Gary
Garland /
the
japanese insider
October 21,
2002
Complete MLB All Star Team
Announced
Major League Baseball has finally announced the full roster for the squad
that will travel to Japan and play one game against the Yomiuri Giants before
facing off against an NPB all star contingent starting November 10. Those
participating are:
Pitchers:
Bartolo Colon (Montreal);
Brad Penny (Florida); Brian Lawrence (San Diego); Eric Gagne (L.A.), J.C.
Romers (Minnesota); Mike Fetters (Arizona); Mark Buerhle (Chicago WS); Miguel
Batista (Arizona); Randy Wolf (Philadelphia); Rodrigo Lopez (Baltimore);
Scott Schoenweiss (Anaheim); Tomokazu Ohka (Montreal).
Catchers:
Benito Santiago (San Francisco);
Paul LoDuca (L.A.).
Infielders:
Eric Chavez (Oakland); Eric
Hinske (Toronto); David Eckstein (Anaheim); Derek Lee (Florida); Jason Giambi
(New York Yankees); Jimmy Rollins (Philadelphia); Junior Spivey (Arizona);
Roberto Alomar (New York Mets).
Outfielders:
Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle
Mariners); Barry Bonds (San Francisco); Bernie Williams (New York Yankees);
Jacque Jones (Minnesota); Pat Burrell (Philadelphia). Torii Hunter (Minnesota).
Miguel Tejada was said earlier to be participating, but he apparently isn't.
Too bad. It's also interesting that Alex Rodriguez won't be going even though
Japanese fans would love to see him. Yet another example of what a jerk the
guy is.
Dodgers' Williams Hanshin
Bound
According to Nikkan Sports, the Hanshin Tigers are going to bolster their
weak middle relief by bringing in 30 year old lefty Jeff Williams from the
L.A. Dodgers. Williams and Hanshin are reported to have just about finished
agreeement on contract terms and it appears that he will join Makoto Yoshino
as one of the main lefthanders in the pen. the six foot, 180 pounder recorded
29 saves for Las Vegas, but will be used mainly in a setup role with the
Osaka outfit for closer Mark Valdez.
In 37 major league games, the Canberra, Australia native went 4-1 with a
7.41 ERA. He represented his home country in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and
joined L.A. that same year. He brings a fastball that will touch 93mph as
well as sharp breaking pitches that will enable him to rack up some strikeouts
in the Central League, team officials believe.
In other Hanshin related news, owner Shunjiro Kuman lambasted George Arias,
saying that "it is rare to pay so much for a player who was so ineffective"
and that Arias was good only for short periods that were broken up by long
stagnant phases. "Even though we pay him so much money, he strikes out like
that." "I can see we have some problems in the front office," Kuman fumed.
Of course, one has to question where Kuman has been all this time while Arias
was leading the team in both homers and RBIs, becoming the first Tiger since
Cecil Fielder to hammer 30 homers in a campaign. He is right in that Arias,
even with the decent power numbers, hasn't been much of an offensive force
otherwise. One can be sure that the former Angel and Padre will be glad to
be released from a club whose management has long been the butt of criticism
by foreign players and baseball commentators. Roberto Petagine, this could
be YOU.
The Osaka favorite sons got a bit of good news today when 21 year old hard
throwing Tokiwa University righthander Tomoyuki Kubota said that he will
only go to Hanshin and will refuse offers form all others. Kubota's motion
resembles Hideo Nomo's, except he can run a heavy fastball to the plate at
95mph. The 5'11" and 185 pound Yoshimi-machi, Saitama Prefecture native also
features a slider.
12 MLB Teams Interested
in Nakamura?
According to Sankei Sports, as many as 12 MLB ballclubs have their eyes on
Kintetsu Buffaloes free agent third baseman Norihiro Nakamura. The Mets are
considered the most ardent suitors, who see him as a replacement for Edgardo
Alfonso, but the Phillies would like to supplant the recently departed Scott
Rolen with him while the SF Giants, Red Sox, and Rangers are taking a hard
look at the burly slugger. Nakamura himself has expressed an interest in
both the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers.
