Dome's diary - July 17th

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 22, 2009 4:52 AM CDT

Dome keeps his diary posted on his website once or twice a month, and here's quick summery of what he wrote on July 17th.

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- The 2nd half is already started and we made a good start so far. Me? Well, I will try my best in upcoming games...

- I was so relaxed during the All Star Game break. I went to Disney World in Florida with my wife and little son. I have to have such a fun time with my family sometime in regular season, but it was too hot out there...

- Cubs could be better in the 1st half, so we need to gain momentum in this 2nd half. Win one game at a time, and no losing streak!

- Personally I have to make great attention to avoid injury, then result will follow. Now I've never hang back at bat, thanks to last year's experience, and feel way better. Numbers? Well... I will just try my best.

- The 2nd meeting against Kenshin-san at Wrigley... My homer was kinda his mistake - easy 4-seam fastball. We went to dinner together at Chicago Kalbi, but that was day before the meeting, so we've never talk about it. He is definitely one of great pitchers so I feel so good about the homer, but there is no special emotion... it's just another one. But guys around us were so noisy about it! :-)

- There are no more meeting with him in this regular season, then I definitely want to face him again in playoff. We both have to make it!

- Anyhow we will just work harder in the 2nd half. Enjoy watching Cubs game.

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On dragonsfanatic side, we had 91% solar eclipse today here in Okinawa. I went to Chatan Ballpark nearby to watch both junior-high baseball game and the great eclipse, expecting the darkness may suspend the game maybe 20 minutes or so...

Anyway the sunlight was enough to play baseball even under 91% eclipse, then pitcher threw the bases-loaded walk-off wild-pitch in the bottom of 10th inning under near-maximum eclipse!

We also had halo and eclipse all together, so it was sort of mysterious day....

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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On a non-Cub related note.

How about our Dragons? Universally picked to finish last in the league and here we are less than 3 games out of first at the all-star break.

I’d take Tony Blanco in a Cub jersey in a heartbeat!

by MattHaggard on Jul 22, 2009 5:53 AM CDT reply actions

Dragons is on upbeat

We were 10-13 in April and 13-12 in May, 5 game below .500 on May 14th, but then 13-4 in June (mostly inter-league) and 14-5 in July. There was 8 games winning streak in the end of June and now we are winning 7 games in a row.
Toni is doing great, got a lot of advise from manager Hiromitsu Ochiai, 3-time triple crown guy, and getting so well. He hit a monster homer, hitting a speaker hanging down from the top of Nagoya Dome roof! (YouTube video)

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 22, 2009 6:47 AM CDT up reply actions

any idea how high that roof is?

by murphymj on Jul 22, 2009 8:44 PM CDT up reply actions

The speaker is at 50m high

so it’s 164ft high. It was judged as a ground-rule homer even the ball fell down to outfield.

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 22, 2009 11:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Now it just extended to 8-game winning streak again

and we are going into ASG

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 22, 2009 7:14 AM CDT up reply actions

Ochiai is one onorthodox cat.

Imagine how is career would have played out If NPB didn’t blackball him for so long.

For those reading, the Dragons manager doesn’t believe in the usual Japanese practices and traditions. So many managers and coaches believe in strict practices and discipline. Ochiai lacked that type of discipline as a player so his teams wouldn’t play him until his skills gave them no choice but to play him. He went on to become an all-star his own way.

His practice beliefs haven’t changed and he manages the way he played.

I just love this story and thought that I’d share it.

In any case, I’d kill to enter the Climax in first place. Imagine how our pitching staff would respond to that one game advantage. Lights out!

In any case; sorry Cubs fans. I’ve been reading Dragonsfanatic’s posts for a long time. I’ve just never got a chance to talk Dragons baseball with him.

It’s rare for a Dragons fan in the states to talk Dragons baseball. =)

by MattHaggard on Jul 22, 2009 7:26 AM CDT up reply actions

Ochiai is NOT unorthodox cat

He don’t believe in media folks after one affair in his young days and never want to let media cook his words to deliver to fan in their way that he ddn’t mean to, so he is one of the most misunderstood person in Japan, and it continues into his Dragons management career. But he passion is always going toward the team and player internally, not for media, and only way to understand him for us is read his book, or watch his interview conducted by few of his friends who he opens his heart for. Media always blame him as he has no communication ability with fans (this just proofs media don’t have communication ability with him), but his quote below explains everything:

“My best and only way to entertain my fans is winning.”
- Hiromitsu Ochiai

And he won 3-time triple crown, he helped Dragons win pennant in 1988 (and beat us in 1994 with our public enemy Yomiuri Giants), then manage Dragons for 5 winning seasons (2004-2008, 2 CL pennant, 1 Champion).

Anyway, to read his book etc, I believe his way of thinking and performing in baseball is NOT unorthodox at all. It is VERY orthodox and practical baseball. Media made him as unorthodox cat. Dome and all of his pupil should understand this.

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 22, 2009 8:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Please don't misuderstand.

I like Hiromitsu a lot and after taking us to so many Japan Series, I would never question him.

All I mean is that Ochiai does things to win in a different way than many of his predecessors and managerial counterparts, wouldn’t you agree?

