Hanshin's Williams deactivated from roster

Tuesday 02nd September, 04:40 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 16 Total Comments Show All

eresay at 09:32 AM JST - 2nd September

Aussies should stick to cricket. This guy is a joke.
northlondon at 01:14 PM JST - 2nd September

This guy is a joke.

Williams is not a joke. Yomiuri have been on fire since July/ August and have a great record at Koshien this season. On Sunday, Okada (who I am not a big fan of) replaced Aitchison with Williams, despite the fact that Aitchison came out just for the 7th and was superb. Aitchison basically struck out the first three batters to face him and Okada still replaced him. Williams is probably the best closer I have seen when the count goes against him.
northlondon at 01:22 PM JST - 2nd September

Okada (and most other Japanese managers) is an idiot because everyone saw Aitchison pitching like a superstar on Sunday, yet he totally ignored Aitchison's performance and only gave him the 7th. It's as though the Japanese managers cannot accept it when a foreign player rises above everyone else.
Damax6 at 01:47 PM JST - 2nd September

whatever the reason is, they are NOT japanese, they are here to be used, abused, used, used!!!. they dont really care much for the foreigner and his contributions. In baseball the team consist of 9 players, on that team 2 or 3 foreigner are on that roster. So if the team is performing bad, they foreigner gets the brunt of the blame. what about the other 6-7 japanese players????

People this is in Japanese baseball,basketball,rugby,volleyball and all other sports in this country that hires foreigner on their team. This is NOT only a Japan phenom.... Other Asian countries as well. Korea has a bad rep for this.

When a gaijin get on any pro team here, he must know his days are numbered, hitting roppo may be a good stress relief. But is it good for the "long run". Sport figures should count their blessings, because if you dont perform or get injured...thats it....so i hope williams have a PLAN B for his future...i hope he didnt put his future in the hands of Okada K.
eresay at 12:59 AM JST - 3rd September

"Williams is probably the best closer I have seen when the count goes against him."

HA HA HA how much baseball have you watched???

Heard of Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers or Goose Gossage??

You havent watched much baseball if you measure other players by Jeff Williams. I guess you didnt get much baseball in North London right?
romulus3 at 02:57 AM JST - 3rd September

It's as though the Japanese managers cannot accept it when a foreign player rises above everyone else.

Its not that bad North. They have a big lead and the coach is trying new things before the play off series. He has room to move. Why not let others gain some experience? They are not ahead by fluke. They have played well this season. But they have to blood new players in case superstars get injured or drop form. Lets give Okada some credit here. what more could we ask? Hanshin is in front.
northlondon at 01:01 PM JST - 3rd September

I guess you didnt get much baseball in North London right?

I have no problem arguing about baseball with the likes of you. So what if I am from London ? Just because someone comes from the US or Japan or Cuba doesn't automatically give them the right to patronise everyone else with their biased views.

Heard of Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers or Goose Gossage??

And just to underline how blinkered you are, you start quoting Major League names when this discussion and news article is about the C League in Japan. Who's talking about Major Leaguers here ? Obviously Jeff Williams is not in their league otherwise he would be earning the bucks over at MLB wouldn't he ?

HA HA HA how much baseball have you watched???

In Japan, and over the last 9 years in Japan, a hell of a lot more than you I imagine. You been to most of the stadiums in Japan ? Doubt it. You watch Japanese baseball live every night ? I doubt it. You have any (American) friends playing pro-baseball here in Japan ? Probably not. Do you coach your son's yakyu team every weekend including summer camp ? I don't think so. You are probably too busy waiting for your Major League highlight show.
northlondon at 01:19 PM JST - 3rd September

rom,

Hanshin's lead is now down to 6 games after being over 10 in front. The only reason that there is not a difference of around 2 games is because Kyojin have been average as well. Whenever I watch the Tigers now they seem to lose (last night against awful Yokohama as well). I am not a fan of Okada and he blew it the same way last season as well. Okada has been lucky in inheriting a good squad bolstered by Hanshin's money. If he was coaching an average squad we would see how poor he really is.
eresay at 08:37 PM JST - 3rd September

Ahh now let's clarify that what you said was, "he's the best closer you've seen." You didn't qualify that you were talking about just the Central League and why should that be assumed when we are talking about baseball. So I named the top 5 closers Ive seen. Now who's wearing the blinkers? He's a setup guy, he's not even a specialist closer!

