What is up with the Japanese baseball players vs American?

Question

I am an avid baseball fan and wondered how a Japanerse player who cannot speak English win the new 2008 Truck over Deeter and other American players? Is it because Japanese players are better in training them? I been noticing a lot of American players with pot bellies and ones who cannot hit the ball. It's sad to see so many players getting paid millions and they cannot hit the ball out like they used to back in the day.

Answer 1

I'm with ya on that one, it's really sad to see this. I would like to see Deeter hitting more, instead of playing wiffle ball with it. As far as another reply you had with the Japanese player who can speak English,lol that makes no sense, then speak English, not Japanese, afterall this is America. It's pathetic really that our ancestors fought the war agasint the Japanese, and now they are in the country. There are a lot of good American Players, like Reyes, Beltran, D.Wright and so fourth. Baseball=Americans..

Answer 2

Japan, like many other nations of the world, has a soft spot for the sport of baseball and happen to develop many amazing players.

The fact of the matter is that if you want to play "big time" baseball, you will strive to play in the MLB - regardless of where you are from.

Oh, and here is a link to one of the best hitters of all time...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadaharu_Oh

There has been upsurge of asian players in the last 15 years that has done nothing more than add to this great game. Let's not forget the throngs of Latino players that also play exceptionally well either, who have been a part of the majors for a LONG time.

I think it is awesome that MLB can draw players from such diverse areas to play a game that doesn't need a language other than that of the sport itself.

Soccer may be the "world sport", but baseball is running a close second in my opinion.

Personally I don't care what the nationality is of the MVP - because apparently they were fundamentally sound enough to receive such an award.

And I don't think there is a "nationality vs. nationality" mentality with the fans of baseball. I think that true fans love the game and love those who play it well - whether it's Dice K, Ichiro, Vlad Guerrero, Dontrell Willis, Roger Clemens or Jeff Bagwell.

That is just my take and I can't wait to get through the damn All-Star break so I can see the second half of the season!

Answer 3

What does speaking English and being good at baseball have anything to do with each other? Vlad can't speak a lick of English and won the home run derby. Many great players nowadays can't speak English. Besides that, Ichiro does speak English, he just chose not to. It's called freedom of speech, maybe you've heard of it. Why should Deeter (learn how to spell Jeeter) have been the MVP of the game? Just because he's an American? Japan is very good at baseball. They did win the World Baseball Classic. Also, the all-time professional home run record for the world is held by Sadaharu Oh of Japan at 868. To your point about Japanese players being in better shape, I think the same can be said about the the Japanese population as opposed to the American population. Japanese live longer than anyone else. To futureprospectz you're both a racist and an idiot. For one Beltran is from Puerto Rico. Second, you think it's a shame Japanese people are in this country because of WWII? Damn you're an idiot. The US fought wars with Spain, Mexico, Germany, Italy, and Britain and people from all those countries are in the US, too. Where's your outrage about them? Keeping with your line of thinking just about all people should be excluded from the US.

Answer 4

First off, Ichiro can speak English. He actually speaks it quite well, but he used a translator last night so he could avoid questions that would take in-depth answers (pretty smart if you ask me). There are only a few Japs in the majors compaired to the great amount of other countries that are represented by their players in the mlb. American players are no longer the top player, but there are still some very good players from this country. And theyre not hiting it out like the used to because the commissioner decided to grow a pair and crack down on the roids. Its better now without these giant numbers, its more realistic.

Answer 5

well every year an American or Spanish player wins the All star MVP. This is the first time a Japanese player has won. You could also say the same for the home run derby with Vlad winning this year and Abreu two years ago in Detroit. I guess that American players also are playing sports other than baseball leaving space for foreign born players to play. But besides they all contribute to the game and make it better.

Answer 6

Well, it's just a game, sweetie. American ballplayers have have potbellies for decades. I mean Babe Ruth is a prime example.

I guess based on your comments though, chicks still dig the long ball! Hitting the long ball is not that important. That's why guys like Adam Dunn and Andruw Jones strikeout so much. It's because they are trying to impress you.

Now the Japanese aren't trying to impress you with muscles because they have big brains and know baseball is more than the long ball. I am quite sure Ichiro will not even keep the truck, he will probably donate it. Most stars with integrity do that, like Tiger Woods for example. Guys like that don't need more cars, especially American made one's!

Answer 7

Speaking english and playing baseball are mutually exclusive events.

A lot of athletes, born in America, don't speak english, just a bastardized version of it, but I don't see posts condemning them.

Japanese people (in general) are in better shape because of routine, food and upbringing.

The baseball players with pot bellies are there because of the fans.
Fans are typcially very one dimensional and self-absorbed and the chain works like this.

Fans think the only way to win is to hit home runs (chicks dig the long ball)
Fans think their home team owe them to win
Fans get their home team to sign big home run hitters
Price of home run hitters go up.
Players realize to get big money, you need to hit home runs.
Trainers realize that to hit home runs, you don't need to exactly be in shape, just strong
Players because out of shape, but strong, because their agent and the trainer are close friends.
Games are won by players that play baseball, not just by hitting a home run
A Japanese player wins the MVP
Someone posts a question on YA wondering how this happens
repeat

Answer 8

Much the same situation goes with sumo in Japan,where Mongolian,Bulgarian and Russian wrestlers overwhelm Japanese wrestlers.How about pot belly Americans coming into the sumo world for a change?

Answer 9

I agree about the pot bellies and getting paid millions to strike out.

The guy that won the car definitely deserved it...an in the park home run...the first ever in All star game history,

Answer 10

what is a deeter? and second of all, this is the first time a japanese player won an all star game mvp? Besides, Jeter has won an all star game mvp before, and he is second all time in all star game batting average!

How many japanese players have won WORLD SERIES MVPS?? yeah, come talk to me when they do that!