"The Old Reflector"
"Extra Innings Triumph."
With the bases loaded and two
outs in the 11th inning of a tie game,
the Cardinals got to the one man they wanted at the plate. So
Taguchi
delivered a game-ending, two-out RBI single in the 11th as the
Cardinals beat the Astros,
4 - 3. For his career, Taguchi is 16-for-30
(.533) with the bases loaded, including a 6-for-10 mark this year.
(5/31)
Taguchi's single lifts Cardinals in 11
"Exercise 'Your Right'"
The latest American League
All-Star voting results are out and
Ichiro ranks 4th among outfielders behind Manny Ramirez,
Vladimir Guerrero and Johnny Damon with 279,843 votes.
Ichiro is aiming for his 6th consecutive All-Star Game.
(5/31)
Notes: Ichiro aiming for All-Star team
"Who's on 2nd?"
Kaz Matsui has lost his
starting job as the Mets' 2nd basemen job.
Willie Randolph still views Matsui as the best bet to regain the
role,
but the manager clearly wants more production at the position.
(5/28)
Notes: Matsui loses grip on job
"High School Reunion."
The matchup between the former
high school teammates
was televised live in their home country. Jae Seo and
Byung-Hyun Kim became the first Korean-born starting pitchers
to meet in a Major League game and the significance of the event
wasn't lost on either of them. Jae Seo outdueled Byung-Hyun Kim
in the first Major League game started by two Korean pitchers,
the Dodgers won this historical game over the Rockies,
6 - 1.
(5/23)
Seo helps Dodgers climb toward first
"Ichirolling."
After early struggles in April,
perhaps being tired from the
WBC tournament. Ichiro entered this week hitting .314.
(5/22)
Notes: Ichiro back to being Ichiro
"Additions and Subtractions."
In case you didn't notice, I've
made a couple changes to the site.
I've created buttons instead just plain hyperlink text to click on,
Gone are Frank's FoD V.1 and V.2 in the navigation area, and it was
replaced by About Me. I also put up a new question for the poll,
and there is a new picture of the month, and quote of the month.
(5/21)
"Triple Crown."
The last triple crown winner is
Carl Yastrzemski back in 1967, when
he finished with a batting average of .326, 44 homers, and 121 RBIs
for the Boston Red Sox. Another sport that features a triple crown,
horse racing, has not seem one since Affirmed accomplished
the extraordinary feat back in 1978. So which sport will have their
next triple crown first? I voted for horse racing based on the
number of competitions, where baseball hitters are going up against
more players who excels at this level. Also to stay injury free for
a
period of 6 months, while not going through any sort of slump.
However, there will be no triple crown this year in horse racing,
as Barbaro came up lame, and did not finish the race a the
Preakness.
(5/20)
"Another 'Big Hits'"
An ugly fight got started after
A.J. Pierzynski lit up Michael Barrett
like a Christmas tree at home plate. But it was Tadahito Iguchi,
who had a career day, by going 3 for 3, with both the first grand
slam
and the first 2 homers game of his short Major League career,
driving in a career-high six runs. White Sox shutout the Cubs,
7 - 0.
(5/20)
"Big Hits."
Kenji Johjima contributed to
the Mariners 11-hits attack with a
home run and a single that helped give the Mariners breathing room
against the Padres. But it was the hit Johjima absorbed from
Josh Barfield on a play at the plate after a throw from Ichiro which
saved a run gave the Mariners the momentum in its
7 - 4 win.
(5/20)
Lopez, Johjima shine in win over Padres
"Rotation or Waivers."
For a guy whose future in the
Colorado Rockies organization
is about to be determined, Sun-Woo Kim was very relaxed.
(5/19)
Notes: Sun-Woo Kim awaits his fate
"New Beats Old."
The result speak for itself,
more users like this template/style better
than the old one, thanks to everyone who participated in the poll.
(5/19)
Do you like the new template design for Frank's Field of Dreams? Old style can be found on Frank's FoD V.2
Votes
Yes
80%
56
No
20%
14
70 votes total
"Deja Vu."
Chien-Ming Wang pitched another
gem for the 2nd start in a row.
Another great 8 inning outing by him where the only mistake was
the homer given up to Gary Matthews Jr. in the 8th inning. Wang
helped the Yankees victorious over the Rangers in the Bronx
4 - 3.
