Japanese Teams

[BennyLeo]

Trying to follow NPB, but having trouble. Don't know if anybody follows NPB here, but if you do...

Can you give me a brief description of each team's play style/star player(s)? It would make it ten times easier, I'm sure. Plus, I'd like to pick a team to follow, but I don't know any of them. Thanks.

[BennyLeo]

Nevermind--I found a website that explains it partly. I've decided that I'll follow the Chunichi Dragons because of their playing style and logo. Coincidentally, they're leading the Central League by a game and a half right now, which is also awesome.

[yankeebiscuitfan]

www.japanball.com should be a major help.

[Switch Pitcher Coach]

I'll start with the Central League and do the Pacific League later:

Baystars.JPG
Yokohama Baystars are the doormat of the Central as they almost always find themselves there. They have changed their names over the years quiet a few times. They have just been taken over by the Dena (pronounced DNA) and have a new look and an energy about them, but are still at the bottom, but there is new hope in the town where the American Black Ships arrived. Here is the detail info on the team in English: http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_db.html

Carp.JPG
The Hiroshima Carp (their uniforms are like the Cincinnati Reds, but the lucky horseshoe is a C for Carp; the fish). The Carp has a special meaning in Japan, as during the restrictive times of the Shogunate the only area to go have a good time was the Harlem part of town that always flew the Carp flag). The Carp have won a few championships over the years but usually hang out at the bottom of the table. Their stadium is the best, in my humble opinion. For details of the team here:
http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_c.html

Dragons.JPG
The Chunichi Dragons, my favorite Central League team. I'll start a Dragon's Nation if the Dutch like him too? They have won the Central for quite a few seasons, but the Pacific League Champ always beats them out. This year so far the song seems the same. Details on the team here:http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_d.html

Swallows.JPG

The Tokyo Yakult Swallows. These are the New York Mets of the Central, but have won more than the Mets. They are the team for those in Tokyo who don't like the Giants. Here is the detail for the team:
http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_s.html

Tigers.JPG

The Hanshin Tigers are the Boston Red Sox of the Central League, as they have the huge support and are the real anti-Giants team. The real tradition is here too as their stadium is where all the historic games were played, and they have the super large high school tournaments every year that draw more watchers than the profession games, barring occasionally the final NPB series. Their Tigers have right stripes and have the right colors, like the Canadian Tiger-Cats do in the CFL.
For details on the team go here:
http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_t.html


I have ran out of space as the system told me I can only do five, so the last will be below:

[Switch Pitcher Coach]

Y Giants.JPG

The Yomiuri Giants. The Yanks of Japan. They have won lots of championships and people all over the nation like to support a winner, not just the Tokyo area. Their fans are spoiled, as they expect them to win it all, or they may not show up in the numbers the Tigers and Marines get. They have a very long list of wins, and dwarf all others in this department. Here are the details on the team this year:
http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_g.html

[Switch Pitcher Coach]

Pacific League

Hawks.JPG
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks : Last season's champions, located on the second biggest island in Japan. The Hawks are owned by Soft Bank, the Microsoft of Japan, and since getting more money have become a dominate force. They are a successful team and have one their share of championships, yet have gone through a few owners of late. For details on their line up this season: http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_h.html



Lions.JPG

Saitama Seibu Lions: A team with a rich history and many championship under their belt, but have fallen under hard times in recent history. Matsuzaka's first professional team has failed to use the money the Red Sox gave them to turn things around, and continue to hover around the bootm each season. Details on their line up: http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_l.html


Fighters.JPG

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters: This is Davish's first professional team, and since their move to the large northern island of Hokkaido the team have won a championship and been around the top of the league. They have a new coach, as much of the blame came down last season on why with such great pitching they could not have more bat support. They will have some maney to sepdn with the Darvish trade, but will they be able to unseat the Hawks and the rising Marines. For more details on t club: http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_f.html


Marines.JPG
Chiba Lotte Marines: Korean owned, this team has made some firsts in the NPB, as they brought in the American Bobby V 2 times and have since won once without him. My favorite team and hence I have placed a Marines Nation here: http://baseballnation.net/group.php?groupid=36 on Baseball Nation. This year they are top of the tables early and seem to be on a roll as of late. Yet its too early to start looking at the metal, but they have been the team with the success in recent years and are doing things right. For more detail on the team go to: http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_m.html


Buffalos.JPG
ORIX Buffaloes: Is a joining of two teams, as the now dead name "Blue Wave" and Buffaloes merged. Orix now funds the merged team and the old Blue Wave was Ichiro's long time first team. For details on the team: http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_bs.html

Again there is one more team but the system only allows five pictures.

[Switch Pitcher Coach]

Eagles.JPG


Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles: The newest club in both leagues, they are located north of Fukashima, but are situated right where the Tsunami hit. The team has an old manager and is doing well this year. When the Blue Wave went under the players union went on strike and forced the creation of this team, as in Japan jobs are a serious matter and you can't just fire people and not honor their contracts, at least such high profile contracts. For details on the club go to: http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/teams/index_e.html