Japanese baseball coverage begs viewer to read between the baselines
Commentary ( 9 )
Around this time of year, I always ask myself: are baseball training camps always the most significant sports story of the day… or are Japanese TV stations just rubbish?
It turns out that Japanese stations are just rubbish. The Yomiuri Giants’ camp and the team’s top rookie will virtually always be the main story — unless the network is broadcasting another sports event that week, in which case anchors and ads will just plug that like crazy. Some stations can’t even be bothered to run a highlight reel; they’ll just slap the score on screen, and head right back to the camps.
In January, we get a daily dose of clips of Japanese ballplayers doing “voluntary” training (as scheduled by their clubs), followed by sluggers lounging in an onsen or visiting a temple.
Real stories? For Japan’s TV producers, these are the real stories: follow Hideki Matsui, Tatsunori Hara or Koji Uehara and you’ll get a scoop, even if it is “Hideki Catches a Plane,” “Hara Cracks a Smile” or “I Know We Said Uehara Was Crap Two Years Ago But Now He’s Playing Well So He’s A Story Again—And He’s Playing In America.”
If you ask me, though, the big story this winter has been Nippon Professional Baseball’s outrageous decision to freeze out players who skip the draft. This came about when Junichi Tazawa opted to sign with the Boston Red Sox. NPB, citing a violation of a “gentleman’s agreement” with Major League Baseball, retaliated by enacting a rule that returning Japanese players couldn’t play in Japan for 2-3 years. This would be against the law in England (so at least Tazawa can play there) under the “restriction of trade” law, but here in xenophobic Japan, it’s perceived as wisdom.
Another developing story brewing is a protest by Chiba Lotte Marines fans over the dismissal of coach Bobby Valentine. Bubbly Bobby’s back in town (he was greeted at the airport by a bunch of fans offering support), but the Marines’ president has recommended that the club part company with their charismatic boss at the end of this year. No matter that Valentine has singlehandedly turned the club into one of the most successful in the land. Now, it seems, the fans are taking things into their own hands and are planning protests to keep Valentine at the helm. Just don’t expect to see it on Japanese TV — especially if Daisuke Matsuzaka picks his nose with his pitching hand on the same day.
The story of this story is that baseball in Japan is ready to roll once again. First up are qualifiers for the World Baseball Classic (March 5-9), when Japan will face off against China, Chinese Taipei and South Korea at the Tokyo Dome. Japan is the defending champion and 2006 MVP Matsuzaka will again be leading his team from the mound. Hideki Matsui is out injured, but Ichiro will be on hand to boost what is a very strong Japanese squad. After the Tokyo Dome round, the action will move to the US (i.e., the TV in your living room), where the home team will also be fielding a pretty strong side. The final takes place on March 23 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Japan’s 144-game league schedule starts on April 3, after which your TV screens will be awash with even more baseball news for the ensuing seven months.
Of course, the real story may be somewhere else…
This commentary originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metopolis.co.jp)
Order by Time Order by Popularity
9 Comments
Login to comment
0
sappquest
What I want to know is whether or not players have are entitled to give interviews to the reporters who sometimes ask silly questions and put focus on their training plans. Don't the players have the need to train in private without their opponents being privy to their every move?
0
Ninjazilla
too bad for bobby V but this is the second time hes getting fired by the marines so cant be too suprised.wonder where hell wind up in the MLB
0
Pukey2
Just be thankful the training camp is in Japan, otherwise we'll be hearing questions like 'can you eat the local food?', or 'what do you think of our Jp boys?', ad nauseum.
0
TokyoGas
I haven't been following baseball, but this rule is crap.
0
70x4060d
Japan might have best pitching staff, but Dominican Republic looks like a monster at the plate. In a tournament like this, I'd have to go with the DR. Who does Japan throw against the in the final? Darvish? Matsuzaka? Iwakuma? 3 innings each? This is gonna be good folks.
0
Wottock_Hunt
Surely, that's a trick question. Watch a Japanese TV station. Find the quality.
It would be easier to find a bookreader in that Paris Hilton pic a few days ago.
0
pawatan
I think that 2-3 year penalty rule would be rescinded the first time someone tried to return. No way these teams would refuse the publicity of a player returning from the US.
0
flammenwerfer
you just answered your own question, that and vapid drained salarymen love to vegetate to pro yakyu like nothing else.
0
flammenwerfer
you just answered your own question, that and vapid drained salarymen love to vegetate to pro yakyu like nothing else.
Back to top