Since you assume so much about me, I should correct you. This is my 29th of year of playing/being involved in baseball. I grew up watching MLB so sure, I watch it a lot and still subscribe to an MLB package on Sky Perfect and generally watch a game a day. I also subscribe to a pro yakyu package and pretty much watch my team every night. As for going to ballparks, I have been living in Japan since 1995 and Ive been to every current pro yakyu ballpark except the one in Sendai. I have also followed my team to regional games in Matsuyama, Yonago, Kurashiki, Kanazawa and Kochi. I've even been to few now defunct stadiums like the old Fujjidera Kyujo where I was lucky enough to see Yoshinori Sato throw a no-hitter in only my 2nd or 3rd pro yakyu game after arriving in 95.

I still play baseball regularly and work as the bench coach on my son's team.

Am I an expert? No. Do I know a alot about the game? Probably a lot more than you judging by your post. Brits trying to talk baseball, give me a break.

Now you say you have this love of baseball, yet you dismiss the Majors? Why don't you take your blinkers off and try and learn something rather than limit yourself to just one league.
NICOLE77 at 11:55 PM JST - 3rd September

Ersay and Northlondon - you are both intital to your opinions... BUT

Brits trying to talk baseball, give me a break.

?? What a silly thing to say!

I'm Australian and that doesnt mean that I am an expert in rugby and not in judo... right?!
northlondon at 01:03 PM JST - 4th September

Probably a lot more than you judging by your post. Brits trying to talk baseball, give me a break.

Bobby Thomson (NY Giants, Milwaukee, Cubs, Red Sox, Orioles) - hit the legendary 'shot heard round the world' home run, the theme from Don DeLillo's novel Underworld. 3 time Allstar.

Tom Wadell (Braves, Indians).

Danny Cox (Cardinals, Phillies, Pirates, Blue Jays) - 1993 World Series/ 1993 American League pennant.

Lance Painter (Rockies, Brewers, Cardinals, Blue Jays).

Jim McCormick - 11th on Alltime complete games/ 33rd on Alltime ERA/ 36th on Alltime wins/ manager of the Cleveland Blues.

Al Reach - co-founder the Philadelphia Phillies. Founded the sports goods company that became Spalding.

George Hall - 1876 National League home run champion/ 1876-1879 single season home run record holder.

Walter Carlisle - Boston Red Sox Alltime roster.

And this is not even a comprehensive list. Try again.

Moderator: Back on topic please.
eresay at 07:16 PM JST - 4th September

Thanks for the random post, isnt wikipedia wonderful.

In contrast, what I posted is what I have personally seen and experienced in the game. Im still waiting to hear about your experience. The fact you said Williams is a closer (he has closed games, but he is not a specialist closer) and the best you have seen suggests a very limited knowledge of the game.

Please address these points.
cracaphat at 09:20 PM JST - 5th September

Williams used to be the closer 3 or so years ago.
northlondon at 12:44 AM JST - 7th September

It seems as though this news story has been dragged out of it's original context. This story is about a pitcher in the Japanese C League, on an English language news site in Japan. For some reason one of the users here wants to make comparisons to the Major Leagues, which is out of common sense. And the argument that anyone who is not American cannot be take seriously when debating a news story about (Japanese) baseball has been proved to be wrong. The Major League itself, where Jeff Williams first made his name as a highly popular and successful two man closing team with the Dodgers, is reliant on superstar Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans. Not the homegrown Americans I am afraid to say. Wikipedia may be ridiculed for it's easy researching availability, but the fact is that Wikipedia only contains true fact. And a Brit debating a baseball news story about Jeff Williams should not be disrespected when it has been proved that Brits have founded Major League franchises and have played their part in Hall Of Fame moments in that sport. We all know that this story is from an American grassroots sport, but it is now as much a global sport as an American one. And someone else has already pointed out that Jeff Williams has also pitched as a closer.
eresay at 02:17 PM JST - 10th September

Keep digging a deeper hole dont you? Williams was in the bullpen setting up Eric Gagne at The Dodgers. Show me stats where Williams has one MLB save. "Closing team" indeed!! Incorrect again.

You keep avoiding my question, if you know about baseball why did you say he was the best closer you have ever seen. Also state your experience in the game after you dragged my into question because at the moment, it sounds like youved garnered a few random facts from Wikipedia and thats about all.