Category Archives: Paid Content

Nagashima: A giant among Giants

Japanese baseball’s most popular player ever, Shigeo Nagashima, passed away last week at the age of 89, and across Japan, ballparks began flying their flags and observing moments of silence for the man credited with boosting the pro baseball’s popularity.

Stories about Nagashima’s playing career and his on-field charisma are legend, but I remember him only as a manager in his second and more successful stint, when he was adored by the public and players and simultaneously mocked for his ridiculous statements, idiosyncracies, and tactics.

As a player, Nagashima was a true great, with the fifth most productive career ever by a Japanese player, and the greatest who didn’t turn pro straight out of high school. For the first four years of his career, from 1958 to 1961, Nagashima was the Yomiuri Giants’ most productive player, when he was surpassed by teammate Sadaharu Oh, who remains the greatest player born in Japan to ever play baseball.

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Takahashi opens up

Kona Takahashi ended his win drought Tuesday, and a day later reflected on his progress toward MLB and his disastrous 2024 season.

For the first time in over a season and a half, the 190-centimeter Seibu Lions right-hander earned a win with six shutout innings at home against the Rakuten Eagles. In 2022, Takahashi went 12-8 with a 2.20 ERA, working more aggressively than ever, attacking the zone with an unusually solid mix and then finishing hitters off with a splitter that had joined those of Japan’s big boys.

That autumn, he told the Lions he wanted out, to play in MLB, and as is customary, he expected to be allowed to go after another good season in 2023, but was turned down. Since then, everything had gone downhill. Takahashi was hurt in camp the following spring and had a few good games but was more often unwatchable.

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