Kyuji Fujikawa of the 2014 Chicago Cubs (Coors Field, Denver, Colorado)

While visiting Coors Field for the first time last year, I wondered why more than half of the photo pit was filled with Japanese photographers. I wasn’t aware of any Japanese players on either team, but that probably has more to do with my lack of interest in the National League than anything else. When Kyuji (literally “baseball child”) came trotting in from the bullpen, the photographers went crazy.

After an excellent career in Japan (196 saves and a 1.77 ERA), Kyuji hasn’t done much in MLB. He had a 5.04 ERA in two seasons with the Cubs (although he pitched in only 25 innings total–I bet the Cubs wish they hadn’t wasted $9.5M on him). He is on the DL for the Texas Rangers this year. Texas will pay him $1.1 million this season.

Posted on April 15th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: baseball, Coors Field, Nikon 300mm f/4 VR ED-IF AF-S Nikkor Lens, Nikon D600, sports photography. Comments: 1

Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs

@Chicago_Cubs10 @sammichashland @Cubs

The Cubs’ best player over the past 5 seasons turns 25 today.

Posted on March 24th, 2015 under Other. Tags: baseball, Nikon 300mm f/4 VR ED-IF AF-S Nikkor Lens, Nikon D600, Nikon TC-17E II 1.7x Teleconverter. Comments Off on Happy Birthday Starlin Castro

Justin Morneau of the Colorado Rockies high fives Carlos Gonzalez after scoring on 8/6/14

@JustinMorneau @Rockies @MLB

My random, desktop image of the day reminded me that today is the day MLB pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. My favorite time of the year begins now.

Posted on February 19th, 2015 under Other. Tags: baseball, Coors Field, Denver, Nikon 300mm f/4 VR ED-IF AF-S Nikkor Lens, Nikon D600, sports photography. Comments Off on Pitchers and catchers report

Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs @ Coors Field in 2014

… can they?

“We’re going to play and we’re going to win the NL Central, you can quote me on that… [winning the World Series] will be fun. Once we do, we’re going to figure out how we’re going to do it again. That’s a long ways away. That’s nine or 10 months away… I know in ‘Back to the Future’ we win it in 2015, which is kind of crazy, to say the least. We’ll do our best to make sure that happens.” — Anthony Rizzo

Posted on January 16th, 2015 under Other. Tags: Anthony Rizzo, baseball, Coors Field, Denver, Nikon 300mm f/4 VR ED-IF AF-S Nikkor Lens, Nikon D600, sports photography. Comments Off on Anthony Rizzo and “Back to the Future” can’t both be wrong …

Red-tailed hawk in Southern Oregon (2014)

I captured this image last weekend in Beatty, Oregon.

Posted on August 27th, 2014 under Oregon. Tags: beatty, Nikon 300mm f/4 VR ED-IF AF-S Nikkor Lens, Nikon D600, Nikon TC-17E II 1.7x Teleconverter. Comments Off on Red-Tailed Hawk