How Japan Took Over Baseball

Summary

The video explores the extreme and disciplined training culture of Japanese baseball, from intense high school training camps to the legendary national tournament Koshien. It traces Japan's baseball history, from adopting the sport to exceeding the US. Despite limited MLB players, Japan dominates international play. Superstars like Ichiro and Ohtani are changing perceptions. More top prospects like Sasaki plan to skip NPB and head straight to MLB, proving Japan is now the world's premier baseball nation.

Takeaways

• 😲 Japanese baseball has extremely intense training even at youth levels - players practice 8+ hours a day and coaches make $200K+
• 🏅 High school baseball tournaments in Japan, like Koshien, are massively popular with intense dedication from players
• 😡 Historically, corporal punishment from coaches in Japanese baseball was common and extreme
• 💪 MLB players are often shocked by the strict regimens and militaristic culture when they come to play in Japan
• 👫 Foreign players in Japan have faced many challenges being accepted into culture & competing for records
• 🌎 Japan's surprise victory in the first World Baseball Classic in 2006 was a pivotal, iconic moment
• 🌟 Ichiro's MLB arrival opened the floodgates for more Japanese stars and showed skeptics their talent
• 📈 Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan has exploded in popularity and matches MLB in attendance
• 🏆 Shohei Ohtani's global stardom is inspiring a new wave of Japanese MLB players
• 🇯🇵 Japan has a very strong case to now be considered the top baseball country in terms of talent and popularity

Q & A

How does the introduction of hovercrafts and zipline entrances in Japanese baseball games contrast with their rigorous training and discipline?

The use of hovercrafts and ziplines for team introductions contrasts sharply with the rigorous and disciplined nature of Japanese baseball training. These elements add an entertainment and spectacle aspect to the games, highlighting the unique blend of strict tradition and modern, showmanship-focused approaches in Japanese baseball culture.

What is the significance of high school baseball in Japan, and how does it reflect the country's approach to the sport?

High school baseball in Japan is of paramount importance, reflecting the country's intense approach to the sport. The rigorous practice schedules, the significance of high school tournaments, and the societal expectation for discipline and dedication at a young age demonstrate how deeply ingrained baseball is in Japanese culture and education.

How does the treatment of players in Japanese baseball, including practices like long hours and corporal punishment, compare to norms in other countries?

Japanese baseball is known for its extreme discipline, including practices such as long practice hours and, historically, corporal punishment. This contrasts with norms in many other countries, where there is a greater focus on player welfare, regulated practice hours, and an emphasis on avoiding overexertion and physical punishment.

What role does the cheering section play in Japanese high school baseball, and how does it mirror the intensity of the sport itself?

The cheering section in Japanese high school baseball plays a vital role, undergoing intense training similar to the players themselves. This reflects the overall seriousness and dedication to baseball in Japan, where even the supporters are expected to show extreme commitment and discipline, mirroring the intensity and passion for the sport.

How does Ichiro's training regimen in his youth compare to the average training regimen in Japanese baseball?

Ichiro's training regimen, involving intense practice and limited leisure time, is reflective of the broader, rigorous training culture in Japanese baseball. While his regimen was particularly strenuous, it is indicative of the high expectations and disciplined approach ingrained in Japanese baseball from a young age.

What impact did the Human Rights Watch report have on the practices within Japanese baseball, particularly regarding corporal punishment?

The Human Rights Watch report on child abuse in sports, including Japanese baseball, brought significant attention to the harsh practices, including corporal punishment. It sparked discussions and calls for reform within the system, aiming to protect young athletes and promote a healthier, more supportive environment for player development.

How do the baseball training philosophies in Japan contribute to the country's success in international competitions like the World Baseball Classic?

The rigorous training philosophies in Japan, characterized by discipline, dedication, and resilience, contribute significantly to the country's success in international competitions like the World Baseball Classic. The intense preparation and mental fortitude instilled in players from a young age equip them with the skills and mindset needed to excel on the global stage.

What is the cultural significance of the summer Koshien tournament, and how does it reflect the values of Japanese society?

The summer Koshien tournament is a culturally significant event in Japan, reflecting values such as discipline, perseverance, and collective effort. It's not just a baseball tournament; it's a national event that showcases the dedication of young athletes and the importance of baseball as a platform for teaching life values and societal norms in Japan.

How do the experiences and expectations of professional baseball players in Japan differ from those in Major League Baseball (MLB)?

Professional baseball players in Japan experience a more regimented and collective environment, with strict discipline, intensive training, and expectations of loyalty to the team. This contrasts with MLB, where players have more individual freedom, a less demanding schedule, and a stronger focus on personal branding and individual performance.

What factors have contributed to the increase in Japanese players transitioning to MLB, and how has this affected the perception of Japanese baseball internationally?

Factors contributing to the increase in Japanese players in MLB include the success and influence of pioneering players like Ichiro and Otani, the implementation of the posting system, and the global recognition of Japanese baseball talent. This transition has positively affected the international perception of Japanese baseball, highlighting its high skill level and competitive nature on the global stage.

Outlines

00:00

🏟 History and Culture of High School Baseball in Japan

Highlights the intense and disciplined training regimen for high school baseball in Japan, often considered child abuse by American standards. Covers the harsh punishments, long practice hours, playing through injuries, and the prestige of the national Koshien high school baseball tournament.

05:01

😤 Extreme Dedication and Sacrifice in Japanese Baseball

Describes the extreme dedication and sacrifice of Japanese high school baseball players to succeed and play in the prestigious Koshien tournament, including a team forfeiting due to an incident at their school and players suffering heat strokes but continuing to play.

10:01

😱 Insane Pitch Counts and Injuries in Pursuit of Koshien Glory

Details the insane pitch counts and subsequent injuries endured by star high school pitchers in pursuit of Koshien tournament success. Includes famous showdowns between star pitchers who threw 500+ pitches in a few days.

15:02

🤕 Addressing Abuse and Reforming Youth Baseball in Japan

Discusses moves to address abusive coaching practices in Japanese youth baseball, while noting such harsh methods have also produced disciplined, respected players. Mentions mixed signals as some schools relax rules but abuse incidents still occur.

20:05

😤 Why Koshien Dominates Japanese Sports Culture

Emphasizes the massive popularity and importance of the Koshien high school tournament, explaining how it draws bigger crowds than professional baseball and has fanatical cheering squads.

25:08

⚾️ NPB: Demanding Lifestyle But Extreme Loyalty

Describes the demanding lifestyle for professional baseball players in NPB, including living in dorms, strict regimens and little freedom. But also notes the extreme loyalty players show to their teams.

