Japan Reacts

Category: Baseball

  • Roki Sasaki to Pitch in Relief During Playoffs, Manager Roberts Confirms

    Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has revealed plans to use pitcher Roki Sasaki out of the bullpen. Sasaki is set to return against the Padres, marking his second straight year of playoff relief duty. This season Sasaki held down a spot in the starting rotation, making 23 starts (5 wins, 4.75 ERA), but with a deep starting staff that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Cy Young winner Blake Snell, and Tarik Skubal, the Dodgers plan to use four starters and shift the remaining three to the bullpen. Thread reactions were split between harsh takes calling it “a failing grade as a starter” and cooler heads noting “it’s about rotation logistics, not a lack of ability.”

    Roki Sasaki Moved to Bullpen Role, Manager Roberts Confirms — Set to Return in Padres Series

    Second Straight Year of Playoff Relief Duty: “It Makes Sense Given the Current Situation”

    Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated in a post-game press conference that he plans to use pitcher Roki Sasaki out of the bullpen.

    Source: topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:31
    Roki failed as a starter!
    Demoted to relief!
    108AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:28
    Re: #3
    This is what happens when you keep chasing after him just because he's Japanese.
    Time he stood on his own two feet.
    8AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:35
    He got plenty of chances — is he just going to retire as a closer/reliever now?
    37AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:49
    Re: #8
    You clearly don't get it either, you're mistaken.
    This is just a postseason-specific role change.
    In the postseason you only need 4 starters, so 3 of the 7 starters just move to the bullpen.
    11AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:37
    Might as well put "Hotel New Otani" (a nickname for Ohtani, punning on the Tokyo hotel) in the bullpen too — hit a homer, then come out in the final inning as the hero who gets tossed in the air by teammates.
    63AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:59
    Re: #11
    More like he'd come out in the final inning and get roasted/exposed (a pun on 胴上げ "hero's toss" vs 晒し上げ "public shaming"), not celebrated.
    18AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:43
    Sheehan and Wrobleski look like they could work as starters too, right?
    23AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:44
    Re: #18
    No room for those two either.
    They'll probably end up as long relievers in the postseason.
    22AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:44
    He's the one who couldn't fully prove himself, so it is what it is.
    Honestly, given how things turned out, it was probably good that he came over before his salary went up.
    26AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:45
    Re: #22
    That post definitely sounds like it's got something mixed up.
    29AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:47
    I mean, honestly…
    This was decided from the start, wasn't it.

    So basically, Sasaki failed as a starter.
    45AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:52
    Re: #29
    That post shows zero understanding.
    30AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:47
    He's basically become a full-on postseason specialist since last year.
    52AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:54
    Re: #30
    If he can perform in the postseason like he did last year, I guess they're willing to overlook the regular season.
    35AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:49
    Having a 100mph fastball and a splitter but still posting a near-5.00 ERA as a starter — that's a fatal flaw for a starting pitcher.
    49AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:53
    Re: #35
    His QS rate is 4.5, so
    that's a passing grade for now.
    38AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:49
    They'd rather face the Brewers than the Cubs — playing the Cubs would be rough.
    41AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:50
    Re: #38
    For some reason they got hammered by them this year.
    But then again, last year they lost every game to the Brewers before ripping off 4 straight wins, so…
    39AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:50
    Sasaki should have trained more in Japan before coming over.
    43AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:51
    Re: #39
    In NPB, where they couldn't even figure out why his velocity dropped?
    51AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:53
    Re: #39
    I feel like if he'd stayed in Japan, he would've blown out his shoulder.
    47AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:52
    Is Snell even reliable at this point?
    48AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:53
    Re: #47
    And here he is being a total "Spelunker" (gaming slang for someone who's fragile/injury-prone).
    56AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:57
    He was a passable starter this season, so there's no shame in being used as a reliever in the postseason.
    59AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:57
    Re: #56
    Nah, pretty sure that's just a fail, honestly…
    72AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:03
    Roki's a bust — no way he can start.
    84AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:12
    Re: #72

    Roki's 23 starts this season actually topped Glasnow's career-high of 22 starts.


    Just FYI.
    89AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:14
    He's a big earner, so the only option here is to keep quiet and work as a reliever.
    Back to starting next year, maybe.
    93AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:16
    Re: #89
    He's on the MLB minimum guaranteed salary, though.
    106AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:28
    If Snell's no good, then Lauer or Wrobleski takes the rotation spot, and Roki's locked in as closer?
    123AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:39
    Re: #106
    Wrobleski was so bad in the first half he's barely recognizable, so I don't think he starts.
    If anything, Sasaki was more stable in the second half, so he's the one who'd go back to starting.
    Closer's got to be Tanner Scott — he's way better than he was last year.
    112AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:31
    Snell, Glasnow, Díaz —
    they should take those trash guys' salaries and give them to Roki and Rojas instead.
    118AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:36
    Re: #112
    The trouble is, when healthy, both Snell and Glasnow are Cy Young-caliber aces.

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    Since MLB playoff rotations are typically built around four starters, it’s standard for teams that ran a five-man rotation during the regular season to shift their extra starter to the bullpen. The Dodgers have built their rotation around Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Cy Young winners Blake Snell and Tarik Skubal, so Sasaki’s move to relief is less a pure “demotion” and more a consequence of roster construction. Indeed, several thread posts pushed back against comments that chalked it up to a lack of ability, pointing instead to the manager’s remark that the move “makes sense given the current situation.” On the other hand, his 4.75 ERA this season falls short of what you’d want from a starter, and the fact that he’s now headed for playoff bullpen duty for the second year running suggests Sasaki still hasn’t locked down a spot as an unquestioned starter. Still, it’s worth noting that his 23 starts this season actually exceeded Glasnow’s career-high of 22 — so he was hardly short on opportunities.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Express+) thread “[MLB] Roki Sasaki Moved to Bullpen Role, Manager Roberts Confirms — Set to Return in Padres Series.”

  • Giants’ next-manager candidates Hideki Matsui and Yoshinobu Takahashi appear together — 5ch: “The time has come to fulfill the promise made to Shigeo Nagashima”

    Former Yomiuri Giants stars Hideki Matsui and Yoshinobu Takahashi both appeared as instructors at the “Sanrio Baseball Academy” event held in Tokyo on September 12. With both men seen as leading candidates to become the Giants’ next manager, their joint appearance reignited media and fan speculation about a possible “cabinet appointment” (a term used for joining the team’s management). That said, the event was strictly a baseball clinic, and nothing has actually been decided regarding the managerial appointment. On 5ch, reactions were split — some expressed hope, while others were skeptical, arguing Matsui “wouldn’t give up his peaceful life” for the job, and others raised questions about the relationship between the two men.

    Giants’ next-manager candidate Hideki Matsui meets his “old ally” — expectations rise for a “Godzilla × Wolf” dream-combo appointment

    The Giants are hot on the heels of first-place Hanshin, with a come-from-behind pennant win looking increasingly realistic. Amid this, Hideki Matsui — seen as a candidate for the next managerial job — returned to Japan and met up with another leading candidate. Fans have been buzzing with speculation over the timing of his return and what he said and did there.

    The two former Giants players who appeared as instructors at the “Sanrio Baseball Academy” event in Tokyo on September 12 were Hideki Matsui and Yoshinobu Takahashi. After the event wrapped up, they fielded a question about the pennant race with Hanshin.

