FromJapan

(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."
 

(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."
 

(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."
 

(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."
 

(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."
 

dude!
Casey at the Bat
Ernest Lawrence Thayer
1863 –
1940
The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to the hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, "If only Casey could but get a whack at that—
We'd put up even money now, with Casey at the bat."
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despisèd, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile lit Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt;
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance flashed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped—
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one!" the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;
But Casey still ignored it and the umpire said, "Strike two!"
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered "Fraud!"
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate,
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate;
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.

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

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

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
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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.
 

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
 

Ippei is scheduled to attend Ohtani's press conference on December 14, appears to be joining the Dodgers.
Reference: (a Japanese sports newspaper) The Chunichi Sports on Dec. 12, 2023
 

Yamamoto is represented by Joel Wolfe (Wasserman). Wasserman's Headquarters is located in LA.

There was an offer from a certain NPB team, but Tsutsugo turned it down.
By the way, an all-natural turf baseball park, which Tsutsugo spent about $1,400,000 of his own money to build, has been completed in his hometown of Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is the first baseball park in Japan to use the same grass as Anaheim Stadium.
 

@FromJapan
Hope we don't lose you 
I enjoy your posts

There was an offer from a certain NPB team, but Tsutsugo turned it down.
By the way, an all-natural turf baseball park, which Tsutsugo spent about $1,400,000 of his own money to build, has been completed in his hometown of Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is the first baseball park in Japan to use the same grass as Anaheim Stadium.
 

There was an offer from a certain NPB team, but Tsutsugo turned it down.
By the way, an all-natural turf baseball park, which Tsutsugo spent about $1,400,000 of his own money to build, has been completed in his hometown of Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is the first baseball park in Japan to use the same grass as Anaheim Stadium.
 

The post above is from "Fa-So-La Tax Free Akihabara+", a duty-free shop located in the post-immigration area of New Tokyo International Airport (Narita Airport, located in Chiba Prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo). Ohtani's merchandise displayed at the store entrance was part of a limited-time offer.
The post below is from the permanent sporting goods store "SELECTION" in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo.
 

When applying for a passport in Japan, names must be written in Roman letters using Hepburn Romanization, the standard system for transcribing Japanese into Latin characters [1]. Among several Hepburn notations, the one that omits diacritics without distinguishing long and short vowels is the default for the passport. Under this format, his name would be written as "Otani". However, he may choose to insert an "h" after the "o" to indicate a long vowel, "Ohtani", as long as this spelling remains consistent for future application of the passport.  I cannot confirm whether his actual passport uses "Ohtani" or "Otani".
Starting in 2013, Ohtani's first season with the Nippon Ham Fighters, his uniform already displayed the "Ohtani" spelling. However, many English newspapers published in Japan used "Otani".
In November 2016, Jon Morosi informed the author of the reference [2] that MLB.com had switched to "Ohtani", and articles on the website written by him would reflect this change. At that time, the NPB's official English website still used "Otani" on its player roster page.
Currently, the notation of long vowels in NPB is arbitrary.
Sadaharu Oh [3], the lifetime home run record holder in Japan, was known as the player to add an "h" to a long "o" vowel in the English spelling of his name.
1, (Wikipedia) Hepburn romanization
2,  (Yahoo! Japan on November 17, 2016) "Ohtani" or "Otani"?
3,  (Wikipedia)  Sadaharu Oh

When applying for a passport in Japan, names must be written in Roman letters using Hepburn Romanization, the standard system for transcribing Japanese into Latin characters [1]. Among several Hepburn notations, the one that omits diacritics without distinguishing long and short vowels is the default for the passport. Under this format, his name would be written as "Otani". However, he may choose to insert an "h" after the "o" to indicate a long vowel, "Ohtani", as long as this spelling remains consistent for future application of the passport.  I cannot confirm whether his actual passport uses "Ohtani" or "Otani".
Starting in 2013, Ohtani's first season with the Nippon Ham Fighters, his uniform already displayed the "Ohtani" spelling. However, many English newspapers published in Japan used "Otani".
In November 2016, Jon Morosi informed the author of the reference [2] that MLB.com had switched to "Ohtani", and articles on the website written by him would reflect this change. At that time, the NPB's official English website still used "Otani" on its player roster page.
Currently, the notation of long vowels in NPB is arbitrary.
Sadaharu Oh [3], the lifetime home run record holder in Japan, was known as the player to add an "h" to a long "o" vowel in the English spelling of his name.
1, (Wikipedia) Hepburn romanization
2,  (Yahoo! Japan on November 17, 2016) "Ohtani" or "Otani"?
3,  (Wikipedia)  Sadaharu Oh

When applying for a passport in Japan, names must be written in Roman letters using Hepburn Romanization, the standard system for transcribing Japanese into Latin characters [1]. Among several Hepburn notations, the one that omits diacritics without distinguishing long and short vowels is the default for the passport. Under this format, his name would be written as "Otani". However, he may choose to insert an "h" after the "o" to indicate a long vowel, "Ohtani", as long as this spelling remains consistent for future application of the passport.  I cannot confirm whether his actual passport uses "Ohtani" or "Otani".
Starting in 2013, Ohtani's first season with the Nippon Ham Fighters, his uniform already displayed the "Ohtani" spelling. However, many English newspapers published in Japan used "Otani".
In November 2016, Jon Morosi informed the author of the reference [2] that MLB.com had switched to "Ohtani", and articles on the website written by him would reflect this change. At that time, the NPB's official English website still used "Otani" on its player roster page.
Currently, the notation of long vowels in NPB is arbitrary.
Sadaharu Oh [3], the lifetime home run record holder in Japan, was known as the player to add an "h" to a long "o" vowel in the English spelling of his name.
1, (Wikipedia) Hepburn romanization
2,  (Yahoo! Japan on November 17, 2016) "Ohtani" or "Otani"?
3,  (Wikipedia)  Sadaharu Oh