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2005 NPB Season
In the Nippon Professional Baseball season ended with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Pacific League defeating the Hanshin Tigers of the Central League in a four-game sweep in the Nippon Series. Format Central League * Season Format ** Regular Season * Regular Season 1st place is the champion Pacific League * Season Format ** Regular Season ** Playoff 1st Stage: Regular Season 2nd place vs. Regular Season 3rd place – Best of 3 ** Playoff 2nd Stage: Regular Season 1st place vs. Playoff 1st Stage winner – Best of 5 * Playoff 2nd Stage winner is the champion Japan Series * Central League champion vs. Pacific League champion – Best of 7 Standings Central League Regular season Pacific League Regular season Playoff 1st Stage Chiba Lotte Marines (2) vs. Seibu Lions (0) Playoff 2nd Stage Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2) vs. Chiba Lotte Marines (3) Japan Series Leaders Batting Pitching Awards Best Nine Awards Central League Pacific League Gold Gloves Centra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the in Tokyo, founded in 1934, and the original circuit for the sport in the Empire two years later – Japanese Baseball League (1936–1949), and continued to play even through the final years of World War II. The league that is today's NPB for Japan was formed when that sports organization reorganized in 1950, creating two leagues with six teams each in the Central League and the Pacific League with an annual season-ending Japan Series championship play-off series of games starting that year. The NPB also oversees the Western League (Japanese baseball), Western League and the Eastern League (Japanese baseball), Eastern League, NPB's minor league, minor leagues. Since the first Japan Series in , the Yomiuri Giants have the most cha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Holdings. The team experienced a recent period of financial difficulty, but the situation brightened when the team received a record ¥6 billion (about $51.11 million) posting fee from the Boston Red Sox for the right to negotiate a contract with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Between 1978 and 2008, the team logo and mascot were based on the adult version of Kimba the White Lion, a classic Japanese anime and manga series by Osamu Tezuka. In 2004, former Seibu Lions player Kazuo Matsui became the first Japanese infielder to play in Major League Baseball. Franchise history Nishitetsu Clippers (1950) In 1950, the team became a founding member of the Pacific League. It was then owned by Nishi-Nippon Railroad, which was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norichika Aoki
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). Aoki is one of only six players, alongside Ichiro Suzuki, Matt Murton, Alex Ramirez, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, and Shogo Akiyama, to amass 200 or more Hit (baseball), hits in a single Season (sports), season in Nippon Professional Baseball, Japanese professional baseball, and the only individual to do so in two separate seasons. He played in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic, 2009 World Baseball Classics as well as the Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2008 Beijing Olympics, and represented Japan national baseball team#2017, Japan in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Early life and amateur career Aoki was born in Hyūga, Miyazaki, and attended ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norihiro Akahoshi
is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball player from Kariya, Aichi, Japan. He played as an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers. Akahoshi announced his retirement on December 9, 2009. During the 2009 season, he was first deactivated in early July after sustaining a neck injury. Then, on September 12, his last game, Akahoshi aggravated a spinal disc herniation Spinal disc herniation is an injury to the cushioning and connective tissue between vertebrae, usually caused by excessive strain or trauma to the spine. It may result in back pain, pain or sensation in different parts of the body, and physical ... when he dove headfirst in an attempt to catch a ball. He was diagnosed with spinal damage and has experienced pain in his neck and lower back as well as numbness in his hands and feet since. References External links * * Living people 1976 births People from Kariya, Aichi Baseball people from Aichi Prefecture Asia University (Japan) alumni Japanese baseball player ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hirokazu Ibata
Hirokazu Ibata (Japanese:井端 弘和, born May 12, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball player in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Baseball career Ibata played second base for the Yomiuri Giants and short stop for the Chunichi Dragons but is able to play at other positions. After retiring at the end of the 2015 season, Ibata took up new Giants' manager, Yoshinobu Takahashi Yoshinobu Takahashi (高橋 由伸, born April 3, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball player and manager. He spent his entire playing career with the Yomiuri Giants and served as the team's manager for three seasons. He graduated ...'s invitation to join his coaching staff. References External links * * 1975 births Living people Asia University (Japan) alumni Baseball designated hitters Chunichi Dragons players Japanese baseball coaches Japanese baseball players Nippon Professional Baseball coaches Nippon Professional Baseball infielders Sports ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Makoto Imaoka
Makoto Imaoka (今岡 誠, born September 11, 1974), nicknamed "Makochan", is a former Japanese professional baseball player from Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan. Career Imaoka spent several uneventful seasons in the Japanese professional leagues before being chosen as the leadoff batter by Senichi Hoshino, who managed the Hanshin Tigers from 2002 to 2004. Imaoka won the batting title in 2003 with a .340 batting average, and his team won the Central League pennant the same year. He had previously played shortstop and second base, but was converted to third base in 2004. He continued his hitting prowess, and led the league with 147 RBIs in 2005. He fell into a huge slump in 2006, and missed half of the season due to injuries. He won a silver medal playing for the Japanese national team in the 1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an interna ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masahiro Araki