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:35
    Watching Osaka night-view video channels on YouTube is way more fun than watching Peace-kun from Omiya Park (a local mascot at a Saitama park).
    3AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:36
    HERE IT COMES━━━━(°∀°)━━━━!!
    The Giants are getting their 10th straight pennant (V10)!!
    5AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:37
    No way it's Matsui.
    He's not going to give up his peaceful life just to get flooded with abuse.
    11AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:42
    Re: #5
    From his own perspective, being Giants manager is definitely the short straw he'd rather avoid — but if that "promise to Mr. Nagashima" really is about becoming manager, then maybe he'd actually do it.
    13AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:45
    Re: #5
    He'll do it.
    Fulfilling his promise to Manager Nagashima means exactly that.
    6AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:37
    The time has come to fulfill his promise to Shigeo Nagashima…
    7AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:37
    It's not that the Giants are surging — Hanshin just slumped.
    DeNA is the one actually surging, but it came a bit too late.
    9AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:40
    If Matsui becomes manager
    there'll probably be some no-expense-spared "celebration" reinforcements.
    24AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:51
    Re: #9
    The DH rule kicks in next year too, so yeah, we might see the Giants go all-out with reinforcements, limiter off.
    81AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:19
    Re: #9
    The newspaper company (Yomiuri) doesn't have that kind of money though.
    12AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:44
    Just reading the thread title gives off serious old-guy vibes.
    16AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:46
    Re: #12
    At least it's not Egawa and Nakahata — this still counts as Heisei era.
    19AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:47
    Matsui isn't great with words, so the "Reiwa kids" probably won't understand his intentions or strategy.
    84AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:21
    Re: #19
    You're way too much of a newbie fan when it comes to Matsui.
    38AnonymousSep 21, 2026 13:57
    Even if Matsui becomes manager, the team doesn't have the talent, so winning the pennant is impossible.
    44AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:01
    Re: #38
    Just let him do it for 3 years — if it doesn't work out, he'll step down on his own.
    54AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:06
    These two are famously not on good terms, aren't they?
    65AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:12
    Re: #54
    Honestly, I've barely heard of any players who were close with Matsui.
    Maybe Yoshinobu Murata, at most?
    55AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:06
    Motoki might actually be a good pick, but is he dealing with an illness or something?
    57AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:08
    Re: #55
    As soon as Motoki and Miyamoto quit as coaches, the team won the pennant the very next year.
    71AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:15
    Would having co-managers really be a bad idea?
    74AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:16
    Re: #71
    It'd be hilarious if the two managers settled whose strategy to use mid-game with rock-paper-scissors lol
    78AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:18
    Re: #71
    That's basically the Giants right now.
    Hashigami is the acting manager, but it's Kawai who's actually calling the signs.
    Apparently Kawai decides the starting lineup too.
    83AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:21
    If he'd come back to the Giants even just as a pinch-hitter specialist near the end of his career, there might've been a chance.
    103AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:29
    Re: #83
    That would've been impossible while Watanabe (Nabetsune) was still alive.
    88AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:23
    Shigeo Nagashima reportedly hit Harimoto during his time as manager.
    You need to be at least that strict to manage a team.
    90AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:24
    Top 3 baseball commentators who barely talk:
    Yoshinobu Takahashi, Tadahito Iguchi, Hideki Okajima
    101AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:29
    Re: #90
    Do you not have ears or something?
    91AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:24
    Kuwata would be fine.
    100AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:28
    So Takahashi, who's already been manager once, would serve under Matsui?
    118AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:37
    Re: #100
    Yutaka Wada: "Yeah, exactly."
    107AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:30
    I really want to see Matsui as Giants manager soon
    but I wish he'd get some managerial experience somewhere else first.
    115AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:34
    Re: #107
    If he manages elsewhere first, it'll lose its freshness, so that's not happening.
    If anything, it'd be a farm-team (ni-gun) manager job — but you can't have a National Honor Award recipient doing that.
    114AnonymousSep 21, 2026 14:34
    Giants — age in their first year as manager
    *Since Tetsuharu Kawakami, first appointment only

    Tetsuharu Kawakami　1961　age 41
    Shigeo Nagashima　1975　age 39
    Motoshi Fujita　1981　age 49
    Sadaharu Oh　1984　age 43
    Tatsunori Hara　2002　age 43
    Tsuneo Horiuchi　2004　age 56
    Yoshinobu Takahashi　2016　age 40
    Shinnosuke Abe　2024　age 45

    Youngest: Shigeo Nagashima, 39
    Oldest: Tsuneo Horiuchi, 56

    Background and key points of this discussion

    The Giants are currently being led by acting manager Tadaki Hashigami following manager Shinnosuke Abe’s leave of absence. Some comments point out that batting coach Kazuhiro Kawai is effectively the one calling signs and setting the starting lineup, and this lack of clarity in the chain of command is part of what’s fueling interest in who becomes the next full-time manager. Since retiring as a player, Matsui has held roles such as advisor for the Yankees, but he has kept his distance from coaching on the Japanese baseball scene, so it remains uncertain whether a managerial appointment would go smoothly. On the thread, some commenters point to his “promise” with Shigeo Nagashima, while others voiced skepticism about him taking the job, citing the harsh treatment and public scrutiny that comes with it — producing a mixed reaction of hope and doubt.

    *This article is compiled by excerpting and summarizing the 5ch (Geisports Sokuho+) thread “Giants’ next-manager candidate Hideki Matsui meets his ‘old ally’ — expectations rise for a ‘Godzilla × Wolf’ dream-combo appointment.”

  • Another Mishap at the Aichi Asian Games: Stadium Lights Fail During Team Korea’s Pre-Game Practice — 5ch: ‘I Can’t Feel Safe’

    At the Asian Games currently underway in Aichi/Nagoya, the stadium lights at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Baseball Stadium — the venue for Team Korea’s baseball games — malfunctioned on the night of the 20th during a pre-game practice, leaving only half the lights working. This came just a day after the organizing committee failed to tell Team Korea on the 19th where their official practice would be held, forcing the team to scramble and arrange an indoor practice facility on its own. South Korean outlet OSEN criticized the situation, saying, “Because problems keep piling up from the tournament’s shoddy management, even a minor, unexpected glitch puts everyone on edge.” On 5ch, opinions split: some pointed out that facility operations are outsourced to a foreign company and argued “Japan isn’t entirely to blame,” while others countered that whoever placed the order still bears responsibility for oversight.

    At the trouble-plagued Aichi/Nagoya Asian Games, another incident occurred on the 20th: the stadium lights malfunctioned during Team Korea’s baseball pre-game practice at the game venue, leaving only half the lights lit. Team Korea had already run into trouble on the 19th, when the organizing committee failed to tell them where their official practice would be held, forcing the team to simultaneously scramble to arrange an indoor practice facility. South Korean outlet OSEN criticized the situation, saying, “Because problems keep happening day after day due to the tournament’s shoddy management, even a minor, unexpected glitch puts everyone on edge.”

    Trouble has struck the Asian Games yet again. South Korean outlet OSEN reported that “the lights broke down during Team Korea’s final practice at the Asian Games baseball stadium, which has been drawing daily criticism over its shoddy management.” Team Korea, set to open their tournament against Taiwan today on the 21st, held their pre-game practice on the 20th at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Baseball Stadium, the venue for the actual games — only for the stadium lights to malfunction, leaving just half of them lit.

    That day, the organizing committee had assigned Team Korea a 4 p.m. practice slot. Thailand and Hong Kong, in the same group as Korea, finished their practices in the morning, with Korea scheduled for 4 p.m. and Taiwan’s final practice set for 6 p.m. Team Korea used their full two hours, running through batting, fielding, and baserunning drills across the board. They prepared for the Taiwan game by carefully checking everything that could potentially cause problems — from how the ball bounces on the infield to the outfield fence, the mound, and the batter’s box. Around 4:50 p.m., as the sun set under cloudy skies, the stadium lights came on. But only the right-field and first-base-side lights lit up; the left-field and third-base-side lights stayed dark.

