The Saitama Seibu Lions took two out of three from the Orix Buffaloes on Opening Weekend. With this series win, they sit in second place in the Pacific League behind the SoftBank Hawks.
Here's what happened:
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Game 1: Kona Takahashi vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The Lions offense died in an instant when seeing Yamamoto. Yuma Mune and Masataka Yoshida delivered on timely hits in the 6th inning with two outs.
Takahashi had an otherwise good outing, going seven innings, but Yamamoto out-pitched him. Their best chance came in the 7th with two runners on and one out, but Takeya Nakamura struck out and Shuta Tonosaki flew out.
Ken Togame put the game away for Orix when he loaded the bases and misfielded a comebacker in the 9th, leading to a two-run error as the Lions were shutout on Opening Day.
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Game 2: Chihiro Sumida vs. Hiroya Miyagi
Hotaka Yamakawa hit a three-run HR in the first inning and it was smooth sailing the rest of the way.
Chihiro Sumida threw seven shutout innings in his debut, living up to the hype as the draft's top player. He only allowed one hit as the Lions shutout Orix for their first win.
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Game 3: Yutaro Watanabe vs. Soichiro Yamasaki
The Lions dug themselves a 6-0 hole which was in part due to pitching and miscues from Aito Takeda in the outfield.
They were able to chip away with base hits from Takumi Kuriyama and Brian O'Grady. A two-run HR from Yamakawa made it a one run game after six innings.
Despite getting a heavy workload, the Lions bullpen combined for six scoreless innings as it setup for a dramatic 8th inning. With a mistake by Yoshida and Shuhei Fukuda on the outfield, the Lions had the chance they needed and Tomoya Mori found a double to give them the lead for good
In a major comeback, the Lions scored seven unanswered runs to take the series.
===
Sunday's comeback felt improbable given this Lions team hasn't shown they can hit in three years. Let's hope this is a sign of things to come.
Credit to the bullpen, Sumida, O'Grady and Yamakawa for this week in what was an action packed series. Can only hope Yamakawa can return to form, something he's lacked since 2020.
The Saitama Seibu Lions will be in transition for the 2022 season.
After coming off a historic last place season for the first time in 42 years, the Lions hope to rebound and not repeat 2021.
Gone are all the imports with five new signings in Brian O'Grady, Dietrich Enns, Jantzen Witte, Burch Smith and Bo Takahashi.
Two draft picks are expected to make an instant impact with Chihiro Sumida and Shunsuke Sato being in the rotation for Opening Day.
The rotation on paper is supposed to be improved with a bright future as Kona Takahashi, Wataru Matsumoto and Tatsuya Imai had productive seasons.
However, the offense is still a large question mark. Hotaka Yamakawa has declined hoping to have a better season.
The Lions outfield is uncertain, but there's hope that Shohei Suzuki can fill the role of an everyday leadoff hitter.
Offensively, the expectations are lower and Brian O'Grady will have a say on if the outfield can be stable and can bring some pop.
The infield is also getting older, there will be times O'Grady or Witte will fill in for the corner infield spots if necessary.
Lastly, the managerial position could change no matter the results as Hatsuhiko Tsuji initially resigned last year only to come back for one more season.
This year, Kazuo Matsui was promoted to the ichi-gun staff, likely in line to be the next Lions manager when Tsuji wants to retire.
There will be transition, but if this team can have a strong second half, find themselves the right pieces going forward for the bullpen, outfield and have great starting pitching, the foundation is set for 2023.
Personally would be happy with a fourth place finish if it means a better second half. Of course, A-class should always be the goal.
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I end with this video and interview from Pacific League TV's English Channel on making the pitch to being a Lions fan.
Seiya Suzuki signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Chicago Cubs last week. He shot down any reports of going to the San Diego Padres in an Instagram post and visited the Cubs.
The San Francisco Giants were also reported as finalists, but he chose to be a Northsider. The deal is great for Suzuki himself, but the team only has more questions than answers.
Last season, the Cubs parted ways with the remains of their core from the 2016 World Series championship team at the trade deadline with Kris Bryant, Javier Baez and many others sent away.
General Manager Jed Hoyer also signed Marcus Stroman right before the MLB Lockout began to bolster their rotation.
Suzuki should be playing immediately with an outfield featuring a declining Jason Heyward, Rafael Ortega and Ian Happ.
The Cubs are at a middle ground entering 2022. They're not going for a full rebuild with these signings, yet this roster doesn't appear to have enough to contend either.
Manager David Ross was given a contract extension as the Cubs plan to be patient and trust the process.
Chicago received a decent haul of prospects coming back for their selling efforts, but many of those on the farm are not ready for MLB.
Suzuki will get a chance to play immediately and his role could be seen as a placeholder for when the prospects are ready.
On the field, Suzuki has the highest expectations for a Japanese position player since Hideki Matsui. Unfortunately in human nature, Cubs fans are likely thinking about Kosuke Fukudome, who was only good for a few months and didn't finish his contract as he traded to the White Sox.
If we're going by exit velocity and ability to hit many pitches, Suzuki had it all in NPB. If he can carry the Cubs on offense, it could create momentum for the next few years. His contract indicates there was a bidding war for his services and teams had to respect him without playing an MLB game. With the posting fee, the Cubs are investing about $100 million on Suzuki.
That being said, there is speculation owner Tom Ricketts is content with the 2016 World Series championship and could be more invested in other interests, like a potential purchase of Chelsea F.C.
If anything, Ricketts is not operating under a bare bones staff.
===
Kikuchi with Toronto
The Toronto Blue Jays signed Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year, $36 million contract. Kikuchi opted out of his 1 year, $13 million player option with hopes of getting a multiple-year deal.
This signing is more a risk for Toronto given Kikuchi faded in the second half of 2021. It might be smarter to make him a reliever if this trend continues.
Given Toronto was forced to pay this amount, credit always goes to his agent Scott Boras for usually driving the price up for players.
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Yoshitomo Tsutsugo staying in Pittsburgh
Tsutsugo's time didn't work out in Tampa Bay as we hoped. His lack of hitting kept him out of the lineup and the micromanagement skills we hoped for weren't helpful for his growth in MLB.
After a stint with with Dodgers, his short time with the Pittsburgh Pirates earned him a one year, $4 million contract for 2022.
Playing for the Pirates might be for the best, as they're a team with nothing to lose. Tsutsugo ended up playing better when he was in the field on a normal basis, something he's used to with the Central League in the past. Maybe he's not built to be a DH?
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Shogo Akiyama stranded?
The Cincinnati Reds have been in fire sale mode since the lockout ended, but Akiyama is stuck on the roster as it's likely no team is interested.
No matter what, Akiyama is due $8 million for 2022, but the Reds have no attachment for his services as the executives who liked him at signing are no longer worker there.