But the Osaka native is also seeking a large payday and the greatest offer
he is expected to receive from a big league outfit is around $2 million a
season while the Hanshin Tigers are going to offer more than $5 million.
Moreover, Nakamura has indicated that he isn't willing to accept a discount
in exchange for a shot on a stateside roster.
Nakamura's 59 year old father has weighed in on the issue and firmly declared
that he doesn't want his son leaving home shores due to his being married
with three children and uncertainty generated due to the recent sniping murders
as well as the pending war with Iraq.
Matsui Homer Calls to be
Issued on CD
According to the Hochi Shimbun, NHK has collected all the home runs calls
for each of Yomiuri centerfielder Hideki Matsui's 332 lifetime regular circuit
clouts and is issuing them on a CD. Also included will be a booklet that
has more details about each of those roundtrippers. This item goes on sale
December 4. Unfortunately for avid fans, there are no plans to put out one
that features the calls on his Japan Series jacks.
Graczyk: Japan Series Will
be a Seven Game
Barnburner
See Japan Times article at:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getsp.pl5?sb20021023wg.htm
Takahashi's Power Gives
Giants Edge in Right
See Yomiuri Shimbun story at: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20021023wo52.htm
LG Twins Advance to Next
Round With Defeat of
Hyundai
See Korea Times article at:
http://www.hankooki.com/kt_sports/200210/t2002102310310047110.htm
Today in Japanese Baseball
History
This report is for October 21 and on that date in Japanese baseball history
in 1958, the Nishitetsu Lions, who had been down three games to none in the
Japan Series, complete a four game sweep afterward to become champions. Lions
ace Kazuhisa Inao picked up all four victories.
Also, on the same day, Yomiuri Giants first baseman Tetsuhara Kawakami announces
his retirement.
Also on that date in 1975, the Yomiuri Giants finished last for the first
time in the team's history. It was also Shigeo Nagashima's first year as
the club's manager.
Also on the same date in 1995, the Japan Series opens at Kobe Green Stadium
months after the disastrous earthquake that struck that city with the home
team, the Orix Blue Wave, facing the Yakult Swallows. Behind a fine performance
from starter Terry Bross as well as a pinch hit two run homer by Yuji Ono
just inside the leftfield foul pole in the eighth, the Swallows escape with
a 5-2 victory. Pacific League batting champ Ichiro Suzuki went 1-4 with a
walk.
Coming Up: Japan Series
Preview
The Japan Series starts Saturday and I will have my assessment of both teams
and a prognostication of the outcome on Wednesday. So stay tuned.
Despite 191 Hits by Shimizu,
Wada Gives Seibu an Edge in
Left
See Yomiuri Shimbun story at: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20021021wo53.htm
LG Grabs Playoff Spot With
Win Over Hyundai
See Korea Times story at:
http://www.hankooki.com/kt_sports/200210/t2002102017252447110.htm
KBO Playoffs
Begin
See Korea Times story at:
http://www.hankooki.com/kt_sports/200210/t2002102017261747110.htm
Quote of the
Day
From Jim Reeves of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: " San Francisco Giants versus
Anaheim Angels in an all California World Series? Sounds like the perfect
definition of Dodger Blue." As a Dodgers fan Jim, I can tell you that's all
too true.
A Note to Fox
Sports
Would you bastards please stop using your baseball broadcasts as a platform
to promote your lame ass tv shows? The actors you have sitting in those high
price seats during the playoffs and World Series wouldn't know a baseball
from a cantaloupe. What you're doing is obvious and inane. So knock it the
f**k off and give those tickets to someone who can actually appreciate the
game!
October 18,
2002
Hori, Sawai Each Drive in
Three to Win Final PL Game for Lotte
8-3
Coming into the final game of the 2002 season, the Chiba Lotte Marines had
won each of its last contests for seven years running and they extended that
to eight, as second baseman Koichi Hori and backup first baseman Ryosuke
Sawai both homered and drove in three runs apiece to help their team bury
the Kintetsu Buffaloes Friday at Chiba Marine Stadium in front of a robust
29,000 strong crowd.
