Baseball [NPB NOTEBOOK] Japan's Star-Studded Roster Set for World Baseball Classic The two-time champions look to win back the World Baseball Classic title with some of the world's best players from NPB and MLB. Jim Armstrong5 days ago
Baseball [NPB NOTEBOOK] Samurai Japan Assembling A Dream Team for the World Baseball Classic With manager Hideki Kuriyama gearing up for March, the two-time World Baseball Classic champion has an embarrassment of riches as it looks to regain... Jim ArmstrongJanuary 20, 2023
Features [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Hakone Ekiden Triumph Fulfills Triple Crown Quest for Komazawa Coach Hiroaki Oyagi led Komazawa to eight Hakone Ekiden titles. He finished his final season at the helm with victories in Japan's three premier college... Ed OdevenJanuary 8, 2023
Baseball [ODDS and EVENS] Kodai Senga Joins NY Mets, Raising Expectations for Team in 2023 After making his NPB debut in 2012 with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Kodai Senga became one of Japan's best starting pitchers. New challenges await... Ed OdevenDecember 15, 2022
Baseball [NPB NOTEBOOK] Triple Crown Winner Munetaka Murakami Has MLB Aspirations But the Tokyo Yakult Swallows standout, who is still only 22, may have a long wait ahead before he has an opportunity to test... Jim ArmstrongNovember 26, 2022
Baseball [NPB NOTEBOOK] Satoshi Nakajima Beats Out Munetaka Murakami for Shoriki Award The Orix dugout boss guided the Pacific League team to its first Japan Series title in 26 years, and a manager won the Shoriki... Jim ArmstrongNovember 12, 2022
Baseball Orix Survives Late Scare to Defeat Yakult for First Japan Series Title in 26 Years Buffaloes starter Hiroya Miyagi and outfielder Yutaro Sugimoto were the Game 7 heroes for the Pacific League champions. Jim ArmstrongOctober 31, 2022
Baseball Tetsuto Yamada Ends Slump and Leads Yakult Past Orix in Game 3 of Japan Series The veteran infielder was hitless in NPB's championship series heading into Tuesday's game, but came up big to give the Swallows a huge boost. Jim ArmstrongOctober 26, 2022
Baseball Osuna, Shiomi Lead Yakult to Win over Orix in Game 1 of Japan Series In a rematch of last year’s NPB championship series, the Swallows got clutch hitting and a solid start from Yasuhiro Ogawa. Jim ArmstrongOctober 22, 2022
Baseball [NPB NOTEBOOK] Swallows and Buffaloes Set for Sequel to 2021 Japan Series Tokyo Yakult, led by Triple Crown winner Munetaka Murakami, is favored to repeat as NPB champion but Orix is peaking at the right time. Jim ArmstrongOctober 21, 2022
Baseball Fighters Hurler Cody Ponce Twirls NPB’s Fifth No-Hitter This Season Ponce, a former Pittsburgh Pirates player, became the Pacific League franchise’s first pitcher to throw a no-no since Yukihiro Nishizaki in 1995. Ed OdevenAugust 28, 2022
Baseball [NPB NOTEBOOK] Orix Rookie Ren Mukunoki Comes Within One Strike of No-Hitter The 22-year-old would have joined four others on the NPB no-no list this season. Jim ArmstrongJuly 23, 2022