Tag Archives: Adam Walker

NPB news: May 12, 2023

A documentary about Japan’s World Baseball Classic team is coming out, one Samurai has failed to keep his hands to himself, while another, Kensuke Kondo, had a night against his old team. Hayato Sakamoto passed a legend and we had some great baseball with two teams avoiding being swept and three others that weren’t so fortunate.

Yamakawa accused of sexual assault

Seibu Lions first baseman Hotaka Yamakawa was in the news Thursday, or rather he was the news, after Bunshin Online published a report in a which a woman acquaintance in her 20s alleges he sexually assaulted her in a Tokyo hotel, leaving her with injuries to her lower body. The report said the 31-year-old Yamakawa admitted to a relationship with the young woman, but denied using force.

Asked about it at Thursday’s game at Seibu Dome, Yamakawa declined to comment.

Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police said they are looking into the matter, and Seibu did what Seibu does in these cases – this is not their first – they said they are monitoring the situation.

One for the history books

Soon after Japan was denied a WBC championship for the first time in 2013, Nippon Professional Baseball decided to bolster its effort by creating a subsidiary whose job it is to organize, sell and promote the national team.

Continue reading NPB news: May 12, 2023

NPB news: Sept. 11, 2022

The Yakult Swallows went from being a fish food feast to creating famine in Yokohama, while the Pacific League lead changed again and another pitcher may be headed to the next “Yuki Yanagita got me too” support group, while Adam Walker had a big game, and Hiroto Kobukata made sure the PL playoff is not exclusively about three teams.

Before we get into it, one of my favorite unbelievable Yanagita homers, from the May 26, 2021, interleague game against the Giants.

Let’s get to the games:

Swallows 1, BayStars 0: At Yokohama Stadium, Yasuhiro Ogawa (7-6) went seven innings, allowing five hits but no walks while striking out four and singling in the game’s only run in the fifth inning off Shinichi Onuki (10-7). This game was not that close as Yakult stranded 10 runners. Noboru Shimizu and Scott McGough each allowed a hit in a scoreless inning with McGough earning his 36th save.

Continue reading NPB news: Sept. 11, 2022