NPB players shunning high-end soaplands for extra-inning erotic endeavors

With the pennant races heating up, now is the time for NPB players to be at their best. Yet a feature in Shukan Taishu Venus (August 23) explains that the serious stick-playing begins after each game’s last out — albeit in a fashion that is more discreet than in days gone by.

In Tokyo, heavy hitters used to swing their bats in expensive soaplands in the Yoshiwara brothel district, and that is still true to some degree. “There’s a player with a bancho attitude that comes around,” says a beat writer with a sports paper. “He is a legend for using shops as his post-game shower room. He’ll play with three girls, no problem.”

However, a Yoshiwara street tout tells the tabloid, “We don’t see players come and play here as much as we used to.”

A fuzoku writer — that is, one who covers the sex trade — says that players are tending to use deri heru (delivery health) escort services as a means of discretion. “Since you can use your own hotel,” the source says, “there is no risk of fans or paparazzi finding out. SM clubs seem to be quite popular these days.” Read more

Sports tabloid Daily Sports to offer digital edition

TOKYO (TR) – The newspaper industry in Japan appears to be readying itself for the electronic era. Tabloid Daily Sports reported last week that it would begin a special digital newspaper service today. Read more

Hanshin Tigers ready to roar in 2010

With the Year of Tiger now underway, the owner of Kansai’s Hanshin ball club, conveniently bearing the same nickname, is already on the prowl for the Central League crown, reports tabloid Daily Sports (Jan. 4).

Shinya Sakai, the 61-year-old president of Hanshin Electric Railway, the team’s parent, said that on his first day of work this year (Jan. 4) that he visited shrines in the Kobe area on January 1, during what is referred to as hatsumode, or first visit, to pray for a Tiger title.

“Nagata, Ikuta, Minatogawa — I took the train to visit all of them, situated along the rail line,” said the club’s “general” in charge. Read more

Williams’ return to Tigers possible at midseason

Sports tabloid Daily Sports reports that the Hanshin Tigers are investigating the possibility of bringing back left-handed reliever Jeff Williams at mid-season next year.

A fan favorite since joining the Tigers in 2003, Williams, who hails from Australia, had arm surgery after the 2008 campaign and returned this year in a limited role before another operation at midseason. Should the club determine that it will be difficult for him to return as a player, they are also looking at offering him a position as U.S.-based scout.

Williams shared indicated to the tabloid in November that his doctor believed that he should be able to pitch again in May. A senior manager from the Tigers office explains: “We want him to contribute to Hanshin one way or the other. While the language barrier may exist, he has been a role model in our bullpen.” (K.N.)

Dynamic duo? Yan and Vogelsong possible saviors for the Hanshin Tigers

Following their failure to acquire fireballing lefty Juan Morillo from the Minnesota Twins, the Central League’s Hanshin Tigers may turn to a couple of former foreign players to fill out gaping holes in their bullpen, reports Tokyo Sports (Nov. 20).

The team’s skipper, Akinobu Mayumi, has requested action by the front office in replacing the roles served last year by middle relievers Jeff Williams and Scott Atchinson. Right-handers Esteban Yan, who was a starter for the Tigers in 2007, and Ryan Vogelsong, also a member of the rotation that year, are considered to be strong candidates.

An individual close to the team speculates: “There must be some kind of hidden issue with Juan, as he does not compete at the major-league level while being able to throw at 167 kilometers an hour. Foreign players with unknown elements leave us with a lot of anxiety. So the chances of success by those who used to play for us is higher.” Read more

Mench hopes teammate’s bat is ticket back to lineup

Hanshin Tigers’ outfielder Kevin Mench, recently sent back to the team’s farm system for lackluster performance (his second trip), is said to be ordering a new bat to find a way to break out from his extended slump, reports Daily Sports (May 20).

During a practice session at the Naruohama Ball Park, Mench found that he liked the grip and feel of a bat used by a teammate, catcher Akihiro Yano. He has ordered the manufacturer (Mizuno) to fabricate the same model, which has a thicker contact area than his current stick. The bat should arrive by the end of May.

Mench has been using a model that weighs 850g, but this new model is 20g heavier. Further, his current bat has its weight towards the grip, limiting its head speed and not allowing his power to be applied optimally. It is hoped that he will experience a drastic turnaround at the plate in spite of his slow start — one in which he has hit .148 with no home runs over 15 games. Read more

New Tigers’ outfielder Mench already getting fried

With the Hanshin Tigers’ season only two games old, Osaka-based Daily Sports (Apr. 5) wasted little time in lambasting newly acquired outfielder Kevin Mench.

The right-handed-hitting Mench, who this year signed a one-year contract with the Central League’s Tigers, was off to a slow start, having failed to collect a hit in his first eight at-bats against the Yakult Swallows. “Mench better change!!” screamed the tabloid’s bright yellow headline, which appeared just to the right of the slugger lunging and missing a pitch.

Adding to this, the tabloid said, his batting average was not particularly impressive during spring training. Yet manager Akinobu Mayumi is giving Mench, who batted .269 for three teams in MLB over seven seasons, a chance to redeem himself by continuing to pencil number 32 into the starting lineup. Read more

Koshien Stadium gets face lift

The venerable home of the Central League’s Hanshin Tigers will this season unveil the second phase of its ongoing four-year improvement plan, which blends old-style baseball aesthetics with modern conveniences, according to the team’s Web site.

Koshien Stadium, which opened in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture in 1924, is adding a 250-meter by 1.2-meter LED “Koshien Liner Vision” display board; seventeen special izakaya box seating sections for parties of 4 or 5 people to enjoy the action from behind third base; “Royal” corporate suites that extend out onto a balcony; and bag storage spaces for the steeply aligned outfield bleachers, or “Alps” seats. Read more