30:10

😡 Culture Clash: MLB Players Struggle in NPB

Details culture clashes between American MLB players coming to the NPB system in Japan, which expects complete dedication. Includes infamous on-field brawls and off-field issues.

35:11

🤝 Nomo Opens MLB Door, Ichiro Kicks it Down

Explains how Hideo Nomo and Ichiro Suzuki paved the way for Japanese players in MLB, creating huge stardom and marketability. This inspired an influx of Japanese talent coming to America.

40:12

😤 Japan Dominates First Two WBCs, Gains Respect

Describes Japan's underdog victories in the first two World Baseball Classics, beating MLB talent and reaching massive TV audiences in Japan. Started to gain more respect internationally.

45:14

🌟 Ohtani Inspires New Wave of MLB Stars from Japan

Details how Shohei Ohtani's MLB success and fame is inspiring the current and future generations of Japanese talent to come to MLB, signalling a Japanese talent surge.

50:16

🏆 2023 WBC Champions Prove Japan's Arrival as Baseball King

Argues that Japan's latest undefeated WBC championship, huge TV ratings and wave of MLB signings cements their status as the world's premier baseball power.

Keywords

💡Japanese baseball culture

The set of values, training methods, dedication, respect, honor, sacrifice, suffering, tradition, and discipline that encompass baseball in Japan. Throughout the video, examples illustrate the extreme, militaristic nature of Japanese baseball compared to the U.S., from 8+ hour youth practices daily to playing through extreme injuries.

💡Koshien tournament

A hugely popular national high school baseball tournament in Japan. Seen as a great honor to play in, it drives extreme dedication and sacrifice from players and cheer squads alike. Teams practice year-round, players risk career-ending injuries to compete, and losses are tragic events.

💡Foreign players in NPB

Foreign, often American MLB players have historically struggled to adapt to the strict Japanese baseball culture when they come play in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). They are seen as selfish, underproductive, and disrespectful.

💡Hideo Nomo

The first Japanese MLB player in 30 years. His rookie dominance created an MLB frenzy over the potential of the Japanese baseball market. This drove more Japanese players to come over and changed opinions of Japanese talent.

💡2006 World Baseball Classic

Japan beat Korean and Cuban national teams to win this first tournament, despite having almost no MLB talent. The final was watched by 60 million people in Japan, demonstrating baseball's popularity there.

💡Shohei Ohtani

Ohtani's dominance and fame is inspiring a new generation of MLB prospects from Japan. His obsessive devotion to baseball epitomizes core Japanese principles.

💡NPB popularity

Despite less teams and games, NPB draws more fans per season than MLB and the NBA. Games rank among the most watched sporting events ever in Japan.

💡High school baseball

Extreme dedication and culture in Japanese youth baseball, including long, intense daily practices and playing through injuries to compete in prestigious tourneys.

💡Pitcher workloads

Japanese pitchers historically throw significantly more pitches and innings, even at young ages, but don't necessarily get injured more than MLB pitchers. Still a debate around balancing workloads.

💡Samurai and militaristic influence

Principles of discipline, suffering, self-sacrifice, and never quitting that date back to Samurai teachings still heavily influence Japanese baseball training today.

Highlights

Baseball in Japan has elaborate ceremonies like managers introduced on hovercrafts and players ziplining through stadiums.

High school baseball in Japan is extremely competitive - players practice 8 hours a day and coaches make over $200k per year.

A Japanese player said after losing to the US "we can never challenge the Americans - we're a team of Little Leaguers playing adults."

Japan recently won the World Baseball Classic for the 3rd time and no other country has won it more than once.

Two Japanese players just became the highest paid hitter and pitcher ever in MLB history.

The summer Koshien high school tournament in Japan draws over 500,000 live spectators and has similar viewership to the Super Bowl.

A high school pitcher in Japan threw 225 pitches in an 82-0 blowout game. In the US 110 pitches per week is the limit.

Losing players crying after games is common and expected in Japanese baseball because it shows dedication and sacrifice.

An 11-year-old died during baseball practice in Japan after intense conditioning including 160 yard dashes and no water breaks.

Kevin Mitchell said "The Japanese are dirty, I really dislike them" after trying to rest an injury rather than play through pain.

Hideo Nomo retired in Japan at 25 to exploit a contract loophole and become the first Japanese MLB player in 30 years in 1995.

Ichiro inspired a new generation of Japanese MLB stars, had insane media attention, and brought millions in revenue to the MLB.

The first World Baseball Classic was a pivotal moment - Japan beat Korea and Cuba despite having almost no MLB players.

Otani is the epitome of Japanese training philosophy - obsessively devoted to baseball and voluntarily lived in team dorms.

36 million people in Japan watched a WBC exhibition game and over 60 million watched the final - likely records.

