Ichiro Suzuki earns 10th Gold Glove award
Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was awarded his 10th consecutive American League Gold Glove award — one for each season Suzuki has been in the MLB. The award, recognizing the best defensive players at each position, is selected by the league’s managers and coaches at the end of each season. The only other players awarded 10 [...]
Chan Ho Park sets record for Asian-born pitchers in MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Chan Ho Park recently set a record for the most major league wins by an Asian-born pitcher, earning his 124th win with the Pirates’ 5-1 victory over the Marlins earlier this week. The 37-year-old pitcher from Korea surpassed Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo’s record 123 wins after 17 years in the States. Read [...]
Ichiro hits 200, named Player of the Week
Japanese right-fielder Ichiro Suzuki marked a milestone in his career last week, setting an MLB record by earning his 200th hit for the 10th consecutive year. The Mariner’s star has been one of most consistent players over his last ten years in Seattle. Besides breaking Ty Cobb’s AL record for most career 200-hit seasons and [...]
“MLB, YouTube aim for fans in Japan, elsewhere
Reposted from Businessweek.com:
Major League Baseball and YouTube are aiming for the fences by offering full games on demand for free to fans in Japan within 36 hours of being broadcast live.
The deal to show games, supported by advertising revenue, represents the largest partnership for premium sports content in the history of the Google Inc. video [...]
Japan wins Little League World Series
Japan defeated Hawaii to claim the Little League World Series Championship — their first since 2004 and the seventh in the island nation’s history. The Waipahu All-Stars won four out of four elimination games to make it to the finals against Japan, but the undefeated Tokyo-based team showed their discipline on defense as well as [...]
Daisuke Matsuzaka “unpredictably masterful” against the A’s
Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has struggled to perform consistently this season, delivered yesterday against the Oakland A’s. The unpredictable Japanese right-hander efficiently and effectively kept the Athletics to two hits in less than seven innings. Dice-K struck out six, allowed one run and walked two batters in Boston’s 2-1 victory. Red Sox [...]
Daisuke Matsuzaka wins 150th career game
Daisuke Matsuzaka clinched his 150th career win yesterday, throwing eight shutout innings to lead the Boston Red Sox in their 4-1 win over the Cleveland Indians. He allowed only four hits and two walks, looking much more comfortable working with catcher Victor Martinez, with whom he has struggled to “get on the same page together.” [...]
ESPN Star Sports wins broadcast rights for MLB
With Asian players like Japan’s Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki; South Korea’s Chan Ho Park and Taiwan’s Chien-Ming Wang, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has decided to retain the rights to broadcast Major League Baseball games in key Asian markets until the 2013 season. With the success of several these Asian players, baseball has [...]
Suzuki hits game-winner in wake of Griffey’s retirement
The Mariners’ Ken Griffey Jr. stunned fans when he announced his retirement from professional baseball yesterday. He will be replaced by Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki as Seattle’s headline player.
“To play with him is a treasure I will keep deep in my heart,” said Suzuki. “I have played 19 years in professional baseball and I can [...]
MLB All-Star voting
The first batch of numbers are in for this year’s MLB All-Star voting. Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners has the most number of votes for the outfield position, while the Angels’ Hideki Matsui is in second place for the designated hitter spot behind the Rangers’ Vladmir Guerrero. The Cleveland Indians’ Shin-Soo Choo, [...]
Angels’ Hideki Matsui reaches 1,000 hits
Last week, Angels designated hitter Hideki Matsui hit his 1,000th MLB hit against the Cleveland Indians. The 35-year-old Japanese import has been a consistent part of the Angels’ batting rotation, where he is expected to contribute his hitting power this year.
Matsui has been well-received by Angels fans, as well as Japanese baseball fans in Orange [...]
Bruce Chen gets first save against Mariners, Ichiro Suzuki
Panamanian Chinese baseball player Bruce Chen earned his first career save in the Majors when Kansas City called him up from the minor leagues to join the Royals’ pitching rotation. The Mariners’ superstar Ichiro Suzuki managed to break Kyle Davies’ potential no-hitter night, before going up against Chen, lefty-against-lefty. The 32-year-old coaxed Suzuki into hitting [...]
Dice-K throws six scoreless innings
Daisuke Matsuzaka looks like he’s ready to rejoin his Boston Red Sox teammates after making three successful post-rehab Triple-A starts. He threw six pain-free, score-free innings in the third match, making it 11 total shutout innings since coming back from a neck strain. The Japanese right-hander should be eligible to come off the disabled list [...]
Chien-Ming Wang, Ichiro Suzuki
Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang has been slowly gaining strength and hopes to be throwing at full-strength by April. The former Yankee is hoping to join the Nationals after suffering from a torn shoulder capsule and undergoing rehabilitation. The Nationals are hoping to add Wang to a pitching rotation that may include Stephen Strausburg, Jason Marquis, [...]
“Hideki Matsui nails Arte Moreno’s car, then goes deep”
Hideki Matsui has hit his first homer (a three-run home run) of spring training as the LA Angels beat Kansas City in a scrimmage last Wednesday. The Japanese designated hitter made his debut with the Angels in their victory over the San Diego Padres, and has been hitting well so far, despite cracking the windshield [...]
“Matsuzaka looks sharp in scrimmage”
Red Sox’s Daisuke “Dice-K” Matsuzaka returned to the mound for the first time after suffering from back and neck injuries. He pitched two innings and allowed one run in a spring training scrimmage against the Florida Marlins this week. The Japanese starting pitcher is throwing steadily and will gradually work his way back into Boston’s [...]
Pre-Season Baseball updates: Kosuke Fukudome, Dice-K, Wang Chien Ming, and Ichiro Suzuki
Though he might not be what the Chicago Cubs thought they were getting, Japanese baseball player Kosuke Fukudome is entering this third season in the MLB and the Cubs are expecting good things from the 33-year-old lefty. Fukudome recently lost the leadoff hitter position to teammate Ryan Thierot but will be “in the No.2 hole” [...]
Red Sox Pitchers: Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima
Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka recently told WEEI.com that he hopes to stay in the MLB until he’s 40, extending his three-year stint in the league another ten years or more. The 29-year-old hopes to follow in the footsteps of hall-of-famer Nolan Ryan, who played for the Texas Rangers until he was 46. Matsuzaka [...]
Baseball: Che-Hsuan Lin and Kurt Suzuki
21-year-old Taiwanese centerfielder Che-Hsuan Lin has caught the attention of the Boston Red Sox organization with his strong arm, quickness, and base-stealing. Lin has made substantial progress in the Red Sox minor leagues, hoping to impress coaches and management with his work at the plate.
According to ESPN, Lin has become fast friends with Cuban American [...]
“Daisuke Matsuzaka unlikely to be ready for opening day”
Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka has made progress this week by returning to the mound after suffering from a sore back since the start of training camp. Matsuzaka is a two-time World Baseball Classic gold medal winner and played an instrumental role in his home country’s victory. the Japanese righty also has an Olympic bronze medal [...]
Chan Ho Park signs with Yankees
Relief pitcher Chan Ho Park, the first South Korean baseball player in MLB history, has signed a $1.2 million contract with the New York Yankees yesterday. Park made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1994 and stayed with the LA club until 2001. From there he spent three seasons with the Texas Rangers (2002-05), [...]
Washington Nationals sign Chien-Ming Wang
Speculation ended today, with several media sources reporting that Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang has officially signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Washington Nationals. Wang is the third Taiwanese player to make the major leagues.
He is known for his “tremendous sinker” (sinking fastball) and served as the Yankee’s ace pitcher in 2006 and 2007. [...]