(5/17)
Wang rescues Yanks again
"Family Matters."
Jung Keun Bong has asked and
granted his release last week from
the Cincinnati Reds, so he can return to his native South Korea to
stay closer to his father, who has been ill. Bong will continue
his pro career back home, I hope everything works out for him.
(5/15)
Bong leaves for Korea
"It's A Hit."
Tadahito Iguchi briefly
experimented with a few changes in his
hitting approach during Spring Training. When he became the
last member of the starting lineup to get a hit, albeit in
Cactus League action, Iguchi scrapped the plan and returned to
something familiar that helped him hit .278 with 71 RBIs last
season.
(5/13)
Notes: Iguchi's spring work pays off
"Good For Ryu."
The struggling Chicago Cubs has
called up South Korean pitcher
Jae-Kuk Ryu from their AAA affiliate in Iowa. A starter throughout
his Minor League career, Ryu will be used out of Dusty Baker's
bullpen in long relief situations. Ryu, who is known by baseball
fans for killing an osprey couple years ago before a Minor League
game. Let's hope his Major League career is more memorable.
(5/13)
Notes: Another young arm added
"Pitching Duel."
With the absence of Hideki
Matsui and Gary Sheffield, the Yankees
got the best performance out of Chien-Ming Wang, who pitched 8
Shutout innings and only gave up 3 hits. The offense did enough to
help Wang clinch his 3rd win of the season. Yankees past Athletics
by the score of
2 - 0, a great outing for Barry Zito of the Athletics also.
(5/12)
Wang shines as Yanks blank A's
"Tough Break."
Hideki Matsui fractures his
left wrist while trying to snare Mark Loretta's
fly ball in the 1st inning of last night's game. Matsui will be out
for
at
least 3 months, and possibly the season. The injury also ended
Matsui's consecutive games played streak, which stood at 518 games
with New York and 1,768 games overall, including his time in Japan.
(5/12)
Fractured wrist ends Matsui's streak
"Where Are They Now?"
Below are some Asian players
who played in the MLB
last season, that is no longer playing in the United States.
Chin-Feng Chen 2005 Club: Los Angeles Dodgers The best hitter out of Taiwan, Chen
started his career with a bang by hitting 31 homers and stolen 31 bases in class A San
Bernardino
back in 1999. A great hitter in the Minor League, Chen simply never
got
much
chance of proving what he can do in the Majors as he spend
most
of his time in the Dodgers' uniform rotting on Jim Tracy's bench.
Chen decided enough is enough and went home to play pro baseball.
He is the #4 hitter for the La New Bears, and many local fans
expecting him to win the Triple Crown this year. Currently, Chen
has tear up Taiwanese pitching by hitting .364, 7 HRs, and 22 RBIs.
Shigetoshi Hasegawa 2005 Club: Seattle Mariners
Hasegawa played 9 seasons in the
Major League,
with his best year
in
2003, when he posted an 1.48 ERA and made
the AL All-Star
team.
He decided to hang it up after last season so he can spend
more time with his family and watch his son playing little league
baseball. Hasegawa, who is fluent in English, lives in the US with
his family. I see his bilingual ability might one day led him to
become the first Asian Manager in the MLB. Only time will tell.
Kaz Ishii 2005 Club: New York Mets
Ishii
can pitch like Cy Young in his good days, or like Mark Wohlers
in his bad days. Actually spend some time in the Minor League last
year because of his inconsistency, and when get call up toward the
end of the season he was left in and never got out of the bullpen.
He
finished the '05 season with 53 strikeouts and 49 walks in 91
innings. After getting released after the season, He currently pitches
for the
Tokyo Yakult Swallows, the same team he pitched for before coming
to
US.
Looks like he might have got rid of his walk problems, as of today,
Ishii have only issued 12 walks in 36 innings, while striking out
31.
Masao
Kida 2005 Club: Seattle Mariners Kida spend most of last year in
AAA-Tacomaand managed to
pitch only one game in the Majors. Kida
today pitches for
Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and currently has a great ERA of 1.55.
Maybe MLB teams should have given him another year.
At 37 years old, he is likely going to finish his career in Japan.
