Chunichi Dragons on May 26. Matsui clubbed nine home runs and
batted .375.
In the Pacific League, Daiei pitcher
Kazuhiro Takeda (four wins, one loss in May) shared the honor
with Nippon Ham slugger Yukio Tanaka who hit .349 with nine home
runs and seventeen runs batted in.
The New (York) Nomo
Though he got pounded and booed in his
debut with the New York Mets, Hideo Nomo showed on June 14 that
contrary to popular opinion, he ain't washed up just yet. In six
innings, the former Dodger surrendered four hits and three walks,
struck out seven and left the game with a 4-0 lead. But the
Marlins punched holes in New York's bullpen, coming from behind
to defeat the Mets 5-4. Responding to a question about Nomo's
performance, Mets manager Bobby Valentine responded, "If
Nomo pitches like that he'll be fine, we'll be fine."
And that conclusion has also been made by Mainichi
Daily News columnist Dave Wiggins whose comments from June
10 are reprinted with permission below:
He may be 2-7 with a 5.05 Earned
Run Average so far this season, but as a color commentator (an
ex-big leaguer) on the English side of the telecast of his last
outing versus Cincinnati said: "Nomo has not pitched as
badly as his record would indicate."
That colorman then listed some
impressive stats to back up his assertion, including the
following:
Nomo has struck out almost 10
batters per nine innings this season (73 in 672/3 innings -- which puts him in the top five
in the National League in Ks).
His strikeout to walk ratio is an
outstanding 73-38.
Hideo's hits-to-innings-pitched
ratio is also fine (less than eight per nine innings).
Nomo has been the recipient of
poor run support.
All of these numbers combine to
give a more accurate picture of Nomo's performance than just his
record and ERA do.
So don't despair Nomo fans. even
great pitchers go through dysfunctional phases -- which is all
that's happening to Hideo right now.
A
look around the leagues...
Central
League:
Giants: A sign of the Japan's
complete obsession with soccer at the moment, when the Yomiuri
Giants recaptured first place on June 10 after two months chasing
the Carp, even the Hochi Shimbun (the sports paper owned by the
Yomiuri media group) chose to put a World Cup story on its front
page. Other Kyojin news includes that revelation that Giants
infielder Mariano Duncan appears ready to call it quits,
complaining that playing baseball is no longer fun. Duncan
reportedly met with Yomiuri skipper Shigeo Nagashima last Tuesday
(June 9) which helped clear the air. The Giants claim that Duncan
is here to stay for the duration of the season. Also in the news,
Yomiuri center fielder Hideki Matsui has claimed the lead in the
Central League's home run derby, with thirteen roundtrippers. His
latest was a 150 meter blast that hit a large advertisement on
the right side of the Tokyo Dome scoreboard -- a feat that earned
him a one million yen (roughly $8,000 US) prize.
Carp: Struggling the past few weeks,
Hiroshima finally surrendered first place to the Giants on June
10. Making matters worse, outfielder Koichi Ogata has sustained
an injury to his ankle which will reportedly keep him sidelined
for two to three weeks. Many pundits has speculated that injuries
will, as always, prevent the Carp from claiming the CL flag this
year.
Dragons: On June 8, Korean import
Samson Lee was taken off the varsity roster after several dismal
relief appearances left him with a 10.80 ERA. To date, the
Dragons have not reactivated foreign pitcher Kevin Jarvis, who
had been bumped to the minor league squad to make room for Lee.
On May 12, Jarvis pitched six shutouts innings for the farm team
before giving up three runs in the seventh. With the win, Jarvis
is now 3-1 in six minor league appearances. Meanwhile, Jeong Bum
Lee leads all CL shortstops in balloting for the Sanyo All-Star
game.
BayStars: It hasn't been a very good
two week for Yokohama (4-6 in their last ten games), but in terms
of individual performances, the BayStars are offering a few
diversions. 1997 CL batting king Takanori Suzuki is again leading
the pack while pitchers Takeo Kawamura (1.91 ERA, 5-2) and Hiroki
Nomura (2.35 ERA, 5-4) are doing their part. Ace reliever
Kazuhiro Sasaki (0.00 ERA) continues to dominate his opponents,
picking up his league-leading 16th save on June 12.