Hiroshi Takamura started for the Osaka side and got jackhammered for seven
runs, all earned, on eight hits in four innings to conclude the campaign
at 9-10. Still want to try MLB Hiroshi?
Kosuke Kato started for the winners and was mediocre, like the better part
of his season has been, as he went six innings of three run ball on six hits
for his 11th shiroboshi.
Lotte went in front in the second, as Takamura plunked Lotte DH Derrick May
and then Hori, who has registered double figures in longballs in only five
of his 14 pro seasons, crushed a pitch into the leftfield seats for a 2-0
lead and his 128th jack lifetime.
Kintetsu surged back to knot it, though, in the top of the third, as Kenji
Nagasaka, making his first pro start at catcher, singled to right for his
initial career hit and then went to second on a wild pitch. Centerfielder
Akihito Moritani doubled to leftcenter and Nagasaka sprinted around the bases
for home to make it 2-1.After Moritani advanced to third on a groundout,
shortstop Eiji Muzuguchi laced a two bagger into the leftfield corner to
reclaim Moritani and it was two all.
Lotte, however, had a deuce up its sleeve in the bottom of the same frame.
With one away, leftfielder Kenji Morozumi doubled to rightcenter. First baseman
Kazuya Fukuura then pinged one off the leftfield wall for an RBI double.
Sawai came in to pinch run for him (probably so that Fukuura would finish
the season at .300 on the dot). One out later, Hori carromed a shot off the
leftfield wall, too, for a standup RBI double and it was 4-2 home folks.
Kintetsu answered by denting Kato again in the fourth, as first baseman Yuji
Yoshioka clocked his 40th double to leftcenter. DH Hirotoshi Kitagawa ripped
a shot off the glove of Sawai and Yoshioka galloped around as the ball trickled
away to make it 4-3 Lotte.
Sawai would change the complexion of this battle from a dogfight into a romp
in the bottom of the inning. Catcher Masaumi Shimizu tripled up the rightcenter
gap. Two outs later, Morozumi walked. Sawai then cracked his fourth career
homer to rightcenter, good for three runs, as Lotte now assumed a 7-3 advantage.
Ken Kadokura relieved Takamura in the fifth and struckout the side and then
fanned the first man he saw in the sixth and then two more in the seventh.
However, in that seventh, Hori then doubled down the leftfield line and
Mitsuchika Hirai, 35, the former 1991 batting champ, was sent up to pinch
hit for third baseman Kiyoshi Hatsushiba in his last stand as a pro and produced,
ramming a 90mph fastball for a double to rightcenter to redeem Hori and lend
Lotte an 8-3 edge. Hirai, whose knees are in bad shape, was pinch run for
by Makoto Kosaka and he jogged off the field to a standing ovation.
Lotte reliever Soichi Fujita tossed a perfect eighth. Hiroyuki Kobayashi
retired the first two Buffs batters that stepped in for the ninth. Then in
spite of a big lead, Lotte manager Koji Yamamoto brought in closer Masahide
Kobayashi, who struckout pinch hitter Takashi Muto on five pitches to say
sayonara to 2002. It also ended Masahide's consecutive save point string
at 33. Why Yamamoto did this is anyone's guess. Maybe he thought that the
devoted Lotte fans wanted to see Kobayashi pitch or he was attempting to
impart some lesson that being part of a team is more important than records.
Who really knows?
Hirai, partially due to those knee problems, has had an up and down career.
After winning the batting championship in 1991, he retured with .281 and
225 seasons that were marred by injury and then went .260 and .249 in the
following pair of relatively healthy campaigns. He batted a personal best
.320 in 1998, but it was downhill from there and he posted a .172 in 2001
in only 29 total at bats. The above at bat was his lone showing at the big
club level for 2002.
For Lotte, May was 1-3 with an HBP and is at .273.