Transcripts

baseball in Japan has things that in

America you will never see they have

managers of the team being introduced on

hovercrafts teams star players being

zipline through the stadium hundreds of

feet in the air before games and even

ceremonial first pitches where players

kiss the person throwing the pitch and

even sometimes their own teammates based

on this it's somewhat hard to believe

that Japanese baseball culture is one of

the most Cutthroat in the world creating

some of the most disciplined athletes on

earth a system where High School coaches

can make over 200 Grand a year at some

schools kids are expected to practice 8

hours a day High School tournaments are

so important players play through

career-threatening injuries and after

losing are expected to cry students go

through months and months of intense

training like this and these aren't even

baseball players this is the cheering

section they are training to cheer for

the baseball team who practices even

harder according to Ichiro the training

regimen he was put through as a child

was so intense he only had 5 to six

hours to hang out with friends in an

entire year the most pitches thrown by a

pitcher in MLB last season was

117 at an elite High School in Japan

pitchers were expected to throw 200

pitches every other day life around

baseball is so strict and regimented

even professionals are expected to live

in team dormitories full-time where in

some past cases players who break curfew

were even beaten by their own managers a

practice that became so common

throughout all levels of baseball in

Japan that in 2021 the Human Rights

Watch organization had to release a

report just to address it but despite

this insane dedic ation only a few

decades ago an American team went to

Japan and beat a team of Japanese

Allstars so badly a Japanese player said

himself quote we can never challenge the

Americans we're a team of little

Leaguers playing adults today that is no

longer the case in the past year Japan

went undefeated in the World Baseball

Classic winning it for the third time no

other country has won it more than once

all while getting viewership that

baseball in America can't come close to

a Japanese player just became the

highest paid baseball player in history

a few weeks later another Japanese

player became the highest paid pitcher

in history and in total MLB teams have

signed six Japanese players this off

season alone for a combined

1.13 billion dollar all of a sudden

Japan is taking over a sport that

America has claimed for over a Century

all while using training methods that

many people in America might call child

abuse but this quote unquote abuse also

results in a level of honor and respect

on the field that you won't see anywhere

else in the world like when this catcher

lost his contact in the middle of a play

instead of keeping the game going the

entire team and even the umpires helped

him look for it in the dirt Japanese

baseball culture can seem like a paradox

on one hand it's extremely regimented

tradition

and even militaristic other aspects of

it are the complete opposite like the

ceremonial first pitches perhaps the

most infamous is the bay stars who have

a tradition where they invite an improv

group called the ostrich Club the group

does this dressed as gangsters as women

as babies or themselves traditionally in

Japan a member of the team goes to the

plate and swings and misses at the first

pitch but when the ostrich Club throws

it the player always makes contact

causing a fight between the pitcher and

the batter which always ends in the two

kissing each other it's hard to imagine

this ever happening in America or even

this this is former major leager Su

Yoshi sjo who was hired as a manager in

Japan where he had the league officially

change his name to Big Boss a former

fashion designer he created multiple

custom uniforms to fit his style he

makes Grand entrances on cars has his

own them song and notoriously entered

2022 opening day on a hovercraft rode it

around the stadium for a little landed

it then managed the game moments later

with the hovercraft strange mascot

fights cheerleaders and bizar skits can

be deceiving because baseball in Japan

is taken extremely seriously and it's

been that way for over a century when

baseball was introduced in Japan in the

1800s the word sport didn't even exist

in Japanese the closest thing they had

were things like SU wrestling Kendo

horseback riding which were all

extensions of military training so

unlike in America the people who played

were essentially treated as soldiers

early baseball managers like suu tobido

said quote if players do not try as hard

as to vomit blood during practice then

they cannot hope to win games he created

a system called she no Renu which when

translated to English means death

practice and had players field ground

balls until they were quote half dead

motionless and had froth coming from

their mouths in early versions of

baseball in Japan if you got smoked by a

pitch but tried to get out of the way

you didn't get to go to first because

you lacked the courage to get hit by a

pitch according to toa's philosophy if

players don't cry after losing a game it

means they don't care enough which is

why in Japan you will regularly see

losing players balling their eyes out

after losing because baseball is less

about having fun and more about teaching

discipline self-sacrifice dedication and

having the fighting Spirit which results

in things that to Americans seem

absolutely insane like just last year

when an Elite baseball School in Japan

beat another school which got five of

their players from the school's music

Club 82 to0 they hit 17 home runs and

stole 36 bases yes they stole the entire

game even stealing multiple times when

winning 82 to0 they scored so much it

took 3 hours and 13 minutes to play five

innings the losing team was in the field

so long a player literally had a heat

stroke in the middle of the game they

had no substitutions meaning him exiting

would result in a forfeit so despite

being down over 50 runs and having an

actual heat stroke he and the team

decided he must tough it out to avoid a

forfeit the team would end up forfeiting

in the fifth but even while losing by 82

runs they had their pitcher throw 200

and 25 pitches major league teams will

rarely let their pitchers throw over 100

pitches in a game to protect their arms

this high school student threw 225 in an

82 run blowout if this happened in a

America both these coaches would have

been fired but in Japan both teams

trying their hardest despite the extreme

skill Gap is the ultimate form of

respect the losing coach said quote it

was just a blessing the players were

able to play with smiles on their faces

and the comments on the video in

Japanese seemed positive with people

congratulating both teams on fighting to

the end and giving it their all in

Japanese baseball losing this badly is

suffering and suffering without quitting

should be celebr celebrated and this

philosophy goes back well over a century

in the early 1900s Japan's most popular

team had a motto that urged players to

practice until they urinated blood

students would start training at 4:00

a.m. and the coach believed a team

needed two to three years of practice

before they were ready to play their

first game their methods heavily

influenced by Samurai teaching still

influence youth baseball today it's

normal for Little League teams to train

10 hours a day every single Saturday and

Sunday according to One account from an

American kid who moved to Japan his

coach would take the team to lunch then

immediately put them through an intense

drill that would only end once a certain

amount of players threw up their lunch

and in a famous case in 1986 an

11-year-old boy died because practice

was that hard his coach had their team

do 20 160 yard dashes a tw- mile run

another running drill where players ran

full speed for several minutes trying to

catch a ball toss in the air followed by

a Fielding session of 100 ground balls

players were not allowed to drink water

during this and this was their pregame

warm-up the team ended up losing so the

manager ordered a postgame workout with

10 30 yard dashes 10 60 yard dashes 10

laps around the field 10 Sprints up and

down the stadium stairs and three 60

yard dashes to wrap it up in all they

ran an estimated 10 Mi these kids were

11 years old and one of them tragically

passed away shortly after but taking

these extreme examples and dismissing

Japanese training philosophies

altogether ignores the massive amounts

of success that it's brought them and to

see that all you have to do is watch

this this is a High School baseball

tournament called the summer Kion that

is so so important the hashen Tigers a

professional baseball team is forced to

leave their home stadium for 2 weeks

just so they can play it during those

two weeks an insane

500,000 people come to see this

tournament live in terms of viewership

High School baseball might be the most

popular sport in Japan in fact the

summer cion has the same per capita

viewership as the Super Bowl does in

America to get to this tournament

Players dedicate everything like this

kid who dislocated his shoulder went to

The Dugout in agony had his manager pop

his shoulder back into place and even

while in extreme pain ran onto the field

to play players dedicate everything just

for a chance to play in this tournament

most teams force their players to shave

their heads Elite schools eat sleep and

live with their team year round in

America the NCAA only allows College

athletes to practice 4 hours a day in

Japan it's not uncommon for high school

teams to practice 7 hours a day as well

as 12-hour practices on holidays at

Elite schools teams often have over 100

players on a team while only 20 of them

are allowed to be in The Dugout meaning

most players go through this extreme

training schedule for all 3 years of

high school and even if their team makes

it to the Kion they just have to watch

from The Stance but this is still

considered Ed an extreme honor because

making it is almost impossible it is a

single elimination tournament meaning

it's essentially a March Madness style

bracket with over 4,000 teams a single

loss ruins their dreams which is why

it's normal to see things like this this

player got destroyed and needed a

stretcher he refused the stretcher and

came back 2 minutes later this player

got smoked in the head was carded off

the the field but refused to leave the

game and still played and this catcher

got nailed in the face with a ball so

hard he knocked out multiple teeth

stayed in the game and hit a double a

few hours later to really understand how

dedicated these players and schools are

about this tournament all you have to do

is look at their cheering sections they

have cheer teams made up of the school

students these teams practice throughout

the year and go through intense training

just like the players do in order to

cheer better and help their school go

further in the tournament and just like

the players when they mess up there are

consequences

get they do coordinated and rehears

chance throughout the game some take it

so seriously that they will actually

continue to cheer in the rain even when

the game is in a rain delay when a team

loses it is a sign of respect for a

cheer team to conduct their final cheer

at the opposing team to show their

gratitude before ending their

[Applause]