Swallows: On June 14, the Swallows
finally crept out of sixth place. Now tied for fifth with the
Hanshin Tigers, Yakult owes its recent surge to some quality
pitching from starters Kenjiro Kawasaki, Tomohito Ito and lefty
Kazuhisa Ishii, who is currently leading the CL in strikeouts
(96) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.80). Ishii, however,
also leads the loop in walks (43), hit batters (4) and wild
pitches (7).
Tigers: About the only good news to
greet the Tigers this past week was Tetsuro Kawajiri's being
named the May MVP pitcher. In addition to slipping into a tie for
last place, Hanshin has lost their last three games, and seven of
their last ten. Import third baseman Dave Hansen, out of favor
since committing two errors again the Swallows at Chiba Marine
Stadium on May 30, has seen his playing time decrease
dramatically.
Pacific League:
Fighters: Now in sole possession of
first place, the Fighters have started to get some good quality
pitching to go with their power-hitting line-up. On June 10,
Tsutomu Iwamoto pitched a four-hit shutout while Hiroshi Numata
and Erik Schullstrom combined for a two-hit victory over the
Hawks on June 14. Despite leading the PL in several batting
categories, Atsushi Kataoka and Yukio Tanaka still haven't
received the respect they deserve. Both are trailing far behind
their peers in balloting for the Sanyo All-Star game.
Hawks: Despite playing well for the
first few months, Daiei has been unable to knock the Fighters out
of first place for any prolonged period of time. Bad news arrived
on June 9 as the Hawks announced that outfielder Ryan Thompson
will be sidelined for two to three weeks due to damaged ligaments
in his left knee. Despite his unrepentant attitude about his role
in a tax evasion scandal which left him suspended for the first
two months of the season, third baseman Hiroki Kokubo is
currently leading his category in balloting for the Sanyo
All-Star game, which is to be held in late July.
Buffaloes: Despite a few impressive
pitching performances from Kintetsu's mound staff, the Buffaloes
appear interested in signing new help. On June 13, the Daily
Yomiuri reported that Kintetsu has been negotiating with the
Boston Red Sox to acquire lefty Brian Shouse, a 29-year-old lefty
who has compiled a 5.63 ERA and a 0-1 record in seven appearances
this year.
Lions: Although Dominican Domingo
Martinez leads all foreign players in batting, the Lions don't
have much else to cheer about. While their pre-season
acquisitions were supposed to bolster an already formidable
pitching staff, it hasn't quite worked out that way. Manager
Osamu Higashio still hasn't figured out which players should fit
in which roles. Meanwhile, Terry Bross and Fumiya Nishiguchi
continue to struggle. Seibu's 4.26 team ERA is the second-worst
in the league.
Marines: Strange things have been
happening on the Marines pitching rotation. Normally reliable ace
Satoru Komiyama lasted only 4 1/3 innings on June 13 when he gave
up five runs on eight hits and two walks. Joe Crawford, who had
been struggling for a few weeks, returned to his old form on June
9, allowing just one run on four hits. And workhorse Tomohiro
Kuroki (6-3, 4.06 ERA) pitched a complete game three-hitter on
June 12.
BlueWave: On June 11, Orix announced
that third baseman Chris Donnels had undergone surgery on his
left hand and will be sidelined for approximately two months. The
BlueWave's victory on June 13 snapped a six-game losing streak.
June 23, 1998
With Japan's sports fans focused on the World Cup,
coverage of pro yakyu has been relegated to the inside pages of
most sports papers. And it's probably just as well. With several
games rained out, there have been few big baseball stories to
tell. But here's one definitely worth your attention . . .