This could be a lame duck year unless he thrives with no supporting cast. With this being a contract year, playing well could earn interest in another team before the July trade deadline, but it's doubtful.
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Maeda missing for 2022
Kenta Maeda underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of 2021, which usually requires a full year to recover from. When he signed his initial 8-year contract with the Dodgers, they anticipated TJ surgery to happen given the length of his team-friendly deal with incentives built in.
Maeda will enter a contract year in 2023. If anything, at least he's automatically the best Japan-born player in Minnesota Twins history with how things failed with Tsuyoshi Nishioka.
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Sawamura looking for more
Hirokazu Sawamura signed a team-friendly deal with the Boston Red Sox in 2021 and they got the most out of someone who pitched a high number of games.
However, his walk rate was a concern, but manager Alex Cora expects meaningful innings for the former Yomiuri Giants closer who also spent time with the Chiba Lotte Marines.
His command will be key in 2022 and if his fastball can elevate, he'll have a role in the Red Sox bullpen.
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Will Ohtani play meaningful games?
We usually keep ourselves out of the conversations regarding Shohei Ohtani as everyone can talk about him.
No question, his MVP 2021 season was amazing. Problem is, his team finished with a losing record at 77-85. Take Ohtani off the team and they likely lose 100 games.
The good news for those who want team success is the playoff field expanded by one team with six in each league making the postseason. It's possible a .500 team can get in, but do the Angels have any pitching depth or depth in general?
Owner Arte Moreno has thrown money around for the wrong reasons and it's possible Anthony Rendon is the latest of bad signings. Their pitching has contained several 1-2 flyers hoping to find a diamond in the rough to offset the costs of others.
The Angels have wasted years of Mike Trout before Ohtani, could they do it again? He isn't obscure, but his team is on the outside.
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What is Darvish?
Yu Darvish was part of an awful collapse with the San Diego Padres in 2021. Things were looking great in the first half, but his second half was poor, just like the team was. From July to September, he had a 6.65 ERA and an opposing OPS of .843 in 14 starts.
He has two years left on his contract and should be expected to carry the rotation, but how long does this last?
As a complementary addition, I included an extra guide for all the Pacific League teams.
Here is a breakdown for this guide:
Ownership: Every NPB team's corporate owner and each company is known for something.
2022 Payroll rank: Because people are curious who can spend money and who can't. This ranking is reflective of all players under contract combined. Some teams have more players due to a larger ikusei roster. Remember, there are 12 teams.
Location/Stadium: Each team has its own region or city represented in an area of Japan. Some teams have a nicer stadium than others, while a few represent more square miles (or kilometers) than others.
Mascots: Every team markets mascots like crazy. There's even prefecture mascots which are at games, but we'll focus on the team ones with a photo. Mascot culture is a huge thing in Japan beyond sports.
Cheer song: Seventh inning stretch in MLB is usually a singing of "Take me out to the ballgame" and sometimes adding "God Bless America", but in Japan, they sing their cheer song or "fight song" during this break. Most of the teams feature balloons. If the team is on the road, the visiting crowd will hear their cheer song at the end of the sixth inning.
Ōendan Songs: Thanks to the internet, people film or record the songs fans will sing while their team is batting. Players have their own songs being sung when at the plate, but there are also "chance" songs when there is a chance (aka guys on base). They also have scoring and victory songs. An Ōendan roughly translates into cheer section. Like college football, there are visitor's sections which allow fans who root for the road team to be together and sing the songs. This will show their songs from 2019, which some have been retired since.
MLB Comparison: This is an estimated equivalent of what the NPB team could be viewed as for an MLB fan. Nothing can be exact, but based on history, coaching philosophy and fundamentals, I will compare to the best that I can. Keep in mind, don't pick the team just because yours is listed there.
Legendary players: While it would take too long to mention everyone involved, some names from each team deserve recognition.
Notable foreign players: This will show players who came to their NPB team on the ichi-gun and made a career from North America. My listing will be incomplete, but a handful of names will be shown.
Notable players who played in MLB: These are players who came from their NPB team who were significant enough to be remembered in MLB (Hiroyuki Nakajima will not be listed due to being only in the minors). A few players won't make the cut. Keep in mind, I don't want to list a few players twice, so I'll put them on their most significant team, unless they had a large impact on both.
Verdict: We give reasons why to like and dislike the given team. There will always be pros and cons. 2022 Core Four: Just to get an idea who is the core entering the 2022 season. 2022 Foreign players: Some names may be familiar expats out of North America or Taiwan. Long term future player: Who is viewed as the long term option? NPB has some obvious names, but there are some guys under development hoping to make an impact down the road. You could see a glimpse of him in 2020. MLB Potential: Everyone has a player with potential, but some may not choose to go or are already past their prime/peak years. 2022 Expectations: I'll go over some strengths and weaknesses of the current product for each team. Who are stars worth tracking? Where do most people think they'll finish and where do I have them finishing? A-class and B-class are the Japanese terms that will be used to label a playoff or non-playoff team. === Why choose a Pacific League Team?
Access to Pacific League games are both legal and easy to get to via Pacific League TV. An instruction on how to use and sign up can be seen here. While the Central League is more conservative, the Pacific League has been progressive not only with PLTV, but even expanding to the current playoff system known as the Climax Series.
From 2004-2006, the Pacific League had a postseason while the Central League did not. It wasn't until 2007 when both leagues had a universal Climax Series, allowing the top three teams of both clubs to get into the postseason. If you're a fan of the Designated Hitter in baseball, the Pacific League is also an easy choice.
There will also be a playoff with the two teams making it to a final stage. In comparison to the Central League, it's a best of five format between the first and second place teams. The first place team will be given a one game advantage.
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Why avoid a Pacific League team?
You dislike the DH because it's not pure baseball. Finding fans of Pacific League teams in Japan will be harder to come by for some clubs, at least in comparison to Central League teams. Going to games can also require some travel, given they have a far distance apart from each other and nothing close by. The two closest teams (Lions and Marines) are two hours apart from each other by train.
It won't be as easy if someone is stationed directly in Tokyo to go to a Pacific League compared to how the Giants and Swallows have a Central location.
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Fukuoka Softbank Hawks (福岡ソフトバンクホークス)
The Fukuoka Softbank (ソフトバンク) Hawks were originally owned by Nankai electric railways in 1938. Their most famous title was as Nankai Hawks from 1947-1988 and they were based in Osaka before their move to Fukuoka. When moving to Fukuoka, their ownership changed and they were called the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks from 1989-2004. Daiei is a famous supermarket chain in Japan. The Hawks were then-sold to Softbank to become the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, a title they've held since 2005. ===
Ownership: Softbank Corporation
Softbank is not a bank, but a telecommunications company that also specializes in e-commerce, media, technology internet services, phone services and more. The title of "Softbank" is more a reference to a bank of software and technology, hoping to continue to develop electronics in the future.
