FromJapan

Yosuke Murata Editor-in-chief of MLB.jp, MLB writer (MLB Japan official account) MLB Japan (His X) Yoshuke Murata Since it is aimed at Japanese fans, he is posting in Japanese. (Link) MLB.JP ------- Shuta Yamamoto Correspondent, NHK General Bureau for America (NHK sports official account) NHK Sports Since he is a staff member of a public broadcaster, his reporting is objective and accurate, and he himself does not use X (Twitter).

Japanese Ben Joyce? On December 26, Tohoku Fukushi University's right-handed pitcher Keita Horikoshi (20) hit a speed gun of 101.9mph. On this day, his 15 pitches were over 99.4 mph. (Reference in Japanese) Sponichi Annex on December 27, 2023

It was revealed on December 26 (JST) that Imanaga had traveled to the United States. Several teams are said to be interested in acquiring him, including the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox. (Reference in Japanese) Sports Hochi on December 27, 2023 (JST) The point of concern is that he is the same height as Yamamoto, approximately 5'10" (178cm).

On December 24th (JST), Takaaki Ishibashi, who played the role of "Isuro 'Kamikaze' Tanaka" on Major League II, asked Yokohama DeNA BayStars infielder Shugo Maki about Bauer's future on his own radio program. Ishibashi asked, "Will Bauer not be pitching at DeNA next year?" Maki was at a loss for an answer, saying, ”We're not getting any information either.” (Reference in Japanese) Sponichi Annex on December 24, 2023

At U.S. Army Housing Area in Kanagawa, Japan Taken while passing by

If the Yokohama DeNA BayStars were to re-sign Bauer, they would use Imanaga's posting fee to pay Bauer's contract fee. In other words, the fate of Imanaga's posting will have an impact on Bauer's contract.

Since Ohtani joined the Angels, NHK (a Japanese public broadcaster) had broadcast almost every Angels game on its satellite channel throughout the season. Additionally, many games were broadcast live for free on a Japanese internet streaming service. Games involving other Japanese players were not broadcast on a regular basis, and games between teams without Japanese players were rarely broadcast, except in the postseason. For this reason, over the past few years, in Japan, the Angels have become the most watched MLB team. Many travel agencies in Japan have offered plans that combine watching an Angels game with sightseeing in Anaheim and/or Los Angeles. The following are an English translation of the titles of recent Angels-related topics as of December 25th that are posted on a fan site for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, which Ohtani belonged to during his NPB days. Since this is a fan-based site, some titles are ironic. Angels: "We lost Ohtani, but we gained more Japanese fans, so it's okay." New Angels manager Washington travels to Philadelphia to meet Trout. Rendon (29) .319 AVG, 545 AB, 174 H, 34 HR, 126 RBI, 1.010 OPS ---- Angels: “Yeah, we got him!” Will you still support the Angels even if Ohtani is gone? Trout maintains no comment on Shohei Ohtani's transfer. Without Ohtani, the Angels will be able to use the DH and starting pitcher rotation more flexibly, making a comeback.

Imanaga has already started cooking for himself and learning how to listen to English. He has been nicknamed "The Throwing Philosopher" due to the expressiveness of his statements. Bauer was given the contrasting nickname "The Throwing Scientist" by some BayStars fans because he answered his teammates' questions from an engineering perspective.

At least for the past few years, the BayStars have often had a six-man rotation for starting lineup. (Reference in Japanese: Imanaga is written in Japanese letters as "今永".) Yokohama DeNA BayStars 2023 starting rotation table

When I was a child, I was a fan of the Osaka-based Nankai Hawks (Pacific league, NPB). The team's owner passed away in 1988, so the team was sold and moved to Fukuoka City. The team I was a fan of was gone. My daughter has been a fan of Ohtani since he was in high school, so after he joined the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, I occasionally watched Fighters' games on TV. By the way, the following is a post related to Angels, but its authenticity is unknown.

【2024 season player contracts】 Yokohama DeNA BayStars announced that they will designate Trevor Bauer and Neftalí Soto as free agents for the 2024 season. It takes just over 30 minutes by car from my home to Yokohama Stadium if there is no traffic, but I'm not a BayStars fan. Bauer's chances of returning to MLB are not very high at this point. If Bauer were to re-sign with the BayStars, he would be forced to make significant compromises on the amount of his contract. Since his future is unknown, it is likely that the BayStars will be without two starting pitchers, Imanaga and Bauer, next season. The following article was published regarding the BayStars' pitching staff reinforcements. ------ On December 16, 2023, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars acquired Rowan Wick (Age 31, the AAA Buffalo Bisons) as a reliever. They are also conducting an investigation into acquiring RHP Andre Jackson (27, Pirates DFA). (Reference in Japanese) Sponichi Annex on December 23, 2023

Judging from the account name and username, this person (actual gender unknown) appears to be Korean.