Sasaki's record collection:
On Wednesday, June 17, Yokohama reliever Kazuhiro
Sasaki set a Japan professional baseball record by earning his
17th consecutive save. Against the Hanshin Tigers, Sasaki entered
the game in the ninth inning and gave up a single to Tsuyoshi
Shinjo before retiring the next three batters, two of them on
strikeouts.
It was Sasaki's 18th save of the season. He picked
up his 19th on Saturday and his 20th on Sunday.
In 21 games this season, Sasaki has pitched 22 2/3 innings, compiling 0.00 ERA with 29 strikeouts while
only allowing eleven hits and three walks.
Just a few weeks earlier, on June 4, Sasaki had
posted his 217th career save point, breaking the previous the
record established by Seibu's Yoshitaka Katori. Currently, the
Yokohama right-hander has 223 career save points.
He's also within striking distance of three more
records: Yutaka Entatsu's 193 career saves (Sasaki has 185),
Motoyuki Akahori's 21 save points in a row, and Genji Kaku's 44
saves in a single season.
Listed in Suguru Egawa's Pro Baseball Scouting
Report 1998, Sasaki received higher marks than any other
pitcher in Japan -- an across-the-board five-star rating in terms
of speed, control and technique. He's got a 95 mph fastball and a
forkball that's been described as "unhitable."
Although the BayStars have twice turned down his
request to be dealt to a Major League team, Sasaki will become a
free agent in the next few years. By then, he'll hold all of
Japan's relief records and may opt to pick up a few more -- the
kind with a MLB label.
A
look around the leagues . . .
Central League:
BayStars: With a little help from Kazuhiro
Sasaki (see above), Yokohama has won five straight games and
eight of their last nine, pulling them into a first place tie
with the Dragons. While their offense remains stagnant, the
BayStars owe much of their success to their pitching staff, who
have compiled a 3.43 ERA -- the best in either league.
Dragons: Despite having an unspectacular
208-206 runs scored - runs allowed margin, the Dragons have
compiled a first place 31-24 record largely because they get the
hits when they need them and their bullpen has done a great job
protecting early leads. In addition to Dong Yol Sun (14 saves, 16
save points, 0.81 ERA), Chunichi relief staff includes set-up man
Eiji Ochiai (27 games, 2.09 ERA), and middle relievers Masahito
Higasa (22 games, 2.21 ERA) and rookie Eiji Shotsu (20 games,
2.67 ERA). The Dragons starting rotation hasn't been that bad
either: lefty Shigeki Noguchi (8-3, 1.56 ERA), rookie Kenshin
Kawakami (5-2, 2.43 ERA) and lanky fastballer Ken Kadokura (5-3,
3.75 ERA).
Giants: It's been an usually quiet week for
the Giants. They've lost three of their four games and the other
two were rained out. The only notable story came out of an
article written by the Ken Marantz of the Daily Yomiuri
(June 17): Starting over: Season on upswing for Giants' Duncan.
Marantz tell of Duncan's recent dissatisfaction with the Giants
-- over being pulled out of the line-up -- and his heart-to-heart
chat with Kyojin manager Shigeo Nagashima, who attempted to boost
the Dominican shortstop's morale. "He said he didn't play me
because I don't show some enthusiasm on the field," Duncan
said, "and that's true." Apparently his enthusiasm has
begun to wane again; Duncan has not played in any of the four
Giants games since that article appeared.
Carp: Losing nine of their last ten games,
Hiroshima is in free-fall. Part of the problem is an anemic
offense that has been unable to deliver hits when they are most
needed. But the Carp pitching staff has also allowed an average
of runs over the last ten games -- many of them, admittedly,
unearned. A team that is usually strong until injuries knock them
out of the pennant race, the Carp got their first dose of bad
news ten days ago when center fielder Koichi Ogata was placed on
the disabled list. In his place, the Carp have promoted Dominican
import Alejandro Quezada, who hit two singles and earned a walk
in his first four plate appearances.
