For years I have been following Japanese baseball and except for 2022, my favorite team, the Orix Buffaloes, never could make a name for themselves. Nevertheless, it was always a dream to see them play. That dream came true yesterday. For a long time I tried to get tickets through the internet but through Japanese…
Curaçao-born baseball player Wladimir Balentien has announced his retirement. Last year, you could read here that Balentien already hinted at his retirement. Now the word is out. Always known as a hitter with a powerful bat, Balentien broke into the Majors in 2007 with the Seattle Mariners. In that season, he played only three games…
Another championship for Tokyo. But not the Giants. No, this time the other team from the Japanese capital is the best of Japan. At a cold Hotto Motto Field in Kobe, the Yakult Swallows on game six of the Nippon Series, clinching their first championship since 2001. In another close game, both teams were kept…
In a surprising Nippon Series, in which the two ugly ducklings of Japanese baseball are facing each other, the Yakult Swallows are one win away from clinching their first title since 2001. The Yakult Swallows reached the finals by sweeping the Yomiuri Giants 3-0 in the Climax Series, the semi-finals of the NPB. The opponent…
Today the Nippon Series takes off. The contestants are rather unexpected: The Yakult Swallows and the Orix Buffaloes. Both teams resided near the bottom of the standings at the half of the season. The Series will be played in a best-of-seven format in which the Buffaloes will play four home games (1, 2, 6, and…
A few weeks ago, Curaçao native Wladimir Balentien posted a somewhat mysterious Tweet about things having an end. Yours truly’s first thought was “He is retiring.” But from there no new Tweet or answer to the questions that came after that specific Tweet. The specific Tweet, Wladimir Balentien started all confusion with, is shown below….
Rick van den Hurk made his debut with the Yakult Swallows today. The circumstances were far from ideal as the rain came down pouring. If it was because of the rain is not sure but of all teams, Rick did not bring his A game against the DeNA Baystars, the team with the worst record…
Still with the Ni-Gun team of the Yakult Swallows, Rick van den Hurk is slowly warming up. With Wladimir Balentien, it is quite the opposite. Until today, Rick had pitched in three games, allowed six earned runs and struck out seven. Today, against the DeNa BayStars, Rick pitched four innings in relief. He was very…
For the second time after being presented by the Yakult Swallows, last Monday, Rick van den Hurk took the mound in a Ni-Gun (minor league) game. The Tokyo Yakult Swallows lost to Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 5-4. Two of these runs were given up by Dutch Rick van den Hurk. After pitching three scoreless innings,…
It was a perfect day to present some new players. With no games on Monday, the Yakult Swallows had all the time to present their newest (foreign) acquisitions. Next to Dutchie Rick van den Hurk, the club presented pitcher Cy Sneed, outfielder Domingo Santana and infielder José Osuna. Pitcher Cy Sneed pitched two seasons in…
