Blog

Tigers Sign Two Young Dominican Pitchers

Tigers Sign Two Young Dominican Pitchers

Source: Sankei Sports The Hanshin Tigers announced on February 29 that they have signed two young pitchers from the Dominican Republic to development player contracts. Under these rules, they will not be permitted to play in top squad games until they are deemed worthy of having their contracts restructured and they become one of the…

Episode 192: Why the Tigers WILL Repeat in 2024

Episode 192: Why the Tigers WILL Repeat in 2024

Hosts T-Ray and Sanjay give you the latest team news and then give you a multitude of reasons to be hopeful that the 2024 Hanshin Tigers will repeat as Central League champions. Start thinking about your CL standings predictions, as that contest will be announced in a week or so! Recorded on: February 19, 2024…

Spring Training Midway Report

Spring Training Midway Report

The Hanshin Tigers have been hard at work down in Okinawa. Camp started on February 1, and runs through the 27th. Starting this weekend, practice games will become more frequent, and we will see which players are going to get more playing time during the March exhibition games, and which will end up in the…

Episode 191: Why the Tigers Won’t Repeat in 2024

Episode 191: Why the Tigers Won’t Repeat in 2024

Hosts T-Ray and Sanjay share the team’s latest news, including the scoop on the four import players, and Shintaro Fujinami’s signing, and then discuss some of the factors that might result in the team not repeating as CL champs this year. Don’t worry – Episode 192 will look at the flip side of this issue!…

Gone in 2023, New in 2024

Gone in 2023, New in 2024

Last year saw our team win its first pennant in 18 years and just its second Nippon Series ever (and first since 1985). But the thing is, no team can stay the same from year to year. This team did relatively little to alter the magic formula that was so successful in 2023, but here…

Toreba no Toraba: Fake It Until You Make It!

Toreba no Toraba: Fake It Until You Make It!

From the Daily Sports Online column / デイリースポーツオンラインの連載コラムから Ever feel like you didn’t belong somewhere? Like you were way out of your league? I bet the young Hanshin Tigers players are feeling just that as they head to spring training. I mean, they are standing alongside the champions of Nippon Professional Baseball and trying to…

Hideki Irabu: The Man Who Loved Baseball Too Much

Hideki Irabu: The Man Who Loved Baseball Too Much

I am genuinely curious about pretty much anyone who played baseball for the Hanshin Tigers. The same is true of Japanese players who gave the Major Leagues a shot. These days, I have started to really become more curious about the world of translating and interpreting as well, so I take a deeper interest in…

Guerra Meets the Press!

Guerra Meets the Press!

Source: Hanshin Official Note: Javy Guerra speaks Spanish as his native language, so his answers are essentially an English translation of the Japanese interpretation of his original answer. There may be slight discrepancies between what he said and what I have written here. ―Please tell us how you’re feeling right now. JG: I’m happy to…

Episode 190: An Interview with Author Chris Hood

Episode 190: An Interview with Author Chris Hood

Hosts T-Ray and Sanjay welcome special guest, researcher and author Chris Hood. We first bring you up to speed with team news, and then hear more from Chris about his past in Japan, his interest in the Tigers, and what it is like cheering for the team from the UK. Here is a link to…

Toreba no Toraba: Les Maruo – Never Giving Up!

Toreba no Toraba: Les Maruo – Never Giving Up!

From the Daily Sports Online column / デイリースポーツオンラインの連載コラムから This offseason, just like so many in the past, has left baseball fans pining for the return of their favorite pastime. At the same time, two of Japan’s most hallowed playing grounds were converted into a different surface for one game that would determine a different sort…