Swallows: As of June 21, the Swallows have
won four of their last five games, and have pulled themselves
into fifth place. While Dwayne Hosey's batting average continues
to climb, the larger reason for their success is that Yakult's
bullpen is finally coming together. Another big reason is lefty
ace Kazuhisa Ishii -- recently dubbed the "King of K"
-- currently the only pitcher in either league with over a
hundred strikeouts. On June 18, Ishii struck out twelve Hanshin
batters in seven innings to bring his total for the season to 108
-- an average of 11.17 strikeouts per nine innings. On June 16,
Travis Driskill pitched two innings of relief on the Yakult minor
league team to bring his June ERA down to 2.00.
Tigers: Despite losing three out of four
games this past week, something good finally happened to the
Tigers on June 20. By defeating the Giants 2-1 at Koshien
Stadium, the Tigers broke a twelve-game losing streak at their
home ballpark. Though he's been pinch-hitting recently, third
baseman Dave Hansen may be headed back to his starting role -- on
June 20 he made his first starting appearance in over a week. On
June 17, Mainichi Daily News writer Dave Wiggins featured Hansen
in a column, Third base prejudice. Though Hansen never
demonstrated much power in the Major Leagues, he was a prolific
pinch-hitter with the Dodgers and Cubs.
Pacific League:
Fighters: With the Buffaloes closing in,
Nippon Ham still managed to hold onto first place by sweeping a
three game series from the Marines. In the final game, June 21,
Nigel Wilson hit a grand slam, and Jerry Brooks clubbed a solo
shot. The Fighters leading 9-8, Erik Schullstrom came in to
relieve in the ninth, but gave up two runs. In the bottom of the
inning, however, Fighters shortstop Yukio Tanaka stroked a two
run game-winning "sayonara" home run, his
league-leading sixteenth roundtripper of the season. Despite
surrendering the lead, Schullstrom earned the win.
Buffaloes: From June 11 to 18, the Buffaloes
won six games in a row to pull within a whisker of the top spot.
In the first three games, Buffaloes pitchers held the Lions to
just two runs, but in the final three slugfests against the
Marines, Kintetsu bats won the day, by scores like 12-8 and 9-6.
Still the unusual thing about the Buffaloes is that they've
compiled a 31-24 win-loss record but have scored twenty fewer
runs than opponents (scored 230, allowed 250).
Hawks: A team that has streaked up and down
all season, the Hawks are currently on a downward trend, losing
three of their last four games. The Daily Yomiuri reported that
Daiei outfielder Koji Akiyama was diagnosed on June 18 with a
sprained left hand that will keep him sidelined for a few games.
Lions: Though getting occasional flashes of
good pitching, the Lions remain mired in fourth place. With speed
and contact-hitting, their offense is still keeping the team
competitive , but the team's pitchers have compiled a 4.14 ERA --
second worst in the PL. Terry Bross, long ago promised an
opportunity to pitch once a week, is still on the Lions farm
team, where he gave up one earned run in five innings of work on
June 21. Despite compiling a decent .282 batting average, Brian
Raabe is still getting jerked in and out of the line-up according
to the whims of manager Osamu Higashio.
Marines: As of June 21, Lotte has lost seven
games in a row, dropping their win-loss record to 23-32. With
Scott Davison gone (released after returning to North America for
arm surgery), and Yasuyuki Kawamoto and Toshihide Narimoto
injured, the Marines have little left of their once impressive
relief staff. No wonder that six of their seven straight losses,
the Marines have blown an early lead. Moreover, Lotte now holds
some rather unusual stats. They currently have a .418 winning
percentage yet they are outscoring opponents 246-234. Their team
3.80 ERA is the second best in the PL and their offense looks
quite strong: .279 batting average (first), 52 home runs
(second), and 246 runs (third). They're falling behind in steals,
which was one of their strengths last season, because shortstop
Makoto Kosaka has been unable to pull himself out of a slump --
although he's leading the league with five triples, the 1997
Rookie of the Year is currently batting a mere .236.
