Ahead of his retirement game scheduled for August 30, Seibu’s Takumi Kuriyama went down after being hit in the head by a pitch during a farm-team (2nd-team) game against Rakuten on the 26th. Following reports that “it sounded like his helmet cracked,” 5ch’s Entertainment & Sports Express+ board lit up with discussion over whether he’ll still be able to play in his retirement game, how the scheduling works, and reactions toward the opposing pitcher.
8/26 (Wed) 14:19 JST
Nikkan Sports
<Farm League Interleague Game: Seibu vs. Rakuten> ◇August 26◇ Kaminiku Field
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
Rest up for a week, okay~
If it's a concussion, could that rule him out of the retirement game?
So is this a retirement with no retirement ceremony?
>>10
They can probably still hold the ceremony, but he might not get to actually take the field and show off his game one last time.
They can probably still hold the ceremony, but he might not get to actually take the field and show off his game one last time.
>>21
They're still in the pennant hunt and want to lock up at least 2nd place, so it's an awkward time for this.
They're still in the pennant hunt and want to lock up at least 2nd place, so it's an awkward time for this.
42 years old, that's impressive
>>11
Then again, his stats aren't like Yamasaki Takeshi, who was still smashing hits well past 40 — realistically he's like 5 years overdue for retirement. And now this beanball on top of it lol
Then again, his stats aren't like Yamasaki Takeshi, who was still smashing hits well past 40 — realistically he's like 5 years overdue for retirement. And now this beanball on top of it lol
Isn't the level of baseball kind of low these days?
Beanballs to the head used to be pretty rare, right?
Maybe pitchers' lower-body mechanics have gotten weaker.
They're just getting velocity from weight training — the actual skill level is seriously low.
Beanballs to the head used to be pretty rare, right?
Maybe pitchers' lower-body mechanics have gotten weaker.
They're just getting velocity from weight training — the actual skill level is seriously low.
>>12
It's because batters stopped bailing out of the way.
It's because batters stopped bailing out of the way.
And of all teams, the retirement game opponent is Rakuten too
>>13
Wasn't his former teammate Kishi supposed to pitch in that one?
Wasn't his former teammate Kishi supposed to pitch in that one?
Come on, at least let the guy get his timing down, it's just a farm game.
Even if he gets hit hard, they'd cut him some slack given the circumstances.
Even if he gets hit hard, they'd cut him some slack given the circumstances.
> Bottom of the 3rd, 2 outs, Rakuten's Koga's fastball hits Kuriyama square in the head.
> Bottom of the 3rd, 2 outs, Rakuten's Koga's fastball hits Kuriyama square in the head.
> Bottom of the 3rd, 2 outs, Rakuten's Koga's fastball hits Kuriyama square in the head.
The way this is written makes it sound like he got hit and died.
> Bottom of the 3rd, 2 outs, Rakuten's Koga's fastball hits Kuriyama square in the head.
> Bottom of the 3rd, 2 outs, Rakuten's Koga's fastball hits Kuriyama square in the head.
The way this is written makes it sound like he got hit and died.
Well, worst case they could just postpone the retirement game, no?
>>17
They're drawing fans in specifically for Kuriyama's retirement game — a rainout is one thing, but a game where the man himself doesn't play would basically be false advertising lol
They're drawing fans in specifically for Kuriyama's retirement game — a rainout is one thing, but a game where the man himself doesn't play would basically be false advertising lol
A no-control pitcher whose only redeeming quality is velocity is a menace!
Nobody saw this coming — the moment he finally 'awakens'
[Photo] A young Kuriyama Takumi posing for a commemorative photo with his father and mother back when he first joined the team
He was full of energy back then…
He was full of energy back then…
Who threw that?! Was it Fujinami?! Fujinami Shintaro pitched that one?! (a nod to Fujinami's infamous wildness)
I could understand it if it were a breaking ball that slipped out of his hand, but it was a fastball…
Checked the schedule —
the retirement game is a first-team (top-league) game.
Well, of course it is.
the retirement game is a first-team (top-league) game.
Well, of course it is.
Kind of sad for the Pacific League honestly —
a guy nobody's even heard of has 2,150 career hits
a guy nobody's even heard of has 2,150 career hits
Got 2,000 hits and he's still this unflashy
>>36
Getting 2,000 hits is genuinely hard, you know
But yeah, unflashy
Getting 2,000 hits is genuinely hard, you know
But yeah, unflashy
This is tough love saying 'I'm not letting you retire just yet'
Kuriyama and Chunichi's Oshima are both so unflashy you'd never guess either one has 2,000 hits
>>45
Even glove-first guys like Araki Masahiro, Miyamoto Shinya, and Tanishige Motonobu got their 2,000 hits too
Even glove-first guys like Araki Masahiro, Miyamoto Shinya, and Tanishige Motonobu got their 2,000 hits too
>>28
I saw an article saying it'd be nice if he got to pitch, but it comes down to whether Rakuten's side is willing to make a classy gesture.
I saw an article saying it'd be nice if he got to pitch, but it comes down to whether Rakuten's side is willing to make a classy gesture.
>>52
They're already locked into last place, so maybe Yoshii will just let it be a friendly, low-stakes game
They're already locked into last place, so maybe Yoshii will just let it be a friendly, low-stakes game
In MLB a beanball to the head means an automatic trip to the IL — how does NPB handle it?
No pension once you retire either, tough being in a declining league.
No pension once you retire either, tough being in a declining league.
>>53
Unlike the J.League, both revenue and attendance here keep climbing though
Unlike the J.League, both revenue and attendance here keep climbing though
>>60
So, did the pension come back?
So, did the pension come back?
>>60
Apparently the J.League's attendance and revenue are climbing too despite all that
The JFA running a deficit is just because it's not structured as a stock company
Apparently the J.League's attendance and revenue are climbing too despite all that
The JFA running a deficit is just because it's not structured as a stock company
Why put a player whose retirement is already set in stone into a farm-team game?
Wouldn't it make more sense to give the young guys the reps instead?
Wouldn't it make more sense to give the young guys the reps instead?
>>75
He's a franchise legend so they want to give him a top-team retirement game, but Seibu's sitting in 2nd place and can't afford to ease off.
So he went out to a farm game just to get some timing work in — and took a pitch to the head for it.
He's a franchise legend so they want to give him a top-team retirement game, but Seibu's sitting in 2nd place and can't afford to ease off.
So he went out to a farm game just to get some timing work in — and took a pitch to the head for it.
>>47
Guess it's next year's preseason then
Guess it's next year's preseason then
>>81
Honestly that'd be better
They're already locked into a Climax Series spot this year anyway
Honestly that'd be better
They're already locked into a Climax Series spot this year anyway
*This article is compiled and summarized from excerpts of the 5ch (Entertainment & Sports Express+) thread “[Seibu] Kuriyama Takumi, set for his retirement game on the 30th, hit in the head by a pitch — sound like a cracking helmet as he collapses, farm game.”
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