NPB better than MLB

I don't necessarily agree or disagree with you, but it seems like you would like NPB to implement a number of MLB-style features. If you really think NPB is better, why change it to be more like MLB?

One thing about NPB that I really like is the (relative) parity of the teams. Last year the Giants and Seibu ran away with their respective divisions, but this year, it's a lot more even. Daiei, Seibu, and Kintetsu all have a chance to win in the PL; and while Hanshin has a big lead in the CL, Yomiuri, Chunichi, and Yakult are still in it. The Mariners-Tigers style bloodbaths are a little less common here.

You should look around a little more at this site. This topic has already been covered repeatly in numerous threads.

I just have a comment to make about the parity of NPB. How much do people think it has to do with the influence of foreign players? The lack of parity in MLB is caused by free agency and the fact that it takes time for teams to develop young talent. In NPB, if a bad team gets lucky and got a couple of spectacular gaijin (and they might not even cost much), would it jump to contender status immediately?

In lower-level leagues such as the CPBL, this effect is obvious. The single biggest factor in winning a championship there is how good your 2-3 foreign players are. Teams there are generally not interested in developing young local talent because getting useful foreign players is simply an easier route to victory. How much of this is true in Japan?

That's a good question. Off the top of my head, I would say no, I don't think a bad team would be an instant contender with a few spectacular imports. Or if it were possible, it would have to be 4 legit stars, rather than the one or two gaijin the teams usually bring in.

Look at Yokohama, for example. They brought in Tyrone Woods for this season, and he's been hitting the cover off the ball, but they're still way beyond the rest of the league.

Hanshin, on the other hand, has gone from last, to fourth, to first in three seasons. Contributions from George Arias, Marc Valdes, and Trey Moore played a big role in getting them off the ground last year, but the additions of Kanemoto, Irabu, and Williams; the continued development of Akahoshi, Imaoka, and Hamanaka; and Fujimoto and Yano playing over their heads is really what's made them dominant this season.

I have a question for you about the CPBL: in Japan, the fans generally support the Japanese players more than the foreigners. Of course the fans support all the players, but the Japanese players are seen as the real stars. I guess it's kind of a local pride thing (others can probably explain it better). The best example I can think of is the Giants, who have won several championships without any significant foreigner player.

So is it like that in CPBL? Is there any pride in local stars?

Oh there definitely is a bias for local stars. They get more endorsement deals, you see them on more TV shows. In fact, CPBL had to reduce the number of foreign players to 2 or 3 recently (last couple years?) because fans are complaining about foreign players dominanting the competition.

However, I'm not sure if teams with more local stars actually attract more fans. The Elephants (Yankees/Giants of Taiwan) attract by far the most fans (which, in Taiwan, means something like 3000 a game) and their entire pitching staff is made up of foreign players.

I kind of expect this thread to deteriorate into a slugging match between idealist, and am happy it hasn't done so so far.

As founder of this site and one of the biggest Pro Yakyu evangelists on the Internet, one would expect me to support the declaration that NPB is better than MLB. I'm afraid that the statement is a little too broad and subjective to agree with 100%.

There are many things about Japanese baseball that appeal to me. Career team players are one of them, turning down larger offers to other cities to stay close to home. One doesn't have to learn a whole new set of names for each team every year, while MLB teams seem to replace all but one or two starting position players in two to three year cycles.

Furthermore, because of the limited number of teams, it's pretty easy to learn who the stars are on each team, as well as the more entertaining personalities. (Baseball is entertainment, after all, although some people forget that sometimes.)

The devotion and variety of cheering at the various stadiums is also a grabber. I'm sure that there's something similar in MLB, but it's so easy to become a member of something big at a game here. All it takes is a ticket to get into the gate, and a whole new world opens up to you. Normally shy people who are not in the least bit outgoing open up to any fan wanting to learn more about the game, players, or even player songs.

These are all things that surround the game, allowing fans to participate in various ways. It's a very good form of interactive entertainment, allowing for emotional roller coasters with the ups and downs of the team. (Also available in the MLB version, but to a lesser degree IMHO.)

As for the game itself, there are areas that both NPB and MLB can claim dominance. I often hear about how Japanese baseball is "better with the fundementals," yet I see an awful lot of errors on the field - mental and physical. If the fundementals are covered so well, then I feel that there shouldn't be nearly as many as I'm seeing. Orix has committed 60 errors in 59 games! (Granted, 15 of them have been by Ortiz alone.) And after the all Golden Glove infield of Yokohama in 1998, it's hard to watch them on occasion this year with multiple three-error games, the errors often being the difference between a win and loss. Are the fundementals being lost?

As for parity with foreign players is concerned, no, getting a few gaijin to carry the team doesn't equate to success here. For a good example, look at the 2002 Yomiuri Giants. They dominated both the Cenral League and the Nihon Series with pretty much only domestic players. Promising Koreans Cho and Chon didn't get too much playing time and both parted Yomiuri after the season ended. Wasdin was just 1 and 4 in seven starts. Almonte got the most work of the foreign players, taking the mound in 27 games, but mostly after games were decided one way or the other. Then Crespo was supposed to add something to the team, but I'm not sure what as he was mainly used as a pinch hitter, and not very often at that. The 2002 Giants were quite literally "Japan's team."

