Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)

[JohnBM01]

Web: http://www.npb.or.jp (Japanese)

This is part of that diversification process. Part of this is because I'm watching the World Baseball Classic match with China at Japan. Part of this is that I'm willing to add more thread ideas to keep this forum buzzing rather than just being about major league baseball and American college baseball.

Most data here from this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Professional_Baseball )

I thought in my youth that judo was Japan's most popular sport. But really, it's not. Japan LOVES baseball. They excel in baseball. I think we still have Kazuo Matsui here for my Houston Astros. The NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) is Japan's version of Major League Baseball. Founded in 1950, the 12-team NPB is all about the finest baseball players playing to become the finest baseball team in Nihon. Whereas the MLB has an American League and National League, the NPB has the Central League and Pacific League. Here are the teams:

CENTRAL LEAGUE:
* Chunichi Dragons
* Hanshin Tigers
* Hiroshima Toyo Carp
* Tokyo Yakult Swallows
* Yokohama BayStars
* Yomiuri Giants

PACIFIC LEAGUE
* Chiba Lotte Marines
* Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
* Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
* Orix Buffaloes
* Saitama Seibu Lions
* Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

If you're willing to chat about baseball from Japan's highest league of baseball, feel free to get this thread started!

 

[Prosthetic]

I think I'm going to check this out when I get home.

 

[Dijital Majik]

Timely thread, I've just come back from watching Giants at Dragons, my first NPB experience having been a fan for about a decade. Although it was a pre-season exhibition and half empty, in my opinion the atmosphere was better than the MLB game I attended a few years ago in the US (Reds at Astros).

It got far, far more rowdy than this video (especially in the 9th where they didn't stop for even a second through the bottom), but it gives an idea.



Not too pleased with the prospect of a Dragons team without either Fukudome, Kawakami or Tyrone Woods..

 

[Prosthetic]

Hmm... I think I'm going to root for the Giants!