is a retired Japanese professional baseball player. He played predominantly at second base for the Chunichi Dragons. He was noted for his speed and defense. Early career Araki was a first-round draft pick by Chunichi in 1995, out of high school. In 1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ..., he made his NPB debut and hit .179/.203/.209 in 74 plate appearances; he did steal 12 bases in 16 tries to lead his team. Araki was used as a defensive substitute in the outfield and at shortstop. In 1998 in baseball, 1998, the 20-year-old played 7 games for Chunichi but had just one at-bat, appearing as a pinch-runner and defensive sub. 1999 in baseball, The next year, he went 1 for 4 in 16 games in a similar role; in four steal attempts, he was only successful once. In 2000 in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Takahiro Arai
Takahiro Arai (Japanese: 新井 貴浩, born January 30, 1977 in Naka-ku, Hiroshima) is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. His younger brother Ryota Arai, Ryota is also a professional baseball player currently playing for Hanshin Tigers. College baseball career In 1998, he participated in the Tohto University Baseball League and went 6 for 12 against an American collegiate All-Star team, winning him the league's RBI title. He only homered twice in college. He was drafted in the sixth round of the '98 NPB draft by the Hiroshima Carp, the team he had followed as a kid. Hiroshima Toyo Carp In 1999, Arai hit .221/.288/.484 for Hiroshima, but homered 7 times in 95 AB. He was involved in two bone-head plays in the course of a week. On September 14, he did not try to advance on a home run by Eddy Diaz because he thought it would be caught; Diaz passed him on the bases, resulting in an out. A week later, he lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Akihiro Yano
is a former Japanese baseball player in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He started his career as the Number 2 Draft pick with the Chunichi Dragons in , and played for the Hanshin Tigers The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway ... from 1998 until his retirement in 2010. Currently, he serves as the Tigers' manager. References * Career statistics - NPB.jp 1968 births Living people Baseball people from Osaka Nippon Professional Baseball catchers Chunichi Dragons players Hanshin Tigers players Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic baseball players of Japan Managers of baseball teams in Japan Hanshin Tigers managers {{Japan-baseball-catcher-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hiroki Kuroda
is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 1997 to 2007 before playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2008 to 2011 and New York Yankees from 2012 to 2014. After the 2014 season, he chose to return to the Carp to finish out his career. In NPB, Kuroda won the Best Nine Award in 2005 and was NPB ERA Champion in 2006. He also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with the Japanese national baseball team. Kuroda was appointed UNITAR Goodwill Ambassador on 14 September 2015. Early days Kuroda was born and lived in Osaka (Suminoe-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu). His father, Kazuhiro Kuroda, was also a professional baseball player who played for the Nankai Hawks. He attended Uenomiya High School in Osaka, where he would attend classes and practices from 5 am until 10 pm. He then attended Senshu University in Tokyo. Playing career Nippon Professional Baseba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fukuoka Dome
The is a baseball field, located in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Built in 1993, the stadium was originally named and has the capacity of 38,585 seats. With a diameter of 216 meters, the Fukuoka PayPay Dome is the world's largest geodesic dome. This is Japan's first stadium built with a retractable roof. In 2005, Yahoo! JAPAN, one of SoftBank's subsidiaries, acquired the stadium's naming rights, and thus renamed it or abbreviated as , In January 2013, it was renamed to . Yafuoku is the abbreviation for Yahoo! Auctions in Japan. On October 30, 2019, it was announced that the stadium was going to be named Fukuoka PayPay Dome, in reference to the payment system PayPay owned by Softbank (50%) and Yahoo Japan (25%), from February 29, 2020. It is one of the few NPB stadiums with onsite hotels. History Fukuoka Dome is the home stadium of Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and, together with Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk Hotel, is part of the Hawks Town entertainment complex. It is located near Momoch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chiba Marine Stadium
(official name: ) is a stadium in Chiba City, Chiba, Japan. It opened in 1990 and holds approximately 30,000 people. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Chiba Lotte Marines. It is also used for Rugby union. The stadium was built in a multi-purpose circular shape, similarly shaped like now-demolished American stadiums like Three Rivers Stadium or Busch Memorial Stadium. The official opening of the stadium was on April 13, 1990, when popstar Madonna opened her Blond Ambition Tour at the venue. The show was blighted by heavy rain and high winds which led to the concert being dramatically scaled back, as documented in her documentary ''Truth or Dare''. She did successfully do two other shows on the 14 & 15 April. Lady Gaga performed 2 sold-out shows at the venue on August 13 and 14, 2014, for her ArtRave: The Artpop Ball tour. The Summer Sonic Festival is held at the stadium, as well as the Makuhari Messe, every summer. Electric Daisy Carnival Japan is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