They are in partnerships with Yahoo!, E-trade, Ustream and other companies. In America, they are the parent company of majority of newspapers as Gannett is under umbrella. Previously, they were under the name GateHouse Media under the merger in 2019. Softbank's subsidiary Fortress was in charge of this, but it all points back to them owning Gannett as a whole. Safe to say, Softbank hascontrolin the stateside journalism industry. Of course they've been in the news for other reasons, but it won't affect the baseball team.
Softbank also gives their employees jerseys of the Hawks and they can wear them at work in Japan. (Sorry, they don't do the same for USA employees, per source, but they are aware of the baseball team).
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2022 Payroll rank: 1
The Softbank Hawks have invested in their baseball team in more ways than none. Not only do they keep their players when successful, but they will sign an extra developmental squad to create even more depth and hierarchy among their players. This payroll rank doesn't even include an extra coaching staff to watch over these players.
In some slang terms, we say they have a factory of players, coaches and more ready to go. It's like a production line.
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Location/Stadium: PayPay Dome in Chuo-Ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Fukuoka is the northern part of Kyushu Island, the most southern and western among the four major islands of the country. The climate of this area is tropical, but being on the coast, it is a getaway spot to avoid some of the humid heat in comparison to Tokyo.
This is also a decent tourist side of Japan for Eastern tourists coming from Taiwan and South Korea given the close proximity. International ferries can go to Busan, which is the southeast corner of Korea. Fukuoka is home to several cultural festivals and is famous for a Hakata (tonkatsu) style ramen as well as offal dishes.
PayPay Dome was built in the 1990s and is the only retractable roof in NPB. However, they do not open the roof for a game often, unless it is a pre-scheduled situation. It does open after games, especially after a Hawks win.
For baseball, this became a home run-happy park with a terrace of private seats added and the HR fence being moved in and shorter. FIP stats for a pitcher will be deceiving, needing xFIP to adjust the numbers. Access to this building is at Tōjinmachi Station on the Kuko Line using the Fukuoka City Subway.
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Mascots: Harry the Hawk
The Softbank Hawks have a family of Hawk mascots and even have player-specific ones, but Harry is the primary mascot.
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Cheer Song: Izayuke Wakataka Gundan (いざゆけ若鷹軍団) "Let's Go Young Hawks"
What's notable here is how many different Chance songs they have based on where they're playing. If they're in Osaka, you could hear a different set. Their fans are also known to "dance" or make motions with their cheer sticks.
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MLB Comparison: Post-2004 Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Softbank Hawks were a middle of the road team with lots of games and history, but only a handful of titles to show for it. When the Hawks won titles as Daiei Hawks and broke a long drought, it was a feel-good story let alone they did it again in 2003.
Today, they're a juggernaut having won six Japan Series championships in the last decade alone. They even defeated each Central League team in the process. Some can argue the St. Louis Cardinals are a comparison with homegrown talent, but they have the resources financially like the Los Angeles Dodgers while also having success like the Boston Red Sox. Safe to say, there isn't much sympathy for them today like it was in the 1990s.
Both the Dodgers and Hawks have a great investment to both their payroll and developing players from within to stay on top.
Their early Nankai Hawks years are similar to the Red Sox having championships, but just not as long as 1918-2004 separating their years of drought.
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Legendary players:
Kazuto Tsuruoka was a great player and later turned manager during the early Nankai Hawks years.
Katsuya Nomura had a long playing career with the Nankai Hawks being an MVP, RBI leader, Home Run King and having several Best IX awards over his lifetime.
Mitsuo Minagawa was the top pitcher for the Hawks in the Nankai era.
Hiromitsu Kadota was a slugger in the 1970s and 1980s.
Koji Akiyama spent the later years of his playing career with Softbank, only to carry them to a title in 1999 as if it was Mark Messier with the 1994 New York Rangers. He later won two more Japan Series championships as a manager before retiring.
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Notable foreign players:
As Fukuoka Daiei/Softbank Hawks: C.J. Nitkowski, Dennis Sarfate, Jason Standridge, Rick Van Den Hurk, Goose Gossage, Chris Haney, Kevin Mitchell, Bobby Thigpen, Dae-Ho Lee
As Nankai Hawks: Don Blasingame (as both a player and later manager), Don Buford, Carlos May
Why you root for them: You love being the villain. The Hawks are the class of NPB and model franchise on what it is means to be successful as shown in the 2010s decade. They're structured to keep winning too as they're in the midst of a dynasty. Fukuoka is also a great outside tourist destination if Tokyo and Osaka are too much for you.
The Hawks also hang onto their players when they reach free agency for the most part. They don't even let them go to MLB until they hit international free agent rights, so you'll be able to enjoy these guys for a long time.
Why you avoid them: Bandwagoning. Picking the Hawks in times like these wouldn't have the same rewards as compared to someone else. While bandwagon fans are great for the economy and a necessary evil for owners, you can never experience true joy when jumping on a winning team so quickly if you didn't see the bad or forgetful times.
Like the Golden State Warriors before Steve Kerr, if you weren't there for Baron Davis and Mike Dunleavy, why join only when Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are there? The Hawks are coming off a three-peat and have won the Japan Series in five of the last six years. It's currently too easy to be a fan.
With the Hawks hanging onto players, the odds of you seeing your favorite Hawk going to MLB while in his peak or prime becomes limited, because they must have nine years of service time in order to leave. The Hawks are the only team in NPB to never post a player and it's unlikely that policy changes.
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2022 Core Four: C Takuya Kai, OF Yuki Yanagita, P Kodai Senga, OF Yurisbel Gracial
2022 Foreign players (70-man roster only): P Tyler Chatwood, P Livan Moinelo, P Carter Stewart Jr., P Colin Rea, IF Yurisbel Gracial, IF Freddy Galvis, DH Alfredo Despaigne
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Long term future player: P Shugo Ogata
The Hawks have to like the value they got for an ikusei pick in Ogata. If he can solidify an ichi-gun role, the best is yet to come.
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MLB Potential: P Kodai Senga
There is no question Senga is the best pitcher with MLB potential in NPB among players who are ready. Senga was able to showcase himself in the 2017 WBC, but by the time he comes, he will be 30. Not ancient for a pitcher, but not in his 20s. He will be eligible for international free agecy after the 2022 season after years of wishing to be posted.
An honorable mention is Carter Stewart, the former first round pick of the Atlanta Braves. If anything, he will be in his mid-20s by the time he's a free agent and develops.
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2022 Expectations:
The Hawks had a down 2021 with their first B-class finish since 2013 and now have a change in manager with Hiroshi Fujimoto promoted from within. Injuries and some aging players set them back, but the Hawks should be back with a vengeance.