season and just like the players losing

in this tournament is an extremely

tragic event it is normal and pretty

much expected for players and cheer

members to cry when losing and given how

much training and sacrifice is required

to get there this is understandable but

some losses are harder than others

perhaps the hardest happened in 1971

okato High School made it to the kosan

and were traveling to the tournament

when news broke that a fight between two

students at the school left one of the

students hospitalized even though

neither of these students were on the

baseball team and no one on the team had

anything to do with it the school

decided that since such an ugly incident

happened at their school it would be

shameful to have their baseball team

represent them at such an honorable

tournament they withdrew the team from

the tournament and had them turn around

while they were already on their way

ending their dreams even though they did

nothing wrong punishment has always been

a massive part of high school baseball

in Japan and strict coach is what made

their High School baseball teams the

most disciplined respectful and talented

in the world but when taken to extremes

it can be extremely abusive incidents

like this which surface in 2018 show a

coach repeatedly kicking slapping and

punching multiple members on the team

this was apparently punishment for their

players not leaving their phones at home

when they went to class historically

things like this were not uncommon

leading up to the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo

the humans Rights Watch organization

released a 57-page report on child abuse

in sports in Japan in it were accounts

of baseball players being hit in the

face by their coaches until they bled

from their faces managers kicking

players throwing baseballs at players

and hitting them with bats many are

calling on teams in Japan to shorten

practices stop Corporal punishments and

make Youth Baseball less militaristic in

some ways it has for example last year's

cion winner won it while having long

hair they were one of at least seven

teams in the tournament that did not

require their players to shave their

heads which has been a universal

practice Forever at least four schools

were suspended from high school play in

2023 because coaches were physically

abusive while punishing players on one

hand it shows they're cracking down on

abuse but it also shows it's still

happening this video which surface

recently shows a coach dragging a player

to the ground in a classroom he was

eventually fired for this which is a

sign of progress of a problem that

without a doubt used to be a lot worse

in 1987 a similar incident happened when

a coach hit multiple players in the head

with the butt of a baseball bat leaving

them bleeding from their Scout Not only

was he not fired and only got a one-year

suspension one of the players who got

hit in the head said quote I don't blame

the manager it was our fault at the most

elite schools High School coaches can

make up to $200,000 plus dollars a year

at some schools they control all aspects

of players lives including when they eat

what they eat when they sleep and how

much they practice for pitchers this can

mean throwing up to 300 pitches a day in

America this may be considered more

abusive than hitting a player the state

of California has a law that bans

pitchers from throwing over 110 pitches

in a week in 2013 this pitcher threw 318

pitches in 2 days he won both these

games sending his team to the Kosen

where he had so much arm pain he was

given a painkiller injection when that

didn't work he was given stimulants he

labored through the first game and won

in the second round the pain was even

worse his velocity was only reaching 57

mph but he refused to quit and in

obvious pain lobbed ball after ball over

the plate he struck out the only batter

he faced then was taken out of the game

the next year he was only able to pitch

in two games he ended up going to

college where in his first three seasons

he wasn't able to make a single

appearance due to injury this painful

video is used as an example to criticize

coaches who put their young pitcher

future at risk for Success at the Kos

but years later the pitcher puts zero

blame on the coach saying that it was

his decision and at the time he thought

quote I don't care about my future even

if I can't compete in the future I just

want to play in the Kos this is a common

mindset surrounding the tournament and

has created Legends in Japan you say

Kikuchi who has gone on to have a major

league career first became a celebrity

when he was 17 in the Kion when he ped

despite having severe back pain and a

broken rib according to him he pitched

that day thinking it would be the end of

his baseball career before dice K matu

zaka went to the Red Sox he pitched

a 148 pitch shut out in the round of 16

at the Kosen this is more pitches than

any MLB pitcher has thrown in a game all

season he followed It Up by pitching the

very next day where he not only pitched

but pitched a 17 inning complete game

where he threw 250 pitches the next day

he came into the game again pitched the

final inning and sent his team to the

finals where one day later he threw a

nine inning no hitter to win the Kos in

one of the best pitching performances in

baseball history he threw 500 pitches

three complete games and threw 36

innings in four 4 days this cemented him

as a legend and celebrity in Japan at 17

years old but in terms of pitch count

and wear and tear on a pitcher's arm

even that doesn't compare to the famous

matchup between Masahiro Tanaka and Yuki

these two met in the 2006 finals to get

there Yuki Sato threw a complete game in

the quarterfinals the very next day he

threw a complete game in the semifinals

the day after that he faced Masahiro

Tanaka's team in the finals and threw

another complete game but this one was

15 Innings long after 15 Innings the

score was tied one to1 according to the

kosan rules at the time if a game went

longer than 15 Innings tied the game

would restart and be replayed the next

day from the first inning and even

though Sato who had just St three

complete games in 3 days the third one

being 15 Innings long where he threw 165

pitches he started the very next day

Tanaka also pitched all nine innings for

his team on zero days rest but in the

end in arguably the most legendary

moment in koshen history in a 4 to3 game

satto struck out Tanaka to get the final

out winning the kosan in the end Tanaka

who was battling the flu through 52

Innings and

742 pitches in in 11 days while satto

the Undisputed star of the tournament

pitched seven games in 2 weeks through

69 innings in an insane

948 pitches the most Innings and pitches

thrown in the 100 plus year history of

the Kos in 2023 Sandy alcantra threw

three complete games all season that was

the most in Major League Baseball Sato

threw four of them in four days he

became an instant celebrity while

pitching he would constantly wipe his

face with a handkerchief earning him the

nickname the handkerchief Prince which

became such a popular nickname it was

awarded the new word buzzword award

given to the term that captured the

Public's attention the most throughout

the year the specific brand of

handkerchief at one point were being

sold for $3 but due to Sato they were

selling for $70 his opponent Masahiro

Tanaka went on to become a star in mpb

became became a success in MLB for the

Yankees and cemented himself as one of

Japan's most elite pitchers satto wasn't

as successful he pitched 11 years in mpb

battled shoulder injuries and put up a

career erra over 4.5 yet he remained a

household name According to some satto

remained an mpb despite bad performances

just based on the revenue the team

received from merchandise and

commercials he shot for the team even

today after retirement he's on TV

commercials and has become a commentator

his gutsy performance as a 17-year-old

led to notoriety that lasted his entire

life so it's no surprise players will

risk their future to pitch in this

tournament even if it seems like child

abuse to Americans in 2013 a pitcher who

had a similar performance made headlines

in America Tomah hero and Raku had

carried his team to the finals pitching

almost every inning of five games in

nine days while nursing fatigue and a

hand injury but in the finals ended up

losing

17-1 he lost all of his Effectiveness

out of nowhere and despite the blowout

was only removed from the game after his

772nd pitch of the tournament this made

headlines in America a scout interviewed

in one piece said he was the number one

Prospect in Japan but after the final

his career was in Jeopardy UD dar's

agent described the Chatman as nothing

less than child abuse and Raku didn't

pitch again for months due to injury he

made his professional debut 2 years

later where his fast ball was 4 mph

slower than it was in high school he has

since battled injuries throughout his

young career it's easy to blame his high

pitch count for the injuries and dismiss

Japanese pitching methods as dangerous

however if that was true you'd expect to

see Japanese pitchers getting hurt way

more often than American pitchers which

isn't the the case the only research

available on this studied an ml

organization and an mpb organization and

found M Mo players get injured 3.7 times

more frequently than players in Japan

the study also found no significant

difference in injuries between pitchers

in MLB and in mpb there is real reason

to believe that throwing more pitches

even at a young age builds more

