Nakamura Re-Signs with Kintetsu, Spurns Mets

I think Hideki Matsui will be fine with the Yankees. Playing for the Yomiuri Giants, as well as in the Japan Series, isn't exactly easy! I think there's a lot of misconceptions in the U.S. about Japanese baseball, and its potential "translation" to the U.S. brand, that is leading some to be skeptical of Matsui's playing abilities or his capacity to perform under pressure. I, frankly, can't understand why.

One example: There was an article in a New York daily newspaper about a day ago that included a sidebar within which a scout estimated Matsui's projected numbers to be, I believe, somewhere in the vicinity of the .275-.280 BA range, with about 24-28 home runs and about 80 RBI or so. These numbers, to my mind, are misleading, because they don't mention Matsui's on-base abilities, which have been outstanding in Japan, or his SLG, which has also been outstanding during his career. Nor does it mention that RBIs, at least in part, depend on who is on base in front of a player. (And the Yankees get a lot of people on base, creating RBI opportunities even for players like, say, Raul Mondesi.)

So, my point is ultimately that I expect Matsui to be a success in the U.S. and that he won't fold under pressure. I hope that after people here see what he can do, some of the misconceptions about the baseball in Japan will be realized and understood for what they really are.

- Simon

Did he do it over the extra $3.5 million a year or because he wants to finish his career in Japan?

This pleases me. I like the fact that players from NPB are crossing to the Majors (and wish the exchange of top quality players would go in both directions), but I don't want to see an exodus of the best from Japan, Japan bled down to lesser quality baseball because the money is in the States.

I want to be able to see the likes of Nakamura when (if?) I can convince my employer to send me back to Japan (home in Dodgers country again just now).

So, the question becomes, what does NPB do the retain its next generation of Ichiros and Godzillas? Is the dominance and financial hegemony enjoyed by the Giants part of the problem, or is there something the rest of the league can do to climb into that class?

Eric
Dodgers and Swallows fan

- So, the question becomes, what does NPB do the retain its next generation of Ichiros and Godzillas? Is the dominance and financial hegemony enjoyed by the Giants part of the problem, or is there something the rest of the league can do to climb into that class?

I don't pretend to be an expert in Pro Yakyu, but here are some points to ponder...?

1. NPB, unlike MLB, does not "truly" foster world appeal. While limits on gaijin are culturally "understandable," MLB's lack of same extend lucrative international media and marketing opportunities to the league, its teams, and its players. We all understand that, culturally speaking, additional reviews/modifications of this rule are not easily accomplished (for many reasons), but any good sports coach can tell you that limiting the level of competition does nothing to heighten competitive skill.
2. Marketing: NPB and its teams don't have the first clue as to properly churn a buck (OK, 120-ish yen) out of their product. I was in Japan during the '98 Japan Series, and could find almost zero merchandise for sale for either team (Seibu/Yokohama) -- while they were in the MIDST of battling for a championship. OK, maybe we go overboard w/merchandising of sports in the US, but "you can't sell what someone doesn't want." Personal op? I think there'd be a rather large market for NPB goods in the US, especially since the signings of Ichiro and Godzilla.

The sad fact (for NPB) seems to be that its brightest stars can only ADD to their lustre by leaving Japan. To a man, the seceding stars of Japanese baseball have expressed a universal longing for recognition on a world stage. Maybe, to an extent, it's as simple as "what's in a name" -- NPB, by definition, will ALWAYS be "about Japan," while MLB (a primarily N. American entity regardless of its "international" focus) has eluded its applicable provincial branding. We would be fooling ourselves to ever believe that NPB as a business model can ever compete with MLB financially, but the product of NPB can be improved -- or at least, the "perception" of enhancement can be fostered -- which, in addition to attracting a new and ever-expanding audience unrestricted by national boundaries, could also in turn become a more attractive commodity for its most vital of resources: the homegrown talent of Japan.