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2005 Nippon Professional Baseball 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 The or , also known as the for sponsorship reasons, is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League i ... 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 s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nippon Professional Baseball
is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the in 1934. The first professional circuit for the sport in Japan, the Japanese Baseball League (JBL), was founded two years later and continued to play even through the final years of World War II. The organization that is today's NPB was formed when the JBL reorganized in 1950, dividing its 15 teams into two leagues, which would meet in the annual season-ending Japan Series championship play-off series of games starting that year. NPB comprises twelve teams divided equally in two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League, a format which it has largely kept since . It has seen several waves of Expansion team, expansion and contraction, sometimes at the same time, to keep it at those number ... [...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 a private railroad company ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norichika Aoki
is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Aoki is one of only six players, alongside Ichiro Suzuki, Matt Murton, Alex Ramirez, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, and Shogo Akiyama, to amass 200 or more hits in a single season in Japanese professional baseball, and the only individual to do so in two separate seasons. He played in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics as well as the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and represented Japan in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Early life and amateur career Aoki was born in Hyūga, Miyazaki, and attended Hyuga Municipal Hichiya Elementary School and Tomishima Junior High School before going on to Miyazaki Prefectural Hyuga High School. Surprisingly, he was a pitcher throughout junior hi ... [...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 A disc herniation or spinal disc herniation is an injury to the intervertebral disc between two 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, ... 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 professional baseball coach and former player in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He is currently the manager of the Japanese national baseball team. Baseball career Ibata played second base for the Yomiuri Giants and short stop for the Chunichi Dragons The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chūbu region of Japan. The team plays in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. They have won the Central League pennant nine times (most recently in 2011 ... 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'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 Prof ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Makoto Imaoka
, nicknamed "Makochan", is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball from 1997 to 2012 for the Hanshin Tigers and Chiba Lotte Marines. Playing 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 RBI 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 before entering the Japanese professional leagues. Coaching career Imaoka spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons as the hitting coach for the Han ... [...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, 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, the 20-year-old played 7 games for Chunichi but had just one at-bat, appearing as a pinch-runner and defensive sub. 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, Araki remained a substitute, playing 40 games but only getting 12 plate appearances (2 for 10, 2 sacrifice flies, 3 SB in 3 tries). He spent 34 games in the outfield. Increased role Araki became a semi-regular in 2001 and produced at a .338/.384/.438 clip with 13 steals and 9 times caug ... [...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-Korean former professional baseball player. He is the manager of Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball from the 2023 season. His younger brother Ryota Arai, Ryota is also a former professional baseball player who played 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 List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders, 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 child. Professional career 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 one week. On September 14, he did not try to advance on a home run by E ... [...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 are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, next to their main stadium, Hanshin Koshien Stadium. The Tigers are owned by Hanshin Electric Railway Co., ... from 1998 until his retirement in 2010. References * Career statistics - NPB.jp 1968 births Living people Baseball people from Osaka Nippon Professional Baseball catchers People from Hirano, Osaka Chunichi Dragons players Hanshin Tigers players Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic baseball players for Japan Managers of baseball teams in Japan Hanshin Tigers managers Goodwill Games medalists in baseball Baseball players at the 1990 Goodwill Games {{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 Ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fukuoka Dome
, officially the is a domed baseball field located in Chūō-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Home to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the 40,000 seat stadium was built in 1993 and was originally named Fukuoka Dome. It is Japan's first stadium built with a retractable roof, and was the only baseball stadium in Japan with one until the opening of Es Con Field Hokkaido in 2023. It is the largest primary home stadium in the Pacific League. 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 Momochi Beach, and a 15 minute walk from Tōjinmachi Station, a part of the Fukuoka City Subway system. In 2003 Colony Capital purchased the stadium with accompanying hotels from Daiei, in the process Colony assumed ¥60 billion in debts with the properties along with a ¥15 billion capital infusion for renovations. After the sale of the stadium's primary tenant, the Fuk ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chiba Marine Stadium
(official name: ) is an outdoor baseball stadium in Chiba City, Chiba, Japan. It opened in 1990, with a capacity of about 30,000 spectators. It is primarily used for baseball games, and is the home field of the Chiba Lotte Marines. It is also used for rugby as well as large-scale music concerts. The stadium was built with a multi-purpose circular shape, similar in shape to some (now-defunct) American stadiums, such as Three Rivers Stadium or Busch Memorial Stadium. The inaugural event at the Chiba Marine Stadium was on April 13, 1990, with a sold-out performance of the '' Blond Ambition Tour'' by American singer Madonna; the concert was the first of three sold-out dates (April 13, 14 & 15, 1990) by Madonna at the stadium. In addition to the April 13th concert being the big opening event for the stadium, it was also the first date of Madonna’s tour itself. The April 13th show was marred by heavy rain, thunder, lightning, and high winds, which led to the production being drasti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