Pitching Lines:
Kintetsu:
Takamura (L, 9-10 )
IP 4.0 PC 90 H 8 HR 2 K 3 BB 2 R 7 ER 7 ERA 4.14
Kadokura
IP 3.0 PC 45 H 2 HR 0 K 6 BB 0 R 1 ER 1 ERA 3.68
D.
Miyamoto
IP 0.2 PC 6 H 0 HR 0 K 1 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 3.92
A.N.
Otsuka
IP 0.1 PC 3 H 0 HR 0 K 0 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 1.28
Lotte:
K. Kato (W, 11-15)
IP 6.0 PC 100 H 6 HR 0 K 8 BB 2 R 3 ER 3 ERA 4.58
Yoshida
IP 1.0 PC 14 H 0 HR 0 K 1 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 3.40
S.
Fujita
IP 1.0 PC 12 H 0 HR 0 K 1 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 3.86
H. Kobayashi IP 0.2
PC 8 H 0 HR 0 K 0 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 2.53
M. Kobayashi IP 0.1
PC 5 H 0 HR 0 K 1 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 0.83
2B: Moritani, Mizuguchi,
Morizumi, Fukuura, Hori 2, Yoshioka, Hirai
3B: Masaumi Shimizu
HR: Hori (14), R. Sawai (3)
RBI: Mizuguchi, H. Kitagawa, Fukuura, Sawai 3, Hori 3, Hirai
WP: K. Kato
HBP: May (Takamura)
LOB: Kintetsu 5, Lotte 5
Season Series: Kintetsu
12, Lotte 16
Game Time: 3:01
Attendance: 29,000
Umpires: Nakamura (HP), Kawaguchi (1B), Tachibana (2B), Yanagida (3B)
Daiei May Bring in Dodgers
Farmhand Skrmetta for Closer's
Role
The Daiei Hawks, fresh from releasing popular closer Rodney Pedraza, are
looking for a new, cheaper righthander to fill that position and have reportedly
turned their attention to Matt Skrmetta, 29, who racked up nine wins and
a save with Las Vegas in the Dodgers system this past season, says Sankei
Sports.
The 6'3" 220 pound Skrmetta is a native of Biloxi Mississippi who has a career
MLB record of 2-2 with a 10.69 ERA. This season with the 51s, he was in 47
games and went 9-1 with a save and a 3.29 ERA. He is also a rarity in that
he switch hits, but in the Pacific League, which has the DH, he would be
unlikely to see any plate time.
Last season, the Hawks had signed Red Sox hurler Carlos Castillo with the
intention of inserting him into the team's think starting rotation, but he
stunk it up (and displayed a bad attitude to boot) and spent the entirety
of the regular season in the minors before getting the heave ho.
Tha Hawks parent corporation is tens billions of dollars in debt and is
apparently looking for economies with the baseball team. which is marginally
profitable despite attracting a new PL record 3.108 million fans to Fukuoka
Dome this year, so Pedraza was released and they attempted to put second
baseman Tadahito Iguchi on the posting market, but Iguchi, who is rehabbing
a shoulder after recent surgery, refused to allow it.
Two of the hottest pitching college pitching prospects that will go in this
year's draft, Nagisa Araki, who has been clocked at 96mph for Kyushu Community
College, and Tsuyoshi Wada, the all time Tokyo Big Six University League
strikeout king, have said that they will only sign with the Hawks. In addition,
they also have Hayato Terahara, who will be getting a 150% pay raise plus
an $85,000 bonus after becoming the first rookie fresh out of high school
to win six games in the team's history. So that will help them out from both
a starting pitching standpoint, which has been mostly awful this season,
as well as from a salary perspective. Most likely, the rotation will then
be topped off by veterans Kazumi Saito and, if he stays in Fukuoka since
he's a free agent, Kenichi Wakatabe. Now the question is, will their new
closer be as effective as ;edraza was? Time will tell.