Expect this team to reload after several players picked up experience. Their organization still has plenty of depth.
Personal Expectation: Second place
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Chiba Lotte Marines (千葉ロッテマリーンズ)
The Chiba Lotte (ロッテ) Marines were originally called the Mainichi Orions in 1950 as one of the early Pacific League teams. After a merger with Daiei (and another team), they were Daimai Orions and later Tokyo Orions. Lotte eventually owned the team in 1969 and they were Lotte Orions from 1969-1991.
Their geographic location has varied from the ancient Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo to even spending years in present day Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi up in Sendai from 1973-1977, which is the current home of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. The last years as Lotte Orions were in Kawasaki Stadium, once home of the Taiyo Whales, which was in Kanagawa prefecture (near Yokohama). The Orions would become Marines and move to Chiba prefecture in 1992, keeping the present name Chiba Lotte Marines. ===
Ownership: Lotte Holdings
Lotts is a conglomerate that is known for confectionery around Asia. This company has both a Japanese and Korean branch for several products. Choco Pie is one of the famous products of Lotte Korea. From gum, ice cream, cakes and other candy, Lotte likely makes whatever sweets you're thinking of as they're the third largest in Japan, but the top brand in Koera. They also own shopping malls, movie theaters, hotels, amusement parks, housing, finance and more.
Besides the Marines, Lotte also owns the Lotte Giants in KBO. Both teams have the same mascot give they're next to the water.
=== 2022 Payroll rank:12th
The Marines are usually a middle of the road team, but haven't made any large signings to boost their payroll number.
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Location/Stadium:ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba City, Chiba
. Chiba prefecture is East of Tokyo connecting to the Pacific Ocean. If you flew into Narita Airport instead of Haneda when going to Tokyo, you were in Chiba Prefecture to start your journey. This prefecture is also home to Tokyo Disney Resort, which is home to the parks of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea in the city of Urayasu.
The farther East you go, the more rural and scenic it gets and becomes of more a country side.This area is known for peanuts, clams and certain species of fish.
ZOZO Marine Stadium as shown above is right on the water, hence the Marine Layer giving a chilly atmosphere from the bay. Recently, they added extra seats and moved the fence in for a home run lagoon, making it easier to hit the long ball. It's a cookie cutter stadium built in the 1990s. Access can be attained by Kaihimmakuhari Station on the Keiyo Line via JR East.
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Mascot: Mar-Kun
Mar-kun is a seagull given they're right on the beach. Their fish mascot (Nazo no Sakana) has received plenty of attestation in the western media. It's rumored to be retired?
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Cheer song: We Love Marines
If anyone likes something reflective of the 1990s, this is it.
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Ōendan Songs: Chance Songs begin at 12:36
What should stand out is how they don't need trumpets and are usually loud in decibels with their voices. Lots of jumping too, but they're greatly in sync. Lots of songs I can't describe and include, but when you hear it enough, you'll know when they come.
Another notable thing is how they previously had a different style of music in the 2000s when Bobby Valentine was their manager, but the Oendan group left and their songs weren't allowed to be used again minus a short stretch of 2016-2017. Ironically, they won a championship the year after Valentine was run out of town, but the talks of their former manager can be a sensitive topic.
The number 26 is also an honored number for the fans, since there's normally 25 players on a roster, though that has expanded recently.
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MLB Comparison: None
There's nobody like the Marines if we're gonna be specific. Some can make an argument for the San Francisco Giants because their last two Japan Series championships happened in years they didn't come in first place for the regular season. Another reason for this comparison is how they're in an old looking stadium while having a cold atmosphere, reminding some of Candlestick Park. However, making this direct comparison is an insult to Marines fans because they're in a unique situation while being loud.
When the Marines won their first championship in the 21st Century back in 2005, it broke one of the longest droughts as they were previously stuck on 1974. Given they're in a Bay Area, maybe you can combine some success of the SF Giants while having noise of Oakland Athletics fans? Technically this wouldn't be true enough. While winning two Japan Series titles as playoff team, they haven't come in first place since the aforementioned 1974 season.
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Legendary players:
Masaaki Koyama spent the middle years of his career with the Orions and was a wins leader in the 1960s.
Kazuhiro Yamauchi was the first player to hit 300 career HRs and saw the early days of professional baseball for the Orions in the 1950s.
Choji Murata was a dominant pitcher in the 1970s.
Kihachi Enomoto was a star second baseman for the Orions for 16 years and was part of their championship seasons in the 1960s.
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Notable foreign players: Bobby Valentine (as a manager in two stints), Leon Lee, Leron Lee, Benny Agabayani, Julio Franco, Jim Lefebvre, Darryl Motley
Notable players who played in MLB: Tsuyoshi Nishioka (Close your eyes Twins fans), Hideki Irabu, Masahide Kobayashi, Tadahito Iguchi (returned from MLB now serving as manager)
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Verdict:
Why you root for them: Because you appreciate noise and how loud their fans are in decibels. Marines fans are also known to show up on the road, sometimes even more than at home games and those who attend will make their presence known. The Marines are a good underdog story for those who enjoy not pulling for a juggernaut while also showing to be competitive.
For a team with a middle of the road budget, they're still competitive. Chiba knows how to make the most of their playoff appearances, advancing in the climax series in 2013 and 2015 as the No. 3 seed. With a lack of talent compared to other teams, they are a scrappy bunch.
Why you avoid them: Marines home games may not have the same electric atmosphere when there's just the home Oendan. Access to the Stadium is rather poor with a 15 minute walk from the station, though it's possible to take an extra bus to save time. Zozo Marine Stadium can be freezing cold and on the edge (literally), making it an unattractive place to see a game, as it resembles a standard boring appearance.
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2022 Core Four: P Ayumu Ishikawa, OF Takashi Ogino, IF Shogo Nakamura, P Roki Sasaki
2022 Foreign players: IF Brandon Laird, OF Leonys Martin, IF Adeiny Hechavarria
=== Long term future player: OF Kyota Fujiwara
Fujiwara could be the cornerstone outfielder the Marines need. Thought to be a well-rounded player when drafted, he is still developing.
MLB Potential: P Roki Sasaki
Believe the hype. Sasaki has the most upside among any NPB pitcher and scouts are always watching him. He can hit 100+ mph (161 km/ph) on the radar and is expected to play quite a bit in his 3rd season. Don't think about posting for another 4+ years as he is only 20.
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2022 Expectations:
The Marines were able to bullpen their way into A-class combined with having a healthy Takashi Ogino with the latter being a rare occurrence. Having Ogino as the part of the main core isn't sustainable given his age, but the pitching can carry them.
