Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally,it is often called Puro Yakyū (プロ野球),meaning Professional Baseball. Outside of Japan,it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball".
Alexander Alberto Cabrera is a Venezuelan first baseman and right-handed batter who played in 2000 for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball and for 12 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. Also played several seasons in the LVBP in his native Venezuela.
The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Kitahiroshima,Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball,playing the majority of their home games at ES CON Field Hokkaido. The Fighters also host a select number of regional home games in cities across Hokkaidō,including Hakodate,Asahikawa,Kushiro,and Obihiro. The team's name comes from its parent organization,Nippon Ham,a major Japanese food-processing company.
Bradley Ross Eldred is an American professional baseball first baseman who is currently a free agent. He has also played in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Colorado Rockies,and Detroit Tigers and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. His nickname is "Big Country".
Jerome Cardell White is an American former professional baseball outfielder and coach.
Julio Ernesto Zuleta Tapia is a former professional baseball player. He played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball,from 2000 to 2001,for the Chicago Cubs,and six seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2003 to 2008,primarily as a first baseman.
Nobuhiko Matsunaka is a former left fielder and designated hitter for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
Masato Yoshii,nicknamed "Oiyan",is a retired Japanese professional baseball player,former pitching coach and current manager for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1998 to 2002.
Sherman Omar Obando Gainor is a former major league baseball player who played for the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos. His main position was outfield,but often played as a first baseman or designated hitter. He is currently the first base coach for the Charleston RiverDogs.
Hiroyuki Nakajima,nicknamed "Nakaji",is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Saitama Seibu Lions and Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the Oakland Athletics organization.
Hiromichi Ishige is a retired Japanese professional baseball player and manager in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He played most of his career for the Seibu Lions.
JoséMayobanex Fernández Rojas is a retired third baseman in Major League Baseball,the KBO League,Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB),and the Dominican Winter Baseball League. He played eleven years in the NPB,compiling a .282 batting average with 206 home runs and 772 runs batted in.
Takashi Toritani is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon Professional Baseball(NPB). He previously played with the Hanshin Tigers.
The 2012 Japan Series was the 63rd edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) championship series known colloquially as the Japan Series. The best-of-seven playoff was won by the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants in six games over the Pacific League champion Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. It was the Giants' 22nd Japan Series title,second in the last four years. The series began on Saturday,October 27,2012 and ended on Saturday,November 3,2012 at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyō,Tokyo. Giants starting pitcher Tetsuya Utsumi,who was the winning pitcher in Games 1 and 5,was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player (MVP). Giants players Shinnosuke Abe,Hisayoshi Chono and John Bowker were also recognized with Outstanding Player awards.
Tomoki Takata is a Japanese former professional baseball second baseman,and current rehabilitation coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
American expatriate baseball players in Japan have been a feature of the Japanese professional leagues since 1934. American expatriate players began to steadily find spots on Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) rosters in the 1960s. More than 600 Americans have played NPB,although very few last more than a single season in Japan.
Fumikazu Kimura is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He previously played in NPB for the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Masataka Yoshida is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
JoséGregorio Osuna is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the 73rd season of professional baseball in Japan since Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) was reorganized in 1950. There are 12 NPB teams,split evenly between the Central League and Pacific League.