Marketing was touched on as a weak point in NPB, and I fully agree. Not just with making goods available, but making information available appears to be against their grain. I think that the problem lies in that each team handles its own marketing and Internet presence rather than tying all of these together at a centralized point. NPB is trying to brand things like MLB merchandising, thus the introduction of the "NPB!" logo a few years ago. But then a back room deal giving all rights of player images to a game company screwed over the Players' Union and game companies who don't appriciate paying a tax to their competitors. It's things like that that show NPB to still be a little backwards.

And speaking of a little backwords, the "Old Boys Club" (often referred to just as "OB" - meaning old-timers or former players) has way too much power over the game. On the one hand, I think that it's great that teams take care of their former players, giving them positions of influence for the future of their respective teams. On the other hand, it often perpetuates strategies and the status quo where a little bit of change can do a lot of good. While I don't really like the revolution that takes place with team faces every year in the MLB, some change is necessary.

But far and away, my number one "gripe" about Japanese baseball is that six teams playing each other 28 times each in a season is too much of the same thing. We need more variety than that. That's why I would really like to see a Pacific Rim League start up - with the Pacific League taking a lead. (The Central League owners won't give up their Giants' games until such a league is proven to work.) There are so many possiblilites with just Japan, Korea, and Taiwan participating in a league, even with teams visiting each other a limited number of series, that baseball in Japan (and Asia) can really start to evolve again, rather than stagnate against the same teams, over and over. Inter-league play like this excites me a great deal more than an all-star filled World Cup. If the Pacific League ever gets the guts to organize and put into motion such a league, then I will say that, hands down, the PRL ("Pacific Rim League") has more entertainment value than MLB.

For the time being, though, I'll just conclude that NPB is more entertaining in its own way. But MLB still has the better overall package (mainly due to its variety).

- I often hear about how Japanese baseball is "better with the fundementals," yet I see an awful lot of errors on the field - mental and physical.

Good point. I don't think I've ever seen anyone play worse first base than Hiyama earlier in the year. But blame the Hoshino, he was the one who decided that he needed Hiyama's bat in the lineup.

I really like the defensive efficiency stat for MLB. It's simply a percentage of balls put into play that the defense converted into outs. I think it's a bit more telling, because one shortstop, for example, might boot a ball that another never would have reached. It would be interesting to see an equivilant figure for NPB (though it's not exactly a measurement of fundamental skills, as it reflects speed and arm strength).

Another thing is that fundamentals isn't just defense. It's bunting, advancing the runner, working a full count, smart baserunning, etc. Most of this stuff doesn't show up in stats, so I can't really accept that either league is superior in this regard.

- But far and away, my number one "gripe" about Japanese baseball is that six teams playing each other 28 times each in a season is too much of the same thing.

Believe it or not, I kind of like this. It doesn't always work out this way, but this gives also-ran teams a chance to really make a difference in pennant races late in the season. I can see how the schedule is repititive, but I saw a lot of meaningless Chicago White Sox-Texas Rangers games in September.

- The devotion and variety of cheering at the various stadiums is also a grabber. I'm sure that there's something similar in MLB, but it's so easy to become a member of something big at a game here. All it takes is a ticket to get into the gate, and a whole new world opens up to you. Normally shy people who are not in the least bit outgoing open up to any fan wanting to learn more about the game, players, or even player songs.

So true. I can't recall if I told this story here or not, so I'll keep it short. I was a Swallows fan, but went to see other teams as well. I could only get one ticket to a Giants game at the Dome, against the Tigers. Standing room only, and I was in about the 3rd, 4th layer back, with maybe a half-hour to game time.

A Hanshin fan came up and started talking to me, and invited me to an open seat in the Tigers' outfield section. There, a number of fans were just so friendly, teaching me their songs, talking Japanese baseball history (one had seen Nomo's first game).

Absolutely wonderful time, and great kindness that I will always appreciate.

Eric

- As for parity with foreign players is concerned, no, getting a few gaijin to carry the team doesn't equate to success here. For a good example, look at the 2002 Yomiuri Giants. [...] The 2002 Giants were quite literally "Japan's team.

I don't agree with you. The Giants get all big names in its team. Other teams' stars, like Hamanaka, would have no chance to be as a starter if he played for the Giants.

If NPB lifts the limit of foreign players, I am sure the Giants will hire a lot gaijin to defend the pennant.

Petagine is a good example. If Hanshin could have gotten him this year, the Giants would have no chance.

I think what it comes down is to what kind of style and atmosphere you like.

I had been to 3 games at Osaka Dome in 1997. I saw the Nippon Ham Fighters, Seibu Lions, and Orix BlueWave (yes, I saw an injured Ichiro). I must say that I found the atmosphere to be fun. I loved the team songs, the noise makers, and the "hero" interviews after the games. I also liked the mascots associated with Kintetsu's theme park in Mie Prefecture. Then I returned to the States and Major League ball parks. ...

I must say that I like the MLB version as well. I like the fact that when the closer comes into the game that they are playing his theme music and the crowd is going crazy. I love especially what the Padres give out on Saturday games: bobbleheads; 1984 replica caps; Padres beach towels; Tony Gwynn Nesting Dolls (hey! How could I miss #19 in his final season in 2001).

My point is that the MLB has made a considerable effort since 1994 to bring the fans back. I think fans in MLB cities like the promos and little contests between innings. I think it is good that MLB teams have promos for kids. Let's not forget promos for reduced ticket prices on certain occasions.

Yes, MLB teams do change personnel every couple of years, but then that may give other teams the chance to contend for the World Series. And then new personnel will come up through the minor leagues.

I think that the NPB and MLB have to be appreciated for what they contribute to the sport of baseball.