    Source: ronspo.com / Original article here

    5AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:36
    What's really scary is that TV news isn't reporting any of these repeated screw-ups at all.
    8AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:38
    Wait, they're even playing baseball at this tournament?
    10AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:39
    Re: #8
    Unlike the WBC, this is a tournament Korea actually takes seriously.
    27AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:46
    Re: #10
    Taiwan's got military-service exemptions riding on this too, so they come at baseball dead serious.
    38AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:51
    Re: #10
    Gold [medal] = exemption from military service (the system Korean athletes are chasing).
    9AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:39
    Looked into it and apparently the company running operations is French. Is Japan really as much to blame as people are saying?
    16AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:43
    Re: #9
    And what country is the person who handed operations off to a French company from? A country where it's normal to just dump everything on a subcontractor and then act like it's none of your business afterward is pretty scary too.
    25AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:45
    Re: #9
    If the exact same thing happened in Korea instead of Japan, are you confident you wouldn't be bashing Korea for it?
    54AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:58
    Re: #9
    Way too quick to blame someone else.
    12AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:41
    So is Takashi to blame? (a jokey nickname riffing on PM Takaichi Sanae's name)
    30AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:48
    Re: #12
    No, it's Omura's fault. (Hideaki Omura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture)
    14AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:42
    Between soaring material costs and labor shortages, construction and redevelopment projects are stalled everywhere. That's just how hopeless Japan is right now — there's no room left to be hosting amateur sports events.
    17AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:43
    Who's actually in charge of this tournament?
    Governor Omura? PM Takaichi?
    18AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:44
    It's because they blew a ton of money on a ridiculously lavish opening ceremony. Classic most-embarrassing pattern — all show on the surface, nothing underneath.
    21AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:44
    Re: #1
    Greedy companies skimming their cut at every layer — that's the root of all this evil.
    26AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:46
    Re: #1
    The photo in the source is wrong. That's the multipurpose field.
    https://okazaki-kanko.jp/chuo-sogo-park/guide/166
    There's not even a light tower there — you could only play backyard ball on that lol. The actual baseball stadium is here:
    https://www.aichi-nagoya2026.org/ja/venue/okazaki-chuo-sogo-park-baseball-stadium/
    29AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:48
    Re: #26
    Apparently it seats 20,000, so from a soccer fan's perspective that actually sounds pretty fancy.
    28AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:47
    Never thought Japan would run an international tournament this badly… It really is a declining nation at this point.
    33AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:49
    With everyone skimming their cut along the way, there's barely a sparrow's tear left for the people actually doing the work on the ground — no wonder it's a mess.
    35AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:50
    Since it's causing trouble for other countries, Japan should never bid to host another international event again. It's just a frog in a well with no real ability to back it up.

    The public isn't just getting their taxes skimmed — we're the ones left embarrassed too. It's genuinely a nuisance for us citizens.
    40AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:52
    At this point it's hard to believe this is all just coincidence.
    41AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:53
    With this kind of shoddy performance, there's no way this place can become a secondary capital.
    45AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:54
    Japan's really started to feel like a poor country now……

    Infrastructure's falling apart.
    48AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:54
    There was that soccer incident too, and now basketball and baseball — is it really a coincidence that trouble keeps hitting exactly the events where medals are on the line?
    52AnonymousSep 21, 2026 08:58
    This is well past the point where someone in an actual position of responsibility needs to step out and issue a public apology.

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    Reports of trouble surrounding venue operations at the Aichi/Nagoya 2026 Asian Games have piled up ever since the opening, and this latest stadium-light malfunction is an extension of that pattern. On the thread, opinions clashed: some defended the situation by noting that facility management and operations were outsourced to a foreign (French) company, arguing “Japan isn’t entirely to blame,” while others held that the organizing committee, as the client that placed the order, bears the ultimate responsibility for oversight. The original article notes that Team Korea had to share limited practice time with Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan — teams in the same group — and that just a day earlier, on the 19th, the organizing committee had failed to tell the team where their official practice would be held, forcing them to scramble and arrange an indoor facility themselves. Against that backdrop, Korean observers see this latest lighting failure not as an isolated equipment glitch, but as one more symptom of operational problems that have dogged the tournament’s management since it opened.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “Another Mishap at the Aichi/Nagoya Asian Games: Stadium Lights Fail During Team Korea’s Pre-Game Official Practice — ‘Shoddy Tournament Management. I Can’t Feel Safe’.”

  • Tsubaki Factory Throws First Pitch and Performs Post-Game Live Show at Fighters Broadcast on GAORA

    On September 20, GAORA SPORTS aired a live broadcast of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters vs. Orix Buffaloes game (Escon Field) starting at 1:30 PM, featuring the Hello! Project idol group Tsubaki Factory, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch and performed a special live show after the game. Over on 5ch’s Hello! Project board, a live-commentary thread went up before the broadcast even started, buzzing with fan-focused chatter — comparing GAORA and DAZN subscriptions and camera angles, reports of people scrambling to add the channel just in time, and members’ names being matched up with players’ jersey numbers — more than talk about the actual game itself.

    1AnonymousSep 20, 2026 10:40
    (If the game goes into extra innings, the following programming will be pushed back)
    Color commentary: Makoto Kaneko / Play-by-play: Yuhei Doi / Visitor booth (secondary audio): T-Okada, Chiki Chiki Johnny Ishihara
    ▽ 9.20 Escon Field
    2AnonymousSep 20, 2026 10:40
    GAORA Pro Baseball Broadcast (Fighters) | – CS Sports Channel
    https://www.gaora.co.jp/fighters/4280470
    Hokkaido Nippon-Ham vs. Orix (9.20 Escon Field)
    Sunday, September 20 1:30 PM – 6:30 PM
    Rerun
    Sunday, September 20 6:30 PM – 11:00 PM
    7AnonymousSep 20, 2026 10:54
    Escon Field's only getting cancelled if there's a full-on earthquake
    8AnonymousSep 20, 2026 10:54
    They did tease that a red panda would be joining the Fox Dance
    9AnonymousSep 20, 2026 10:56
    That guy's trying to steal the spotlight again huh 💯
    Don't you lose, Doipu! (nickname for a member/mascot)
    10AnonymousSep 20, 2026 10:59
    Switched channels on SkyPerfecTV! and got GAORA added
    11AnonymousSep 20, 2026 11:01
    Going by the usual Morning Musume playbook, I'll just record the rerun
    12AnonymousSep 20, 2026 11:35
    I've got a DAZN subscription — is GAORA actually better?
    13AnonymousSep 20, 2026 11:37
    DAZN and GAORA use different camera angles, y'know
    14AnonymousSep 20, 2026 11:41
    Rakuten Mobile users get Pacific League games for free
    15AnonymousSep 20, 2026 12:52
    Does GAORA even have commercials?
    16AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:05
    Rakuten TV doesn't start till 13:50 so that's a no from me
    21AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:31
    Starting Lineup
    P Kohei Arihara
    1 (LF) Kengo Yoshida
    2 (SS) Tatsuki Mizuno
    3 (DH) Shishi Shibata
    4 (CF) Yuki Nomura
    5 (RF) Nakamasa Manami
    6 (1B) Kotaro Kiyomiya
    7 (3B) Ruia Otsuka
    8 (C) Yuya Shindo
    9 (2B) Taiki Narama
    22AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:32
    Nothing but ads aimed at old folks
    25AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:33
    Honestly thought the heavy rain might knock the broadcast out lol
    26AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:33
    Decided to watch on DAZN instead. Stream doesn't start till 2 PM so I've got time to kill
    28AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:33
    Shishi ("Lion") — named after the old Lions, back from their Nishitetsu days
    29AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:33
    Escon's "Kunio-chan Channel" is live streaming right now! Tsubaki Factory / Hello! Project
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na7ZXDcOVZ0
    https://i.ytimg.com/vi/na7ZXDcOVZ0/hq720.jpg
    35AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:40
    Timetable
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSnFEegaIAEXlcA.jpg:orig#.jpg
    46AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:43
    Re: #35
    Wonder if anyone else is showing up too?