endurance and strength and actually

protects a pitcher's arm but even in

Japan this is open for debate the koshan

just implemented a new rule that bans

pitchers from throwing more than 500

pitches in a week in order to protect

them but this is still two to three

times more pitches than any major leager

would ever throw in a week the real

danger for pitchers isn't necessarily

throwing a lot of pitches it's throwing

a lot of pitches while injured which

happens all the time in the kosan

because playing in it to many is a

bigger honor than even playing in the

pros but for players who do want to play

in the pros it's just as important

because it's the number one place for

amateur players to get scouted and seen

players like show Otani Ichiro dice K

Matsuzaka Hideki Matsui U darish and

many many more had their careers jump

started at the Kosen then went on to

become Japan's biggest baseball Legend

so there's no surprise why high

schoolers will play through injuries

live strict regimented lives go through

7 hours of practice a day and often

times in

actual physical abuse for a chance to

play in it and improve their chances of

going pro but once they leave high

school and do go to the pros the

training and lifestyle there is

shockingly similar Warren Kamari

described playing professional baseball

in Japan as quote serving in the

Japanese Imperial Army Charlie Manuel

says the coaching was so strict and

regimented his coach was in charge of

when he was able to change his socks for

Americans professional baseball and

Japan results in major culture shock

just ask Rod Allen who after being

targeted by a pitch charged the mound

but instead of the pitcher defending

himself on the mound ran away he chased

him dodging multiple people while the

pitcher ran across the infield into the

Outfield being chased by Rod Allen and

dozens of other players the fight ended

without any punches but Rod Allen was

still exhausted this would probably

never happen in America but the major

difference between professional baseball

in Japan and the US is that it's

probably three times more work the mpb

has a long history of famously strict

managers in 1977 Giants manager tetsu

Hara kawakami forbid his players wives

from requesting sex from his players so

that they would be able to conserve

their energy the team also banned

players from Reading comic books in

public to protect their image the Sabu

Lions had a rule that Bann players from

from being in commercials tetsuro Hoka

once banned his team from drinking soda

he also didn't let his players see their

girlfriends during the season because he

thought it was a distraction and put

every player on a strict diet of fish

soybeans brown rice tofu and soup he

would even call his players at night to

make sure they were in bed by 12:00

after a disappointing season in 1984 he

ordered a postseason camp that lasted 3

months instead of going home for the off

season players were required to do 8

hours of drills a day take 600 swings

every day and pitchers were made to

throw

430 pitches a day when they didn't do

baseball he had his players do other

things like swimming and a Kido this was

an Infamous training camp and not normal

even in Japan however fall camp like

this but less intense is a thing that

team still do today Major Leaguers end

their season in October then go home

until spring training in February in

Japan players are expected to report for

more practice as soon as the season ends

it typically lasts a month followed by

spring training which starts on the 1st

of February so many mpb players off

season is just one month when spring

training does start it is not relaxed

like it is an MLB it's common for mpb

pitchers to do Naga Comey sessions

essentially throwing as many pitches as

physically possible in 2014 takuma Aria

threw 341 pitches in one Bullpen it's

normal for players to take part in the

1,000 Fungo drill a famous drill in

Japan where a coach hits ground balls to

a Fielder until they quit get sick pass

out or field 1,000 balls a young

infielder for the Giants passed out

doing this in 2014 requiring a cardia

massage from a trainer spring training

in Japan is about building strength and

mental will like like this infielder who

was recorded taking swings relentlessly

for hours until he was on the brink of

exhaustion and his hands were covered in

blisters this would never happen in the

US where spring training usually

consists of a few hours of instruction

then players basically left to their own

devices to slowly build themselves up

for a long season in Japan they can go

through an intense 7-hour practice

followed by hours of studying all

enforced by the organization players are

so used to this when American Bobby

Valentine was hired to manage a team in

Japan and put the team through a more

relaxed American style training camp

with less running less intensity and

more rest the players literally revolted

and held their own secret practices

behind the manager's back so they could

get more practice in the players are

used to strict regimented lives each

team has their own dormitories where

young players are required to live they

have a dormatory direct whose job it is

to wake them all up at the same time

make sure they all eat make sure they're

all eating healthy and even is in charge

of making sure they all bathe players

live in these dormitories throughout the

entire season and have to request

permission every time they want to leave

they have a strict curfew that if is

broken results in a fine and in some

cases even worse like the famous story

of sun no huchi according to him he was

beaten by his legendary Co coach Sahara

o in a bathtub because he broke curfew

too many times most of the players in

dormitories are in the organization's

minor league team but many teams require

all players to live in dorms for their

first several years no matter how good

they are meaning there are legitimate

Stars worth millions in Japan who still

live in small dorm rooms sharing a space

with dozens of other minor Leaguers most

players leave the dorms as soon as

possible to gain their freedom but the

most dedicated players are known to stay

as long as possible for example sh Otani

had won League MVP and was already the

most famous athlete in Japan while still

living in the team dormatory Ichiro

elected to live in the dorms into his

sixth season even though he was League

MVP in order to live closer to the

batting cages in one extreme case a

pitcher named shagi noguchi became the

best pitcher in the organization won an

mpb Championship a league MVP an RA

title and had a salary of $1 million he

still voluntarily lived in the team dorm

all year so he could solely focus on

baseball after his 11th year in the dorm

at 28 years old he finally left after

his team strongly recommended it was

time to get his own place it's hard to

imagine any Star athlete in America

living in dormitories especially by

choice but in Japan athletes are much

less individualistic and are essentially

seen as employees of their team in fact

most players don't even really own their

own likeness if a player gets an

endorsement it has to be organized

through their team who has to approve it

and even takes a cut in the past some

teams have even banned their players

from doing commercials because they were

seen as a distraction costing players

tens of thousands of dollars by

comparison mpb players have

significantly less rights in fact it was

illegal for professional baseball

players to have their own agents until

2001 even today player agents have to be

a licensed lawyer and are only allowed

to have one baseball client since only

having one client isn't enough to have a

lucrative business baseball agents in

Japan still aren't really a thing

holding out or even haggling management

for larger contracts is frowned upon and

looked at as selfish in Japan despite

this in the 75e history of npb there has

only been one player strike the fans

were so angry and players felt so guilty

that during the strike they still agreed

to play games during the weekday while

they were on strike on days they didn't

they agreed to sign autographs at the

stadium for the entire day and the

strike only ended up lasting 2 days on

the complete opposite side of the

spectrum MLB players have been involved

in nine work stoppages have seen player

salaries multiply regularly through

negotiations with ownership have strong

armed the team and League to provide a

ton of luxury for players and have

created one of the strongest unions in

the world where it's actually considered

selfish not to negotiate and do whatever

you can to get the biggest contract

possible so based on this

individualistic mindset which is common

in America it's no surprise that when

MLB players have come to Japan they've

become some of the most hated players in

the country just ask Kevin trabber who

was targeted and hit by this pitch

three times the third time he charged

the mound the pitcher ran away all the

way into the Outfield trabber chased him

across the field caught up to him

tackled him then was apparently kicked

in the face by the opposing manager

upset about this Traer went back to the

Dugout pretended to calm down then Beed

for the manager to get revenge he pushed

the catcher out of the way but lost his

balance and fell on his face then got

kicked in in the face by the same

manager for the second time historically

foreign players haven't necessarily been

accepted and dozens of them have stories

and incidents just like this but before

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FDIC in MPP teams are only allowed to

