Yakult Swallows walk-off victory
中村 悠平 with the hit
山田 哲人 scores the game winner

I must admit to having become totally uninterested in the 2013 MLB post season. Once my A’s lost there hasn’t been another team that has compelled me to watch a game. I don’t even know who is winning between the Tigers and Red Sox or Dodgers and Cardinals. Four top-ten payrolls battling it out for bragging rights means nothing to me. Too bad the A’s didn’t get past the Tigers. If the Pirates or Rays had made it another round I could have still cared.

Today’s photo is from a sayonara RBI in the bottom of the 9th inning by the Swallows‘ Nakamura back in August. Yamada scored the game winner. What a fun game it was.

Posted on October 17th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: baseball, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, sports photography, Tokyo, yakult swallows. Comments Off on Walk off hit (サヨナラ打)

Wladimir Balentien hits a 3-run home run for the Yakult Swallows on June 22, 2013

Balentien rounds the bases in Hiroshima

Coco Meter for Balentien just prior to him tying Japan’s home run record

With 23 games to go in the Nippon Professional Baseball season, my Yakult Swallows have no hope of winning the title this year as they are dead last in the standings. However, there is still much excitement for the team as one of their players is almost a sure bet to set the single-season home run record for Japan. I went to two Swallows games this year, and they were both won by the Swallows thanks to the heroics of Wladimir Balentien.

When I saw them in Hiroshima, Balentien hit a home run with two runners on base. The Swallows beat the Carp 3-0 on that day. Yakult also won when I saw them in Tokyo in August, a day in which Balentien drew two walks, was hit by a pitch, and scored two runs in a 2-1 victory. (Unfortunately, the Swallows are 45-71-2 when I wasn’t in attendance; perhaps they should make sure I’m at all of the games.)

The “Coco Meter” projects 65 HRs for Balentien, which will best the prior record (co-held by Alex Cabrera, Tuffy Rhodes, and Sadaharu Oh) by 10 home runs. He currently has 54 home runs for the season.

Posted on September 10th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: baseball, hiroshima, Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED Telephoto Lens, Nikon D600, yakult swallows. Comments Off on Wladimir Balentien – Home Run King?