Japan Baseball Weekly

Jim and John dive into the playoff races in the Central and Pacific leagues, try to project the top performers of September, look at the players who plan to retire after the season and handle some HighHeat.

Sushi Boy Brandon Laird of the Lotte Marines is the guest, Jim has projections for the pennant winners and we discuss the races, examine some of the top MVP candidates, look at Ma-kun’s latest starts and handle some HighHeat.

We discuss the races in both the Central and Pacific leagues, look back at the poorly played, improperly officiated and confusingly explained play that ended the Swallows-Dragons game this past week and handle some HighHeat.

Former NPB standout Fernando Seguignol talks about scouting, we run through the Pacific and Central league pennant and playoff races, review the Masahiro Tanaka and Roki Sasaki faceoff in Chiba on Friday and handle some HighHeat.

Tyler Higgins of the Orix Buffaloes is the guest, we discuss the SoftBank Hawks and the playoff races in both leagues, recognize Takumi Kuriyama for reaching 2K career hits, look at the latest Masahiro Tanaka start and touch on the top performers of July and August.

Steaming-hot Coco Balentien of the SoftBank Hawks is the guest, we take a look at the playoff races in both leagues as Jim brings a statistical projection to the equation, we discuss 2K Takumi Kuriyama, Masahiro Tanaka, Roki Sasaki and look at the obstruction injustices umpires are committing against NPB teams.

Carter Stewart Jr. of the SoftBank Hawks is the guest, we take a look at the playoff races in both leagues, Masahiro Tanaka puts in quality work in his latest start but gets very little run support, John has a rant about race-based micro traumas and the Sho Nakata tumult fuels the HighHeat question for this week.

Yakult Swallows scout Aaron Guiel is the guest, we talk about the resumption of the season, featuring the Hawks’ no-hitter behind Carter Stewart Jr., Roki Sasaki’s latest start, Sho Nakata showing some misguided fight, Thyago Vieira firing the fastest NPB pitch and then handle some HighHeat.

Zach Neal of the Seibu Lions is the guest, we talk about Samurai Japan sweeping through the Olympic tournament to the gold medal, the unexpected death of Chunichi Dragons pitcher Yusuke Kinoshita and handle some handle some HighHeat.

Former NPB star Jose Fernandez is the guest, we talk about the first two Samurai Japan games in the Olympic tourney, take a quick look at some new players coming in and an old favorite leaving, touch on Lotte rookie Roki Sasaki and close things out by handling some handle some HighHeat.

We take a look at the All-Star Games, discuss throwing numbers for catchers and outfielders, take a peek at the practice games on tap for the long ASG and Olympic break, chat about the latest Masahiro Tanaka start and finish by handling some HighHeat.

Great friends of the program and fellow reporters Jason Coskrey of the Japan Times and Claudio Rodriguez of Beisbol Japones join us for a conversation about the first half of the NPB season after we dive into the retirement announcement of Lions pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and the fact that Mr. Zero ERA Kaima Taira allows his first run of the season.

We have an extended Mini Trax power rankings segment, focused on the PL-frontrunning Orix Buffaloes, then discussions on player-voting additions to the ASG, the latest loss for Masahiro Tanaka and Shun Yamaguchi tossing a near no-no before closing things up with some HighHeat. Reminder, please check out the Pacific League YouTube channel in English, subscribe, watch and comment.

Brandon Dixon of the Rakuten Eagles is the guest, we take a quick look at the most recent starts by Masahiro Tanaka and Lotte rookie Roki Sasaki then discuss the Orix Buffaloes and their stampede to the top of the Pacific League standings, the All-Star series and close things up by handling some HighHeat. Reminder, please check out the Pacific League YouTube channel in English, subscribe, watch an...

Zach Neal of the Seibu Lions delivers a powerful interview and message about family separation for players amid the pandemic, we discuss Justin Smoak of the Giants unplugging his season, the CL posting just its second winning record in Interleague play, look at the top MVP candidates, the Samurai Japan roster ahead of the Olympics and then handle some HighHeat.

SoftBank right-hander Nick Martinez is the guest, we discuss the Orix Buffaloes winning interleague play, look at the top rookies so far, touch on Masahiro Tanaka and Roki Sasaki, hit some notes and then handle some HighHeat. Reminder, please check out the Pacific League YouTube channel in English, subscribe and watch.

Chunichi Dragons hitting coach Alonzo Powell is the guest, we discuss the Central League making a strong showing in interleague play, look at the top performers of May, touch on Masahiro Tanaka and his latest start and then handle some awesome HighHeat. Reminder, please check out the Pacific League YouTube channel in English, subscribe and watch.

Lotte star outfielder Leonys Martin is the guest, John rants about fan pawns for the Olympics, we discuss interleague, do our Mini Trax power rankings segment, look at the latest starts by Masahiro Tanaka and Roki Sasaki and handle some HighHeat. Also, please check out the Pacific League YouTube channel in English, subscribe and watch.

Seibu reliever Reed Garrett is the guest, we talk about the standings in the Pacific and Central leagues, preview interleague play, which starts this week, look at the COVID cluster canceling Carp contests, discuss the latest start for Rakuten ace Masahiro Tanaka and close things out by hitting a couple of notes.

Former Chunichi Dragons and Orix Buffaloes slugger Matt Clark is the featured guest, we talk about both of those teams, the Pacific and Central leagues, Rakuten ace Masahiro Tanaka and his losing record, Lotte rookie Roki Sasaki making his top-team debut, we touch on Yomiuri energizer Zelous Wheeler and his 21-game hitting streak and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo making his way to the L.A. Dodgers instead of...

Joe Gunkel of the Tigers is the guest, we talk about Hanshin, look at the top performers of the opening stretch of the season, discuss foreign players being separated from their families and players who decided not to join NPB teams because of the pandemic, go through the latest Masahiro Tanaka start, a loss to Nippon Ham, and touch on some key injuries.

Jason Coskrey of the Japan Times is the special guest as we feature our Mini Trax power rankings, Jim and John then discuss the majority of import players getting into action in both leagues, a funky rule, John has another rant about replay after a really poor exhibition of how not to review plays this past week and we end with some HighHeat about the Tigers.

Former Lotte Marines righty Mike Bolsinger is the guest, we discuss the struggling BayStars, look at Masahiro Tanaka in his second start, explain the high-quality start and add a few notes, particularly the whacky 3-6-1-5-2 DP involving DeNA and Chunichi.

New Giants imports Justin Smoak and Eric Thames have a dual presser, we discuss Yomiuri, look at some struggling and surprising teams in both leagues, examine trends in the small-ball approach for a number of clubs and finish up with some HighHeat.

Former Swallows and Marines IF/OF Josh Whitesell is the guest, we discuss news and notes from both leagues during Week 3, talk about the play involving Steven Moya of Orix, No. 2 hitters and wrap things up by handling some HighHeat.