Mets on Tour (2006 Japan All-Star Series)

[Valadius]

The MLBers have arrived in Japan to play some of Japan's finest. The following Mets are over there:

David Wright
Jose Reyes
John Maine
Manny Acta (coach)
Julio Franco (coach)

[metirish]

I've looked but can't find the full roster of players on the trip,anyone?

[Valadius]

MLB Roster

[Guest cooby]

That's kinda neat that Franco is there as a coach. I wonder if he has that in mind for his future

[Guest KC]

Is any of this on tv?

[stevejrogers]

I don't think so, unless you do some real hard core channel surfing and get the Japanese version of ESPN!

Probably just daily highlights on SportsCenter or the local sports casts.

Sure SNY will have coverage of the Metly activities

[Valadius]

David Wright hit a two-run homer to give the MLB All-Stars a 7-7 tie with the Yomiuri Giants.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Tell me it went to right center and I'm more pleased.

[Valadius]

Eh. It was left-center.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'll take it.

[Valadius]

The newest Met-Loving Big-Shot:



The Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Is he Jewish?

[Valadius]

Stars meet Japanese prime minister

TOKYO -- One of the perks for some of the Major League All-Stars on Thursday was a brush with Japanese royalty. Hours before their exhibition game with the Yomiuri Giants, a collection of five Major Leaguers had the unique opportunity to visit Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Mets' trio of David Wright, Jose Reyes and John Maine joined Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima and White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi for a 10-minute meeting with the recently-appointed Abe at his palatial offices, which had towering glass windows throughout and a gorgeous Japanese garden in front of the entrance.

"I thought it was pretty exciting," said Wright. "It was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. I was looking forward to it and to be able to give the prime minister a Mets jersey and have a [10-minute] conversation with him was pretty special."

As Abe walked into the room, the players and officials from MLB stood up.

"There was definitely an aura about him when he walked in," said Wright. "He just had that presence."

But the prime minister quickly put the players at ease, shaking hands with all five of them. Some informal baseball chat -- initiated by Abe -- quickly began amid the frenzied clicks of the cameras.

"The Mets were in the Championship Series, right?" wondered Abe, as he looked at Wright. "Unfortunately you didn't make it to the World Series."

Wright, who was by far the most relaxed and talkative of all the players at the gathering, capitalized on that comment to make a modest request to the prime minister.

"The Mets need help with starting pitching. Any chance you could make a call to [Daisuke] Matsuzaka?" queried Wright.

But as Wright knows full well, the bidding war for the talented Matsuzaka will come down to American money and not Japanese politics.

Then, Abe directed his attention to the Japanese duo of Johjima and Iguchi.

"Did the Mariners do well this year?" asked Abe.

"No," offered Johjima with a grin.

Abe then wondered about the White Sox.

"Third place," Iguchi said.

On Friday, Abe will get a taste to the atmosphere of this Japan All-Star Series when he throws out the first pitch before the opening game of a five-game series between the Major League All-Stars and the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Stars.

"I need practice," quipped Abe.

The prime minister did have a taste of Major League Baseball a few years back.

"When I was a secretary in the Japanese government, I went to the United States and saw a Mets game at Shea Stadium in 2000," said Abe.

Wright then told Abe he must have been good luck because the Mets made the World Series that year. That was as good a time as any for Wright to present the prime minister with his own Mets jersey, the white pinstriped version with the number "1" on the back and Abe's name printed just above.

Abe comfortably put the jersey on over his suit and tie.

"It looks good, said Wright. "We need a second baseman for next year, you should come on over."

Johjima gave the prime minister a red catcher's glove.

"I was a catcher on the baseball team in elementary school," said Abe, memories undoubtedly flooding back to him.

Iguchi's gift was a black bat.

With an agenda full of business to conduct, Abe finished the meeting and bid adieu to his visitors.

"It was quite an honor," said Wright. "There's a lot of perks playing baseball. To come over here and be a part of this tour and be a part of this city is pretty special. He's a big baseball fan."

[MFS62]

Valadius wrote: David Wright hit a two-run homer to give the MLB All-Stars a 7-7 tie with the Yomiuri Giants.

Channeling Ralph Kiner (Bless him):
"David Wright has good home run power when he plays on Astroturf".

Later

[Guest patona314]

Valadius wrote: David Wright hit a two-run homer to give the MLB All-Stars a 7-7 tie with the Yomiuri Giants.

jeez .... now he starts hitting

[Elster88]

SteveJRogers wrote: I don't think so, unless you do some real hard core channel surfing and get the Japanese version of ESPN! Probably just daily highlights on SportsCenter or the local sports casts. Sure SNY will have coverage of the Metly activities

So basically you have no idea whatsoever one way or the other, and you're just pulling guesses out of your ass?

Thanks for the help.

[Valadius]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe



Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with Jose Reyes, David Wright, and John Maine



You can see David Wright and Jose Reyes there, and look! There's John Maine hidden in the background.



David Wright launches a two-run homer

[Guest Edgy DC]

...while being pimped out by AEON.

[nymr83]

7-7 tie with a regular (non all-star) japanese team? thats an L in my book.

how'd Reyes do?

[Valadius]

I don't know how Reyes did. I can't find a box score.

[Guest martin]

that david wright is a cool customer. i would be nervous and feel like a dummy if i had to meet the japanese prime minister. i bet maine and reyes were glad they had wright there to make conversation.

[metirish]

] how'd Reyes do?

Reyes went 0-for-2.

[Guest Iubitul]

From Adam Rubin's blog:

] Here's David Wright getting quizzed by a television reporter, who wants to know if he can identify the person in the photograph. "Matsumoto," Wright says. "... No, Matsuzaka." Several reporters have held up pictures of Daisuke Matsuzaka, perhaps a future Met, and asked MLB players if they can identify him.

]Wright Homers as U.S. Clinches Series Win David Wright capped the scoring with a homer in the eighth as the MLB All-Stars beat their Japanese counterparts, 11-4, today at the Tokyo Dome. MLB improved to 3-0, clinching the five-game series that moves to Osaka on Tuesday after an off-day to tour Kyoto and travel. Jose Reyes did not play, with the Dodgers' Rafael Furcal starting at shortstop. With MLB nursing a two-run lead in the seventh and two aboard, Yankees southpaw Mike Myers recorded a strikeout and foul pop-out to Wright to hold the Japanese team at bay. The MLB All-Stars have only lost this series once, in 1990, when they went 3-4-1.

[Valadius]

Mets stats in Japan so far (minus the first exhibition game against Yomiuri):

Game 1:

Reyes 1-4
Wright 1-4, 2B
Maine 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, Hold

Game 2:

Reyes 1-5, R
Wright 0-1

Game 3:

Wright 2-4, HR, RBI

[Guest Edgy DC]

MLB completes the sweep by winning one in the tenth on a sayonara homerun by this guy:

[nymr83]

lubitul, forget the picture of matsuzaka, who is the hottie holding it?

[Willets Point]

Nymr83 wrote: lubitul, forget the picture of matsuzaka, who is the hottie holding it?

She's totally flirting with David Wright.

[Elster88]

It's me in a wig.

And I WAS flirting.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Elster - "It's me in a wig. And I WAS flirting."

NTTAWWT

[Zvon]

="Edgy DC"]

.....in Japan they are allowed to put ads on the Mets batting helmets?