Adopt a Favorite Team

It's got to be Yakult really, especially as you're a Mets fan.

They play second fiddle popularity wise (as well as financially) to the all-powerful Giants here in Tokyo - very similar situation to the Yankees/Mets in New York City.

The only difference is that, despite the vast differential in so many areas in the Giants' favor, in recent years the Swallows have more than held their own against their omnipresent crosstown rivals - 5 Central League titles each since 1990 and Yakult has won the Japan Series more times (4-3) over the same time period. Impressive stuff indeed for a team with half the payroll and a much more miniscule share of the support.

They've got the nation's most respected veteran in Atsuya Furuta (he still gives Johjima a run for his money as Japan's best catcher despite his 39 years) who's not showing any noticable signs of a downturn in form as he gets older - last season's numbers were stellar. It's also home to Akinori Iwamura - one of Japan's brightest young stars and sure to put in an appearance States-side soon enough (though I hope not too soon as he's key to our success). And Ryouta Igarashi - Japan's fastest pitcher, and from last season, its premier closer with a NPB leading 37 saves - a player who made the loss of Shingo Takatsu to MLB seem not so bad as initially feared.

Plus, if you had a chance to take in a game at Jingu Stadium, which dates from 1925, watching a ballgame surrounded by friendly and knowledgeable fans, sipping beer with the skyscrapers of Shinjuku visable in the distance, then you would be sold, no doubt. Not to mention the Y
Umbrella Dance.

Ah yes, playing second fiddle to the Giants. Well we Hanshin Tiger fans know a little about that. Our rivalry dates back to the early days of professional baseball in the 1930s. And did you know that in the 1950s alone, the Tigers came second to the Giants in the Central League no fewer than six times?

The Tigers play at the Fenway Park of Japan, Koshien Stadium, which dates from 1924. And if it's enthusiasm you want, forget the umbrella dance - experience the exciting jetto fusen balloon release in the seventh inning stretch. And if the Tigers win, there's the singing of the fight song (the de facto anthem of the Kansai region), "Rokko Oroshi." Hardly anyone goes home before they finish that.

The most raucous and enthusiastic fans in baseball, Tigers fans certainly know how to party.

I think you should stick with the Hawks. There is a reason why you like them beyond Johjima, I think. I dunno, I'm always a big fan of loyalty for teams.

I hate to admit this out loud, but I've been a pretty big Clippers' fan, since the time of Benoit Benjamin and Michael Cage. If anyone has a reason to bolt a team for ineptness and letting players go, it's a Clippers' fan. the Hawks are nowhere near that bad - who knows, maybe Softbank will turn them into a powerhouse.

I think there are only two reasons for giving up on a team:

1. Your team folds or moves (like the Expos or the Kintetsu/Orix mess), and
2. your team singlehandedly tries to ruin baseball by running up the market and killing lower-tier teams (the Yankees and Yomiuri).

You're welcome to join up as a Chunichi fan, though. I went to see them in Meiji Jingu and a guy in the Chunichi section bought me a beer. That's better than the Umbrella Dance anyday.

(A side note: I agree with Yakulto about the stadium and Furuta. I'm not crazy about them letting go of Ramirez though.)

I've thought about it, and I am definitely going to stay a Hawks' fan. I am also a big team loyalist (see: Mets, Jets, Knicks, and Rangers!), and the Hawks will have other good, young, exciting players left, such as Kawasaki, Wada, Arakaki, Saito, and Akashi among others. They also have Egawa, whom they drafted yesterday. Does anyone have a scouting report on him, or anyone else the Hawks drafted?

I hope that once Softbank comes in, they tie up the young guys to long-term deals, and they continue to raise good talent from the farm.

Let's hope so, as I'm a Hawks' fan myself. Once they get the whole "team sale" situation done, the sky will be the limit for this team.

