tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480658377503163749.post457760614885079178..comments2024-03-28T01:12:59.725-04:00Comments on Japanese Baseball Cards: 2018 NPB DraftNPB Card Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01178497208404127283noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480658377503163749.post-14200964938760726842017-10-31T21:26:03.376-04:002017-10-31T21:26:03.376-04:00Cool. All five of those guys were in the 2011 Leg...Cool. All five of those guys were in the 2011 Legend Of Tokyo Big Six set along with Takeo Azuma and Kensuke Ohkoshi. I may need to do a post on them. I have other cards of all of them except Niihara.NPB Card Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01178497208404127283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7480658377503163749.post-7644047939640618172017-10-31T18:15:59.880-04:002017-10-31T18:15:59.880-04:00Man, I don't even have all of the Tokyo Rocks ...Man, I don't even have all of the Tokyo Rocks cards because I kept switching phones and things like that.<br /><br />There have been 6 pro players ever from Tokyo University (5 drafted; 4 actually made ichi-gun appearances). An article here when Miyadai submitted his draft eligibility letter summed it up nicely: https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/201710050000511.html<br /><br />1. Shinji Niihari, RHP, joined Taiyo as a salaryman in 1965 and then convinced the owner to let him play for the Whales (long story), but it was in the last year of pro ball before the draft, so he wasn't actually drafted. Played from 1965-68 and appeared in 88 games, was 9-6 with a 3.29 ERA. Died in 2004.<br /><br />2. Takashi Ide, drafted as RHP by Chunichi in 1966, converted to OF in 1970, had a semi-respectable career as a backup outfielder until 1976 (appeared in 359 games, batted .188/.224/.250 but did once hit a homer!), had an even longer career as a coach and manager for Chunichi afterwards and worked in the front office a little too.<br /><br />3. Itaru Kobayashi, Lotte's 8th and final pick in the 1992 draft, LHP. Rumor has it Lotte only drafted him as a hope of getting him into their front office, and he never appeared in an ichi-gun game ever. Retired after 2 years, went off and got his MBA from Columbia, and has had a long and illustrious career in baseball business, including a long stint in the Softbank Hawks front office (irony, anyone?).<br /><br />4. Ryohei Endoh, drafted as LHP by the Fighters in 1999, the 7th and final pick. Retired after 2 years, did get to make one appearance at ichi-gun in a retirement game, and then went into the Fighters front office, and he's still there (did you get to meet him in Arizona too? I forget), he's been an assistant to the GM type of role for a while.<br /><br />5. Takahiro Matsuka, RHP, 9th and final pick by the Baystars in 2004. He appeared at ichi-gun in 9 games for Yokohama and 5 for the Fighters but never got a win at that level. You probably know some of his story; after NPB he tried to play in an indie league in the US, but it didn't really work out, then he went back to Japan, got a teaching license, and is teaching social studies/history/whatever at a high school in Kagawa and coaching their baseball team.<br /><br />6. Kohei Miyadai, LHP, 7th and final pick by the Fighters in 2017! I wonder where his story will go?Deannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11951797747122213407noreply@blogger.com