Fighters down Eagles to regain top spot in Pacific League

Friday 15th May, 07:11 AM JST

SENDAI —

Atsunori Inaba came a homer shy of hitting for the cycle and drove in four runs Thursday to fuel the Nippon Ham Fighters in a 7-0 shutout of the Rakuten Eagles to clinch a three-game set. Nippon Ham, which has won nine of its last 11 games, retook sole possession of first place, moving a game ahead of Rakuten in the Pacific League. Brian Sweeney (1-3) pitched six innings, allowing five hits and striking out four at Kleenex Stadium.

In other PL action, Seibu beat Orix 3-1 and Softbank edged Lotte 5-4. In the Central League, Yomiuri downed Yokohama 9-5, Hanshin hammered Hiroshima 7-1 and Yakult defeated Chunichi 8-5.

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Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

pawatan at 09:25 AM JST - 15th May

Nonsense, they have at least 10.
mrsynik at 12:30 PM JST - 15th May

I would find baseball in this country much more interesting if they all used where they came from instead of some corporate team like Japan Ham. What am I supposed to cheer, "Go for it, Ham!" or "Go make a great phone call, Softbank"
eresay at 02:01 PM JST - 15th May

My bad pawatan, I didn't count the ones who left early ;-)

Agreed mrsynik. I wish all the teams would go by regional names rather than corporate names. Makes it a bit mickey mouse. I can't count the number of times where I've been watching an MLB game and the commentators when talking about Darvish or KC's manager Hillman and their association with the Fighters, laughing about the team name, "Nippon Ham Fighters." Can't blame them.
pawatan at 03:45 PM JST - 15th May

I would find baseball in this country much more interesting if they all used where they came from instead of some corporate team like Japan Ham. What am I supposed to cheer, "Go for it, Ham!" or "Go make a great phone call, Softbank"

They mostly do. Saitama Seibu, Tohoku Rakuten, Chiba Lotte, Hiroshima, Hokkaido Nippon Ham (even says Hokkaido on some of their unis), Tokyo Yakult, Fukuoka Softbank, and Yokohama all do. Hanshin, Orix, Chunichi, and Yomiuri are the only ones that don't use their place name in their team name.
eresay at 03:59 PM JST - 15th May

But as you know, they are NEVER refered to as Saitama, Tohoku, Chiba, Hokkaido. Just listen to fans, commentators, sports news snnouncers etc. Its just printed on the uniforms/logos. Purely token.
Hotbox08 at 07:47 PM JST - 15th May

But as you know, they are NEVER refered to as Saitama, Tohoku, Chiba, Hokkaido. Just listen to fans, commentators, sports news snnouncers etc. Its just printed on the uniforms/logos. Purely token.

You are half-correct. When fans talk about the team, they refer them to "Seibu Lions" or "Softbank Hawks", since it's simpler to call them that. However, when scores are posted in either the newspapers and when highlights are shown on TV, I've seen it more often posted as "Saitama Seibu Lions" or "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks", to the point where I and so many other Japanese people I've spoken to, know exactly where the teams like Seibu are located. Two teams which I've almost never seen their company team name used are the "Hiroshima Carp" and "Yokohama Bay Stars"; to the point where I don't think there is anyone who knows who really own them.
eresay at 07:55 PM JST - 15th May

I was talking about what people actually say when refering to the team. Re-read my post! Not what's printed in a newspaper or on a uniform. Of course that's the team's full title but it is almost never used verbally. You should know that. Unless of course you say things like, "I'm off to watch a game between the Chiba Lotte Marines and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters," which would make you very "unique and special" although that may already be the case.
ThonTaddeo at 12:51 AM JST - 16th May

Hanshin and Chunichi are somewhat forgivable since "Hanshin", before it was the name of the railway company that served the area, already meant "Osaka and Kobe", and people actually call the Osaka/Kobe area "Hanshin" at times, as they do with many other two-city places, using one character from each name.

Chunichi means "central Japan", and that's pretty much where Nagoya is, so you can't argue with that too much.

That leaves only cash-strapped Orix and power-hungry Yomiuri as the main offenders!
Hotbox08 at 12:04 AM JST - 17th May

I was talking about what people actually say when refering to the team.