Although I, myself, am a Yakult Swallows' fan, I am amazed at the spirit and heart that the Chiba Lotte Marines' fans show. I got to see their fans cheering in person for the first time this year at Seibu Dome - I've only seen them on TV up until then. Even though there weren't a whole lot of Marines' fans at the game I was at, every time their players came up to bat, they all banned together in the same section to sing and cheer. The volume they were able to produce when cheering is what amazed me the most, that and the dedication most of them showed even though they were being beaten by more than a couple of runs in the 9th inning.

If you're looking for a team with supporters, you might want to look into the Chiba Lotte Marines. Not because of the Bobby connection, but because of their fans' hearts. Next year, I hope to make it out to watch a Marines home game, and hopefully grab a seat near the cheering section for some fun.

I have to agree! The Chiba fans' fanaticism is probably only second to the Tigers, and if you had 54,000 of them, who knows - they might even have a shot at making more noise than the Koshien faithful. ... Naaaaaah! Close though.

Hi,

I'm from Montreal (Canada), and I just lost my team (the Expos are leaving for Washingtion). Since Major League Baseball doesn't want Montreal, I just don't want Major League Baseball anymore. So I need a new team to root for - in Japan.

I'd like low-market team (like the Expos). Can anybody help me?

Any advice will be well appreciated.

Thanks.

With all due respect, you can't blame anyone for the relocation of the Expos. How long did you think a pro team could play in an empty ball park? Why take it out on MLB? Did you expect them to subsidise a team that nobody, bar a few thousand, bothered watching? I'm sorry you lost your team, but maybe your frustration should be vented towards an apathetic local fan base.

You're attracted to small market teams? How about the Hiroshima Carp? Probably one of the best located ball parks, right downtown, across from the Peace Park and their attendances are woeful, at least for a Central League team. Mind you it's the most run down Pro Yakyu stadium I've been to. (Sendai could top it next year though.) The ground leaves a lot to be desired! Has anyone else noticed the dull lighting there as well? One gets the feeling they're just keeping their heads above water.

- With all due respect, you can't blame anyone for the relocation of the Expos. [...] Why take it out on MLB?

If you had any idea of the machinations MLB did to make sure that baseball would not be feasible in Montreal, you wouldn't be singing this song. So I suggest you read up.

[From Admin: Any suggestions on where to read up?]

The Montreal Expos are in Washington for one reason: a lack of fan interest.

Though getting back to the main point of the topic, discover the different teams in Japan and pick a favorite one. Except for Yomiuri, who are the same as the Yankees in the NPB, I would go with the Hawks or the Swallows.

OK, I'm looking forward to this reply! Please tell all about the great conspiracy theory that prevented the baseball mad population of Quebec from going to the games! Please advise or direct me to this place where I should "read up"!

- OK, I'm looking forward to this reply! Please tell all about the great conspiracy theory that prevented the baseball mad population of Quebec from going to the games! Please advise or direct me to this place where I should "read up"!

That's right.:

Strike in 1994 - MLB sold the Expos to Jeffrey Lorria knowing that he (and his midget setpson David Samson) wanted to move the team away. Lorria blacked out all media for all Expos games for 2 years (no TV, no radio).

Then, when MLB took control of the Expos, first they put Frank Robinson as manager (the worst manager ever) who, by the way, managed to not get the U.S. team to the Olympic. MLB did not approved the contract offer that the Expos made, which was about the same amount of money that the Angels ended up giving him. Anyway, what kind of league has teams with a budget over USD 120 million, and teams with USD 35 million payrolls?

And letting the Expos play in Puerto Rico? What the h*** was that?

Anyway, it's too late now. But I still believe that if MLB would have wanted the Expos in Montreal, they would have helped a little.

- Strike in 1994 - MLB sold the Expos to Jeffrey Lorria knowing that he (and his midget setpson David Samson) wanted to move the team away.

Loria didn't buy the team until the late-90's. Second, the Expos moved because there was no fan interest. Third, Loria sold the Expos to MLB to buy the Marlins.