Team manager Sadaharu Oh will be in Venezuela this winter scouting more foreign
talent to go along with leftfielder Pedro Valdez.
Baseball Tour of Japan for
Regular Folks
I just happened on this while researching another matter. Thus, I cannot
verify that these folks are on the up and up, so caveat emptor. But
for the baseball mad, this certainly looks like fun:
http://www.baseballadventures.com/Japan/japan1.html-ssi
There is also an outfit that is just a baseball-themed tour of Japanese baseball
sites run by one of the members of the Bavasi family at:
http://japanball.com/index.htm
NY Times on Matsui,
Contreras
See article at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/18/sports/baseball/18YANK.html?ex=1035604800&en=461b14c61fc733d0&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE
Yankees Interested in
Nakamura?
You're kidding, right? See NY Post article at:
http://www.nypost.com/sports/23657.htm
How Do Giants, Lions Second
Basemen Stack Up?
See Yomiuri Shimbun article at: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20021018wo54.htm
Kazuo Matsui Gives Lions
Edge at Shortstop
See Yomiuri Shimbun article at: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20021020wo53.htm
Ramirez May Not be Back
With Yakult
Geez, what is going on here? First Petatgine and now Alex. See Japan Times
story at: http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getsp.pl5?sb20021019a2.htm
Globalization in SF Giants
Clubhouse
See San Francisco Chronicle article at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/10/19/MN197092.DTL
Cost Cutting, Debt Waivers
Lead to Profit for
Daiei
The parent company of the Daiei Hawks actually posted a profit, but still
remains mired in debt. See Japan Times story at:
http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nb20021019a1.htm
Japan's National Pastime;
But Will it be
America's?
This article from World Magazine is a couple of months old, but Marvin Olasky
took a trip to Osaka during the height of the enmity between the MLB Player's
Association and the owners and here are his impressions:
http://www.worldmag.com/world/issue/08-31-02/closing_2.asp
Pair of Two Run Homers Powers
Samsung to Korea
Series
See Korea Times article at:
http://www.hankooki.com/kt_sports/200210/t2002101817222547110.htm
Taichung Wins Taiwan Major
League Championship
See Taipei Times story at:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/2002/10/18/story/0000176236
Angels' Weber: From Taiwan
to the World Series
See Taipei Times story at:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/2002/10/19/story/0000176347
Today in Japanese Baseball
History
This report is for October 18th and on that date in Japanese baseball history
in 1979, a Lotte Orions infielder named Emoto broke both shoulders when the
car he was driving collided head on with a dump truck. Yikes! I can't find
any stats for the guy and I can't make out his first name, but it appears
that he didn't play much at the big club level, if at all. He had signed
with Lotte as a free agent out of the industrial leagues after being ignored
in the 1978 draft.
Ishikawa May Have Locked
Up Rookie of the Year with 3-1
Victory
Despite allowing runners to reach base in each of his five innings, 5'6"
screwballing rookie Masanori Ishikawa held the Hiroshima Carp to one run
to pick up his 12th victory of the year by a 3-1 margin Wednesday at Meiji
Jingu Stadium. In so doing, he pulled in front of Yokohama Bay Stars lefthander
Yuji Yoshimi, the other main candidate for Rookie of the Year, in both wins
and ERA.
Ishikawa pitched out of a two on and one out predicament in the second by
inducing a double play ball. The Swallows offense then rewarded their teammate's
resourcefulness in the bottom of the inning when rightfielder Atsunori Inaba
seared a triple off the centerfield fence and came home on a single to left
by second baseman Noriyuki Shiroishi to make it 1-0. Catcher Kosei Ono lined
one into the leftcenter gap for a double. One out later, centerfielder Munehiro
Shidabeat out a tapper toward third and Shiroishi crossed for a 2-0 Yakult
lead.
Hiroshima loaded the bases in the third on a pair of one out singles and
a walk, but Ishikawa got slumping Tomoaki Kanemoto to popout to first and
Shida ran down third baseman Takahiro Arai's screamer in the rightcenter
alley to extricate himself again.
