Japanese Baseball Picks for the Week Ahead

Here are our Japanese baseball Picks for the Week Ahead. These are the games we think you should keep an eye on!

Japanese baseball league Overview

The Japanese baseball league (JBL) is a Professional Baseball League in Japan. The league was founded in 1936, and currently consists of 12 teams. The teams are divided into two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League

Each team plays 144 games during the regular season which runs from late March/early April to early October. The top three teams from each league then advance to the Nippon Series, which is a best-of-seven Championship Series

The JBL is widely considered to be one of the highest levels of professional baseball in the world, behind only Major League Baseball in the United States Many of the league’s players have gone on to have successful careers in MLB.

Top 3 Picks for the Week Ahead

1. The defending champs the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks will be looking to start the season off right when they take on the Seibu Lions.
2. The Hanshin Tigers will be looking to avenge last year’s disappointing season when they take on the Chunichi Dragons.
3. The Yokohama DeNA Baystars will be looking to build on last year’s success when they take on the Hiroshima Toyo Carp

Honorable Mention

The Chunichi Dragons are having a good season and are in second place in their division. They have a good chance of making the playoffs but they will need to keep winning to ensure a spot. The Dragons have a few Key Players that are performing well this season and they will need them to continue playing well if they want to make the playoffs.

1. outfielders Yohei Oshima and Ryosuke Hirata are both batting over .300 and are among the team leaders in hits. They will need to keep getting on base and scoring runs to help the Dragons win games.
2. pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka has been the team’s best starter, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.51 ERA. He will need to continue pitching well if the Dragons want to make the playoffs.
3. reliever Hitoki Iwase has been solid out of the bullpen, posting a 1.59 ERA in 23 appearances. He will need to keep pitching well if the Dragons want to make the playoffs.

How to Watch Japanese Baseball

As the Japanese baseball season enters its final stretch, fans across the world are turning their attention to the action. While MLB may be the most popular Baseball League globally, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) is not far behind, and many fans enjoy watching the league for its unique style of play.

If you’re interested in watching Japanese baseball there are a few ways to do so. MLB Network occasionally airs live games from NPB, and ESPN2 also broadcasts a weekly highlights show. In addition, numerous websites stream live games online and many of these streams are free.

One of the best ways to watch NPB is through the league’s official streaming service, NPB TV. For a monthly fee, you can watch every Game Live or on demand, with English commentary.NPB TV also offer a variety of other features, including highlights shows and access to archived games.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of Japanese baseball or just getting started, there are plenty of ways to follow the action and catch your favorite team in action.

FAQ

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Japanese baseball

What is the differences between NPB and MLB?
The difference between NPB and MLB are the number of outs per inning. NPB has 3 outs per inning and MLB has 3 outs per inning. The other main difference is the size of the playing field. NPB playing fields are slightly smaller than MLB playing fields. Finally, there is a difference in the regulation game time NPB regulation game time is 9 innings long, while MLB regulation game time is 8 innings long.

How do I know what games to pick?
There really isn’t a science to picking games, but there are a few factors you can look at that may give you an edge. Starting with the home team look at their win/loss record at home versus on the road. Another factor to look at is whether the team is coming off a performance where they looked good or bad. You can also look at how teams have fared against each other in recent meetings.

History of Japanese Baseball

Japanese baseball has a long and storied history, dating back to the Meiji period in the late 1800s. The sport grew in popularity throughout the early 1900s, culminating in the first professional league, the Japanese baseball league being founded in 1936. The two main leagues in Japanese Baseball are the Central League and the Pacific League, with each league featuring six teams. Much like baseball in North America the Japanese game is played over the course of a season lasting from late March/early April to early October, with playoffs taking place in October.

What to Expect from Japanese Baseball

Japanese baseball is unique in many ways, from the culture surrounding the sport to the way the game is played. If you’re new to Japanese baseball here are a few things to expect:

-The season runs from late March/early April to October.
-There are two professional leagues in Japan, the Central League and the Pacific League.
-Each league is made up of six teams, and each team plays 144 games per season.
-The top three teams from each league advance to the playoffs.
-The playoff format consists of a first stage and a final stage. The first stage is a best-of-three series, while the final stage is a best-of-seven series.
-Japanese baseball teams typically have both a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher
-Pitchers typically throw pitches overhand, but some pitchers may throw sidearm or submarine pitches.
--Hitting the ball over the fence for a home run is called a “sayonara homerun” or “goodbye home run” in Japanese.

How is Japanese baseball Different from American Baseball?

Japanese baseball is different from American Baseball in a number of ways. One of the most notable differences is that Japanese teams play a much shorter season than their American counterparts. The Japanese season runs from late March/early April through early October, whereas the American season runs from April through September (with the playoffs extending into October). This shorter season means that every game is extremely important and teams cannot afford to have any sort of losing streak if they want to make the playoffs.

Another difference between Japanese and American Baseball is the size of the ballparks. Japanese parks are typically much smaller than American parks, which leads to a lot more home runs being hit. In fact, one of the most popular types of bets in Japan is the over/under bet on how many home runs will be hit in a given game.

Finally,Japanese baseball teams typically have only one or two foreign players on their roster (compared to the dozens of foreign players on American rosters). This contributes to a more uniform style of play across Japanese teams, as opposed to the more individualized style seen in Rican baseball

The Future of Japanese Baseball

The future of Japanese baseball is bright, with talented young players making their way up through the ranks. Here are our picks for the week ahead:

1. Yusei Kikuchi, P, Seattle Mariners Kikuchi is one of the most talented pitchers in Japan, and he’s already made a successful transition to the MLB. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, and we think he’ll be a star for years to come.

2. Shohei Ohtani P/DH, Los Angeles Angels Ohtani is a two-way player who can both pitch and hit, and he’s already had success in both facets of the game. He’s still young and has a lot of room to grow, so we think he has a very bright future ahead of him.

3. Kenta Maeda, P, Los Angeles Dodgers Maeda has been one of the best pitchers in Japan for many years now, and he’s had success in the MLB as well. He’s still got plenty of good years left in him, so we think he’ll be a key contributor to the Dodgers for years to come.

Conclusion

So there you have it, our Top Picks for the week ahead in Japanese baseball Be sure to check back next week for more picks and analysis. In the meantime, enjoy the games!