I think Japanese baseball has someone VERY special in Ochiai. He clearly has a great passion for the game and his players. He’s so refreshing to watch after growing up watching many American managers.

I didn’t know he had a book out. This upsets me. I doubt it was translated to English. I keep up with NPB by watching the games and reading Jason Coskrey at the Japan Times.

by MattHaggard on Jul 22, 2009 8:42 AM CDT up reply actions

Oreryu is the phrase that people use to describe him.

Would you say that is true?

by MattHaggard on Jul 22, 2009 8:48 AM CDT up reply actions

Thanks!

I will find a way. I know people who can help me out a good bit.

by MattHaggard on Jul 22, 2009 8:54 AM CDT up reply actions

Beautiful pictures of the eclipse

and really exciting game during it.

Thank you so much for keeping us updated on Dome, dragons. You’ve been such a help in helping us get to know him!!

by Allie on Jul 22, 2009 4:02 PM CDT reply actions

Dragons - Giants & Cromartie

I just finished re-reading Warren Cromartie’s book on his career in Japan, called “Slugging it out in Japan.” In the book he makes it seem that the Dragons and the Giants had a huge rivalry, even with a couple of brawls. Are the teams still rivals?

Ladies and gentlemen! It's 1985 all over again, but this time the offense goes to hell!

by Ross on Jul 22, 2009 4:08 PM CDT reply actions

Giants is the public enemy for us

Yes indeed, and Dragons is come back and following them with just 2.5 games. We always remember the 2006 CL clincher beating Giants at Tokyo Dome by Dome’s bases loaded basehit in 12th inning.
Here is the YouTube footage of famous Cromartie-Miyashita brawl, and even managers of both team (Senichi Hoshino and Sadaharu Oh) almost had an incident.

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 22, 2009 7:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Wow that's great footage

I don’t speak Japanese, but I understand “Granda-Slama” for that bases loaded HR after Dome’s tie-breaking hit.

by ChipSet on Jul 22, 2009 10:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks for posting that...

Wow, Cromartie really got Miyashita. I was amazed that the Dragon manager went after Oh, I can’t believe he would disrespect Oh that way.

How do people feel about Cromartie’s career there? Is he thought of positively?

Ladies and gentlemen! It's 1985 all over again, but this time the offense goes to hell!

by Ross on Jul 22, 2009 11:45 PM CDT up reply actions

This is sort of funny story behind this brawl

The reason why Cromartie rushed and punched Miyashita was he didn’t take off his cap. Usually NPB pitchers are educated to do so and show attitude of apology somewhat right after they hit batter by pitch. I guess no one in MLB will do this (including Japanese pitchers imported from NPB), but Cromartie was too upset to see Miyashita didn’t do it. Cromartie had played long time here and was loved by (mostly Giants) fans, being friendly to everybody and eager to speak Japanese, so he was almost one of Japanese player at that time.

Here is another Cromartie brawl YouTube footage, and Leon Lee of Yokohama Taiyo Whales, daddy of your beoved Cub Derrek Lee, tried to stop Cromartie.

Regarding Hoshino, former Dragons manager in this brawl footage, he is showing his fist to Oh and saying “why do your player beat my player with this?”, and Oh is mild enough to calm him down.
Anyway, he is now disrespected by most of Dragons fans after he left Dragons to another archrival Tigers in bad manner and even by most of Japanese baseball fans as he failed at Beijing Olympic games by very selfish management.

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 23, 2009 12:49 AM CDT up reply actions

As I recall...

the movie “Mr. Baseball” with Tom Selleck had a scene in it that was based upon the Cromartie fight, where the young pitcher didn’t tip his cap.

Japanese baseball has always intrigued me (I even had a Seibu Lions hat as a kid that somebody brought me when they visited Japan). Someday I hope to travel there and see a game or two. I think it would be a fun experience.

Thanks as always for you insight, DragonsFanatic.

Ladies and gentlemen! It's 1985 all over again, but this time the offense goes to hell!

by Ross on Jul 23, 2009 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions

Wow

That footage of the CL clincher gave me goosebumps. I don’t understand a word of what was said, but it isn’t tough to translate baseball.

Jackie likes the smell of cut grass, he used to play ball on Saturdays, Playin in the sun...

by PacificCub on Jul 23, 2009 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions

I LOVED Cromartie's book ..

From what Cromartie says, the Dragons – Giants rivalry looks as nasty as a Cubs – Cardinals one. I got to look up that video link — reading about the fight and the subsequent melee on and off the field was probably the most interesting part of the book.

Dragons, whatever happened to Yoshino, the manager of the Dragons at that time. Did he stay on with them and is he still in Japanese baseball?

Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we will go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..

coda

ELO, 1975

by cubnational on Jul 27, 2009 11:25 PM CDT reply actions

The rivalry

I am quite not sure about Cubs-Cardinals rivalry as you native Cubs fans are feeling, but it is surely good, bad, somewhat ugly, and same as most of famous rivalries of 2 club teams with long history.
Hoshino looks like out of Japanese baseball and never show him up in front of fans, other than senior director job at Hanshin Tigers, after he failed at Beijing.

by dragonsfanatic on Jul 30, 2009 5:03 AM CDT up reply actions