have four foreign players at a time in

the past this number was even lower at

times there was even talk about banning

foreign players altogether these players

often get paid more than Japanese

players have agents aren't used to the

demanding practices and depending on

their status might do their own training

regimen away from the team in the 80s

the commissioner of npb himself said

that foreigners were quote overpaid

underproductive and generally annoying

this was the commissioner of the league

often times foreign players have said

just as disrespectful things about Japan

Kevin Mitchell came to Japan only to

quit 2 months later saying quote the

Japanese are dirty I really dislike them

this was after he suffered a knee injury

wanted to rest but the team was

insistent that he play through the pain

probably hoping to return to MLB one day

it's understandable that he didn't want

to risk further injury but in Japan if

you're the highest paid player on the

team it's pretty disrespectful not to do

everything you can to get back on the

field to help them just 7 years earlier

Choi marada tore his UCL an injury that

requires Tommy John and takes over a

year to heal desperate to get back on

the mound he continued to throw 100 or

more pitches every single day with a

torn UCL his arm supposedly swelled two

to three times its normal size but he

continued to throw and heal his arm

through sheer will doctors didn't know

what was wrong trainers didn't help he

tried acupuncture massages and even

attempted electroshock therapy he

eventually went to a remote island where

he practiced Zen meditation did extended

fast swam in ice cold water tried

putting hot wax on his arm to heal it

and even wrapped his arm in snake skin

that had been soaked in whiskey for 8

years hoping it would suck out the

poison at one point his arm became so

deformed from throwing every day with a

torn UCL his team had to give him a

cease and desist letter that forbid him

from throwing Choi was apparently so

embarrassed he wasn't able to pitch he

even gave his wife permission to divorce

him but after all of this Choi met with

a doctor who suggested a new procedure

called Tommy John surgery he became the

first Japanese player to ever get the

surgery and after 827 days he returned

to the mound at 63 years old he could

still throw 84 mph the complete and

utter dedication to the team is hard to

Fathom for MLB players coming to Japan

according to Scott Anderson in his first

year in Japan he witnessed his manager

gather the entire team to watch him slap

the team shortstop in the face until he

was red because he made two errors

Anderson was shocked he approached the

player told him he shouldn't let the

manager do that and even offered him to

take him to the police station and

testify on his behalf the player

responded by saying quote no it was an

honor to have such a great man educate

me to say this is an extreme culture

shock is an understatement Clyde Wright

says that after losing two straight

games in Japan his team suggested he

send his wife back home to America in

one tragic example Randy bass and npb

Legend had to return to his home in

Oklahoma in the middle of a season to

take care of his son who had a brain

tumor when he did not return to Japan by

the agreed upon date fans questioned his

loyalty to the team and he was dropped

from the organization to make matters

even worse the Tigers tasked their GM to

try to get bass to return to the team

while negotiating a deal that would

prevent the team from having to pay

bass's son's medical bills when bass

turned this offer down the general

manager felt so stressed from the high

expectations and embarrassed for not

being able to get bass back to Japan he

committed suicide this is an example of

how seriously Japanese culture takes the

duty of being dedicated to your

profession putting work in front of

family and health is normal and even

respected so for hardcore Japanese fans

players like bass refusing to make the

same sacrifice for the team is extremely

disrespectful because it means they're

not taking Japanese baseball seriously

and are just there to get a check Japan

has always been known as a isolationist

country in fact in 1981 a study found

that 64% of Japanese people didn't want

to associate with foreigners when Leon

Lee came to Japan he was forced to sell

his Mercedes because the team banned

players from driving foreign cars and a

trade war and Rising tensions between

the US and Japan in the80s made things

even worse for American players who

often complained that despite their

great numbers it felt like the country

and League were actively rooting against

them and in some cases this was actually

true when Daryl Spencer was about to

become the first foreign player to win

the Triple Crown he got walked over 20

times in a row to prevent him from

hitting another home run he even went to

the plate with his Bat upside down and

they still walked him to prevent him

from getting the triple crown for

decades when a foreign player challenged

an important record they would get this

treatment Randy bass only needed one

home run with two games left to tie the

single season home run record in Japan

ironically these two games were against

a team managed by sadaharu o the man who

held the record to prevent Bass from

getting a chance to tie the record

pitchers on the team were threatened

with $11,000 f LS for every strike they

threw to Bass he got walked six times in

two games and never got the record in

2001 Tuffy rhods tied the record with

three games left to play he also had to

play against a team managed by sadara o

they attempted to walk him four straight

times rhs got mad swung anyway grounded

out twice and never broke the record the

next year Alex Cabrera was one Homer

away from tying the record with 13 games

left according to him in his last 20 at

bats he got one strike including a game

against sadara O's team where he got

walked twice and got hit by a pitch

while a hawks catcher was seen smiling

in approval of the walks he apparently

got Revenge by running over a catcher

while coming home and said after the

game that o refused to let him break the

record but sadara o and others on the

team maintain that the team refused to

let these players challenge the record

on their own against the manager's

wishes eventually This Record was broken

by by a foreigner and O was

congratulatory in fact many foreign

players have been embraced by Japanese

fans and as time goes on it's become

more common Randy bass himself became a

celebrity becoming so recognizable he

got paid

$185,000 to shave his beard in a

marketing campaign Brad Leslie became

beloved for his insane Antics like

slicing players after strikeouts

entering the mound on a golf cart and

punching his catcher as hard as possible

after getting saved he was nicknamed the

animal for his psycho behavior and even

recorded a hit song in Japan this led to

Decades of stardom and a game show

career in Japan well after he retired

American players who failed in MLB were

becoming stars in Japan so the

perception in the US was that Japanese

players were significantly worse than

MLB players which made sense America had

been playing baseball for half a century

longer than Japan the US started sending

