Veteran hurler Hisashi Iwakuma will continue his playing career in Japan, with the Yomiuri Giants announcing that he has signed on with the club. Japan’s Kyodo News has the story on the deal.Iwakuma had previously announced at the tail end of the 2018 campaign that he’d return to his native country to keep pitching. The 37-year-old had made one last effort to return to the majors last year, but ended up making only a pair of minor-league appearances with the Mariners — the only MLB organization with which he has pitched.The Seattle organization got plenty of value from Iwakuma over the years, enjoying 883 2/3 total innings of 3.42 ERA ball spread over six seasons. He was a strong contributor over most of that span, though more recently shoulder problems arose that kept him off of the mound.Iwakuma will return to a league in which he long thrived before coming to the majors. Over 11 campaigns with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, Iwakuma … [Read more...] about Hisashi Iwakuma signs with Yomiuri Giants
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MLB All-Stars beat Japan’s Giants ahead of exhibition tour
TOKYO -- J.T. Realmuto and Amed Rosario drove in two runs each to lead the MLB All-Stars over the Yomiuri Giants 9-6 on Thursday in a warm-up game ahead of their six-game exhibition series against Japan's national team. Juan Soto hit a double off the roof of Tokyo Dome in the third inning that scored Yadier Molina from second to give the MLB team a 4-0 lead. Realmuto then doubled in a run and Rosario added two more on a single as the MLB squad scored five runs in the inning to take a 7-0 lead. Realmuto also hit an opposite-field solo homer in the fifth to make it 8-3.After the game, Realmuto got to experience a Japanese baseball tradition when he was invited on the field to take part in the "hero interview" in front of the Tokyo Dome crowd."This is awesome, we don't do this in the United States so I'm really excited to be here with you guys," Realmuto said. "Hopefully, I can keep hitting well and be here with you again."The highlight for the home fans came in the fourth when Seiya … [Read more...] about MLB All-Stars beat Japan’s Giants ahead of exhibition tour
A’s Petit, Giants’ Meulens to tour Japan in All-Star series
By John Shea Updated 9:29 am PDT, Monday, October 29, 2018 MESA, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Yusmeiro Petit #36 of the Oakland Athletics poses for a portrait during photo day at HoHoKam Stadium on February 22, 2018 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) MESA, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Yusmeiro Petit #36 of the Oakland Athletics poses for a portrait during photo day at HoHoKam Stadium on February 22, 2018 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) Photo: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2017, file photo, San Francisco Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens takes in batting practice before the team's baseball game against the San Diego Padres in San Diego. Meulens has interviewed with the Cincinnati Reds for their open managerial position and also is set to meet with the Minnesota Twins this week for the job to replace Paul Molitor. Meulens was scheduled to interview in … [Read more...] about A’s Petit, Giants’ Meulens to tour Japan in All-Star series
Naomi Osaka’s popularity in Japan ahead of Tokyo Olympics
More: Olympics Russia doping cases nearly double in 2018 LeBron James takes in Berlin track meet, his latest Olympic sports mix Shaun White ‘pretty terrible’ in first skateboard bowl contest Japan is having its best Grand Slam singles tennis performance in 23 years. The name everybody is learning, if they didn’t know it already, is Naomi Osaka. Osaka, a 20-year-old born in Osaka to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, reached her first Grand Slam singles quarterfinal at the U.S. Open. Osaka, who has lived in the U.S. since age 3, and male veteran Kei Nishikori are both in the last eight here. Japan last put a man and a woman into the quarterfinals of the same Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 1995. It is well-timed, with the Tokyo Olympics approaching in two years. “Every time the Japanese press is at a tournament they always talk about the Tokyo Olympics,” Osaka said in June, according to the Times of London. … [Read more...] about Naomi Osaka’s popularity in Japan ahead of Tokyo Olympics
Rockies pitcher’s new jersey number may contain profane message
Colorado Rockies reliever Seunghwan Oh may have put some thought into his new jersey number. With both his old numbers currently taken by players on the Rockies, Oh opted to wear “18” with his new club. He may have picked that number for a profane reason.What’s the profane message in Seunghwan Oh’s new number?What’s so profane about No. 18? Allow Sung Min Kim to explain:So, it occurred to me that Seung-Hwan Oh is wearing 18 now, which results in a pretty hilarious back of the jersey only for those who understand Korean curse words. pic.twitter.com/GAXMU3nJdp— Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) July 29, 2018For those of you who aren’t familiar with Korean curse words, the way you say “eighteen” in Korean sounds pretty similar to the way you say the mother of all swear words in English. You know the one we’re talking about, right? It’s the one Ralphie says in “A Christmas Story.” In Korean, eighteen and that word … [Read more...] about Rockies pitcher’s new jersey number may contain profane message