They already have power hitting with Laird and Martin. With one more player who can hit for average, the Marines should have odds in their favor to be in contention for their first pennant since 1974.
Personal Expectation: 1st Place ===
Tōhoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (東北楽天ゴールデンイーグルス)
The Tōhoku Rakuten (楽天) Golden Eagles were formed in 2005 after the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes merged into Orix Buffaloes at the end of 2004. A new location and region would have its own baseball team as a result.
Ownership: Rakuten, Inc.
Rakuten (pronounced Rock-U-Tin) is an E-Commerce company who can help in banking, brokering, travel and more. It's also one of the most useful internet shopping websites in Japan, where it can ship internationally. Rakuten.com can be the Japanese equivalent of Amazon for buying goods. They also sell plenty of NPB merchandise for those who want it.
You're likely familiar with Rakuten by seeing their name on the uniforms of F.C. Barcelona and the Golden State Warriors, let alone their logo all over Camp Nou. Rakuten also owns a baseball team known now in Taiwan as the Rakuten Monkeys, formerly Lamigo Monkeys as well as J-League Soccer team Vissel Kobe.
Livedoor came in second place as the potential owners of the new baseball team in Sendai and their title would've been the Livedoor Phoenix had they won the rights.
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2022 Payroll rank: 2
The Eagles have been spending money in the last five years when picking up highly priced free agents. Owner Hiroshi Mikitani isn't scared of making a splash.
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Location/Stadium: Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi in Sendai, Miyagi
Tōhoku covers a total of six prefectures with Miyagi being the primary home of the Eagles. The other five prefectures are Aomori, Iwate, Fukushima, Yamagata and Akita where all of them have their own identity. In a normal year, the Eagles will play at least one game in each Tōhoku prefecture barring no rain.
In particular, Sendai is famous for beef tongue (gyutan) and zunda. Other prefectures like Aomori have apples or Iwate is known for Wanko Soba.
Rakuten Seimei Park was once a home to the Marines in the 1970s as said above. Recently, they've added a Ferris wheel and carousel in the left field area.
This place is accessible through Miyaginohara Station via the JR Senseki Line. It's a 20 minute walk from the central Sendai Station.
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Mascots: Clutch and Clutchina
The Golden Eagles are named after a species of eagles that live in the Tōhoku mountains.
A thing to keep in mind is that their home games require everything to be done in acapella with only one drum assigned to each oendan due to the proximity to a hospital. Trumpets are only heard for the away games. Both the Eagles and visiting teams adjust their songs accordingly so it can sound natural in acapella or built for one drum.
The Eagles also have number 10 retired, like how Texas A&M and the Seattle Seahawks honor the 12th man and 12s for the fans.
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MLB Comparison: Arizona Diamondbacks / Los Angeles Angels
The Eagles had early success as a franchise by winning a Japan Series in their 9th season of existence (2013). While it's not as close to the Diamondbacks and 2001, it is a solid accomplishment.
What has stood out in recent years, is how Rakuten is spending money loosely like the Angels after they won their championship in 2002. There are no Albert Pujols and Vernon Wells contracts, but they've signed several high-priced free agents as earlier mentioned, which indicates they're gonna spend and not be concerned if it means winning games.
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Legendary players:
Masahiro Tanaka had a 24-0 record in 2013.
Senichi Hoshino, mostly famous for his time with the Dragons and Tigers, won his only Japan Series as skipper of the Eagles. He's the only retired number (77) regarding a person who worked for the team.
Notable foreign players: Andruw Jones, Casey McGehee, Kevin Youkilis, Marty Brown (as manager)
Notable players who played in MLB: Masahiro Tanaka, Hisashi Iwakuma, Takashi Saito (returned from MLB), Kazuo Matsui (returned from MLB)
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Verdict:
Why you root for them:
Because Sendai is outside the box and the Tohoku region is the one of the least visited tourists areas among western visitors. The Eagles have shown good fan service over the years, including a free game day promotion for anyone with a foreign passport.
This team has shown a commitment to winning when signing players and spending money. They're not penny-pinchers.
Why you avoid them: They may try to be the new Giants or Yankees of old, throwing money at anything that moves. There's question marks about their new regime of leadership since a change in guard took place. Are they committed to developing their draft picks / prospects or obsessed with free agency? You don't like cheer songs without trumpets half the time.
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2022 Core Four: IF Hideto Asamura, P Takahiro Norimoto, IF Eigoro Mogi, P Masahiro Tanaka
2020 Foreign players: P Alan Busenitz, P Chia-Hao Sung, IF Chris Gittens, OF Jose Marmolejos
=== Long term future player:OF Soshi Yoshino
Yoshino was the top draft pick of the Eagles last October and has the potential to be a starting centerfielder. Among high school draft picks, the Eagles see a future slugger with plenty of power.
MLB Potential: P Takahisa Hayakawa
Hayakawa was considered the best pitcher in his draft year and already started in their rotation immediately. It's too early to say anything, but he is a player to lookout for.
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2022 Expectations:
No team has made more changes in the offseasons than GM Kazuhisa Ishii's Eagles. This team has a load of veterans acquired over the years, but what do they do with them? Recently they added Haruki Nishikawa and Keizo Kawashima to stay at the status quo. Ishii is the only GM who also functions as the on-field manager.
Starting pitching is their strength, but their offense is questionable. Last year, their bullpen carried them into A-class, but can they stay together?
There's a load of veteran talent all over the board, but the question lies with how the identity of this squad is. Too many additions, yet uncertainty and not many signs of commitment to build from within. Talennt says A-class, but there are doubts on Ishii.
Personal Expectation: 5th place
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Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (日本ハムファイターズ)
The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham (日本ハム) Fighters have had multiple titles in their 60 years of existence. They were Tokyo Senators in their inaugural season in 1946, as well as having multiple "Flyers" titles from 1947-1973. These names include Tokyu, Kyuei, Toei, and Nittaku.
Nippon-Ham became the owners and 1974, where they took on the name "Fighters" and it hasn't changed since. The Fighters name came from a "name the team" contest when Nippon-Ham took over and the reasoning originated from then-Flyers 1B Katsuo Osugi, who was a hard worker and had a "fighting spirit", making him a Fighter.
The Fighters played second fiddle to the Yomiuri Giants for years in Korakuen Stadium (with other stadium homes prior), but both teams moved to Tokyo Dome in 1988. The Fighters represented the Pacific League while the Kyojin were in charge the Central, being the main attraction. In 2004, the Fighters moved up North to Hokkaido and the region/prefecture/island was added to the team's name.
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Ownership:Nippon-Ham Foods LTD.
Nippon-Ham is a food processing conglomerate which makes several meats from ham and sausage while also making frozen foods, seafood, dairy and more. They also have a partnership stake in the soccer J-League team Cerezo Osaka. A more slang way to say their name is Nichi-Ham.
