Baseball teams

[Hatori]

Hello! After watching this television program about Osaka, I've never really shown any interest in Japanese baseball. All I know that's different is that the strike zone or the ball are different in size than American baseball.
I was wondering if you're a fan of any of the major league teams. My best friend likes the Osaka Tigers (I think that's what they are...) team and the Japanese exchange student in my school roots for the Giants.
Another tid-bit for those who don't know, Fukodome is the first Japanese player on the Cubs, the team my family and I are fans of!

[Mike Cash]

You Gotta Have Wa is a must-read.

[AJBryant]

As well as "The Chrysanthemum and the Bat."


Tony

[Mike Cash]

I spotted the author walking down the street in Shibuya one day a long time ago. I did one of those gawping hillbilly turn-n-stare moves as we passed each other. I had recognized him from his photo on the book cover. I assume he wasn't used to being recognized in public and he returned the gawping hillbilly turn-n-stare move trying to figure out if I was somebody he knew and temporarily couldn't recall.

[Shirasagi]

Whiting's update "The Meaning of Ichiro", also published by the atrocious title "The Samurai Way of Baseball", is also a must-read.

Also, it's Hanshin Tigers, not Osaka Tigers, and by regulation neither the strike zone nor the size of the baseballs are different from Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball, although of course difficulties in standardization does lead to de facto differences.

[Mike Cash]

"Difficulties in standardization" in practice often means gaijin batters have humongous strike zones.

[Shirasagi]

Mike Cash wrote:
"Difficulties in standardization" in practice often means gaijin batters have humongous strike zones.

I was meaning it in the sense "Umpires are blind the world over."

Speaking of gaijins with big strike zones, new Chicago Cub Kosuke Fukudome once garnered himself about as big a strike zone as you'll ever see:

ドメブチ切れ

[Mike Cash]

Mentioning umpires reminds me.....Have you ever read the books written by former AL umpire Ron Luciano? I wasn't even a baseball fan and I enjoyed the hell out of them.

[Shirasagi]

Mike Cash wrote:
Mentioning umpires reminds me.....Have you ever read the books written by former AL umpire Ron Luciano? I wasn't even a baseball fan and I enjoyed the hell out of them.

I got through about a third of "The Umpire Strikes Back" doing some tachiyomi. It was indeed great, and I wish I'd bought the book.

Another great book is "Ball Four", by Jim Bouton. A true classic.

[Mike Cash]

I loved his story about working second base one day when a play came sliding in on a close play. He shouted "Safe!".....and made the hand gesture for "Out".

The player jumped up and asked what the hell was up with that. Ron told him (paraphrasing), "Look. you know you're safe and I know you're safe, but thirty thousand fans think you're out. You're out."

[Hatori]

Oh no. I feel like you are all clones of my father... All talking about baseball books.
My dad recently read a Babe Ruth book.

I have a question. Such as the Cubs vs. Sox/Cardinals in the US, who would be the Giant's major opponent?

[richvh]

Dodgers, maybe?

[Hatori]

Oh, no. My vague-ness returns. I meant for Tokyo.
Darn, what's with me lately?! :@

[Mike Cash]

No such team as the Tokyo Giants. They're the Yomiuri Giants.

Japanese team names typically include the name of the sponsoring corporation.

[Hatori]

Really? That's what I've always heard them as.