@cocobalentien

I never really finished my post from nearly seven years ago about Wladimir Balentien. Coco did go on to break the record, hitting 60 home runs in just 130 games. He ended that year with an .OPS of 1.234. How good is that? Only a handful of MLB players have ever had an .OPS that high in a season. They include Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams.

What’s happened to Coco since? He has continued to play for Yakult, but has never had nearly as good a season. He has hit between 31 and 38 home runs every season since 2013 for the Swallows. This year (2020) he was supposed to play for the Hawks, but the season has been delayed due to the Covid-19 virus.

Posted on March 27th, 2020 under Japan. Tags: baseball, meiji jingu stadium, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, yakult swallows. Comments Off on Wladimir Balentien’s 2013 season

Nori Aoki bag in Jingu Stadium (2013)

#NoriAoki #baseball

Today’s photo was taken more than a year after Aoki split Japan for the Major League Baseball in the USA. He’s back in Japan now, playing once again for the Swallows. He played for Waseda University, a few years before I taught there.

Posted on March 29th, 2019 under Japan. Tags: baseball, meiji jingu stadium, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, yakult swallows. Comments Off on Opening day … in Japan

Posted on February 27th, 2018 under Japan. Tags: baseball, meiji jingu stadium, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, Tokyo, yakult swallows. Comments Off on Preseason has begun, opening day about a month away

Yakult Swallows fans and their umbrellas (YS傘)

#swallows @swallowspr ☂️

Posted on August 26th, 2016 under Japan. Tags: baseball, meiji jingu stadium, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, Tokyo, yakult swallows. Comments Off on Rally umbrellas

2015 Central League Champions

@NPBinENG

For the first time in 14 years, the Yakult Swallows won the Central League of NPB and will be heading to the Climax Series. Play begins on October 14.

The umbrellas you see in today’s photo are the way Swallows fans celebrate a run. Yakult fans are insinuating that the opposing pitcher should head for the showers.

Posted on October 9th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: baseball, meiji jingu stadium, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, Tokyo, yakult swallows. Comments Off on 2015セリーグ優勝