The Defeat of Ham

[Guest Edgy DC]

Nippon Ham Fighters win first Japan Series in 44 years

(Mainichi)SAPPORO -- Fernando Seguignol hit a two-run homer and Yu Darvish went 7-1/3 strong innings Thursday as Trey Hillman's Nippon Ham Fighters defeated the Chunichi Dragons 4-1 to win the Japan Series.

Atsunori Inaba (right) and Fernando Seguignol of the Nippon Ham Fighters hug following Inaba's home run in the bottom of the sixth in Game 5 of the Japan Series in Sapporo on Thursday night. The Fighters defeated the Chunichi Dragons to win their first Japan Series in 44 years.

Seguignol, who played for the Montreal Expos from 1998 to 2001, broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with a home run off Chunichi starter Kenshin Kawakami that just cleared the wall in right field at Sapporo Dome.

It was the second straight year that an American manager has led his team to victory in the Japan Series. The Chiba Lotte Marines swept the Hanshin Tigers last year under former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine.

Darvish, who went 12-5 in the regular season, held the Dragons to one run on eight hits while striking out six as the Fighters won their first Japan Series title since 1962, when they were known as the Toei Flyers.

Atsunori Inaba, who drove in two runs in Wednesday's game, hit a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to widen the lead to 4-1.

Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Micheal Nakamura retired the side in the ninth for the save.

The Dragons won the first game at Nagoya Dome but couldn't get their offense on track and lost the next four games.

The Dragons took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a bases-loaded infield single by Masahiro Araki. But the Fighters came right back in the fifth, tying the game on a suicide squeeze by Makoto Kaneko.

Hillman is among several candidates to replace Buck Showalter as manager of the Texas Rangers. A native of Arlington, Hillman was the director of player development in Texas before coming to Japan four years ago.

The Dragons haven't won a Japan Series championship since 1954. They have won the Central League pennant seven times but, as in years past, struggled offensively in the series, scoring only eight runs in five games.

It was the final game for Nippon Ham center fielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo. The former New York Mets and San Francisco Giants player had previously announced his retirement. (AP)

[Willets Point]

I thought they fought in defense of ham.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The way I've always interpreted it, Ham is their opponent.

I love the name Ham Fighters. If Virginia ever gets an MLB team (less likely now that the Nationals are in place) I'd want them to be named the Virginia Ham Fighters.

The name Trey Hillman doesn't ring a bell. Was he ever a big league player?

[Guest cooby]

Thus begins Shinjo's modeling career

[Guest Edgy DC]

Nobody can celebrate a mere single like Tsuyoshi can.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Coming in high in game two.



Coming in high and fabulous.

[metirish]

Congrats to the Hammies(that's what the Japan Times called them)

[MFS62]

Something about that doesn't sound Kosher.

Later

[soupcan]

I'm correct in my recollection that technically the team is simply The Fighters but that they are owned by the company known as Nippon Ham. Thus they are the Nippon Ham Fighters.

Right?

[metirish]

[RealityChuck]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I love the name Ham Fighters. If Virginia ever gets an MLB team (less likely now that the Nationals are in place) I'd want them to be named the Virginia Ham Fighters.

But, of course, the name isn't "Ham Fighters." It's just "Fighters." They're owned by Nippon Ham; all Japanese baseball teams are named after the corporation that owns them.

[MFS62]

So then Soupy was correct.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yes, I knew that.

But if I owned a Virginia-based team, I'd name them the Ham Fighters.

And the logo would be a ham with a menacing face, wielding a baseball bat.

[MFS62]

Well if you want to start on that logo and need a picture of a big ol' pork butt, may I suggest a picture of Roger Clemens?

Later

[soupcan]

="Yancy Street Gang"]Yes, I knew that. But if I owned a Virginia-based team, I'd name them the Ham Fighters. And the logo would be a ham with a menacing face, wielding a baseball bat.

I'm no Zvon but...



OE: Forgot the bat.

[Guest cooby]

I want this for my next avatar

[Methead]

The pineapple rings elevate that image from funny to hilarious.

[metirish]

Alex Ochoa pinch hit for the Dragons in the ninth inning for the final out, and his final game with the team.

[MFS62]

metirish wrote: Alex Ochoa pinch hit for the Dragons in the ninth inning for the final out, and his final game with the team.

Has he deveoped all of his five tools yet?

Later

[Valadius]

Congrats to Shinjo, he of the lightning-rod at-bat routine and hoppiness in the outfield.

[seawolf17]

I don't know if Trey Hillman ever made the majors as a player, but he managed in the Yankees' system for a while.

[nymr83]

i got this when i searched for their logo...i could hage sworn i remembered an airplane being their logo...

[Benjamin Grimm]

It looks like a tiny little blue mouse.

Japan is a strange place, I think.

[Valadius]

That is extraordinarily small.

[nymr83]

i think i accidentally linked the thumbnail or something, oh well doesnt matter

[metirish]

[Zvon]

Ham? HAM!?
There's no ham in baseball!

______
soup, re:your ham pic-I couldnt a done it better.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

="Zvon"]Ham? HAM!? There's no ham in baseball! ______ soup, re:your ham pic-I couldnt a done it better.

OINK OINK

[Zvon]

OlerudOwned wrote: ="Zvon"]Ham? HAM!? There's no ham in baseball! ______ soup, re:your ham pic-I couldnt a done it better. OINK OINK

rotflol---I stand corrected.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

All hail the Smithfield Ham Fighters!