However, in the top of the fourth, Carp first baseman Kojiro Machida creamed
one over the leftfield wall and it was now a 2-1 game in the Swallows favor.
Carp starter Ken Takahashi had a whale of an outing, but cracked again in
the sixth when he went somewhere he shouldn't have andSwallows third baseman
Akinori Iwamura got good wood on it, propelling it into the rightfield seats
to make it 3-1 Yakult.
Once Ishikawa's stint was done, the Yakult relief staff tightened the screws
on the Carp, as they allowed just one hit and a walk over the final four
innings to put it in the refrigerator. You can see a pic of Ishikawa's delivery
at: http://www.nikkansports.com/news/baseball/bb-021017-4.jpg
Takahashi ended up going all the way and was charged with three runs on five
hits and struckout nine while ten of his teammates were stranded on the basepaths
for a frustrating loss. Moreover, Yakult will now win the season series with
Hiroshima for the first time in three years.
Susumu Aoyagi, 34, a longtime backup catcher with both the Lotte Orions and,
beginning in 1995, with Yakult, pinch hit for Ishikawa in the sixth and grounded
out to Takahashi in his last pro at bat. That was his only appearance of
this season with the big club and he finishes his 14 season career having
hit .233 with 26 homers and 140 RBIs in 595 games.
Kanemoto, still agonizing over his free agent status, is now zero for his
last 20 at bats over five games and his average has fallen from .282 to .273.
For Yakult, first baseman Roberto Petagine was 0-2 with a walk and is at
.323. Leftfielder Alex Ramirez was 0-4 with two strikeouts and is at .296.
Pitching Lines:
Hiroshima:
K. Takahashi (L, 9-14) IP
8.0 PC 119 H 5 HR 1 K 9 BB 3 R 3 ER 3 ERA 3.84
Yakult:
Masanori Ishikawa (W, 12-9)
IP 5.0 PC 100 H 8 HR 1 K 2 BB 2 R 1 ER 1 ERA 3.33
Kawabata
IP 2.0 PC 23 H 0 HR 0 K 1 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 2.56
R.
Igarashi
IP 0.2 PC 21 H 1 HR 0 K 1 BB 1 R 0 ER 0 ERA 2.10
H. Ishii (S,
5)
IP 1.1 PC 33 H 0 HR 0 K 2 BB 0 R 0 ER 0 ERA 1.52
E: Arai
2B: K. Ono, Ogata, Arai
3B: Inaba
HR: Machida (7), Iwamura (23)
RBI: Machida, Shida, Iwamura, Shiroishi
WP: Masanori Ishikawa
GIDP: Ishihara
LOB: Hiroshima 10, Yakult 6
Season Series: Hiroshima
11, Yakult 14 2 Ties
Game Time: 3:03
Attendance: 5,000
Umpires: Mori (HP), Kamimoto (1B), Watada (2B), Ino (3B)
Is Godzilla Ready for New
York?
According to an Associated Press report, the Yomiuri Giants intend to offer
Hideki Matsui a four year deal worth $7-8 million a season plus incentives.
We'll have to see how that plays out. in the meantime, Marty Kuehnert
at the Japan Time contemplates the above question at:
http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getsp.pl5?sp20021016mk.htm
Suzuki to Stay With
Yokohama
According to Sports Nippon, Yokohama Bay Stars two time batting champion
and leftfielder Takanori Suzuki, 30, who is a free agent that has drawn interest
from both MLB and other Japanese teams, is going to stay in Yokohama. While
the incentive provisions of the new pact are still being worked out, the
basic part of it will reportedly be worth 600 million yen ($5 million), or
about $1.6 million a season.
Suzuki is also a multiple Gold Glove winner and has batted in both the three
and four holes in the team's lineup.Along with the development of Domingo
Guzman as a starter, this is the best news in Yokohama this season.
