[Previous entry: "Today's MLB News: Sox Sign Gordon"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Hillman Endorses Subway"]
01/21/2003 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Hillman Dome-inates in Sapporo"
Hot Shots....
Nippon Ham Fighters skipper Trey Hillman got his first look at Sapporo Dome today, which will be the team's home ballpark starting in 2004, and was impressed. "It has a natural feel to it. It's not claustrophobic like the domes in the U.S. If we can play baseball in a facility like this everyday, I'll want to get up early." He also urged fans to come see them at the stadium. He then went on to say that he wants to win all ten games the Fighters will play in Sapporo this season. You can see a pic of Hillman in Sapporo at: Here....If a report in Chunichi Sports is correct, one thing you may not know about Hideki Matsui is that he took part in sumo matches as a child and thus has an interest in the sport to this day. He also sent along his best wishes to the great Yokozuna, Takanohana, who just retired after a string of injuries no longer enabled him to fight at a high enough level to justify continuing....Omar Linares will be coming back to Japan at the end of this month and then will join the Chunichi Dragons at their spring camp in Okinawa. The Dragons also dispatched a team official to the states to meet with Kevin Millar, emphasizing that they have no intention of giving him up to Boston and that they are anxiously awaiting his arrival in Japan. A Chunichi Sports article says that the former Marlin will be leaving for the Land of the Rising Sun on January 29th. In a telephone interview with that paper, Millar admitted that the Boston offer came after he had signed with Chunichi. He went on to say that even if he had dreams of playing for the Dodgers, the Yankees or the Red Sox, he is looking forward to playing in Japan and that even his wife Gina is anticipating the trip....Meanwhile, Dragons shortstop Hirokazu Ibata says that one of his goals is to appear in 1000 straight games. Until he got injured last August, he had a 253 game skein going. He also bought up ten season seats near the rightfield foul pole at Nagoya Dome that will be given away to elementary school age fans....Pitcher Kenjiro Kawasaki threw 30 pitches at Nagoya Dome earlier today. Kawasaki, a former Yakult Swallow, signed with Chunichi as a free agent two years ago after rejecting a three year offer from Boston and then blew his shoulder out and hasn't thrown a single inning for the team. He has hired an American personal trainer and recently went to Phoenix to workout....Chen Wen- bin, who lead the Taiwanese league in homers with 26 as a member of the China Trust Whales, had his introductory press conference with Daiei today. The 6'5" 198 pound righthand hitter says that he wants to hit at leat 15 homers for the Hawks this season....Lotte ace Tomohiro Kuroki threw in the bullpen at a ballpark in Urawa, Saitama Prefecture, running 25 pitches up to the plate. He has made some mechanical changes, especially in how he transfers his weight, to take some of the strain off of his elbow, according to Sports Nippon. Sunday, the righthander took his daughter Mei, who was celebrating her fourth birthday, to Tokyo Disneyland....Yomiuri owner Tsuneo Watanabe says that his ballclub "must win 85-90 games" this season. "Repeat! Repeat!" the 76 year old blowhard iterated in urging the kyojin on to another Japan Series triumph. He elaborated, "the olympics are coming and the internationalization of baseball is continuing. I want everyone to work hard to heighten Japan's reputation as a baseball superpower"....Seibu Lions leftfielder Kazuhiro Wada proposed that suggestion boxes be set up at Seibu Dome as well as surrounding train stations to get fan input in a bid to hopefully help increase attendance....Well now we might have some idea of why Kintetsu Buffaloes hurler Koike has adopted a sidearm delivery, if a report in the Osaka edition of Sports Nippon is correct: he claims it gives him better control of pitches on the inner part of the strike zone. The Buffs are also goiing to
emphasize drafting Osaka area prospects in an attempt to solidify ties to the community. A dumb idea to be sure since a team should draft the best available talent no matter its origins...Hanshin second baseman Makoto Imaoka has finally signed a new contract. He was bestowed a raise of approximately $600,000 to just over $1 million. Tigers ace Kei Igawa is hoping that he can surpass 93mph this season. Last year, his maximum was 92mph. He posits that the added velocity will make his changeup more effective. He will start on opening day against Yokohama, against whom he had a 4-1 record with a 1.60 ERA in 2002 and he was 2-0 with a 1.13 mark in Yokohama Stadium.... Speaking of the Stars, they will have number one starter Daisuke Miura start spring training in the minor league camp as he works on coming back from surgery. In addition, the club has a new slogan, "start afresh and strive." Not bad compared to some of the drivel from other teams.... Yakult Swallows reliever Ryota Igarashi may not be back in the pen until May, pitching coach Akimitsu Itoh stated today since the team wan't him to be cautious rehabbing his injured finger.
Quote of the Day
Bill Lankhof at the Toronto Sun on the swarm of Japanese press that will be in attendance on opening day for Hideki Matsui's regular season MLB debut at the Skydome: "Toronto will look like the parking lot at Lake Louise after the Rising Sun Tours bus pulls in."
Lankhof further goes on to say that the Jays expect to credential more than 100 Japanese reporters for that game.
Millar's Situation Becoming Clearer
See story at: Miami Herald Article
Off Topic: Akebono's Classy Tribute to Takanohana
See story at: Asahi Shimbun Article
Song Jin-woo Re-signs With Hanhwa
See story at: Korea Times Article
