NPB Appreciation Thread
We talk often about good players in Japan and wanting them to come to MLB... which fans of the Nippon Pro Baseball league coughdeannacough find rather irksome, as the league's struggled with revenue over the years, as obviously well as losing their best players year after year (imagine your team's best players just up and leaving every year; can be demoralizing), and losing teams due to these losses.
People tend to forget that this is an entire league, with a rich history, a game that is entertaining to watch for its own separate reasons, and of course, crowds and a Japanese baseball culture that's nothing like anything you see in MLB.
So over time, while admittedly scouring YouTube for video on stars like Daisuke Matsuzaka, I've discovered a variety of odd and end videos on a variety of players and teams, that paint an enlightening picture of what NPB at its best can be like. I want to share some of that here.
Excitement from the pitching and defense in the final outs of a Chiba Lotte Marines win.
Here's a funny video from some sort of TV game show featuring Matsuzaka.
They call the knuckleball the shake ball in Japan.
BENNY WOULD GO! Remember Benny Agbayani? Also... note the enthusiasm of the crowd for the AB. This is telling: rather than sitting on their hands waiting for their team to do something, as we do in the US, the fans in this clip try and pump up their hitter during a rally.
Marc Kroon didn't amount to much in the states, but he went to Japan and became the Yokohama Baystars closer with serious 100 mph (160 km/h) gas, though Air Fukudome dropped a grand salami bomb on Kroonland in this clip. Eat your heart out, Eddie.
How about a diving, turf munching catch on Astroturf by Kenji Morozumi, even with his team leading 8-2? PRIDE AND HONOR.
Thoughts welcome.
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21 comments
Comments
Holy smokes
The bowing at the end was pretty cool too. In response to the ovation?
by Alex B on Jun 25, 2006 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love the replay
by Gomez on Jun 25, 2006 9:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well
And no NPB video collection of this season is complete without Marty Brown and his Lou Piniella imitation, or the awesome resulting t-shirts.
Kroon has his own website. It's pretty funny.
by Deanna on Jun 25, 2006 3:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Well, appropriate because Kroon is funny looking
Funny how he is identified by the speed of his fastest pitch, 161 km/h. That's like nicknaming Justin Verlander "Verlander 101 mph!"
by Gomez on Jun 25, 2006 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
eh
by Matthew on Jun 25, 2006 3:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I'd be sad if he didn't go to Europe
by Billy Everyteen on Jun 25, 2006 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah.
I think people are scared of Adu going to Ghana and play, and want to keep him close to home. Tommy on ESPN said the Americans need to develop a one name player. ADU!
by Christian on Jun 25, 2006 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Reyna played in the EPL...
by WAB on Jun 25, 2006 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
exactly
and the national team needs to hire a real coach next time.
by Matthew on Jun 25, 2006 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What do you think of Klinsmann?
by Billy Everyteen on Jun 25, 2006 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Klinsmann
I'd rather have Hiddink but he seems fairly committed to Russia
by Matthew on Jun 25, 2006 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He did leave
by WAB on Jun 25, 2006 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I suppose he should try to stay in Europe anyways
by WAB on Jun 25, 2006 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
by Gomez on Jun 25, 2006 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
FWIW...
by Tokyo Sam on Jun 25, 2006 4:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Interesting
by Gomez on Jun 25, 2006 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

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