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2022 Payroll rank: 11
The Fighters don't keep as many pending free agents as other teams. They're rather tight with their budget and in the past, they once traded a player in a contract year when negotiations were getting tricky. It forces them to come up with other ways to compete and stay creative.
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Location/Stadium: Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, Hokkaido
Sapporo is the northern most prefectural capital in Japan while Hokkaido itself is both a prefecture and region. Despite lots of land covered, the island's total population is around 6 million with Sapporo itself being about 2 million. In contrast, Tokyo prefecture alone has a population north of 14 million while being small in area.
While being home to beer of the same name, Hokkaido is a northern getaway for the snow and ski resorts. It's also famous for crab, corn, miso ramen and being responsible for the dairy from milk and butter. Seico Mart is one off the regional convenience stores primarily in Hokkaido.
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Sapporo Dome was originally built for the 2002 World Cup, but it currently occupies both a baseball and J-League team. The Saitama Seibu Lions were the first team to play a home game in this building and tried to block the Fighters from moving.
Fans can go this Dome by Fukuzumi Station on the Toho Line via the Sapporo Municipal Subway.
The Fighters plan to leave this venue for their own retractable roof stadium in the East suburb of Kitahiroshima after this year. Due to the poor revenue situation and a good portion of it going to the city of Sapporo itself, the Fighters have felt the need for their own stadium. They partnered with the Texas Rangers for a design.
In another fun note, the Fighters farm team is the farthest from their ichi-gun squad. This facility is Kamagaya down in Chiba prefecture, forcing a flight if someone is called up for a home game.
ES CON Field Hokkaido will be open in 2023. Kitahiroshima station is a 20 minute walk away, but a shuttle will be provided in the short term. There are long term plans to build a train station closer to the ballpark as it could take at least five years to complete.
In recent years, the Fighters have used this song in the 8th inning instead of the 7th with balloons. Here's the evolution of this song over the years.
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Ōendan Songs: Chance songs begin at 11:41
A thing to note is how, like the Hawks, will change their song style if playing a home game in Sapporo vs Tokyo Dome or an away game. Quite a few different scoring songs and chance songs take place.
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MLB Comparison:Tampa Bay Rays and Kansas City Royals
This comparison is not reflective of history or championships won, but how the team is currently run. Like the Rays, the Fighters are not scared to be progressive, active or creative in trying to find edges as they operating like a small market team. They're crafty when wanting to micromanage players and specifically, weren't scared to experiment with openers, or even a few pitchers to start three innings instead of aiming for five.
In a similarity with the Royals, the Fighters value speed and defense as it reflects their position players. Typically, they've emphasized both when having light hitters.
The Texas Rangers have also partnered with the Fighters in an alliance to share scouting information and the logistics in planning for the new ballpark.
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Legendary players:
Atsunori Inaba saw the second half of his career with the Fighters and was a durable position player. He's currently the team's General Manager.
Yukio Tanaka reached 2,000 hits and spent 22 years with the team.
Michihiro Ogasawara was a consistent hitter during the late 90s and 2000s.
Masayuki Dobashi was an ace during the Flyers era.
Isao Harimoto is the all-time league hits leader with 3,085.
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Notable foreign players: Trey Hillman (as a manager), Brandon Laird, Luis Mendoza, Bobby Keppel, Fernando Seguignol, Brian Wolfe, Nigel Wilson, Sherman Obando, Chris Martin
Notable players who played in MLB: Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, Kensuke Tanaka, Yoshinori Tateyama
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Verdict:
Why you root for them: Because you're not scared of risks. The Fighters have shown they're ability to adapt and adjust to the times. They also aim to take the best player in the NPB Draft no matter what, even if the odds aren't in their favor. When Shohei Ohtani was drafted, no team tried to take him because they were scared he wouldn't sign, but the Fighters took the risk and reaped rewards when they convinced him to join the team.
Soon, they'll have a new stadium to themselves, which alone should be an attractive option. It's also possibly you like the cold and side with the north, enjoying the dairy and nature, where Hokkaido as a whole is rural.
Why you avoid them: Being bold is not your thing. Besides Ohtani, they once tried to draft Tomoyuki Sugano even though he stated he wanted to only play for the Yomiuri Giants. They won his rights and he refused to sign, sitting out a year only to be taken by the Giants the following draft.
The Fighters have made numerous trades in a league that doesn't do it often, reshaping some parts of their roster. If you thought you knew the team, you never will when it comes to their plans and how secretive they are.
They don't have the greatest history at keeping free agents. You also have to deal with "Ham Fighter" jokes by the Western audience and have no way to escape it.
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2022 Core Four: OF Kensuke Kondo, P Naoyuki Uwasawa, P Hiromi Itoh, OF Daiki Asama
2022 Foreign players: P Bryan Rodriguez, P John Gant, P Cody Ponce, OF Po-Jung Wang, IF Arismendy Alcantara, IF Renato Nunez
Long term future player: OF Chusei Manami
Manami has the athleticism to be a power hitter and everyday outfielder. He has a chance to crack in significant ichi-gun action in 2022.
MLB Potential: P Hiromi Itoh Like Hayakawa for the Eagles, it's too early to say anything or even know if he has interest in MLB. Itoh was one of the promising rookies in 2021 hoping to build off that season.
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2022 Expectations:
No one took the headlines this offseason more than new manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo. Known as a "Big Boss", his personality made him popular even outside of baseball. It's a new era for Fighters baseball with even new uniforms.
This is likely a rebuilding year. Shinjo has provided creativity and new ideas, but also large gimmicks that the media will eat up. On the field, he is preaching versatility for his young players to find their roles.
The Fighters lack pop, but their pitching and defense could keep them competitive.
Personal Expectations: Sixth Place
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Orix Buffaloes (オリックス・バファローズ)
The Orix (オリックス) Buffaloes were the result of a merged team in the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes. Both teams were in the Pacific League and this merger proposal led to a strike in 2004, pausing the season. There was debate on how the league would operate with only 11 teams, let alone how schedules could work. Eventually, one expansion team was born as the only one in the 21st century thus far, better known as the Rakuten Golden Eagles.
The Orix BlueWave played in Kobe while the Kintetsu Buffaloes were in Osaka. Prior to being named the BlueWave in 1991, they were remembered as the Hankyu Braves from 1947-1988, while having the name "Orix Braves" for two seasons from 1989-1990. Their first name was the Osaka Hankyu Baseball Club in 1936. Hankyu is the same parent company today as the one who owns the Hanshin Tigers (Hankyu-Hanshin Holdings).
Kintetsu (a railway transit corporation) owned the Buffaloes and they were initially called "Kintetsu Pearls" from 1949-1958. They briefly were "Buffalo" before the plural name came about in 1962. They were eventually sold to Orix and the teams were merged into one.
