Related Research Articles
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 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes were a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team based in Osaka,Japan,which was in the Pacific League. In 2005 the team was merged with the Orix BlueWave to become the team now known as the Orix Buffaloes. The team played in Fujiidera Stadium,and later in Osaka Dome.
The Chiba Lotte Marines are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City,Chiba Prefecture,in the Kantōregion,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.
Tadahito Iguchi,nicknamed "Gucci",is a Japanese served professional baseball second baseman and former manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Derrek Leon Lee,nicknamed "D-Lee",is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Lee played with the San Diego Padres,Florida Marlins,Chicago Cubs,Atlanta Braves,Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Matthew Henry Murton is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs,Oakland Athletics,and Colorado Rockies. Murton also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers.
George Lee Altman is an American former professional baseball outfielder who had a lengthy career in both Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. A three-time National League All-Star,he appeared in 991 games over nine full seasons in the major leagues. Then,at age 35,he began an eight-year tenure in Japanese baseball,where he would hit 205 home runs and bat .309 with 985 hits.
Leron Lee is an American former professional left fielder. He played eight seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals,Los Angeles Dodgers,Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He then played eleven seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball for the Lotte Orions,where he was a four-time All-Star and a four-time Best Nine Award-winner. His nephew Derrek Lee also played in the MLB.
Kosuke Fukudome is a retired Japanese professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2012,primarily with the Chicago Cubs and had a long spanning career in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Chunichi Dragons and Hanshin Tigers.
Julio Ernesto Zuleta Tapia is a Panamanian 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.
Hiromitsu Ochiai is a Japanese former professional baseball manager and player. He is former manager of the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He is considered to be one of the most important players in the history of Japanese baseball,winning numerous batting awards and being the only player to receive the prestigious triple crown batting award three times. With 510 career home runs,Ochiai is sixth on the all-time NPB list. Ochiai's style is called Oreryu(オレ流). Oreryu means "to do with only my style." The word described how he acted according to his personal philosophies.
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.
Edgar Gonzalez is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants.
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.
JoséDaniel Ortiz Santos is a Dominican former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and Colorado Rockies and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes,Chiba Lotte Marines,Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks,and Saitama Seibu Lions.
Leonys Martín Tápanes,nicknamed "Ikadi",is a Cuban-American professional baseball center fielder for the Conspiradores de Querétaro of the Mexican League. He signed with the Texas Rangers in 2011,and made his MLB debut later that season. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners,Chicago Cubs,Detroit Tigers,and Cleveland Indians and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Kazuya Fukuura is a Japanese professional baseball first baseman for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He began his career as a pitcher.
Baek In-chun is a retired Korean baseball player. Baek spent most of his career playing in Nippon Professional Baseball. He finished his career in Korea with the KBO League and then got into managing. Baek holds the KBO record for highest batting average in a season;as a manager he led the LG Twins to their first KBO championship.
Arismendy Alcántara is a Dominican professional baseball center fielder and second baseman who is a free agent. Alcántara signed as an international free agent with the Chicago Cubs in 2008 as a shortstop. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cubs,Oakland Athletics,and Cincinnati Reds and in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
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.
References
- 1 2 Jenkins, Lee (March 2, 2005). "A Baseball Career Hangs in the Balance". The New York Times . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ↑ "1971 Draft -- June Regular Phase". MLB.com . Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ↑ Whiting, Robert. You Gotta Have Wa (Vintage Departures, 1989), p. 27.
- ↑ Fitts, Robert K. (March 21, 2005). Remembering Japanese baseball: an oral history of the game. Southern Illinois University Press. p. xxx. ISBN 0-8093-2629-9.
- ↑ Greenstein, Teddy (October 11, 2003). "A Marlin with links to Chicago - Lee's dad scouted for Cubs in Asia". Chicago Tribune . Newsbank. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ↑ "Leon Lee accused of exposing himself". ESPN.com . April 9, 2004. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
- ↑ Cabral, Rick (July 1, 2013). "Sidebar: The Saint Lucie Hotel Incident". BaseballSacramento.com . Retrieved July 7, 2013.