teams to face Japanese teams in

exhibition games in 1908 by 1955 the US

teams were 71 and one against the

Japanese in 1971 the Orioles faced what

was considered the best Japanese team of

all time and beat them eight times in a

row in 1981 the Royals faced the

Japanese All-Star team while having a

case of beer in The Dugout and still

went 97 and one the 1984 Orioles claimed

that the Japanese host actively tried to

take them out after each game and get

them drunk so that they would play worse

the next day they still went 85 and one

after a team of Japanese Allstars went 1

and six against a team of MLB allstar in

1986 a Japanese player said quote we're

a group of little Leaguers playing

adults we can never challenge the

Americans but however true this was at

the time it was about to change by 1995

there hadn't been a single Japanese

player in MLB in 30 years this was due

to the reserve Clause a policy that had

been deemed illegal in American baseball

in

1975 was still around in Japan 20 years

later it basically states that when a

team drafts a player that player is

property of that team their entire

career there was no free agency so the

only way a player can play for another

team was to get traded or released no

mpb team was going to release a player

good enough to play an ML and a trade

with an ml team was impossible so the

second a player got drafted in Japan

their MLB chances were over until hideo

Nomo he was the best pitcher in Japan

and in 1994 hired an agent which was

illegal in mppb however this notorious

agent Dom namura discovered a loophole

noo wanted out of Japan but was property

of the buffalos until he was released

traded or retired so in an extremely

risky move devised by his agent he

retired at 25 years old the move

essentially prohibited Nomo from

pitching in Japan ever again instead he

took a pay cut to sign a minor league

contract with the Dodgers a decision

that caused so much backlash in Japan

his own father who said he was

embarrassing his former team stopped

talking to his son all together at first

Nomo was seen as an enemy for turning

his back on Japan then he started

pitching he shocked the World by

immediately dominating the league but

what was even more shocking was the

media frenzy he created and insane 15

camera Crews showed up to his press

conference camera Crews would follow him

into bathrooms his wife had to stop

leaving the house Al together because

the media attention was too much Nomo

was a rookie and getting 10 times the

attention ention as anyone on the

Dodgers all of a sudden he was a hero in

Japan the Dodgers got massive spikes in

attendance every time he pitched sold

millions in noo merch and even put a

sushi restaurant in Dodger Stadium to

adhere to the influx of Japanese fans

when he pitched in the All-Star Game 15

million people in Japan watched that's

twice the number of people who watched

the MLB All-Star Game this past season

just in Japan alone Nomo led the league

in strikeouts won Rookie of the Year

finished third inside Young voting and

perhaps most importantly each game he

pitched was broadcasted in Japan and

watched by millions MLB realized that

Japan not only had players who could

dominate they also had players who could

bring the league millions in revenue

from the massive Japanese Market a new

system was quickly implemented that

allowed Japanese players to go to an MLB

team as long as that MLB team paid a

posting fee to the Japanese team MLB

teams began paying Millions to mpb teams

for their players and the mpb teams

happily took the massive amounts of

money by 2000 MLB went from having one

Japanese player in their 100-year

history to Having Eight at one time even

having opening day in Japan to take full

advantage of the new massive market then

the very next year Ichiro showed up he

was not only rookie of the year he was

MVP of the league was an All-Star won a

Silver Slugger and a gold glove people

were so confident that Japanese hitters

could never have success against MLB

pitchers commentator Rob Dibble said he

would wear a g string thong in Time

Square if Ichiro won the batting title

that year Ichiro also won the batting

title and Rob Dibble had to wear a thong

he not only became the most famous

baseball player in the world he likely

became the most famous person in Japan

so famous that his own father created an

Ichiro Museum next to to his childhood

home which displayed a bunch of items he

kept from Ichiro's childhood including

Ichiro retainer the museum was not only

a hit it still runs and operates today

Ichiro inspired an entire generation of

Japanese players and by 2008 there were

18 Japanese players in MLB and sometimes

their philosophies confused Americans

like when Ichiro reportedly passed up on

$22 Million worth of endorsements in one

season because he thought they were a

distraction to his duty of playing

baseball Hadi Matsui got injured during

a game while diving for a ball then

apologized to fans for breaking his

wrist and even more perplexing to

Americans was when mitsui not only

admitted to having a porn collection of

over 50,000 movies during a press

conference but also promised to give

some of them to the writers between

Ichiro Matsui and Nomo Japan had MLB

stars but they also had MLB failures and

nobody outside of Japan genuinely

believed they had talent that came close

to the skill level of America or Latin

American countries but in 2006 they had

a chance to prove it and it almost

started a war the First World Baseball

Classic in 2006 is one of the most

pivotal moments in Japanese baseball

history on paper they were extremely

outmatched they had two major league

players Team USA had 30 of them with a

combined

117 All-Star appearances six MVP awards

and three Hall of Famers but their

toughest competition ended up being

Korea centuries of conflict and

political turmoil between these two

countries almost guaranteed this matchup

would get personal and it did Ichiro

became Public Enemy Number One in Korea

after previous comments about how he

visited the country and said it smelled

like garlic also saying that he wanted

to beat Korea Korea so bad they wouldn't

have a chance for the next 30 years when

they matched up Korea instantly sent a

message by throwing a fast ball directly

at him Korea won the first game but they

played again a few days later in the

next round where once again Korea upset

Japan in what Ichiro described as quote

the most humiliating loss of his entire

life after the game Korea celebrated by

planting a Korean flag on the mound as

each looked on in complete and utter

rage team Japan saw this as the ultimate

sign of disrespect and got a chance at

Revenge again in the semifinal Ichiro

was booed relentlessly by Korean fans

later the Korean third baseman caught a

popup and tossed it towards Ichiro's

feet and pitcher kimon hun even nailed a

Japanese batter after they hit a homer

off him Japan ended up getting their

Revenge they beat Korea went to the

final and and defeated Cuba to win the

first ever WBC this final game was

watched by 60 million people in Japan

alone that's more than any World Series

in history likely making it the most

watched baseball game of all time as

well as perhaps the most watched

sporting event in Japanese history it