    13:45 – First pitch: Yasumi Tanimoto

    Bottom of the 3rd: Fox Dance

    30 min after the game ends: Special live show, Tsubaki Factory
    41AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:42
    I'm usually team DAZN but I raced to sign up for GAORA and made it in time!
    44AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:42
    Energy's probably lower than back when Makino did it lol
    51AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:45
    Wonder if Maria Makino will get any camera time
    78AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:47
    Are any of you guys actually there at Escon Field right now lol
    84AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:48
    Re: #78
    Tsubaki Factory's solo appearance in "AFTER GAME" 【Escon Field Hokkaido, September 20】
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1789764435/
    111AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:50
    Can someone list out all the jersey numbers? I know Runo's is 42
    121AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:51
    Re: #111
    Ono's is 324?
    Why though?
    129AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:52
    Re: #121
    Isn't it 325?
    130AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:52
    Re: #121
    3 = "mi"
    2 = "tsū"
    4 = "fō"
    probably (spelling something out with number readings)
    119AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:50
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSomHSFa8AAVyx6.jpg:orig#.jpg
    122AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:51
    Escon Field is the best stadium in Japan — you can enjoy it even if you don't know baseball
    131AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:52
    Re: #124
    "Mizu-fō" lol? What's wrong with 325?
    137AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:52
    Re: #131
    Guess they just didn't want to be stuck wearing "Saniko" lol (a pun spelled out from the digits 3-2-5)
    141AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:55
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSonMtEa8AAM5lh.jpg:orig#.jpg
    143AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:56
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSonBpeacAA4Frw.jpg:orig#.jpg
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSonCVubQAA1JBn.jpg:orig#.jpg
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSonC44a8AAYo_X.jpg:orig#.jpg
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSonDdmacAAMn0v.jpg:orig#.jpg
    144AnonymousSep 20, 2026 13:57
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSom5cAaYAA-y7R.jpg:orig#.jpg

    Background and key points of this discussion

    GAORA SPORTS is a CS specialty channel that broadcasts all of the Nippon-Ham Fighters’ home games live year-round, and since its camera angles differ from DAZN’s, plenty of fans subscribe to both. The naming rights to Escon Field are held by the es-con group, so the claim made in the thread that “Chubu Electric Power is the operating entity” appears to be inaccurate. This isn’t the first time a Hello! Project idol group has appeared for a ceremonial first pitch or live show at the stadium, and the thread also saw some back-and-forth comparing this appearance to past ones. Exchanges decoding jersey numbers as wordplay were typical of this kind of live-commentary thread, where fans care less about the game’s outcome and more about “who’s going to show up on camera and how” — there was almost no discussion of the actual score or progress of the game.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “■ Tsubaki Factory ■ GAORA SPORTS “[Live] GAORA Pro Baseball Broadcast: Hokkaido Nippon-Ham vs. Orix (9.20)” ■ 13:30–18:30 ■.”

  • Hiroyuki Ariyoshi Raves About Baseball Manga ‘Draft King’ — 5ch Erupts Into Its Usual ‘Best Baseball Manga’ Debate

    Hiroyuki Ariyoshi raved about the manga “Draft King” as “insanely interesting” on his radio show broadcast September 20, saying “if you like baseball, you should absolutely read it” — and the comment became a talking point on 5ch. Rather than debating the recommendation itself, the thread quickly spiraled into the site’s perennial argument over “what’s the best baseball manga,” with users bringing up classics like “Captain,” “Play Ball,” “Dokaben,” and “Abu-san,” all the way to “4-ban Third,” a one-shot drawn by Detective Conan creator Gosho Aoyama. Some doubted Ariyoshi’s “influence,” while others who actually read the free chapters said it was “the first time I’ve ever agreed with Ariyoshi” — reactions were split.

    Sun, Sep 20, 9:31 PM

    Comedian and TV personality Hiroyuki Ariyoshi (52) appeared live on JFN’s “Hiroyuki Ariyoshi’s SUNDAY NIGHT DREAMER” (Sundays 8:00 PM) on the 20th, where he talked about a manga he called “insanely interesting.”

    When the popular manga “Draft King” came up, Ariyoshi spoke passionately: “It’s insanely interesting. If you like baseball, you should absolutely read it. You’ll find yourself desperately waiting for the release date.”

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:22
    Isn't it 'Captain'?
    Waste of a click opening this.
    10AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:25
    Re: #3
    Grandpa, is that you?
    45AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:40
    Re: #3
    If you're a baseball fan you already know that title — no point recommending it at this stage.
    4AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:23
    The most interesting baseball manga is
    hands down 'Kattobi!! Doji'.
    7AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:24
    Gag-packed stuff like 'Wataru ga Pyun!' is more fun.
    8AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:25
    Isn't it 'The Miracle of Yamada Taichi'?
    9AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:25
    Is there any baseball manga besides Adachi Mitsuru's work and 'Rookies' that actually got a proper ending?
    Not the 'our real battle starts now' cop-out ending.
    22AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:30
    Re: #9
    Didn't 'Dokaben' and 'Abu-san' actually finish properly?
    44AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:40
    Re: #9
    'Raipachi-kun'
    60AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:44
    Re: #9
    What about 'Suna no Eikan' (Glory in the Sand)?
    12AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:26
    Jump manga has a surprising number of baseball titles now that I think about it.
    15AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:28
    Detective Conan's Gosho Aoyama also drew a one-volume baseball manga
    called '4-ban Third' (Cleanup Hitter, Third Base).
    17AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:29
    Only read the thread title, but it's gotta be 'Buttchigiri,' right?
    18AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:29
    Ariyoshi's got zero influencer power lol
    20AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:29
    Only read the free chapters, but it's good
    first time I've ever agreed with Ariyoshi on anything.
    26AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:31
    Was expecting 'Captain' or 'Play Ball'
    what a letdown.
    27AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:31
    Isn't it 'Wild Leaguer'?
    28AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:32
    'Yamashita Taro-kun'
    Also 'Ace,' drawn by Takahashi-sensei of Captain Tsubasa fame.
    29AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:32
    'Draft King' really is good — I'd recommend it regardless of Ariyoshi.
    32AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:34
    I bet a lot of people want to see more of 'Sailor Ace'
    Like the car industry did, the baseball world should pressure Shigeno into drawing a sequel.
    68AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:47
    Re: #32
    Shigeno didn't want to stop — Kodansha was the one that cut it short and told him to draw a car manga instead, which became 'MF Ghost'
    If you're going to pressure anyone, it should be Kodansha.
    33AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:34
    It's gotta be 'Saijaku! Loose Dogs'
    That one was actually good.
    34AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:35
    Everyone's throwing over 150 km/h these days, it's excessive.
    36AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:36
    Someone on 5ch said 'Battle Studies' was good a while back… I stopped reading partway through.
    38AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:37
    This one's genuinely good
    once you start you can't stop.
    39AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:37
    Isn't it 'Ace'?
    40AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:38
    'Ace!', drawn by Yoichi Takahashi-sensei — hands down.
    43AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:39
    Dreams: "…"
    52AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:42
    Re: #43
    I liked 'Dreams.'
    55AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:43
    Got into bed and the 'free! free!' ads kept blaring, so annoying lol
    59AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:44
    The older generation of mangaka have basically drawn every sport there is already, so new artists have no choice but to hunt for niche gaps lol
    63AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:45
    Baseball: tons, like 'Kyojin no Hoshi'
    Basketball: stuff like 'Slam Dunk'
    Volleyball: only 'Kogyo Aika Volley Boys'
    79AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:53
    Re: #63
    'Haikyuu!!' is a volleyball manga, old man (lit. "Showa uncle").
    80AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:53
    Re: #63
    'Namida no Volleyball' (Volleyball of Tears)
    74AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:50
    Whatever happened to 'Battle Studies'?
    I stopped reading partway through.
    90AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:55
    Re: #74
    It's in the middle of the Koshien finals right now.
    84AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:54
    Is it okay if I count 'Magoroku' as a baseball manga?
    102AnonymousSep 20, 2026 22:58
    Re: #84
    It's Magoroku Ball!