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Ownership: ORIX Corporation
Orix is a financial service group that helps with loans, bonds, leasing, equities, mortgages and investments. They're also involved with real estate, life insurance, banking and brokering.
Language note: Orix in Japanese is pronounced "Oreeex" except the "r" does not have heavy emphasis. With an accent, you would say "Odekes". However, an English Orix is acceptable.
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2022 Payroll rank: 9
Orix has spent on free agents in the past and paying players is not an issue. The last few years have looked fruitless, making it easier to lower the payroll, but this team doesn't have problems with pending free agents when it comes to financial offers. Players could walk for different reasons.
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Location/Stadium: Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Hotto Motto Field Kobe in Kobe, Hyogo
Osaka is the hub we're all familiar with as head of the second highest populated region in Japan. From the street foods of Takoyaki, mixed Okonomiyaki and Kushikatsu, the options are endless. Like Tokyo, there's plenty to do, but little time.
Kyocera Dome was home to the Kintetsu Buffaloes before the merger as it was built in 1997. The Hanshin Tigers will occupy this structure for home games when both Spring and Summer Koshien are ongoing. Other teams will play a home game for their Kansai-based fans.
What makes this building helpful is the access of several train stations nearby, making it easier to come from any direction.
Dome-Mae Station can be reached on the Hanshin-Namba Line.
Dome-Mae Chiozaki Station can be reached via the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line on Osaka Metro.
Taisho Station is reached through the Osaka Loop Line via JR West.
Kujo Station is north of the Dome and fans can take the Chuo Line on Osaka Metro.
Even Shiomibashi Station is within a reasonable distance via Nankai's Koya Line.
Hotto Motto Field Kobe is the alternate stadium the Buffaloes use, as it was once home to the Orix Blue Wave. However, the Kobe location isn't convenient for most fans with access having only one station nearby. Fans taking a train must go to Sōgō Undō Kōen Station on the Seishin-Yamate Line on the Kobe Municipal Subway.
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Mascots:
Buffalo Bull and Buffalo Bell
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Cheer song: SKY
=== Ōendan Songs: From 2018, Chance songs begin at 12:06
While some of these player songs are retired, the big song that should stand out is the Towel Chance song (Chance #2 at 12:52)
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MLB Comparison: Chicago White Sox
With the Hanshin Tigers being the main baseball attraction in Kansai, the Buffaloes are an afterthought and little brother sharing the market. Makes a perfect comparison between the Cubs-White Sox, though there is no serious rivalry in Japan.
An honorable mention is the Seattle Mariners as their on-field success since the merger has been lackluster with three post-season appearances. Both of them were nearly first place finishes, but they came up short by 2.5 games in 2008 and on percentage points in 2014, leading to a first round exit in the Climax Series. The Mariners are also an afterthought in baseball for their on-field issues.
That being said, they had a magical 2021 season.
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Legendary players:
Yutaka Fukumoto was a great leadoff hitter in the Hankyu Braves era and stole plenty of bases.
Takao Kajimoto was a great pitcher for 20 years in the early Braves era.
Hisashi Yamada was an ace throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Tetsuya Yoneda won at least 20 games for eight seasons in his career.
Toshiharu Ueda was the manager during the Braves glory years of the 1970s, winning three consecutive Japan Series
Keishi Suzuki was the star pitcher for the Kintetsu Bufaloes throughout the 1970s.
Ichiro Suzuki needs no introduction, but of course he has more legendary stats in MLB than NPB. Still an iconic name for what he's done for the game of baseball in the modern era.
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Notable foreign players (all eras):
Chan-Ho Park, Dae-Ho Lee, Charlie Manuel, Tuffy Rhodes, Greg Wells, Daryl Spencer, Brad Lesley, Adam Jones (2020), Karim Garcia, Terry Collins (as a manager), Wily Mo Peña
Notable players who played in MLB: Hideo Nomo, Ichiro Suzuki, So Taguchi, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Yoshihisa Hirano, Hisashi Iwakuma
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Verdict:
Why you root for them: Because they're nearly anonymous and it goes against bandwagoning. Orix is a team in desperate need of fans when overshadowed by the Tigers on a daily basis. If anyone takes a trip into Kyoto, Osaka or even Kobe, getting to a game is easier than anyone else combining the train access and ticket availability. Maybe you're also loyal to Ichiro Suzuki and want to follow where he was before the Mariners.
Talent is on the roster to win now.
Why you avoid them: Losing, losing and more losing. For a team who has only been around as a merged team since 2005, it hasn't been easy. Even in their first postseason as Orix Buffaloes in 2008, it's remembered as a year where then-manager Terry Collins resigned in the middle of the season.
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2022 Core Four: P Hiroya Miyagi, P Yoshinobu Yamamoto, OF Masataka Yoshida, OF Yutaro Sugimoto
2022 Foreign players: IF Rangel Ravelo, IF Breyvic Valera, P Jesse Biddle, P Cesar Vargas P Yaku Cho, P Jacob Waguespack
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Long term future player: P Shunpeita Yamashita
Yamashita is a hard throwing prospect who could be a reliever if he develops control. He is still raw as this will be his second year removed from high school.
MLB Potential: P Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Yamamoto is 23 and already the team's ace. He has the most upside of anyone in MLB. It would take six years for him to earn international free agency. Currently, there is no evidence that he has interest in MLB, but the team would post him if he wants to in 3-5 years.
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2022 Expectations:
What a difference it is to have Satoshi Nakajima as manager. In his first full season at the helm, they win a pennant.
Bullpen was legit, starting rotation lives up to the hype and the offense did just enough to stay on pace with a magical season from Yutaro Sugimoto.
Can they maintain this after surprising everyone last year? Talent isn't a question, but execution is. Last year they ended up winning more close games they'd usually lose. Unfortunately, the magic ran out in the Japan Series against the Yakult Swallowus.
While some success may not be sustainable, their starting pitching should keep them relevant.
Personal Expectation: Third place. === Saitama Seibu Lions (埼玉西武ライオンズ)
The Saitama Seibu (西武) Lions were originally in Fukuoka (Kyushu island) as the Nishitetsu Clippers in 1950 for one season. Nishitetsu is an electric railway in Fukuoka which still operates today. After a merger with the Nippon-Nishi Pirates, they became Nishitetsu Lions one year later in 1951.
There would be a Black Mist scandal involving players fixing games from 1969-1971, similar to the Black Sox scandal from 1919. Nishitetsu would sell the team and they would be Taiheiyo Club Lions from 1973-1976, which is named after a golf course and resort developer. They would then be sold to Crown Lighter Gas, to be called the Crown Lighter Lions from 1977-1978.