Dae-Sung
Koo 2005 Club: New York Mets A decent reliever out of Willie Randolph's bullpen, Koo is
probably
remembered more by Mets fan with his double off Randy Johnson
during the Subway Series. Koo pitched for Korea in the WBC and
the Mets sold his contract to Hanwha Eagle in the Korea League
during
2006 Spring Training while he was still with Team Korea in the WBC.
Nori
Nakamura 2005 Club: Los Angeles Dodgers Overmatched bythe Major League pitching.
Nakamura's batting
average was a miserably .128in 17 games. Probably the biggest
hitting bust from Japan, he now plays for the Orix Buffaloes.
He brought his hitting slump back with him to Japan as he is
only managing to hit .180 in 21 games so far in 2006.
Shingo Takatsu 2005 Club: Chicago White Sox/New York
Mets I could not believe histenure came to an end so quick.
Takatsu was
marvelous for the White Sox as a rookie in 2004, but in 2005, his
bad
performance made no other MLB teams drawing interest for his service
in
2006. Today he pitches for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, but he
continues
his struggle as he had put up an unbelievable of ERA at 6.75.
Keiichi Yabu 2005 Club: Oakland Athletics Never lost a game in the MLBas he put up a record of 4 - 0 with a save in his first full season. It might've been his age (37) that
led the Athletics
not bring him back for another season. Signed as a free agent with
the Rockies in 2006, Yabu struggled in Spring Training as he
posted ERA of 12.38 in just 5 games. He was released shortly after being
assigned to
the Minor League camp, and currently is not pitching anywhere.
(5/12)
"Gone-Zilla."
Hideki Matsui went 2 for 2 at
the plate with a 3 run homer
while
being patient in the plate and earned 3 walks to help
his fellow
Asian teammate Chien-Ming Wang win his 2nd game
of the season.
Matsui and Wang help the Yankees past by
the Rangers,
8 - 5. The win was Yankee skipper Joe Torre's
1000th with the team, the 4th highest in Yankee's history.
(5/7)
Matsui powers Yanks to sweep of Texas
"Career Night."
Kenji Johjima continues to
impress baseball fans
with his first 3 hits game of his young MLB career.
Johjima's big night help the Mariners past the Twins,
8 - 2.
(5/1)
Sexson, Johjima spark Seattle
"2006 FEH."
The 2006 Far East Heroes page
has been created.
New players will be added as the season goes on.
(5/1) 2006 Far East Heroes
"Comeback Kid #2."
Byung-Hyun Kim who had been on
the DL the last couple
weeks made his 2006 debut with a 9 strikeouts performance.
(4/30)
Kim's debut a success as Rox sweep
"Close the Deal...Cont."
Akinori Otsuka had 137 saves in
Japan and closed
out the
championship game of the World Baseball Classic
against Cuba.
But he wasn't named the Rangers closer
until Francisco Cordero was unsuccessful in 5 of his first
8 save opportunities.
Count Otsuka 1 for 1 in save
opportunities as the Rangers closer
after he held off the
Cleveland Indians ninth-inning threat and
preserved
a
7 - 5 victory before crowd of 37,496 at Jacobs Field.
(4/29)
Otsuka saves the day for Millwood
"First of Many."
Manager Grady Little
could have passed over struggling
5th starter Jae Seo but instead Seo was given the ball,
and he pitched six scoreless innings for his 1st Dodgers win,
combining with three relievers in a
3 - 0 shutout over the Padres.
(4/29)
Dodgers ride Seo's gem past Padres
"Close the Deal."
The Texas Rangers has decided
to make a change as they
will have Akinori Otsuka takes over for struggling
incumbent Francisco Cordero as the team's closer.
(4/27)
Otsuka replaces Cordero as closer
"Spring Training 06'."
I was able to spend this past
Spring Training down in sunny
Fort Myers, Florida. Where the Red Sox and Twins based.
I've added the autographs I got during this Spring Training.
(4/27)
"Behind the Plate."
The respect and admiration for
the job Kenji Johjima
does
behind the plate is nothing new to the Mariners, who
have been
watching their highly touted Japanese import
all spring and
consider him a huge part of their planned
improvement in 2006.
But after his first week in the
Majors, opposing teams and
expert observers of
the game are noticing things about Johjima, too.
(4/9)
Notes: Johjima starting on right foot
"Let's Make A Trade."
Kaz Tadano, apparently not in
Cleveland Indians' future
plan anymore was traded to the Oakland Athletics last week.
(4/4)
A's acquire RHP Kazuhito Tadano from Cleveland
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