    Background and Key Points of This Discussion

    It’s not unusual for Hiroyuki Ariyoshi’s celebrity endorsements to get picked up by the media, and on 5ch this kind of “celebrity raves about it” article tends to draw skeptical reactions before people even engage with the content — questions like “does this actually work” or “isn’t this just a paid promo.” True to form, this thread saw comments like “he’s got no influencer effect,” while others who actually read the free chapters posted favorable impressions, so reactions were mixed. The other recurring thread was that the conversation drifted away from evaluating “Draft King” itself and into the site’s standard “what’s the best baseball manga” comparison. Users cited everything from Showa- and Heisei-era staples like “Captain,” “Play Ball,” “Dokaben,” and “Abu-san,” to the recently popular “Haikyuu!!,” to Gosho Aoyama’s one-shot “4-ban Third” — a wide-ranging exchange that shows just how deep the baseball manga genre runs.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “What manga is Hiroyuki Ariyoshi raving about as ‘insanely interesting’? ‘If you like baseball, you should absolutely read it’.”

  • Giants Storm Back to Take Provisional First Place — Izumiguchi’s Go-Ahead Hit and Martinez’s 40th Save

    The Yomiuri Giants rallied to beat the Yakult Swallows on the 20th, pushing their season win differential to a season-high-tying +14 and grabbing provisional first place. With two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh, Yuta Izumiguchi delivered the go-ahead RBI hit, and closer Martinez picked up his 40th save of the year, reaching 252 career saves — tied for third all-time in the league. Yakult, meanwhile, dropped its sixth straight game to fall to a league-worst -17, keeping alive the grim possibility of an eighth consecutive losing season. On 5ch’s live-commentary threads, fans buzzed over the late-inning comeback while also grumbling about a replay-review call and swapping chatter about other games involving the Hanshin Tigers and Orix Buffaloes, making for a lively thread.

    1AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:38
    Previous thread
    Giants Acting-Manager Thread 144
    4AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:39
    [Giants] Comeback win puts them in 'provisional first place'! Season-high-tying +14 win differential, 6th straight win over Yakult — Izumiguchi delivers the go-ahead hit with 2 outs and bases loaded in the 7th; Martinez notches his 40th save, tying for 3rd all-time with 252 career saves
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/188133f0037398848f148394ffa5b86d1987fcef

    [Yakult] Comeback loss drops them to a league-worst -17; 6th straight loss to the Giants means no winning season for an 8th straight year… Sakaguchi loads the bases on 3 walks in the 7th before Izumiguchi's crushing go-ahead hit; Takahashi allows 1 run through 6-plus innings
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e0841dc1e08669958b700e6b09a2721c4bef020f
    6AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:44
    Made an amazing discovery
    Isn't Hanshin actually weak if you just shut down Morishita and Sato-teru (nickname for Sato Teruaki)?
    9AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:47
    Well well
    Things are heating up
    13AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:49
    Now let's see how this other situation plays out
    14AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:50
    Nice, Takeda!
    Morishita's cocky throw lololololol
    18AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:50
    Takeda lol
    Wanna bat 2nd for our team?
    20AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:50
    Morishita's way too much of a 'me, me, me' guy lol
    23AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:51
    Sano, get a hit already! Can't have it be only our team not scoring, no way
    38AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:53
    Hosokawa's HEEERE (゚∀゚) !!
    41AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:54
    If we don't score here we're gonna get hit right back in the bottom half
    Takeda's still on base too
    45AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:55
    And it's gone, welp lolololololololololololololololol
    52AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:56
    The real issue is Takeda's been stuck on base this whole time
    53AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:57
    Sakamoto's been fumbling grounders all day so I'm not gonna ask for any tricky throws
    62AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:04
    Go BayStars, win it all
    Go BayStars, win it all
    Go BayStars, win it all
    Go BayStars, win it all
    Go BayStars, win it all
    64AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:05
    I want to see BayStars win it all
    I want to see BayStars win it all
    I want to see BayStars win it all
    I want to see BayStars win it all
    I want to see BayStars win it all
    70AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:06
    [Beat Writer's Giants Chronicle] Grit Shines Through Again — Giants' Yuta Izumiguchi's Late-Game Go-Ahead Hit Is His Third This Month
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5e03bb6a538d05635db02d4c79bd4da8a856c37c
    94AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:12
    Re: #70
    Our team's very own Ichiro — Izumiguchi
    72AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:06
    Please, someone stop Nanako Kurosaki, she's coming lol

    75
    74AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:06
    Hanada's HEEERE (゚∀゚) !!
    84AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:08
    He chucked his helmet, lol
    Morishita taking it out on his gear lolol
    86AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:08
    [Orix] Manager Mamoru Kishida on Ryoma Nishikawa tying the Pacific League lead in hits: 'It's all about the accumulation' — batting him leadoff for a 6th straight game
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/cbdc5209f71651ba42a3707848836627af4b4b1a
    87AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:09
    Go BayStars
    Go BayStars
    Go BayStars
    Go BayStars
    Go BayStars
    102AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:14
    At this rate our team's gonna fall out of first place…
    109AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:15
    That was basically a routine single up the middle turned into a line drive straight at the second baseman, lol
    118AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:16
    Come on, quit doing that…
    126AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:16
    Re: #118
    Typo: '辞めて' (quit)
    Meant: '止めて' (stop)
    119AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:16
    It's fine, it's totally fine
    This BayStars team can absolutely come back from this
    123AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:16
    And here I thought luck was finally on our side, lol
    127AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:16
    If only Santana's bat hadn't gone flying into Shion-nu (nickname for a player)
    128AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:17
    Hanshin fans cheering over the other team's error (what a joke)
    133AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:17
    That replay review took way too long
    Shouldn't have even been accepted
    136AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:18
    If it had actually hit him, wouldn't he be acting like it hurt a lot more?
    139AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:18
    Why'd they even accept the challenge when it came in that late?
    142AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:19
    Re: #139
    Because the umpire himself thought he'd blown the call
    144AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:19
    If it really hit him it'd look a lot more painful than that
    149AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:20
    Re: #144
    Guy's just built tough
    148AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:20
    HERE COMES A BLOOPER PLAY (chinpa, slang for a bizarre/blooper play) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    Background and Key Points

    The Giants’ “win differential” (chokin, literally “savings”) tracks their season-long margin of wins over losses, and today’s +14 ties the team’s best mark of the season. Yakult, by contrast, sits at a league-worst -17 (“shakkin,” or “debt”), putting an eighth consecutive losing season within uncomfortably close reach. Martinez’s 40th save of the season and his 252 career saves — good for a tie for third all-time in the league — underscore his track record as a reliable closer. On the live-commentary threads, fans praised Izumiguchi for his go-ahead hit, while others questioned how the close, late-arriving replay review was handled. Worth noting: posts about pitcher Morishita’s delivery and attitude were actually reactions to a separate same-day game (the Hanshin Tigers matchup), discussed in parallel rather than being part of the Giants-Yakult thread itself.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Giants Acting-Manager Thread 145.”

