While much of the talk on American social media is about which Japanese players who competed this past weekend in their exhibitions against the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers will eventually play Major League Baseball, the real key to Japan’s baseball future was on the field at Tokyo Dome early Monday morning.
Monday’s official practice was preceded by a two-hour coaching clinic with former MLB stars Ken Griffey Jr, Harold Reynolds, Jason Kendall and Jeremy Guthrie demonstrating a variety of drills to coaches whose young players compete in Japan’s MLB Cup.
The quartet demonstrated fundamental elements of hitting, throwing, pitching and tagging runners to a group of about 20 coaches. Guthrie, who had great grandparents who emigrated from Japan over a century ago, previously pitched at both Koshien Stadium and Tokyo Dome in the 2014 MLB-Japan All-Star tour.
Shun Nakasone (L) interprets as Ken Griffey Jr, Jason Kendall and Jeremy Guthrie demonstrate the importance of balance as Harold Reynolds provides the commentary.Continue reading Growing grass roots→
The Dodgers rolled Wednesday’s starting pitcher Roki Sasaki into their postgame interview after Los Angeles lost 3-0 to the Hanshin Tigers 3-0 on Saturday in a game Sasaki didn’t take
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki sounded Sunday as if he intends to keep his MLB debut as simple as possible.
After two preseason games in which he observed how MLB hitters reacted to his fastball and splitter, Sasaki said Wednesday’s start against the Chicago Cubs will be about executing the two pitches that earned him his high rating with MLB scouts during his time with the Pacific League’s Lotte Marines.
