japan Page 8 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

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Why Japan Is One Of The World Cup's Most Exciting Teams
Japan is the best team in Asia, and it's not even close. Part of the reason they are the best is because they might be the closest thing to Spain's tiki-taka seen anywhere on the international stage....

Japanese Pitcher Throws An Insane Eephus Pitch
This is Kazuhito Tadano, a pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League, uncorking what is likely the purest eephus pitch you will ever see. ...

The Empty-Seat Game: Japanese Soccer's Non-Solution To A Racism Scandal
First it was a tall woman in bright clothing with a microphone. Then her cameraman. Then a short man in a coat and tie with a notepad. Then another man with a smaller camera that was already rolling....

Myth Busting: Do Japanese Pitchers Really Throw More Strikeouts In MLB?
When the Yankees signed Masahiro Tanaka this winter, there wasn't any real question that they were getting an outstanding pitcher, but no one was really expecting what he's done so far. Through 22 innings, Tanaka has struck out 28 batters, good for 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched (SO/9). Th...

Japanese Skier Breaks Arm In Crash; NBC Video Says He "Lands Safely"
Japanese skier Taihei Kato suffered a broken arm on a run in the Nordic combined large hill event earlier today when he lost his balance after landing, hitting the ground hard. NBC's packaging of the highlight makes it sound less painful than it was....

Yu Darvish Jokes That Masahiro Tanaka Is Overpaid, Everyone Freaks Out
Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish was asked about the newest Japanese import, and more specifically, the seven year, $155-million contract with the Yankees that blew Darvish's deal (under the old posting system) out of the water. Darvish made the mistake of being sarcastic. It didn't translate....

Japan's Women's Hockey Team Is The Lovable Underdog Of The Olympics
The Japanese women's hockey team made Russia work for a 2-1 win today, to the surprise of many. But Japan's played much better than predicted, losing closely in two games against much better competition. On top of that, they've been a lot of fun both on and off the ice. Let's learn more about these ...

Japan Ties Russia With Knuckle Puck, Celebrates With Bow
The Japanese women almost had an upset brewing when they tied Russia early in the third period on this fluttering puck from the right point. Ayaka Toko floated the puck over four people, three of them Russian, before it dove down between goaltender Anna Prugova's glove and pads. It's basically an ...



Soccer Player's Trick Shot Knocks Toy Off The Top Of Wedding Cake
I'm telling you, man, the Japanese get game shows. Even after bringing us the 2 vs. 55 matchup of last week, they've thought of a new and even more ridiculous way to test the skills of a soccer player....

Two Japanese Soccer Stars Play Team Of 55 Kids On Game Show
What do you get when you mix Shinji Kagawa and Hiroshi Kiyotake, 33 Japanese kids, and a soccer pitch? Well, a pretty easily scored goal. But what about when you up the number to 55? Pure chaos....

MLB Teams Will Soon Bid On The Latest Touted Japanese Pitcher
It's happening. Masahiro Tanaka, the right-handed pitching sensation from Japan, will be starting an MLB career after being posted by the Rakuten Golden Eagles. The only question is, which team?...

Every Leader Of The Japanese PGA Is Resigning In A Yakuza Scandal
This past spring two officials of the Professional Golfers Association in Japan played golf and dined with a known yakuza mafia don. Naturally Shinsaku Maeda, who was the vice chairman, and Tadayoshi Bando, who was the board director, had to go, and they were expelled in October....

This Robot Wins At Rock-Paper-Scissors Every Single Time
In the coming robot war, the only advantage we humans will have against the machines is our irrationality. They won't expect us to smuggle the nuke into their underground server farm at the cost of our own lives. They won't expect us to throw paper again after throwing it three times in a row. Tha...

Unspinning The Mythical Gyroball, The Demon Miracle Pitch That Wasn't
Once feared, now largely forgotten, the gyroball retains a stubborn hold on the baseball imagination. Perhaps Red Sox closer Koji Uehara can put the pitch to rest:...

The Red Sox's Best Reliever Once Aspired To Be A Gym Teacher
Koji Uehara was, by any measure, the Red Sox's best relief pitcher this season. Indeed, only two Boston starters accumulated a higher WAR than Uehara, who finished the regular season with a 1.09 ERA in 74.1 innings pitched—mostly as the third-string closer after injuries to Joel Hanrahan and Andrew...


Is Wladimir Balentien Having The Most Dominant Baseball Season Ever?
Wladimir Balentien, the impeccably named, once-heralded Mariners prospect who hit just .221 in three seasons in the majors before retreating to Japan, is smacking the everloving shit out of baseballs right now. Friday he hit his 52nd home run—three shy of the Nippon Professional Baseball record—and ...