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 referred to as "Japanese baseball".
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Fukuoka,Fukuoka Prefecture. They compete in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a member of the Pacific League. Founded on February 22,1938,as the Nankai Club,being the first Kansai team to play in Osaka proper,the team went through a few name changes before settling on Nankai Hawks in 1947,eventually changing ownership in 1988 and moving to Fukuoka in 1989. The team subsequently became known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks until 2005,when they were purchased by SoftBank Group,becoming the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Since 1993,the Hawks have played at the Fukuoka PayPay Dome,which has gone under several name changes and seats 40,000 people.
The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters is 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.
Kazuhito Tadano is a Japanese former baseball pitcher. He had previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians. He is currently the Pitching Coach for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters farm team in Nippon Professional Baseball's Eastern League.
Jeremy Ryan Hermida is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins,Boston Red Sox,Oakland Athletics,Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres,and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
Tokyo Big6 Baseball League is an intercollegiate baseball league that features six prominent universities in the Tokyo area. Before the 1936 establishment of the Japanese Baseball League and subsequent growth of Nippon Professional Baseball,the Big6 League was widely considered the highest level of baseball in Japan.
Nelson Figueroa is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Philadelphia Phillies,Milwaukee Brewers,Pittsburgh Pirates,New York Mets,and Houston Astros. Figueroa also played for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. He featured a fastball topping out at 91 mph,slider,curveball,changeup,and a splitter. He has also worked as a post-game studio analyst for Mets broadcasts.
Micheal Yoshihide Nakamura also call as "MICHAEL" in NPB,is a Japanese-born Australian former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters,Yomiuri Giants and Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Eulogio "Frankie" De La Cruz Martínez was a Dominican baseball pitcher who played four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),as well as one season each in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). He played for the Detroit Tigers,Florida Marlins,San Diego Padres,Milwaukee Brewers,Tokyo Yakult Swallows,and Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions from 2007 to 2012. He went on to play baseball in Italy and Mexico,as well as several winter leagues.
Masao Kida is a Japanese former baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1999-2000,and 2003-2005. He is currently the manager for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters farm team in Nippon Professional Baseball's Eastern League.
Dennis Scott Sarfate is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers,Houston Astros,and Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp,Saitama Seibu Lions,and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). While an average reliever in MLB,Sarfate became one of the greatest closers in NPB history after moving his career overseas. Sarfate holds several NPB records,including most saves in a season and most by a foreign-born pitcher. As of 2020,his 234 career saves rank fifth-most in NPB history. He is a 3×NPB All-Star,a 3×Pacific League saves leader,a 5×Japan Series Champion,won the Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award,won the Pacific League MVP Award,and won the Matsutaro Shoriki Award.
Víctor J. Gárate is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals,in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and in Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the EDA Rhinos.
Alfredo Fígaro is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball debut on June 20,2009 with the Detroit Tigers and also played for the Milwaukee Brewers. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes,the KBO League for the Samsung Lions,and the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Uni-President Lions.
Wirfin Y. Obispo Vargas is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Yomiuri Giants of the Central League (2007–2010) and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of the Pacific League (2011).
Taylor Heath Jungmann is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers and for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Prior to playing professionally,Jungmann played college baseball for the Texas Longhorns,where he was a consensus All-American and won the Dick Howser Trophy.
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.
Thyago Vieira Lucio is a Brazilian professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants.
Glenn Michael Sparkman is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals,and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes.
Cody Joe Ponce is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and in NPB for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He played college baseball for the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos.
Rei Takahashi is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in NPB for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
International | |
---|---|
National |