  • Star-Studded Hanshin Tigers Miss the Pennant — 5ch: “Best Roster in the League, Yet Barely Scraping By”

    A thread went up on 5ch’s Nandemo Jikkyo G board about how the Hanshin Tigers — stacked with star names like Konomoto, Nakano, Morishita, Sato Teruaki, Oyama, Sakamoto, Murakami, Takahashi, Saiki, and Kudo — are struggling in the pennant race. Despite a roster that should overwhelm every other team on paper, the Tigers can’t close games out, and posters pointed to the shaky bullpen beyond Kudo and Doris, thin depth at shortstop and pinch-hitter, and the front office’s lax approach to reinforcements as the reasons why. Some defended Oyama by citing his league rankings in batting average, home runs, and RBIs, and the thread’s central debate became how to reconcile the team’s on-paper strength with its actual results.

    1AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:09
    What?
    2AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:09
    We've got Fujikawa Kyuji (the Tigers' manager)
    63AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:36
    Re: #2
    Don't just fire back an answer that fast
    5AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:10
    Yomiuri Giants: "We've got Abe Shinnosuke's daughter"
    6AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:11
    A team where these ten guys keep putting up dominant numbers while everyone else keeps dragging them down
    7AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:11
    Seriously, they're loaded with star players and still can't close it out
    8AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:11
    The bullpen's falling apart outside of Kudo and Doris
    12AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:12
    If you just showed people the roster, almost everyone would say Hanshin's miles ahead of the rest — how do you even manage to make it this close?
    13AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:12
    If Hanshin blows the pennant, who's taking MVP?
    14AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:12
    Re: #13
    Acting manager Hashigami
    16AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:13
    Re: #13
    Abe Shinnosuke's daughter
    17AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:13
    Re: #13
    The AI that gave Abe Shinnosuke's daughter spot-on advice and ended up getting Abe fired
    19AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:14
    Because the rest of the position players hit like pitchers
    22AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:15
    Re: #19
    Don't make excuses
    On a normal team, just having Satoteru and Morishita would be enough to score runs even if everyone else hit like a pitcher
    20AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:14
    Most pundits predicted Hanshin running away with it, Chunichi finishing A-class, and the Giants in B-class (NPB shorthand for the top three vs. bottom three teams)
    39AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:23
    Re: #20
    Plenty of people actually picked the Giants for A-class
    21AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:14
    Honestly it's almost impressive they turned this much talent into such a nail-biter
    25AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:15
    If they'd just locked Takadera in at shortstop, they'd be way more competitive
    28AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:16
    Re: #25
    Takadera's OPS is under .600 though
    29AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:17
    The cleanup spots are all set — all they needed to do was fill in the details around them. Instead they wasted time messing around with import signings and botched developing Tateishi.
    42AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:25
    With Morishita and Satoteru locked in, having Oyama bat next feels a bit shaky
    50AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:31
    Re: #42
    7th in batting average
    9th in home runs
    4th in RBIs
    That's a seriously good No. 5 hitter
    106AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:14
    Re: #42
    No way, that's a stretch
    52AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:31
    Starting next year the Giants are just going to own the Central League forever

    A Hanshin without Sato Teruaki could honestly end up weaker than Hiroshima is right now
    53AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:32
    Re: #52
    Nah, it's the currently loaded Yokohama that's winning it
    60AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:35
    Re: #52
    If he actually wanted to win a title, he'd stick around
    58AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:34
    The real plan is to let manager Hashimoto win it all this year, build him up as a credentialed outsider, and then trigger a total internal collapse ten years down the line
    69AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:40
    Re: #58
    Honestly if they dropped the homegrown-only policy, they'd probably get stronger
    62AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:36
    I'm a Hanshin fan, but seriously, aren't the other teams way too weak against the Giants?

    Like Yokohama and Hiroshima.
    66AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:38
    Re: #62
    Yokohama's 11-13 against them though
    67AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:39
    Re: #62
    Hanshin and Chunichi are the only ones actually struggling against the 🧟 (a jab calling the Giants an undead team that won't stay down)
    73AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:42
    Re: #62
    The real problem is on Hanshin's end for only managing an even record against those same Yokohama and Hiroshima teams
    64AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:36
    He could probably pull in over ¥10 billion (~$70 million) if he went to MLB
    Does anyone seriously think he's staying?
    65AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:38
    Re: #64
    Who are you even talking about?
    76AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:44
    Take this with a grain of salt if you're hyping up Sakamoto
    He's the type who gets complacent fast, so his hot streaks never last
    94AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:58
    Re: #76
    Ideally they'd rotate guys in, but Fujikawa basically runs the same lineup every time
    81AnonymousSep 20, 2026 18:47
    Even when they want to send in a pinch hitter, all they've got is mediocre Japanese bats and bust import signings
    They've got the money — why do they keep slacking on reinforcements?
    107AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:16
    Re: #81
    Because everyone kept hyping it up like "the homegrown-talent kingdom is the best, yeaaaah!"
    108AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:19
    Re: #81
    That's not the spot to spend money on
    They're slacking on reinforcements, but shortstop is exactly where they should be investing
    Not even trying to fill that hole makes zero sense

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    NPB standings aren’t decided by how star-studded a lineup looks on paper. A point raised repeatedly in the thread was that, relative to the quality of the rotation and the middle of the order, a thin bullpen and bench tend to swing games — a classic mismatch between fans judging team strength by name value and past achievements versus how the team is actually deployed on the field. Some posts defended Oyama’s numbers by citing his league rankings in batting average, home runs, and RBIs, but it’s worth noting these are mid-season snapshots, not a fixed final verdict. There were also many calls to develop and reinforce the shortstop position, while opinions in the thread were split over how the team uses its foreign-player roster spots and its homegrown-first team-building policy. Behind the simple question of “why can’t a team with a superior roster win it all” lies a more complicated story involving the balance of in-game strategy and bench management, rather than just individual player ability.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “Hanshin Tigers: “We’ve got Konomoto, Nakano, Morishita, Sato, Oyama, Sakamoto, Murakami, Takahashi, Saiki, Kudo” — Here’s why this team couldn’t win the pennant.”

  • Tigers’ Maekawa Hit by Pitch: Was It Actually Inside the Strike Zone? 5ch Erupts Over the Call

    On September 20, 2026, a hit-by-pitch on Hanshin Tigers player Maekawa during a game became a hot topic on 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyou G” board. The issue isn’t the hit-by-pitch itself, but whether the pitch was actually inside the strike zone — after watching replay images, posters split right down the middle, with some insisting “that’s clearly a ball” and others firing back “no, that’s a strike.” No one posted video, only still images circulated, and the results of the official replay review also became a talking point, with the back-and-forth over what really happened dominating the thread.

