An in-depth look at the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Jingu Stadium, the Central League, and Japanese Pro Baseball
Here are a few things that you might not remember about the players currently on the Tokyo roster: In Fukuchi’s first year with the Swallows (2008), he hit .320/.366/.449. Keizo Kawashima stole 20 bags in his first year with the team (2008) while only getting caught once. However, in 2009 he stole eight but got [...]
May 5th, 2011 Chunichi Dragons 8 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 2 Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: LWWWL (Meiji Jingu Stadium) The Swallows lose their first game in May as Tateyama has a somewhat shaky outing and Matsuoka implodes. Also, the offense wasn’t too hot. Ochiai fakes everyone out by starting Yoshimi and not Chen. [...]
It’s that time of year again! The Tokyo Swallows started spring camp today–baseball season is just around the corner! Click here for a camp schedule and 1st/2nd team rosters. In an effort to forge a little bit of a tradition here, I’m going to continue doing what I’ve done the last two seasons and make some [...]
July 17th, 2010 Hanshin Tigers 9 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 5 Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: WWWWL (Meiji Jingu Stadium) All good things must come to an end, as the Birds ended their season-high 6 game winning streak without putting up too much of a fight against the Hanshin Tigers. The Swallows fielded a somewhat awkward [...]
July 8th, 2010 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 10 Hanshin Tigers 6 Streak: Won 1 Last 5: WLLLW (Koshien) With D’Antona on the farm team, and Guiel and Whitesell watching from the bench, the Tokyo Swallows looked to avoid a Koshien sweep at the hands of the Hanshin Tigers with Mikinori Katoh on the mound for the [...]
June 15th, 2010 Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 10 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 2 Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: WWWWL (Meiji Jingu Stadium) Tokyo’s longest winning streak of the season came to a screeching halt at the hands of the Hokkaido Fighters who refused to be swept. In fact, they were so adamant about not being [...]
April 10th, 2010 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 1 Hanshin Tigers 5 Streak: Lost 2 Last 5: LWLWL (Koshien) After sending the Hanshin Tigers to their sixth loss for the month of April, the birds looked to pile more misery on their hosts Saturday afternoon. Tokyo fielded an identical lineup to last night’s winning formula: 1. [...]
Pitchers Kyouhei Muranaka (no. 15) and Mikinori Katoh (no. 16), the alleged future of the pitching staff, were brought up to the top team on the 18th of September. Muranaka, a fourth year lefty from Kanagawa, has been one of 2009′s bigger letdowns as far as the rotation is concerned. He resurfaces on the parent [...]
September 18th, 2009 Yomiuri Giants 10 Tokyo Yakult Swallows 2 Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: LLWWL (Jingu Stadium) After two long overdue victories on the trot, normal service was resumed tonight as the team did what they nearly always do when facing their local neighbours, they yet again rolled over and became Yomiuri’s bitches.
Well what should pop through my letter box this last weekend but a copy of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows Official goods Catalogue for this season. In fact, it wasn’t just the one copy, but for some reason they sent me three. Maybe they’ve realised the true extent of my tat-buying tendencies and figure I can [...]
