Where Eagles Dare

2010 Season Preview, Part 1

Andrew — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:12:48 +0000

With Spring Training over and the exhibition schedule in full swing (it's actually still snowing heavily here in Sendai as I write this), it's time to clean the dust off of this corner of the internet in anticipation of the upcoming 2010 NPB season. First, a small note. When I started up this website last fall, [...]

2009 Report Card: #5 Fernando Seguignol

Andrew — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:15:02 +0000

. Now that I've managed to survive a motherboard failure on one of my laptops, I'm ready to continue getting the report cards going. I'll try to write one a week; that should fill in the time between now and spring training. This week's installment focuses on the man from Panama, first baseman Fernando Seguignol. The switch-hitter's 2009 [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 5 Postgame: Sayonara

Andrew — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:16:54 +0000

. SAPPORO DOME, SAPPORO - The Rakuten Eagles surprising season came to an unfortunate close Saturday evening, as they fell to the Nippon Ham Fighters 9-4 in the fifth game of the Climax Series, 2nd Stage. The loss also closes the book on manager Katsuya Nomura, who was not offered the skipper's job for the 2010 [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 5 Preview

Andrew — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:02:41 +0000

. With the season hanging in the balance, the Eagles will look to rookie left-hander Hiromichi Fujiwara to keep their slim hopes alive in an afternoon game in Sapporo today. Game 5 was going to be the wildcard game in the series for Rakuten anyways; after their top three pitchers the quality of their starters is [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 4 Postgame: Not over yet

Andrew — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:04:22 +0000

. SAPPORO DOME, SAPPORO - It wasn't pretty, but it was enough. Ma-kun came through when the Eagles needed him most, and the lineup provided a few surprises to keep their season alive for at least one more day, beating the Fighters 3-2 Friday night. Rakuten now trails Nippon Ham three games to one in the [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 4 Preview

Andrew — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:02:49 +0000

. The Eagles try to stave off elimination tonight as they battle the Fighters at the Sapporo Dome. The Rakuten offense finally sputtered last night, despite having multiple opportunities late in the game to score runs, highlowlighted by a bases loaded, no out situation in the 8th inning where they failed to produce a single run. [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 3 Postgame: Meltdown

Andrew — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:41:06 +0000

. SAPPORO DOME, SAPPORO - Boxing and baseball have few, if any similarities to each other. I suppose that both sports use a type of glove. Both sports require years of training, precision timing, and pinpoint accuracy, but at their core they are two different animals entirely. There is however, one facet, one feature, one story [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 3 Preview

Andrew — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:16:43 +0000

. Wait, game 3? What happened to game 2??? I figured I'd get these numbered properly (at least in my opinion); since the Eagles are losing the series two games to zero, it only makes sense to me that tonight's contest should be named game 3. Don't like it? Well, I don't like how grown men [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 2 Postgame: Paradise Lost

Andrew — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:26:54 +0000

SAPPORO DOME, SAPPORO - Two outs. They can come in a blink of an eye, with a second baseman turning a 6-4-3 double play. 2 outs. They can take forever, as pitch after pitch gets batted around the ball park like a pinball. ２アウト。 Sometimes, they never come at all. For a minute there, it [...]

Eagles vs Fighters CS Game 2 Preview

Andrew — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:55:35 +0000

. Stage 2 of the Pacific League Climax Series finally gets underway tonight in Sapporo, as the Nippon Ham Fighters host the Rakuten Eagles in this best-of-seven series. The Fighters begin the series with an automatic one game win, so the Eagles definitely have their work cut out for them as they begin this 6 games [...]