This is a site about Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball), not about who the next player to go over to MLB is. It's a community of Pro Yakyu fans who have come together to share their knowledge and opinions with the world. It's a place to follow teams and individuals playing baseball in Japan (and Asia), and to learn about Japanese (and Asian) culture through baseball.
It is my sincere hope that once you learn a bit about what we're about here that you will join the community of contributors.
Michael Westbay
(aka westbaystars)
Founder
Yagi, in recent years a pinch-hitting specialist (he is known as the God of Pinch Hitters among Hanshin fans) has struggled this season, putting up only half the numbers he managed in 2003. At 39, he is also apparently finding it tough to stay in physical shape. He is quoted as saying that sitting on the bench all night has meant he has lost lower-body strength, and that it takes him a long time to recover from game- and training-induced fatigue.
Rather than sending Yagi to the farm, Okada-kantoku said in today's SanSpo that he will keep Yagi with the top team, and that he will likely be re-entered into the roster at a later date.