BlueWave: With the Marines in free-fall, the
BlueWave have their best chance yet of climbing out of the
cellar. Ichiro Suzuki lent a big hand on June 21 when he hit a
single, a double and two home runs. Ichiro is now batting .355 --
third in the league -- and stands a good chance of winning his
fifth straight batting crown. On June 22, the Daily Yomiuri
reported that the BlueWave will sign a new foreign infielder,
28-year-old Paul Gonzalez. A left-handed hitter who played in
Italy earlier this year, Gonzalez reportedly holds both American
and Australian citizenships and is a former member of the
Australian national team. With his acquisition, Orix now employs
five foreign position players, including: Troy Neel, James
Bonnici, Harvey Pulliam and Chris Donnels.
June 30, 1998
Now that Japan has been eliminated from the World
Cup -- and humiliated by that soccer superpower, Jamaica -- no
doubt local sports fans will soon rediscover baseball. After all,
it's only remaining team sport Japanese athletes know how to win.
On the one hand, Japan's failure to win a single
World Cup game may be a set back for all Japanese athletes. For
years, the local yakyu leagues have endured sneers from American
fans, as if the only real baseball is the kind played in a Major
League ballpark. Hideo Nomo helped to change that when he won the
1995 Rookie of the Year, but his accomplishment was an individual
one. It was his arm that carried him to greatness. Japan could
produce an occasional good player, but a championship team? No
way.
But if Japan wants the glory of a world championship
-- or just a chance to be taken seriously -- baseball is the way
to go. The sport has been played here for over a century, and in
that time the country has produced several superstars. Take the
nine best players in Japan, put them against any Major League
franchise, and you'll have a close contest. Evidently, the same
cannot be said for soccer.
But Japanese baseball has never had a very
international outlook. The leagues like to host exhibition games
against Major Leaguers, but that's about as far as it goes.
Ironically, while baseball officials have demonstrated little
interest in internationalizing Japanese baseball, they've show
even less interest in promoting the game to domestic fans.
Opening Day: Over the last week, several
small stories have been written about the possibility that Major
League Baseball wants to hold their 1999 season opener in Japan,
at Tokyo Dome. The Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees were
mentioned as the two possible visiting teams. While that proposal
was quickly swatted down by the Japanese commissioner's office --
1999 will be the fiftieth anniversary of the Japan's two league
system and it's thought a MLB season opener would distract from
the local festivities -- the door remains open for the start of
the 2000 season.
The reasoning behind the move is simple -- holding
Major League games in Japan would increase local interest in the
North American sport and would likely increase merchandising
sales and possibly television revenue in the long run. It's a
marketing move, and a smart one. Too bad the Japanese comish is
too dumb to catch on.
Why aren't Japanese teams doing regular season tours
abroad? With four current Korean players in the Central League, a
tour of Japan's neighbor would no doubt be well-attended. Why not
go to Taiwan and Australia, too, where baseball is catching on?
Or better yet, swap ballparks with a Major League club.
If the Mariners and Yankees want to play at Tokyo
Dome, either the Giants or Fighters should open their season at
the Kingdome or Yankees Stadium. Both New York and Seattle have
large Asian populations, and the games would be well attended.
But so far, Japanese officials have displayed a complete
ignorance of the potential for marketing their leagues abroad.
Almost every week, I get a letter from someone in
the U.S. asking where they can buy a Yomiuri Giants cap or Orix
BlueWave jersey. And I always give the same answer: visit the
Tokyo Dome gift shop 'cause you ain't gonna find it anywhere
else. Well, that's not entirely true... you can also pick up
items like that at other ballparks.
But I well remember first coming to Japan four years
ago and looking for a Seibu Lions cap (at the time, I lived in
Saitama prefecture, where the Lions play). I looked all around
and I even went to the Seibu department store in Ikebukuro (NW
Tokyo) which was supposed to be the largest department store in
Japan. They had nothing -- no Lions caps, jerseys, posters,
anything. And this is the store that owns the team. I guess it's
understandable that they don't try to market the teams abroad --
they don't even do it at home.
Nor are the baseball powers much interested in
making any changes that might make baseball more interesting for
local fans.
