Card Of The Week June 26

Inter-league play wrapped up last week* and once again, the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks were the "champions".  This is the sixth time that the Hawks won inter-league in the 16 years it's been held.  It's also the second year in a row they've won and the fourth time in the last six years.

Ryuma Kidokoro of the Hawks was named Inter-league MVP.  Kidokoro hit .415 against the Central League this year with 5 home runs, 12 RBIs and six stolen bases.  Kidokoro was originally drafted by the Hawks out of high school in the second round of the fall 2003 draft (when the Hawks were still owned by Daiei).  He's spent most of his career with the Hawks' farm team.  Here's his rookie card from the 2004 BBM 1st Version set (#26) - one of only two BBM flagship set appearances for him, the other being in the 2010 1st Version set:

*I was doing some searches through some of my older blog entries and realized that I have highlighted the Inter-league MVP a number of times with "Card Of The Week" posts in the past.  Each time I have, the post has started "Inter-league play wrapped up last week..."  I think it's now become a tradition that I should continue.