Matsunaka Takes Triple Crown

What was the deal with the 1982 year? Ochiai has good numbers, but his numbers aren't triple crown numbers. Plain luck or is there are an explanation?

I had been meaning to post about Matsunaka's great season for some time now, but never got around to it. It's a shame that Matsunaka's Triple Crown hasn't gotten more attention with all this other stuff around. I recall that Matsui's stated goal in his last season in Japan (2002) was to win the Triple Crown, which got loads of media attention. Has Matsunaka received anywhere near that level of TV coverage? Just curious.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka of the Daiei Hawks has pulled off a feat that hasn't been seen for a while in baseball. With his .358 BA, 44 Home Runs, and 120 RBI, he is a Triple Crown winner.

Very impressive stuff. Takes a backseat to all the labor talks, but impressive nonetheless.

Beside the game Taiwan's team had played, our TV broadcasts broadcasted every game played by Japan's team. Having watched Olympic baseball games and go to NPB statistics for a look, I was wondering, why is it that some players that have really good stats like Matsunaka didn't participate in the Olympics? Especially those leaders in Central League? But some reporter here said "Japan dispatched the best 100%-All-Star dream team ever" (which actually is not true after viewing the records).

They even think 3A is better than NPB. (I don't think so. If so, why have NPB players gone to play in MLB without playing 3A?) For example, they also even said the two pitchers (Tsao, Rockies/3A, and Wang, Yankees 3A) who pitched for Taiwan are "definitely stronger" than Chang (Seibu), who ranked within 5th in both Wins and ERA. Afterward the other reporter here "corrected" them, but it's too late because most people are believing this.

So I sincerely suggest that it's in NPB's best interest to promote Japan's baseball to the world. Otherwise, no matter how good Matsunaka has performed, it will be "invisible."

... why is it that some players that have really good stats like Matsunaka didn't participate in the Olympics...

I think part of the reason is that they took only two players from each team - obviously because the Olympics were in the middle of the baseball season, and it wouldn't have been fair to the front running teams if they'd selected all the guys at the very top. I think the team they sent over was representative of the best of Pro Yakyu, even without Matsunaka.

- So I sincerely suggest that it's in NPB's best interest to promote Japan's baseball to the world.

The NPB needs to realize your dream, and realize that there are NPB fans outside of Japan. It's up to the NPB management to market to their fans outside of Japan.

I might be wrong on this, but I believe the team Japan selection was done before the season began. At that point, I don't think many people would argue that Ogasawara was the top first baseman in Japan. I mean, I wouldn't have expected Matsunaka to have a better season than Ogasawara, let alone a Triple Crown season.

About the 3A vs. NPB argument - I'm not sure what "correction" you are refering to, but it's quite clear to everybody in Taiwan that Tsao and Wang were better pitchers than Chang. Those two were expected to be the aces of the team even before the tournament, not Chang. The fact that some Japanese players have gone to play MLB without playing 3A just means there are players in Japan who are of MLB caliber, it doesn't mean the avgerage NPB players are better than the avgerage 3A players. I mean there are MLB caliber players in 3A, too. That's where most of the MLB rookies come from.

- About the 3A vs. NPB argument - I'm not sure what "correction" you are refering to, but it's quite clear to everybody in Taiwan that Tsao and Wang were better pitchers than Chang... not Chang.

1. Not "everybody," as you can see some other people discussing topic here "Who is the best pitcher of Taiwan?"


2. Many people in Taiwan "think so" just because "most" reporters think so and had said that.


3. I should clarify, I am not going to compare anything for any leagues. MLB players go to Japan to play NPB and NPB players go to the US to play MLB. Baseball is such a good sport we love and everyone knows it was originated from the US. But it's meaningless to say "MLB" is definitely better (I mean, because you say, NPB and 3A both have MLB calibers, so you think MLB is higher right? If so, why don't you say, MPB and 3A both have NPB calibers?).
   
   Kanji (Chinese alphabet) was originated from China but Japan also uses it. Some words in Japan are not the same as the original Chinese, now. Then China "simplified" the character set three decades ago, while "traditional" Chinese characters are still being used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Then, how does one judge "which Kanji is standard?"

So, by "correction" I mean not to judge who is stronger, because things are really different.

I'll admit, "everybody" is an exaggeration. I was in fact refering to the media and just from discussions with other fans in Taiwan, so the sample space is limited.

I see your point about having no way to meansuring the "quality" of Kanji. However, there are objective ways of meansuring the quality of baseball leagues. Namely, just pick an average team from league A and an average team from league B. Whoever you think will win a larger percentage of games out of 100 (or any large enough number) belongs to a better league. Under this metric, I don't see how anybody can argue that MLB is not better than NPB.

I don't think the Olympics were the right vehicle to promote NPB at all. No one watched the Olympics baseball tournament in the U.S.

The real deal is to get NPB on U.S. TV. I know most American ex-pats see ESPN as the holy grail, but very little of what ESPN has done in the past 5 years makes me think they want to show NPB. They barely even show Champions League soccer. But there are other stations. I think Fox Sports World, which is a station that shows soccer and rugby, would jump at showing NPB.

The other two things I'd argue for are an English NPB web site (like MLB.jp, although more comprehensive I hope!) and some sensible merchandising prices. I know Japan is the land of the $10 coffees, but $370 for an Abe jersey is absolutely ridiculous.

- The real deal is to get NPB on U.S. TV.

First, the NPB needs to realize this, and sign a television agreement with either FOX or ESPN. I could care less who they sign with. FOX is better than Fox World Sports, for the fact that not everyone has it, whereas everyone has a local FOX station. If they put the NPB on the local FOX stations, or even FX, I could see it being successful.

But on Fox World Sports, I don't see many watching the NPB because many don't have it. Everyone has local stations, and FX, and I wouldn't have a problem because I would be able to watch the games.

- The other two things I'd argue for are an English NPB web site (like MLB.jp, although more comprehensive I hope!) and some sensible merchandising prices.

First we need the NPB-BIS web site to make their Japanese web site informative, before they can make an English web site - unlike the English one a few years ago. Also, NPB teams need to learn to merchandise better, maybe an official licensing agreement like the MLBPA would solve this. They could always put in under the JBBPA, though I don't see the owners wanting to do that.

- [...] and sign a television agreement with either FOX or ESPN [...]

Frankly, I'd rather see NPB first look after the Japanese TV market. For example, the exciting weekend playoff series between Seibu and Nippon Ham was not telecast in Kansai - not even on any of the five sports cable channels I subscribe to. Maybe they thought that there wouldn't be much interest in this region because neither team comes from here. Yet a meaningless regular season game between Yakult and Chunichi was shown. It's a mystery how the guys in charge of promoting NPB are able justify their salaries.

Of course, Matsunaka's feat is not as impressive as those of Ochiai and company due to the dilution as players have left for MLB. If Ichiro were still in the Pacific League, he likely would have won the Batting Title, robbing Matsunaka of one leg of the Crown.

I'd noticed this on what turned out to be the last day of the season. Not only was the story buried by troubles, but he didn't even get a full-page in the sports dailies when it became official.

I just hate the Hawks (no good reason, really) but Matsunaka is incredible: tough, powerful, honest, and a strong Union-man who has come right into management's face when they've tried to "nip-on" him at contract time.

A belated congratulations, Nobu!