Interleague play: Ever since the American and
National Leagues started meeting during the regular season last
year, the subject of interleague play has been debated in Japan.
Currently, the only time Central and Pacific Leagues meet is
either during the Japan Series or during the pre-season. With
lower attendance, PL clubs desperately want interleague play. But
CL teams, fearing the proposal would reduce the number of
standing-room-only games they play against the Giants, are
dead-set against the idea.
Never mind that most CL games (sans-Giants) only
pull in about 10,000 fans on a week night. A modest interleague
play schedule, however, would help boost attendance and interest
all-around.
And it would help deliver a knock-out punch to the
J-league. Several years ago, the professional soccer league was
formed, and for a time it pulled a lot of fans out of ballparks
and into soccer stadiums. Now, with the Japanese soccer team in
disgrace, it's time to bring those fans back to the yakyu-yards
and show them what a winning team looks like.
A
look around the Leagues...
Central
League:
BayStars: Winners of eleven of their past
thirteen games, no team is hotter than Yokohama right now. Much
of that has to do with their pitching staff who now own the best
team ERA in either league -- 3.43. On June 24, right-handed
pitcher Daisuke Miura (7-3, 2.90 ERA) threw the first complete
game by a BayStars pitcher since Takeo Kawamura went the distance
on opening day. Earning his 22nd save of the season on June 27,
relief ace Kazuhiro Sasaki tied Motoyuki Akahori's Japan
professional baseball record by posting his 21st consecutive save
point.
Giants: Three-time Sawamura Award-winner
Masaki Saito on June 24 posted his 166th career win,
surpassing BlueWave hurler Yoshinori Sato as the winning-est
active pitcher. Preventing the BayStars from completing a
three-game sweep of the Giants, Yomiuri's Kazuhiro Kiyohara
belted a three-run game-winning sayonara home run in the ninth
inning on June 28. Kiyohara is currently leading all Central
League first basemen in all-star balloting while four other
Giants players are also leading their categories: Sun Min Cho
(pitcher), Toshihisa Nishi (second base), Hideki Matsui
(outfield) and rookie Yoshinobu Takahashi (outfield).
Dragons: The biggest news of the week arrived
on Tuesday, June 23, when Hanshin pitcher Tetsuro Kawajiri twice
drilled Chunichi shortstop Jeong Bum Lee. Did Lee charge the
mound? Not with a broken elbow. The second "deadball"
struck Lee in his right arm, fracturing the elbow. The former
Korean star shortstop of the Haitai Tigers will undergo surgery
next week and will likely be out for the remainder of the season.
Lee was batting .285 with nine home runs while leading the league
with seventeen stolen bases. At the time of his injury, he was
also the top pick for CL shortstop in the all-star balloting.
Normally hot-headed Chunichi skipper Senichi Hoshino shrugged off
the incident by suggesting that it was Lee's fault for not
getting out of the way quick enough.
Carp: The coldest team in the Central League,
Hiroshima has dropped thirteen of their last sixteen games.
Pitching woes have taken their toll as has the absence of center
fielder Koichi Ogata. Though not known for his power, utility
player Timoniel Perez batted his first home run of the year on
June 24 and added a second blast four days later.
Swallows: On June 22, Yakult released first
baseman Lyle Mouton (.241, 3 HRs) and later announced the
acquisition of Eric Anthony an outfielder who has played 682
games with the Astros, Mariners, Reds, Rockies and Dodgers and
has hit 78 career home runs with 259 RBIs and a lifetime .231
batting average. In 1997, he appeared in 47 games with the Los
Angeles Dodgers, compiling 74 at bats, two home runs, five RBIs
and a .243 average. Earlier in the season, he batted .444 with
AAA Oklahoma and .343 with AAA Albuquerque. This season, Anthony
has played in 55 games with Albuquerque, compiling ten home runs,
26 RBIs and a .305 average. The Nikkan speculated that Anthony
would replace Lyle Mouton on the Yakult varsity team. Mouton,
according to sources, has had trouble hitting inside fastballs
and outside curveballs. On a related note, Yakult right-hander
Travis Driskill is scheduled to perform a workout for manager
Katsuya Nomura on Wednesday, July 1. Driskill, who has been
playing on the Yakult minor league team, compiled a 1.50 ERA in
five relief appearances in June.
