An in-depth look at the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Jingu Stadium, the Central League, and Japanese Pro Baseball
We thought this well-timed feature would interest the Tsubamegun. The Asahi Shimbun‘s Rob Smaal chatted with our own Christopher Pellegrini and snapped a photo of him with our dear friends, Messrs. Sugimoto and Nakagawa (without whom, we wouldn’t be on course to be buried in our regular seats). Enjoy! See you at the game.
October 19th, 2011 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 1 Chunichi Dragons 4 Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: LLWWL (Nagoya Dome) “It’s over folks,” was how Kozo opened his post after Tokyo’s last loss to Chunichi, six days ago. He was very right. Let us hope that whatever kept the Swallows in the lead for so much of [...]
October 15th, 2011 Tokyo Swallows 3 Yokohama BayStars 1 Streak: Won 1 Last 5: LLLLW (Yokohama Stadium) This one started out on a positive: Aoki, back at the top of the order, made Kuniyoshi serve up seven pitches all over the map before knocking one for a single. He then sat there until Hatakeyama doubled [...]
October 12th, 2011 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 3 Chunichi Dragons 4 Streak: Lost 3 Last 5: LWLLL (Nagoya Dome) This was an uneventful, low-hitting game for five and a half innings. Masubuchi and Nelson were even pretty evenly matched in pitch count. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, starting at the top of the [...]
October 5th, 2011 Tokyo Swallows 0 Hanshin Tigers 3 Streak: Lost 2 Last 5: LLWLL (Kyocera Dome) Tanaka didn’t bat second, for a third straight game, which flagrantly violates the closest thing Tokyo has to set dogma: Tanaka bats second, behind Aoki. Should Aoki reach first and there be no outs, Tanaka will sac [...]
As first pointed out to us by one of our three favorite Canadians, Simon Currie, one of our other three favorite Canadians, Aaron Guiel, has announced that he will retire at the end of season. Guiel, long a fan-favorite, played in only eleven games this season. His numbers belie the positive impact he’s had on [...]
September 18th, 2011 Yokohama BayStars 4 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 2 Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: WWWTL (Jingu Stadium) A ninth-inning rally wasn’t quite enough to stop the outhit Swallows from losing for the first time since September 4th and closing their longest unbeaten streak in over a year. Masubuchi started off fairly well. Three strike-outs [...]
September 17th, 2011 Yokohama BayStars 2 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 2 Streak: Tied 1 Last 5: WWWWT (Jingu Stadium) Well, it had to end sometime. After nine wins, Tokyo’s winning streak ended at the hands of Yokohama, of course, in a game with a lot of thwarted offense. The scoring: Kinjoh hit a solo home run [...]
September 14th, 2011 Tokyo Swallows 7 Hiroshima Carp 6 Streak: Won 8 Last 5: WWWWW (Mazda Zoom Zoom Zoom! Zoom zooomzoomzoomzoom Stadium Hiroshima) Aoki started this game with a strike out, but he at least drew seven pitches. Tanaka drew a walk and Kawabata got a hit, both to be commended. Hatakeyama popped out and, [...]
September 7th, 2011 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 4 Yokohama BayStars 0 Streak: Won 2 Last 5: WWLWW (Yokohama Stadium) If there’s one thing that’s been backwards over the past few years, it has been the difficulty Tokyo has had with Japan’s most-unfortunately nicknamed, and most unfortunate, club, the BayStars. Thankfully, that has changed. Akagawa notched his [...]