Gaillard, Toyoda Named Firemen
of the Year
Chunichi Dragons closer Eddie Gaillard and Kiyoshi Toyoda, who fulfills the
same role for the Seibu Lions, were each named Fireman of the Year for their
respective leagues today by the offices of those circuits. Gaillard now has
bookends, as this is his second such trophy, while Toyoda is taking home
his first.
Another Look at the Zen
Way of Baseball
Eric Neel takes a look at Sadaharu Oh's out of print tome at:
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/neel/020814.html
Take Me Out to the
Ballgame
Peter Lewis at Fortune Magazine gives his impressions of a Yakult Swallows
game at: http://www.fortune.com/ontech/20020916.html
Note that he doesn't quite get it right about Rhodes and Cabrera, so you
need to take it with a grain of salt.
A gaijin in Japan gives his impressions of the Cabrera's final attempt to
break the record at: http://www.bigempire.com/sake/cabrera.html
Daiei Hawks Parent Company
Sees Sales Decline
See Yahoo Retail article at:
http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/021016/retail_japan_daiei_4.html
Popular Terahara to be Rewarded
With Bigger
Paycheck
According to Nikkan Sports, 19 year old rookie righthander Hayato Terahara,
who became the only rookie pitcher to win six games right out of high school
for the team in its history this season, is going to be taking home bigger
checks next season, the team announced. The figure that was mentioned by
the sports daily was 40 million yen (a little over $300,000), a 150% increase
over his 2002 salary. Moreover, he will also receive a bonus of ten million
yen (about $85,000).
The Miyazaki Prefecture-born youngster is making a goot impression at the
sales counter as well, as goods with his name on them rank third to those
of catcher Kenji Johjima and third baseman Hiroki Kokubo.
For his part, Terahara says that he doesn't really know anything about what
the club will do about his salary. Rather, he is already focusing on getting
in shape for next year.
Hanshin Releases Two More
Players; Petagine Pursuit
Continues
The process goes on in Osaka of reconstituting the Hanshin Tigers under manager
Senichi Hoshino, as he had two more players released this week. Hoping to
catch on with other ballclubs are 28 year old Toshiyuki Hesaka and 27 year
old Hiroyuki Yamaoka. Both are righthanded pitchers.
Yamaoka, who spent the entirety of the season in the minors, has seen only
a total of 54.2 innings of action in the five years since being drafted out
of Tohoku Fukushi University, going 0-3 with a 4.28 ERA during that span.
Hesaka got into nine games during the 2002 campaign and posted a 2.84 ERA
in 6.1 innings. He had no record. Lifetime, he was 0-2 in 40.2 total innings
over 34 appearances in four seasons for a 2.87 ERA.
Three Samsung Homers Destroy
Kia 9-1 as KBO Resumes
Play
See Korea Times story at:
http://www.hankooki.com/kt_sports/200210/t2002101617145847110.htm
Kaohsiung Beats Taichung
for First Victory in TML
Series
See Taipei Times story at:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/2002/10/16/story/0000175955
Brother Elephants 2002 CPBL
Champs After Toppling Whales
9-5
See Taipei Times story at:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/2002/10/16/story/0000175956
Golden State Warriors Reach
Out to Asian
Community
And I only put this off topic article in due to the fact that you will see
more and more interest in appealing to Asian and Asian-American markets:
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2002/10/14/story3.html
Today in Japanese Baseball
History
This report is for October 16th and on that date in Japanese baseball history
in 1991, Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta rolled one between third and
short and into leftfield field at Meiji Jingu Stadium in a faceoff with the
Hiroshima Carp for a single to pass Chunichi Dragons first baseman Hiromitsu
Ochiai in the batting race. That made him the first backstop since the Nankai
Hawks Katsuya Nomura in 1965 to win a batting title and only the second who
played his position to do so in Japanese history. Of course, he became the
first receiver in Central League annals to do that. Furthermore, his .3398
was the highest ever recorded by a catcher. In addition, he was the second
Swallow ever to win a batting crown after Tsutomu Wakamatsu.
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September 16 to October 15, 2002
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2002 OPENING DAY SPECIAL ISSUE