Tigers: Predicted by some to make great
strides this season, the Tigers have continued to prove pundits
wrong. Currently resting in the CL cellar, Hanshin has been
unable to decide how to use their newly acquired talent. Former
Dragons slugger Yasuaki Taiho has been taken out of the line-up
while imports Alonzo Powell and Dave Hansen continue to see
action only as pinch-hitters. Meanwhile on the farm, Desi Wilson
has been on a hot streak. On June 25, Wilson went 4 for 5 with
two RBIs. Unless Powell or Hansen get their starting roles back
and commence hitting, Wilson could make an appearance with the
top team in July.
Pacific League:
Fighters: The Fighters remain at the top of
the PL race and they should get a little extra help in a few
weeks. Recovering from elbow surgery earlier this season, Kip
Gross is reportedly throwing the ball in Los Angeles and could be
back in Japan ready to pitch by mid-July. Upon his return, look
for the Fighters to demote struggling lefty Rafael Orellano.
Reliever Erik Schullstrom (6-1, 5 saves, 2.00 ERA) has proven
himself too valuable to be taken off the roster. (For more about
Schullstrom, read this exclusive interview...)
Buffaloes: Currently in second place, the big
news for Kintetsu this week was the acquisition of Red Sox
reliever Brian Shouse (more information). Currently, the Buffaloes have an outstanding
reliever, 26-year-old Akinori Otsuka (21 saves, 1.69 ERA) so look
for Shouse to be used as a starter. Imports Phil Leftwich and Rob
Mattson are on the farm team at the moment, though both have
compiled great minor league stats.
Lions: Winners of nine of their last eleven
games, the Lions have surged to third place in the PL standings.
Much of the reason has to do with their batting -- a team .282
average, the best in the league. Designated hitter Domingo
Martinez is currently batting .332 with 15 home runs while speedy
shortstop Kazuo Matsui is leading the PL with 20 doubles and 23
stolen bases. Also helping out is pitcher Fumiya Nishiguchi who
has overcome a terrible first month, served a few weeks in the
bullpen, and is now winning games again as a starter.
Hawks: Losing their last seven games in a
row, the Hawks have taken a sharp turn south in the standings.
Though his return from an eight-week suspension for tax evasion
was supposed to give Daiei a lift, Hiroki Kokubo (.225, 2 HRs)
has been out of action the past week. Meanwhile, all the Hawks
starting pitcher have taken a beating -- on average they have
given up eight runs per game since their losing streak began.
BlueWave: Thanks in larger part to the
Marines losing-streak, the BlueWave have finally pulled
themselves out of the Pacific League cellar. But also credit
should be given to both Ichiro Suzuki and Troy Neel. Though
batting poorly in the clutch in April, Ichiro is now hitting .377
with runners in scoring position and he's taken over the league's
batting race with a .373 average. Neel, hitting .290with nine
home runs, was the subject of Dave Wiggins column in the Mainichi
Daily News last week. Asked why the BlueWave were struggling
this year, Neel told Wiggins: "We traded away too many
veterans that (manager Akira) Ogi replaced with his draft
choices. And our pitching is not what it was. But we've dropped
off in other areas too. All players can't have a good year every
year."
Marines: A twelve-game losing streak is not a
great way to stay in contention, and after two weeks of
free-fall, the Marines have finally landed in the PL cellar. Part
of the reason has to do with a declining offense -- Julio Franco
is going through his worst stretch of the season right now. Also
playing a part is the lack of a consistent bullpen since Yasuyuki
Kawamoto and Toshihide Narimoto are both disabled. In an attempt
to patch up their relief staff, the Marines last week acquired
Brian Warren, a reliever who last pitched in Taiwan with the
China Trust Whales.