So eresay, what is the company name for "Hiroshima Carp", "Yokohama Bay Stars", "Chunichi Dragons", and "Hanshin Tigers"? If what you say is true, then fans are calling them something else.
eresay at 10:20 PM JST - 17th May

Ahhh, Hanshin and Chunichi for a start? How many days have you been in Japan? You clearly don't understand the situation. I was talking about teams who use coporate names. That includes Hanshin and Chunichi who as the above poster mentioned, only coincidentally have a regional title in their name but are actually named after corporations. I applaud Hiroshima (although you do sometimes hear commentators drop "Toyo") and Yokohama for promoting themselves with their regional names.

What's the point of your post? Did you just find out that some teams did use regional names? Let me guess. You're someone new to Japan, have been watching baseball for about 5 minutes and you come one hear like you're educating us but instead you're just stating the obvious. Just tragic. I wonder why I even bother responding to you newbies.
Hotbox08 at 11:19 PM JST - 17th May

You're someone new to Japan, have been watching baseball for about 5 minutes and you come one hear like you're educating us but instead you're just stating the obvious.

What makes you think I'm a newbie? Let's see, the fact that I have permanent residency in this country, and the fact that most people will tell you that it takes quite a while to get it, means that I've been in this country for more than a newbie (I've been in Japan for 14 years to be exact). You either have terrible ESP, or are a moderator in disquise trying to weed out posts that don't adhere to your way of thinking (which would be borderline criminal, if you ask me). I'll also have you know that I've been to a number of baseball games in Japan. Enough to know that Hanshin fans are about the most dedicated ones in Japan. So much so, that they always seem to outnumber the home team at stadiums such as Yakult's at Meijijingu. (Although I do like Yakult's fan's use of colorful umbrellas to cheer them on.) I also have had the privilege to release a number of balloons after the seven-inning stretch of games. Betcha didn't know they do that here. Betcha also didn't know that Lotte is not even a Japanese company, but a Korean one, and that the fans in their stadium can be quite loud and I've been among them doing the Chiba Lotte stomp. Seats are terrible in the stadiums, but can't beat the beer girls. So who's the newbie now, moderator?

That includes Hanshin and Chunichi who as the above poster mentioned, only coincidentally have a regional title in their name but are actually named after corporations.

In your previous posts, you said that you wished that teams in Japan would call themselves by their regional names, which implies that you believe that there are NO teams that do this. And now you say that you contend that there are some that do? Be a man (unless you are a woman) and please stick to one opinion. Stop flipflopping.
PaulieWalnuts at 11:27 PM JST - 17th May

and you come one hear like you're educating us

I do. it's 'here'
eresay at 11:49 PM JST - 17th May

I have permanent residency in this country,

Welcome to the club. So why do you state the most obvious child-like observations? You had the privilege of releasing a balloon did you? Did you enjoy that "privilige"? Did you jump and down and squeal like a girl? One thing I will grant you, your posts are hilarious although at your expense. Sorry if that hurts your feelings. May be releasing a few more balloons could cheer you up.

Your posts are something I would expect from someone who has picked up the most obvious facts of Japanese baseball. Something that some 5 minute newbie could tell you.

In your previous posts, you said that you wished that teams in Japan would call themselves by their regional names

Yes, thats correct. Barely any teams do. Your point newbie? Come on kid, give it your best shot.
Hotbox08 at 10:15 PM JST - 18th May

Thanks for the laughs eresay. "Newbie"? LOL Sounds like a nice name.

Something that some 5 minute newbie could tell you

Yes, you are correct, my 14 years of Nippon Pro Baseball pales in comparison to my experience with the major league game. But hey, it is kind of strange that one newbie would call another poster a newbie. It seems a bit hypocritical.

You obviously know nothing of the MLB game and I bet that your comment about MLB commentators having a laugh about the Nippon Ham Fighters name is something you just picked up from one viewing of a MLB.com broadcast. I know this because I have never seen any of your posts in this sports section of Japan Today saying anything about baseball, while I have been here posting about everything concerning the MLB, NPB, World Baseball Classic, and so on. Bet you don't even know the basics of Hotbox (my call name since 2008), do you. To a newbie like you, I bet it would be a bit more complicated than a 6-4-3 double play.

Anyway, I have no idea why I'm wasting my time with a "fellow" newbie.
Hotbox08 at 10:36 PM JST - 18th May

Sorry. I retract my previous post. I've done a crime by allowing another poster make me stoop to name-calling. Sorry eresay. I take back the "newbie" title. You are right. It is childish of me to rant and rave. Of course you are allowed your opinions as I am allowed mine. Silly-name calling should not be warranted. My bad. I'm owning up. I confess that this is the one of the first posts where I've steered away from objectivity and thus I apologize.

Peace brother, Hotbox08