Who is Your Favorite Player?

R.J. Reynolds and Benny Distefano were two of my favorite players in America, so they were two of my favorite NPB guys as well.

When I first started looking into Japanese baseball, I read mostly about Yakult, which led me to being a fan of Atsuya Furuta. I've never been a big fan of huge stars, though, and hadn't realized at the time how great Furuta was. So now that I've followed things closer, I might say Koichi Ohshima or Koichi Hori. I don't know why the Koichis (Ogata, too) are closer to my heart, but no one ever said fandom was logical.

Furuta, the great player and greater man, has turned me into a Swallows fan in the Central League (I never used to care much for the CL in general).

I've always liked the Lions, and it's cliche, but Matsuzaka's great, and I like Kaz Matsui, too. Hopefully he's turning things around now. Okawari Nakamura is coming along nicely, and I have a soft spot for Darvish and the Fighters.

My favorite team is the Softbank Hawks. Though my favorite player would have to be Kazuhiro Sazaki (Yokohama BayStars). Though I have too many favorite players such as Atsuya Furuta, Kazuhiro Kiyohara, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Nobuhiko Matsunaka, and Kenji Johjima.

My favorite foreign players are Chiba Lotte manager Bobby Valentine and Hawks' third baseman Tony Batista who was one of my favorite Orioles' players. I also like Benny Agbayani, John Bale, and Alex Ochoa.

I am also a big fan of HOF'er Yomiuri Giants great Shigeo Nagashima.

Definitely Daisuke Matsuzaka - pure baller. I hope he comes to the U.S. soon. I'd love to see him dominate everyone here.

Being a Swallows fan, my favorite player is Alex Ramirez. The few times I've seen the Swallows at away games, Alex always keeps the fans and kids happy by throwing the in-between innings warm up balls in the stands, and his ritual "Aiiin!" performance. Alex also does a lot of off the field work, such as donating money to local childrens welfare facilities in the Tokyo area, with the amount of money based on his monthly achievements at the plate.

Other players that I like are Atsuya Furuta, Ryo Kawashima, Norichika Aoki, Koji Uehara, Kenji Johjima, Nobuhiko Matsunaka, Tomoaki Kanemoto, Hiroki Kuroda, Mark Kroon, and Hisashi Iwakuma.

Matt Franco. I love Matty's uppercut swing and he's an underrated hitter.

Jinten Haku (Inchon Pak) is my favorite player for a number of reasons: he never gave up his Korean identity and name; he befriended and helped American players; and he was the first star in the early years of the Korean Baseball Organization.

Furuta is my favorite current player because of his great catching skills as well as his leadership of the Players Association.

It is too difficult for me to pick my favorite gaijin.

For hitting me a ball at Jingu, admittedly after bouncing off a large man and spilling his beer, Hanshin's shortstop Toritani is the man for me!

Being a big Mariners fan, my choice for the favorite player would obviously have to be Ichiro.

As for a favorite player who currently plays in Japan, it's a toss up between Kenji Johjima and Hiroshi Shibahara, both of the Hawks (sorry, I couldn't help myself). You have to love the intensity that Johjima shows game after game - and with good power hitting to boot. I also have a soft spot for Shibahara because every time I went to a Hawks game in which they managed to win in their last at-bat, he was the one who got the game-winning hit.

Uehara Koji for playing high school ball in Neyagawa and for continuing to demand Kyojin post him to the Majors.

Nakamura Takeya for having the coolest of nicknames and overcoming obesity.

Furuta Atsuya for the glasses, perseverance, Player's Union actions, and his decision to become player/coach. The player/coach is something I'd love to see more. Kiohara as coach of the Giants? They could market themselves to the hip-hop kiddies - the Gangsta' Giants.

Alex (Ochoa) for putting up numbers that are atypical of gaijin players without being considered a total failure. He's as important as Woods to the Dragons.

Yu Darvish for the bad habits and for having come out of P.L. High with a last name in Katakana. And he has promise.

Darwin Cubillan for having the coolest first name in sports since that kid who never made the NBA (Korleone Young).

Ogasawara Michihiro for the big numbers and the equally cool beard.

Tuffy Rhodes for the mere fact that he has played for so darn long in NPB and not until this past year (I blame Kyoujin) lived into the unfortunate stereotype of the gaijin player.

Ochia Hiromitsu's wife. Consistingly amusing former snack bar worker. She's much more interesting than Nomura's wife.

I suggest a separate thread on least favorite players.

If Furuta is even a little successful as a player/coach, he's going to really go up in rank with me. It'll be interesting to watch.

It's a shame that Japan's views on weight are so crooked that they think Nakamura is the fattest guy in NPB. All I've seen this year is a guy with a chubby face who has a body that's totally solid and healthy. Japan is the #1 country in the world when it comes to frequency of eating disorders, by the way.

I like Zuleta of the Hawks, Furuta of the Swallows, Wada of the Lions, Kroon, Cedric, and Tamura on the BayStars, and Woods, Fukudome, and Kawakami on my 2nd place Chunichi Dragons.

I like Tamura (BayStars). He is a great hitter with lots of power.

My favortie players: Kazuo Matsui, Michihiro Ogasawara, Kenji Johjima, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Hisashi Iwakuma, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tsuyoshi Wada, Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, and Tomokazu Ohka. I know, a lot, but I could not choose just one.

For me it has to be Johjima. Although I never thought I would like a PL team, the Hawks have really turned me into a fan. The whole team is great, from Ohmura to Torigoe. I am really hoping they win it all this year. And I will root for Johjima wherever he chooses to play in 2006.

If you had asked me this question last year, I would have answered Uehara hands down. But the Hawks have made me reconsider. There are lots of great players to enjoy and respect all over, like Matsunaka, Matsuzaka, Furuta, and so on. Sugiuchi, Nishiguchi, Watanabe, and Saitoh are having great years as well. So enjoy them all, I say, and don't limit yourself to just "your" team!

Furuta is definitely the favorite Japanese player for my two sons and I. Class act all of the way. Consistently excellent. My son wears number 27 in honor of Furuta.

Sadaharu Oh also one of our all-time favorites, along with Wally Yonamine.

Of the current gaijin, it is Alex Ramirez. Of the past gaijin, it is Dwayne Hosey.

For me it is So Taguchi because he has good in defence (nice catch), speed, batting, and experience! He's got it all and he is an A-Pro Player!

Gambatte, Mr. Taguchi!

Four Japanese: Dragons Hiromitsu Ochiai (you'll laugh, but he was a beautiful, gracefull batter) and Koji Imanaka (speed and power, but overused - thanks, Sen-chan), Buffalo Hideyuki Awano, and Swallow Atsuya Furuta.

And four non-Japanese: I was a big fan of Jesse Barfield in the majors, though he didn't do too well over here. Lloyd Moseby and Dan Gladden also worked their butts off for That Team. Alonzo Powell seemed like a great guy and a nice match for the Drags. Okay, two more: Ralph Bryant and Tuffy Rhodes.

What a good question for getting people to get up and share their thoughts!