This is a site about Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball), not about who the next player to go over to MLB is. It's a community of Pro Yakyu fans who have come together to share their knowledge and opinions with the world. It's a place to follow teams and individuals playing baseball in Japan (and Asia), and to learn about Japanese (and Asian) culture through baseball.
It is my sincere hope that once you learn a bit about what we're about here that you will join the community of contributors.
Michael Westbay
(aka westbaystars)
Founder
I always thought that Derrek Lee and Kobe Bryant had similar backgrounds in that they were both raised overseas by their ball-playing fathers and both surpassed their father in terms of career success, but obviously Kobe became a superstar while Derrek failed to live up to the hype. Now it seems that Derrek is on his way to superstardom at last.
BTW, Kobe's father, Joe Bryant, is the head coach of the Tokyo team in the newly formed professional basketball league in Japan, the BJ League.
Also on CBS Sportsline [link?], it said that Tomo Ohka was fined by the Nationals for his demeanor during his last start when Frank Robinson came to the mound to take him out. This is the same guy who threw a hissy fit when he was with the Red Sox and then-manager Jimy Williams removed him from a game at Oakland. The Red Sox released him right after that. Does this guy have any brains whatsoever?
I heard from a sportswriter friend of mine that Ohka is also nasty towards the Japanese press. This guy has to grow up and get with the program.