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
Before I post this note I'd like to give a brief introduction...
My name is Jack Blake and I'm an avid baseball fan living in Seattle Wa. We here in the NorthWest have so enjoyed the experience of watching our new stars from Japan succeed and excel here in the U.S. A heartfelt thanks goes out to you on the other side of the Pacific for "loaning" us your unbelievable talent!! I truly hope that the balance will be found between letting your great atheletes come to the U.S. to challenge their skills and at the same time NOT to diminish what is obviously a rich and elite Japanese Baseball League. Thank you!!
The following is a note that I've been posting on various M's and MLB sites on the web... please feel free to respond!! We'd absolutly LOVE to have fans of the M's (or of just Ichiro, Shigi and Kazu) from across the water join us!
Here's the post.
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Hello..
To those that may be interested,
During the M's incredible run last season, the Mariners club that I was a member of became inundated with the bitter fans of the teams our Boys in Teal were embarassing on the field. They'd come into the club and post scathing one word editorials about our team. Add to that, many new members (and supposed M's fans) only seemed to be able to support and defend our team through profanity and ugliness... we had ourselves a mess.
It got ugly and boring.
So, the "best" (open to debate, I'm sure) of us got together and started our own club; "Seattle Nine". It is a "closed" membership. Invite only!!
We think it's growing into the slickest and most attractive M's club on the web.
Some of the features:
1) Up to the minute Team news and commentary by good baseball minds. (which is always open to debate)
2) A "files" section where members can post their favorite Mariners songs, calls by Dave, Rick (and yes, even Ron).. ect...ect.
3) A calendar with the entire schedule, W-L records and fun facts, records broken (lotta those) or milestones by players during the season.
4) Exclusive Mariners desktops created for and by the members for use on their computers. (show off your team support on your puter at work and at home!!)
5) A good, safe environment for ALL M's fans, regardless of age, team preferences or amount of baseball knowlege.
Profanity is NOT allowed.. nor are personal attacks to other members.. breaking of this rule is dealt with swiftly, as we have founders that pay close attention... I'd say that NEVER will an offensive post be read by anyone other than a founder. The offending poster gets ejected immediatly from the group... never to return. Our goal in this is to keep and hold a group that is enticing to ALL ages.. that parents wouldn't mind letting their children read and gain baseball insight. So far, we've not had to delete anyone.. as we're all a good bunch of folks.
Not that we're all Mr. Rogers in our debates and commentary..(that'd get old).. we're just clean about it.
As it gets closer to Opening day, myself and the other founders are building membership.
As of now we have 38 active members. Some come just to read but many of us post on a regular basis.
We have a great mix of personalities, writing styles and talent already... but more is always merrier!!
If this is something that would interest you or your friends and you'd like information on membership, feel free to email me at;
shutterbug_2_u@yahoo.com
Go M's!!
Jack
Also feel free to forward this email to any M's fans that you think would be interested!!