Japan Baseball Weekly

The Buffaloes Are The Best, Win Japan Series, West Wing, Notes | Jim and John discuss the Orix Buffaloes and their run to a Japan Series championship, our West Wing segment from Michael Westbay examines the two-year career of Hanshin Tigers star slugger Teruaki Sato and we hit a couple of notes.

The details of the West Wing study info Teruaki Sato can be found here.

The data, in Tab Separated Values, can be found here.

Jim and John break down the biggest moments from the first two games of the Japan Series, highlight some of the players taken atop the recent draft and close things out by handing some HighHeat.

Jim and John offer their impressions of each game of the second stage of the CLCS and PLCS, make our predictions for the Japan Series rematch between the defending champion Yakult Swallows and the Orix Buffaloes, look at late-game team performances, and handle some HighHeat.

Jim and John break down an interview with our guest this week, Yakult Swallows international adviser Tony Barnette, we offer our takes on the first round of the CLCS and PLCS, discuss the second-round matchups and look at managerial changes.

Jim and John discuss the final-day finish that ends with the Buffaloes joining the Swallows as back-to-back pennant winners, we discuss Hiroshima skipper Shinji Sasaoka and Lotte manager Tadahito Iguchi both stepping down, Hanshin turning its “back” to the future with new skipper Akinobu Okada, BIGBOSS going back to his name and Roki rocks in final appearance.

Brian O'Grady of Seibu is the guest, Jim and John discuss the playoff races in the Central and Pacific leagues, and present some intriguing pitch-count data.

CL And PL Playoff Races, Murakami, Unruly Rules, Rock N Roki, Itoi Out | Jim and John look at the tight playoff races in the Central and Pacific leagues, discuss the Triple Crown season for Munetaka Murakami, look at possible rule changes for Japanese baseball now the major leagues have adopted drastic new limitations, go Rockin' with Roki and comment on Yoshio Itoi's retirement announcement.

Aaron Guiel is the guest, we look at the races in both leagues, discuss the new NPB Rule 5-type draft, briefly touch on the Kosuke Fukudome retirement announcement and handle some HighHeat.

We feature Part II of an interview with special guest Trey Hillman, former Nippon Ham skipper, deliver our Mini Trax power rankings segment, examine the races in the Central and Pacific leagues, go over the top performers of August and go rocking with Roki.

Claudio Rodriguez sits in for John, former Nippon Ham skipper Trey Hillman is the special guest (Part I), we look at the no-hitter Fighters righty Cody Ponce tossed to beat SoftBank, the races in the Central and Pacific leagues and go rocking with Roki.