The following posts were quoted in Japanese sports media. It has not yet been reported on Japanese TV broadcasts. NHK (Japanese public broadcasting) interrupted the local news show program and broadcast Yamamoto's transfer to the Dodgers as breaking news.

Mikan Mikan is the name of Yoshinobu Yamamoto's pet dog and is the meaning of miyagawa mandarin (Citrus unshiu), a citrus fruit. No relation to George Mikan.

On December 20th (JST), Yuki Matsui reached a contract agreement with the Padres. An official announcement will be made soon. (Reference in Japanese) Nikkan Sports on December 20, 2023 (JST) Darvish posted, "I'm worried and can't sleep."

From the topic "How to Sign Shohei Ohtani" Taco Bell has stores in Japan, but Del Taco does not.

Have the Dodgers sufficiently considered cost benefit analysis from a long-term perspective?

(Reference in Japanese) Nikkan Gendai Digital on December 20, 2023 (JST) As I read abobe article, I got the impression that Matsui's transfer destination has not yet been determined and is still in the realm of speculation. I will quote part of the article into English. According to one of our correspondents, "Matsui seems to have a good impression of the atmosphere of the Cardinals and the city of St. Louis, but the Cubs and Padres are also interested in him. Among them, it seems like that the Padres are more likely than the Cardinals." "At the WBC, Darvish (Padres) followed up Matsui with a variety of information, not just how to deal with major league-approved ball. Matsui feels strongly that he was helped by Darvish at that time, and adores him."

In Matsui's first negotiations with the Cardinals on December 14th, he was offered a multi-year contract. He said, "If possible, I would like to make a decision in December. I think there will be a stage where I can continue to grow." He plans to stay in the United States and wait for offers from other teams. (Reference in Japanese) Sports Hochi on December 17, 2023

His height 5'8.6" may be a cause for concern.

Imanaga's team, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars (NPB), won the league championship last time was in 1998. When Imanaga became a free agent, he had talked many times to a senior player in college who is currently on the same team, "I regret not being able to clinch the pennant." (Reference in Japanese) Full Count on December 11, 2023 ------- The NPB playoffs, which determine the right to participate in the Japan Series, are held in two stages. This 2023 year, the BayStars advanced to the playoffs with the league's third-best, but were eliminated in the first stage without a win. Imanaga pitched in one game as a starting pitcher, but got a no-decision. Bauer's inability to participate in the game due to injury was also a factor in the loss. He probably wants to go to a team that can at least make the playoffs. So if negotiating with him, they will need to explain that they will become well-positioned to compete in the postseason over the next few years.

"Current Reputation of the Angels in Japan" with a little help from Google AI. Future of Angels' Popularity in Japan: ・Japanese media coverage: The focus in Japanese media is currently on Ohtani's move to the Dodgers. Reports coverage of the Angels' future are limited, mostly consisting of news articles originating from the US with rare original Japanese articles. Views range from pessimism about a 'dark period' to cautious optimism about potential to acquire new players through increased budget flexibility. ・Japanese Broadcasts: As there is a high possibility that NHK broadcasting of the Angels' games will disappear from next season, reduced coverage is concerned. These will likely be restricted to pay-TV channels like MLB.TV, unless the team makes a playoff run or another Japanese star joins the roster. ・Fan sentiment in Japan: Many fans developed an affinity for the Angels due to Ohtani, but their connection is weaker than for local Japanese teams. Many are likely to lose interest to the Angels without a Japanese player. Possible future developments: ・New Japanese players: Acquiring another Japanese star player could reignite interest and broadcasts. ・Team success: A strong season or playoff run could rekindle fan passion in Japan. ・Media coverage shift: Increased focus on other Japanese players in MLB could indirectly contribute to the Angels. Overall, while Ohtani's departure has undoubtedly impacted the Angels' visibility in Japan, there are potential avenues for them to maintain or even rebuild their fanbase. The team's future success and strategic decisions regarding Japanese players will play a crucial role in shaping their image in the Japanese market.

Murakami will be eligible to become an overseas free agent after the 2027 season at the earliest. Under current rules, after the 2025 season, he can challenge for the Major Leagues using the posting system if the team approves. Murakami is a relatively common surname in Japan, with over 300,000 people. No information was found that these two people are related.

Murakami (Age 23) of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows signed after negotiating a contract renewal with his team. He said in an interview about his hopes for the future, ”My desire to go to the Major Leagues is growing even stronger. It was my first time playing in the United States in the WBC, and I feel like I'm getting closer one step at a time.” (Reference in Japanese) Sports Hochi on December 12, 2023 (YouTube) WorldBaseballClassic final (NPB English page) His stats