- Then, when MLB took control of the Expos, first they put Frank Robinson as manager (the worst manager ever) who, by the way, managed to not get the U.S. team to the Olympic.

Actually, Frank Robinson did good in making the 1989 Orioles rebound from there disaterous '88 year. Second, Robinson did good at managing Montreal, having two above .500 records, and even got the Expos to 2nd place in 2002, but no one even came out and watched the Expos when they were in 2nd place.

- But I still believe that if MLB would have wanted the Expos in Montreal, they would have helped a little.

They was nothing MLB could do, no one went to Montreal Expos games. If the fans wanted the Expos to stay in Montreal they should've went to the games.

The strike in 1994 killed off the Montreal market. Montreal had the best team at the time with a lot of talent. Fans were behind them.

I don't blame the fans for running away from Montreal after the ownership pretty much got rid of every good player that came through. Randy johnson, Pedro Martinez, Vlad Guerrero, Marquis Grissom, Larry Walker, etc. All were auctioned off for cheap imitations.

Kansas City is in the same boat right now. Bad owner decisions plus the strike killed a fairly good market.

Loria also made it known he wanted to move Montreal when he bought the team.

- I don't blame the fans for running away from Montreal

How can you be so vague? The fans are the number one reason there is no team in Montreal anymore. In 2002, when they were in 2nd place, they had Bartolo Colon, Javier Vazquez, Tomokazu Ohka, Jose Vidro, and Vladmir Guerrero. Yet Montreal fans still didn't want to go to the games.

With all due respect John, I don't think I'm being vague at all.

2002 was the time that they started telling the fans from Montreal that they were going to contract. Before 1994, Montreal had good support from their fans. What do you expect from them? The ownership wasn't trying to put a winning product on the field.

MLB, who owned the team in 2002, wouldn't let them do what it took to get into first place. They allowed them to pick up Cliff Floyd , but that was after they started slumping. We don't know what would have happened if they had been allowed to act like a normal franchise and get more pitching or whatever else they needed. The fans also started creeping back in during that time - it wasn't huge, but they came out more during 2002 when they had a semi-competitive product.

They made it clear they weren't going to keep Vasquez or Guerrero after their contracts were up. I don't think Wil Cordero is enough to draw fans to the park.

I think the "vague" argument is to just say "aww, the fans didn't support them." It seems like you think Montreal just woke up one day and said "Oh well, I don't like baseball." That's just wrong. It's not like basketball fans in Charlotte who turned their back on the Hornets even though they were competitive. More often than not Montreal was fielding a mid AA team with a couple of superstars who helped bump them up to low respectability.

So tell me, John, when does a city have the right to turn it's back on a team? Never?

[From Admin: This is getting way off topic. This talk belongs on an MLB board, not this one.]

- [Frank Robinson was the] worst manager ever.

How do you justify that statement, given his relative sucesses? You seem to have a selective memory. You also posted incorrect information regarding ownership. Please check your facts before making wild exagerations.

The Expos moved because of embarassing attendances.

Tiger is right, Hiroshima is the closest thing to Montreal you are gonna get. Outdated stadiums, low or no payroll, this is the team that tried to keep Soriano permanently indentured.

Count me among the many that blame the Expos' ownership and MLB for the demise of the Expos. Also upsetting is Canada's loss of teams in the affiliated minors, but that's a different story for a different board.

I concur, Hiroshima is a decent comp / substitute team. Of course, you could always pick Rakuten.

I have lived in Osaka for the past year, but have been a Chunichi fan for the last seven years. All of my friends are Hanshin fans, but that does not mean that I will switch my loyalty just because I moved. I am also a Phillies' fan and I went to school in New York, had to watch the Yankees win every year, but never even thought that I could root for the local boys (especially the Mets).

I recommend picking one Pa-League and one Ce-League team. Stick with the Hawks. Maybe new ownership will put a shot of life into a dying franchise. The only thing Daiei is good for is a Championship sale (Yamato battleship lighters were only one hundred yen this year; last year Kokubo was free with every purchase!).