Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called Puro Yakyū (プロ野球), meaning simply Professional Baseball; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball."
The Japan Series, also the Nippon Series, is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a best-of-seven series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League, and is played in October or November. The first team to win four games is the overall winner and is declared the Japan Series Champion each year. The Japan Series uses a 2–3–2 format.
The Chiba Lotte Marines are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by Lotte Holdings Co., Ltd. The Marines were a founding member of the Pacific League in 1950 as the Mainichi Orions when the Japanese Baseball League reorganized into Nippon Professional Baseball, where they won the inaugural 1950 Japan Series. Since 1992, the Marines' home ballpark has been ZOZO Marine Stadium, located in the Mihama Ward of Chiba, seating 30,118 people.
Seth Adam Greisinger is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1998–2005.
Michael Anthony Diaz is an American former professional baseball player. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball between 1983 and 1988, for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox. He also played four seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 1989 to 1992. After starting his career as a catcher, he split his time about equally between first base and the outfield.
Hirokazu Sawamura is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played in NPB for the Yomiuri Giants and the Marines, and has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 212 pounds (96 kg), he throws and bats right-handed.
Yasutomo Kubo is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Hamburg Stealers of the German Baseball Bundesliga. He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2005 to 2008, the Hanshin Tigers from 2009 to 2013, and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars from 2014 to 2017.
Takahiro Fujioka is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and Yomiuri Giants.
Manabu Mima is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon Professional Baseball(NPB). He played for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Nao Higashihama is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball.
Masaumi Shimizu is a Japanese former professional baseball Catcher ,and current the second squad battery coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Hidetaka Kawagoe, nicknamed "Goe", is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, and current the fourth squad pitching coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Ayumu Ishikawa is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Matthew Edward Duffy is an American former professional baseball corner infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Keisuke Takano is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines and Hanshin Tigers, and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the CTBC Brothers.
Kenji Yoshitsuru is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball catcher, and current the third squad battery coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Yuki Tsumori is a Japanese professional baseball Pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball.
Kenta Chatani is a Japanese professional baseball Infielders for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball.
Cristopher Crisostomo Mercedes, also known as C. C. Mercedes, is a Dominican professional baseball starting pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an international free agent in 2011 and pitched for the Yomiuri Giants of NPB from 2017 to 2022. Crisostomo is listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 180 pounds (82 kg) and throws left handed. He is a switch hitter.
Raito Ikeda is a professional Japanese baseball player. Selected in the second round of the 2021 NPB Draft from Kokushikan University, he plays infielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