was a cultural event and a legendary

team if you search the 2006 WBC in

Japanese you will see clips of this team

with millions and millions of views if

you search it in English you're going to

find basically nothing in America this

tournament is completely forgotten

despite the Stacked roster they finished

seventh and most people dismissed it as

an exhibition that by no means proved

Japanese baseball was anywhere close to

American baseball a team with basically

no major league Talent winning the

tournament felt like a fluke but 3 years

later they won it again this time time

beating the United States head-to-head

and once again reaching viewership

numbers that no baseball game in America

could come close to these players were

unknown to the rest of the world and

stuck in mpb but many of them would go

on to come to America and have amazing M

Mo careers on top of that at the Youth

Level Japan also excelled in littley

going on to win four of the next seven

World Series but despite dominating

International competition Japan's

reputation still lagged behind the

United States the Dominican Republic and

perhaps even several other Latin

American countries in 2017 there were

only eight Japanese players in MLB this

gave Americans the impression that there

were only eight Japanese players good

enough to play an MLB in reality there

were dozens and this is why unlike

countries in Latin America and Taiwan

and even Korea many Japanese players can

actually make more money in Japan where

they are stars in fact npb is the second

highest attended Sports league in the

world in 2019 NPP surpassed MLB in

average attendance per game they have 15

less teams and 400 less games a year

than NBA yet draw 5 million more fans

than NBA does every single season to put

into context how massive baseball has

become in Japan this past season 32

million people watched game seven of the

Japan series that's more than the

average 2023 World Series game NBA

Finals game and Stanley Cup Finals game

combined the league is so popular and

important in Japan that players grow up

dreaming of npb success many have no

desire to play an MLB at all Ichiro's

stardom and success in America had

inspired an influx of Japanese talent in

the the 2000s but by the late 2010s the

number of Japanese players dwindled the

ones in MLB weren't coming close to the

production and star power of Ichiro

Japan was likely better at baseball than

ever but with their talent staying in

npb there was no way for them to prove

it against the best competition in the

world then shohi showed up in Japan

Otani voluntarily lived in the team

dormatory even while being the most

famous athlete in the the country

despite making $2.4 million a year he

gave his mother complete control of his

finances and lived off an allowance of

$1,000 a month in the dorms his rent and

food were covered by the team and all

his free time was taken by baseball

training so during this time Otani spent

$4,000 over a span of two entire years

he cared so little about money he gave

up a potential contract worth over $200

million to come to MLB in 2017 where he

signed for 3.5 million meaning he gave

up

$196 million just to come to MLB 2 years

sooner Otani didn't even get a driver's

license until he was in his mid-20s and

a national hero the Rabid Japanese

Paparazzi has been trying to catch him

with a girlfriend for years and have

still yet to do so and when he did a 10

things he couldn't live without video

for GQ they were literally all baseball

or training items otani's obsessive and

borderline unhealthy Devotion to

baseball is the epitome of Japanese

baseball training philosophy and Otani

quickly becoming arguably the greatest

player ever proves this philosophy is

extremely helpful by 2023 the world knew

the greatest and most famous player on

Earth was Japanese what the world didn't

know was that several other of the

world's best players were also Japanese

but nobody outside of Japan had ever

heard of them but in the 20123 WBC they

had a chance to change that with stars

like Otani Legends like UD darish and

upand cominging phenoms like Roki Sasaki

all on the same team this was heralded

as potentially the greatest team ever

assembled in Japan but with only three

players with any MLB experience the rest

of the world heralded Team USA and the

Dominican Republic as significantly

stronger in Japan this quickly became

the most popular team of all time with

so much hype surrounding them that 36

million people watched their exhibition

game each game during pool play was

watched by at least 40% of the entire

country their game against Korea was

watched by 55 million people in Japan

and their final game in Japan was

watched by over 60 million people once

again breaking the record for the most

watched baseball game game of all time

then in a matchup to win it all they

defeated the United States for another

WBC Title the magnitude of this

tournament was so big in Japan an

economist estimated that the 3-week long

tournament generated

484 million for the Japanese economy the

sheer numbers in viewership makes it

hard to deny that right now baseball is

significantly more popular in Japan than

it is in America not only did they beat

America in a head-to-head matchup they

marched through the entire tournament

going undefeated Japan has been

overlooked due to their lack of

representation in the majors for decades

but now more than ever that is changing

showy otani's insane star power is

having the exact same effect Ichiro had

on Japanese players in the 2000s the

amount of Japanese players in MLB has

already increased by

66% in the past two seasons this

offseason Otani signed the biggest

contract in history a a few weeks later

his Japanese teammate yoshinobu Yamamoto

signed the biggest pitching contract in

baseball history the highest paid hitter

and pitcher ever are now both Japanese

kod senga made the switch to ml and

dominated the National League last year

two other pitchers from Team Japan also

signed contracts with MLB teams this off

season and more are coming Roki Sasaki

threw a perfect game while striking out

19 batters if that happened in MLB it'd

be considered the most dominant

performance in history he followed it

with eight more perfect Innings the next

game before getting pulled he did this

at 20 years old Sasaki has already

requested to be posted and will likely

come to MLB next season munaki morakami

who sent team Japan to the WBC final

with a walk-off double broke the single

season home run record in Japan at 22

years old he also made his attentions to

come to MLB clear and will likely come

within the next 2 years even Japan's top

high school Prospect raro Sasaki who hit

a

mind-blowing 140 home runs in high

school is enrolling in an American

University in order to get to MLB sooner

likely becoming the first top Japanese

High School Prospect to skip mpb all

together for the first time maybe ever

MLB has become the end goal for players

in Japan not only are more players

coming to MLB the best players in the

country are doing it in a few years

there will be more Japanese players in

MLB than and these players will have a

chance to prove to everyone that once

and for all Japan has become the best

baseball country in the world