    3AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:27
    That review request took way too long, didn't it
    5AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:29
    The usual clownish umpiring strikes again ("chinpire" — slang mocking incompetent umps)
    7AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:30
    This is way too much, honestly
    They're just ignoring the rules
    10AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:31
    Not getting ejected for protesting the review result — that's the real rule-breaking
    11AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:31
    Even if he throws inside within the strike zone, they'll act like he's intimidating the batter, right?
    Total garbage
    15AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:31
    The clown umps actually allowed this lolololol
    22AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:33
    Re: #15
    Yeah this is genuinely messed up
    16AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:32
    But isn't it the pitcher's fault for not having the skill to command the inside corner?
    24AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:34
    Re: #16
    It landed exactly where he aimed, inside the strike zone though
    17AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:32
    A hit-by-pitch inside the strike zone —
    that's gotta be a first
    20AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:33
    Re: #17
    Pretty sure that happens fairly often though
    23AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:34
    If this is allowed, pitchers might start faking a bunt and aiming for the head next
    30AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:35
    Maybe all those past 'intimidation' pitches were actually strikes too
    37AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:42
    Watched the replay — that's clearly a ball, no matter how you look at it
    39AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:43
    A Tigers fan's "clearly" can't be trusted lol
    40AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:43
    Go watch the footage — it's a ball
    If that's actually a strike, I'd honestly be impressed
    41AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:44
    This is the only way to stop Yokohama's momentum!
    43AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:45
    If that's really a strike, that's crazy in its own way
    44AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:45
    "I personally wasn't upset about it" — that kind of mindset
    48AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:46
    No wonder nobody can post the video

    Because

    it's completely a ball
    53AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:48
    Re: #48
    Then the "it's a ball" crowd should be the ones posting it
    50AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:47
    Wasn't there a pitcher named Maekawa who transferred from Orix to the Tigers, the one who got a DUI?
    Wonder what he's up to now
    52AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:48
    Still no video this whole time
    Says it all
    Guess it's another anti-Tigers thread starter 🤭
    54AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:49
    Normally if you're starting a thread like this, you'd post the video, right? 🤭
    55AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:49
    If they post the video it'll be obvious

    that it was completely a ball lol
    56AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:49
    In front of the clown umps, the replay review means nothing
    60AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:50
    If the review overturned the call, doesn't that mean it was a ball?
    64AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:52
    Hit by pitch inside the strike zone lolololololol
    tps://i.imgur.com/dpWn7Qv.png
    65AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:53
    Re: #64
    Delete it delete it delete it delete it delete it delete it delete it delete it delete it
    70AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:54
    Re: #64
    Well would you look at that
    72AnonymousSep 20, 2026 19:55
    Re: #64
    Never seen a sight like this before lol
    A hit-by-pitch inside the strike zone
    89AnonymousSep 20, 2026 20:07




    95AnonymousSep 20, 2026 20:08
    Re: #89
    That's straight up right over the plate lol

    Background and Key Points of This Debate

    Under NPB rules, if a pitch passes through the strike zone and the batter makes no attempt to avoid it, it can be ruled a “strike” rather than a “hit-by-pitch” even if it hits the batter’s body. This is exactly the kind of situation at the center of this debate — after watching the replays and images, posters were split, with some saying “that’s obviously a ball” and others insisting “no, it’s inside the strike zone,” and the argument continued without a clear resolution. The thread also featured emotional jabs at the pitcher and some off-color banter, but the core dispute is really a technical one about interpreting the replay footage. The article doesn’t confirm what standard the home plate umpire actually used or how the team’s challenge was handled, so it’s worth noting this remains speculation confined to 5ch.

    *This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyou G) thread “[Bad News] Hanshin Tigers’ Maekawa Gets Hit by a Pitch Inside the Strike Zone wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.”

  • Giants Notch 3rd Straight Win, Take Provisional Lead — Edge Out Yakult, But ‘Jampire’ Calls Spark Outrage

    In Central League play on September 20, the Yomiuri Giants edged the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 3-2 for their third consecutive win, moving into a share of first place. Tied going into the 6th, they retook the lead that inning and tacked on an insurance run in the 7th to close it out. While many thread posts praised the team’s strength, a questionable call in the top of the 7th set off a wave of “Jampire” jokes (slang blending “Giants” and “umpire,” implying the umps favor the team) along with complaints about the officiating. Posts also speculated on the fate of Hanshin’s magic number and how the contenders might stack up in the Japan Series, giving the thread the charged feel of a tightening pennant race.

    Yakult　0 0 0　 1 0 1　 0 0 0 |2

    Giants　0 0 0　 0 0 1　 2 0 X |3

    [Battery]

    Source: nikkansports.com / Original article here

    10AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:12
    Shortened to 'Kora, Pakuru Na' (hey, quit copying!)

    Giants win again today — hey~ quit copying~ (o^∀^o)
    11AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:12
    Did Hanshin's magic number just disappear?
    17AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:13
    Re: #11
    Nope — the 'reverse magic number' keeps ticking down
    13AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:12
    This kind of win is exactly what a strong team looks like, it's impressive
    Still showing they've got plenty left in the tank this late in the season
    14AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:13
    This just makes tonight's Hanshin game even more exciting to watch
    19AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:14
    Giants win again today, and Joa tastes so good (o^∀^o) (Joa, a Yakult probiotic drink — needling the losing team with their own product)
    118AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:31
    Re: #19,26
    Hey, quit copying!
    23AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:14
    Yakult needs to chug a lot more Gungun-yogurt if they want to turn this around (playing on Yakult's real 'Gungun' kids' drink plus 'yogurt')
    26AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:15
    Giants win again today, and Pirukuru tastes so good (o^∀^o) (another real Yakult probiotic drink)
    29AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:15
    'Jampire' is unreal

    Called dead-center pitches balls over and over in the 7th
    31AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:16
    Premature celebration from the Giant-trash (a common slur for Giants fans)
    Yokohama's (DeNA) comeback pennant win is a lock
    32AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:16
    With the Giants in trouble in the top of the 7th,
    a pitch that was clearly low got the strike call
    'Jampire' exploding all over again today
    Are you seriously happy winning it on bad umpiring?
    That's like a shoplifter savoring the stolen food going 'mmm, delicious'
    44AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:18
    Re: #32
    Morishita already told you — if you self-judge it, it's a strike, remember?
    35AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:16
    [Hanshin] Second-place Giants win first — if Hanshin loses to DeNA, they drop out of first and their magic number resets. Please… Hiroto Saiki
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e8544b2b9231fb104d9b0d49375d8f297bbd44fc
    36AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:17
    Re: #1

    Pitchers of record
    Winning pitcher: Giants — Nakagawa (3-1, 0 SV)
    Losing pitcher: Yakult — Sakaguchi (0-1, 0 SV)
    Save: Giants — Martinez (5-4, 40 SV)
    37AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:17
    The data backs it up — bottom of the 7th was straight-up 'Jampire' lol
    39AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:17
    Anyway, why do baseball players grab each other's butts regardless of whether it's Japan or the US?
    57AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:20
    Re: #39
    In American football they grope all the way down to the groin, so it's probably testosterone doing that
    40AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:17
    Well, a team that pulls off the miracle of getting its own manager arrested for misconduct mid-season is bound to be riding some divine luck

    Truly a 'Make Arrest' kind of year (riff on 'make a miracle')
    41AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:17
    I wonder how much lands in Sakaguchi's bank account after the long weekend?
    42AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:18
    'Jampire' lmaoooooooooooooooooo