Eventually, they were sold to Seibu Group and they moved to Tokorozawa in 1979, a place they still hold today. Their title would be Seibu Lions until 2008, where they added the prefecture name "Saitama" to the front.
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Ownership: Seibu Holdings
Seibu Holdings is a large conglomerate in charge of several companies. Their most notable stateside property is the Prince Hotels out in Hawaii, a chain they own and operate throughout Japan. They own tourism agencies, trains (railway), buses, golf courses, ski resorts, taxis, amusement parks and more.
Train stations in the area will often be decorated with Lions related colors. The name "Seibu" (西武) derives as an abbreviation from it's kanji title of west Musashi, which was the old title of where present day Saitama prefecture was located. 西 (Nishi) means West in Japanese, fittingly the same character used during their Nishitetsu days.
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2022 Payroll rank: 7
The Lions are right in the middle of the pack. However, they're notorious for not keeping some players when they reach free agency. They're also known to using the posting system aggressively if someone wants to leave. Among all NPB teams, they've used the posting system the most for a combined seven times, including Koji Mitsui twice.
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Location/Stadium:Belluna Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama
Tokorozawa is part of the suburbs for West Tokyo, though it is slightly north into Saitama prefecture. Lions fans mostly come from West Tokyo, where all the tourism and city metropolis disappears. In general, it's normal life to commute into Tokyo, but the scenery becomes larger the further west you go.
It was also home to one of the first airfields in Japan down in Kokukoen. Today, it's part of a park holding an aviation museum as Yokota Airbase is south of it. This area is also famous for the site of Totoro's forest. Whether it's the preserved park under the same name or the real life Hachikokuyama Park, both are in Tokorozawa and it's likely the main attraction for Western tourists seeking the real life anime locations.
Belluna Dome has been the home of the Lions since 1979 and it was originally built as an outdoor stadium with astroturf. In the 1990s, a roof was added, but it functions more like an umbrella than being a truly closed dome. With Daisuke Matsuzaka's posting fee money, the Lions used it to renovate the restrooms and add extra bullpen box seats besides the turf changes. It's located next to two lakes in Sayama and Tama.
Access by train can only be attained through Seibu Kyujo-Mae Station as it's part of Seibu's business model to build property around their train lines. You can take the Ikebukuro or Sayama lines to get there. Otherwise, the Leo Liner (Yamaguchi Line) can also reach this area. Crazy enough, this station has the name "Seibu Stadium" still on it since it takes too much legal work to change a train station's name.
Ōendan Songs: Chance Songs begin at 8:02 (Flags to Victory) though a few inbetween are irregular songs.
The Lions are the only fanbase to use flags when cheering. Two of their chance songs are also based off songs from Kimba the White Lion (Chance #1 at 11:03 and Chance #4 at 12:54)
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MLB Comparison: Oakland Athletics
The Lions have similarity in history to being the A's with past history of Nishitetsu like Philadelphia days, while the Taiheiyo Club/Crown Lighter era were like the Kansas City era.
They had a Golden Age from 1982-1994, winning eight Japan Series titles in this span, but because they played in the Pacific League, it was an afterthought like how the A's 1972-1974 dynasty happened.
Both teams struggle with players becoming free agents and play in an old Stadium combined with postseason losing. The Lions have not won a playoff series since 2011, though they have won an elimination game in the 21st Century with both the 2004 and 2008 Japan Series titles happening. Still, the similarities are just endless with both clubs. Arguably the best player for both franchises wore #24 and both have it retired.
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Legendary players: Kazuhisa Inao is the only retired number (#24) from the franchise. He's remembered for being the best pitcher, often called a "god" during their Nishitetsu history. In the 1958 Japan Series, he pitched all four games when coming back from a 3-0 series deficit and hit a walkoff home run in one of those wins.
Futoshi Nakanishi was the star position player of the 1950s three-peat.
Osamu Higashio saw the end of the Fukuoka era, but was rewarded as the main pitcher during the early 1980s as the main pitcher.
Tsutomu Ito saw the entire golden age as the catcher and even managed the team to a Japan Series title in 2004. Notable foreign players: This will show players who came to their NPB team on the ichi-gun and made a career from North America. My listing will be incomplete, but a handful of names will be shown.
Takeya "Okawari-kun" Nakamura leads the franchise in home runs and will go down as part of the all-time greats in history.
Several players from the Golden Age can be cited from Koji Akiyama, Kimiyasu Kudo, Hatsuhiko Tsuji, Hiromichi Ishige and more. === Notable foreign players: Orestes Destrade, Alex Cabrera, Phil Paine, Tai-Yuan Kuo, Alex Graman, Ty Van Burkleo, Mateo Alou, Steve Ontiveros, Terry Whitfield
Notable players who played in MLB: Kazuo Matsui, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Yusei Kikuchi, Kazuhisa Makita, Shogo Akiyama
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Verdict:
Why you root for them: Because they do a good job competing on a tight budget. Despite the penny-pinching reputation, they still care about winning and will invest in other ways. They have the second-most amount of Japan Series championships (13) with two coming after the Golden Age. You may also like traveling off the beaten path as it's not close to the heart of Tokyo itself.
You can also get coverage on this blog, as we cover the Lions on Twitter and via writing.
Why you avoid them: Postseason failure since 2010. As already mentioned, they've struggled once it's October despite plenty of Climax Series appearances. They also let free agents walk and post players aggressively, seeing the financial savings in it.
They're far from Tokyo and play inside an old stadium that's outdated compared to the rest. The Lions are in a position where they won't relocate, given Seibu sees the financial double dipping in the trains being next door.
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2022 Core Four: C Tomoya Mori, IF Sosuke Genda, P Kona Takahashi, P Tatsuya Imai
2022 Foreign players: P Burch Smith, P Dietrich Enns, P Bo Takahashi, OF/IF Brian O'Grady, IF Jantzen Witte
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Long term future player:P Shunsuke Sato
The Lions felt they got two pitchers with first-round caliber grades last draft and Sato is the second round choice. Given the value in a left-handed pitcher with a higher velocity, he could be part of the Opening Day rotation.
MLB Potential: P Kaima Taira
Taira is a hard throwing reliever who took the closer role in 2021. His velocity should be attractive for any team. He's still too young to determine what he is.
=== 2022 Expectations:
Coming off a last place finish for the first time since 1979, their 2021 season was historic for all the wrong reasons. Hitting took another step backward while the rotation had improvements.
This team underwent a full overhaul with five new foreigners and none returning. Starting rotation should be a positive, but there are too many unproven position players combined with a regression from Hotaka Yamakawa.
As a whole, this is a transition year where Hatsuhiko Tsuji could retire after the season and the torch will be passed to Kazuo Matsui, who now serves as the head (bench) coach.