    Called dead-center pitches balls over and over in the bottom of the 7th
    48AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:19
    If Izumiguchi hadn't taken a batted ball to the face, he might've posted better numbers than last year
    53AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:19
    Finally in the provisional lead, lol
    Turns out that Bay Stars series the other day was just DeNA being on an absurd hot streak
    DeNA is the strongest team in the Central League right now
    Compared to Hanshin, the Giants are in way better form this late in the year
    62AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:20
    Re: #53
    Whether it's Hanshin or the Giants, they'll probably get swept in the Japan Series either way
    72AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:22
    Re: #62
    Honestly, DeNA's the only team with any real shot against SoftBank
    once they get rolling they can ride the wave all the way — they've got the track record to prove it
    83AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:23
    Re: #62
    But with DeNA, who really knows
    68AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:22
    Giants fans still hold a grudge against Yakult from getting in the way of the '86 pennant race
    (the one where Makihara gave up the hit to Brohard)
    78AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:22
    Re: #68
    Ha, 'Furo Hard' [bath hard] — that pun on Brohard's name brings back memories
    75AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:22
    Tomomi Itano's husband
    really battled out there
    honestly thought the Giants were going to lose
    91AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:25
    No idea about this team, but can they even beat the Hawks? (゚Д゚)
    95AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:26
    Re: #91
    No way they're beating them
    97AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:26
    Congrats on the amazing comeback pennant win 🎊
    The players have really come together as one
    108AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:29
    Re: #97
    Maybe the players are only 'united' because someone dangled a carrot like 'we'll only make Hashigami the full-time manager next season if you win the pennant,' lol
    If it's really 'Hashigami stays if we win, Abe comes back if we don't,' the players would get seriously desperate, lol
    99AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:27
    Even if the Giants make the Japan Series, they'll probably get swept 4 straight
    103AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:28
    Re: #99
    Whoever ends up facing the Hawks, it's just gonna be a letdown
    120AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:32
    They just lost 7 straight head-to-head against Hanshin, yet somehow they're in the provisional lead now — makes no sense
    132AnonymousSep 20, 2026 17:36
    Re: #120
    Isn't that just on the manager, going all-out only against the Giants but not winning much against anyone else, lol
    Hashigami's strategy is to not force it in the tough Hanshin matchups and instead rack up more wins everywhere else

    Background and Talking Points

    This game unfolds against the backdrop of a tight late-season pennant race involving the Giants, Hanshin, and DeNA. The “magic number” is the figure showing how many more wins (or opponent losses) a team needs to clinch the pennant; the “reverse magic number” mentioned in the thread is slang for the flip side — the point at which a team loses any chance of winning it outright on its own. The word “Jampire,” thrown around over the call in the top of the 7th, is a standard 5ch jab implying that close calls tend to break the Giants’ way — worth noting this isn’t a one-off for this game, but an expression that gets trotted out almost every year. Within the thread, comments praising the team’s strength appeared right alongside complaints about the officiating; rather than the reactions splitting along one axis, it’s notable that “satisfaction with how the win was earned” and “distrust in the umpiring” were being discussed as two separate threads. A few posts also touched on the manager’s status and past misconduct, but since the thread alone doesn’t give enough detail to confirm the full story, those points shouldn’t be taken as established fact.

    *This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Baseball] Central League: G 3-2 S [9/20] — Giants win 3rd straight, Yoshikawa’s go-ahead RBI double, Yakult drop another”.

  • Giants Give Up Early Runs to Yakult — 5ch Erupts in Anguish Over ‘A Win Today Puts Us in First!’

    A thread about the Giants vs. Yakult game at Tokyo Dome. In the heat of the pennant race, with a win meaning first place, the Giants fell behind starting in the first inning due to baserunning blunders and shaky pitching control. Posters traded blame over the questionable baserunning calls and pitcher usage that led to the early runs, with comments like “those two idiots in the first inning wrecked everything” and “our team is cursed to never have a better winning percentage than Hanshin.” Adding to the tension, the Hanshin–DeNA game later that evening could also swing the outcome of the pennant race.

    1AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:43
    Previous thread
    Giants Acting Manager Thread 143
    3AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:43
    Tokyo Dome
    Starting Lineups
    【Giants】　　【Yakult】
    7 Matsumoto 　　　　9 Masuda
    4 Yoshikawa 　 6 Nagaoka
    6 Izumiguchi　　　 　3 Osuna
    3 Dahlbeck 7 Santana
    2 Ōshiro 　　　　5 Matsushita
    5 Sakamoto　　　　 8 Iwata
    9 Hirayama　　 　　4 Uchiyama
    8 Sasaki 　　　2 Matsumoto Nao
    1 Ogasawara　　 　1 Takahashi
    5AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:55
    Fighters' Kiyomiya hits his first 20th home run in his 9th pro season — a no-doubt, monstrous 129-meter blast
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4c94163c34e496f43dfe4374e4a767d212f6ab77
    6AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:56
    Yep, that's a loss — guess I'll go watch the All Comers Cup instead (lol)
    7AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:56
    Losing, losing…
    Congrats on the pennant, Hanshin
    8AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:57
    Please, somebody stop Kurosaki Nanako, she's definitely lurking around today lol (a broadcaster fans jokingly blame as a jinx)

    75
    9AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:57
    This is what a pitcher who's never been in a pennant race looks like
    10AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:57
    Ump, go get hit by a bat follow-through already
    11AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:57
    Knew it
    Yesterday we were smashing hits left and right, today it's a 1-0 nail-biter loss
    12AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:57
    If we win today we're in first — play like your life depends on it!
    24AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:01
    Re: #12
    Ōtemachi (the Yomiuri/Giants front-office HQ)
    "You get it, right, Hashigami-kun?"
    14AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:58
    These guys mash hit after hit in games we've already got locked up, but in a game like this every single one of them goes ice cold — it's infuriating.
    Seriously, cut their salaries.
    17AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:59
    Our team is cursed to never have a better winning percentage than Hanshin
    18AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:59
    Straight fastballs are getting hit by everyone, Nagaoka included
    19AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:59
    It's only the first inning — against a pitcher with control that shaky, you just work him patiently
    21AnonymousSep 20, 2026 14:59
    Re: #19
    Seriously, that was a total 'Roomba operation' (bumbling around the bases like a robot vacuum)
    27AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:02
    Yesss, the 'Fake Giants' (虚カス — a derogatory rival-fan nickname) are losing lol
    So much for that slim game-back margin lol
    28AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:03
    The idiot bench thinks running the bases makes it look like smart baseball
    29AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:03
    See, if you'd just stood still you could've easily drawn a walk
    30AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:03
    Good, good
    Score in that inning no matter what
    All the way to the lead
    32AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:03
    See, he won't even swing at an inside pitch — the idiot who sent the runner is the one to blame
    35AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:05
    [Fighters] Hokkaido-born idol Yasumi Tanimoto throws her first-ever ceremonial first pitch in a frilly skirt: 'I was so nervous'
    https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/07cc13ffa52037871f7738db2bf6cdfec8cf1757
    40AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:06
    Even Dahlbeck's gonna lose all motivation out of sheer disbelief lol
    44AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:07
    Yesterday's barrage of timely hits was so out of character for us
    Only thing left is to swing for the fences and homer
    46AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:08
    Wish we could play the Chunichi Dragons every single day
    49AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:09
    Did the big gun from the north hit a home run?
    50AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:09
    Losing our game first and then having to watch the Hanshin–Yokohama game tonight is way too much of an emotional burden
    51AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:09
    No wonder North Korea's launching missiles too
    52AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:09
    So when's our team launching its own missile?
    53AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:10
    Whenever Yakult wins it's because their starter somehow grinds through it, so we should just make him throw as many pitches as possible — helping him out from the first inning is just idiotic
    54AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:12
    Used to get J-Alert notifications on my phone
    Haven't gotten one in a while now
    55AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:12
    Losing after getting snapped at and bitten back by the 'underdog' — that's embarrassing on a whole new level
    56AnonymousSep 20, 2026 15:14
    If we lose today and the Tigers (珍 — a mocking nickname for Hanshin) win, it's over

    Background and Key Points

    The Central League is in the closing stretch of a pennant race between the Giants and the Hanshin Tigers, and on this day a Giants win over Yakult would have put them in first place. The thread pins the early runs on a first-inning baserunning gamble (taking a risky extra base that ended in a close-call out), with posters directing more frustration at the coaching decisions than at individual players. The thread also frames the day’s outcome as tied to the Hanshin–DeNA game later that evening, since its result would directly affect the pennant race. As this is a live thread, it captures only fragmentary, in-the-moment commentary — the final result of the game and any resulting standings changes are not settled within the scope of this thread.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello!Project board) thread “Giants Acting Manager Thread 144.”