gaijinzilla wrote:That little hiccup (I think it's supposed to be around 2 seconds, it might be more. I don't remember) is part of the rules in Japanese ball. If you have a continous motion like in Major League ball, it's considered a balk. Actually (and for the life of me I can't remember where I read or heard this) this rule is on the books in ball played in the majors & minors in North America & the rest of the ball playing world. One of the "original" rules as it were, but over the decades it has gradually disappeared, meaning that it is never enforced. However when the game was brought over to Japan, the Japanese decided to enforce this rule. And so it remains.
Wouldn't that make Nomo's pitching style (especially in the early days) the ultimate balker?
Blah Pete wrote:Although the stadium probably needs some work I like the fact that it is close to the downtown area, bars, and that street with all the yattai. It gives it a real home town feel.
Kind of reminds me of what the SF and SD new stadiums try to do with putting the stadium back in the city.
How far out will the stadium in Minami-Ku be?
Hope they don't build some huge, sterile stadium like Tokyo or Nagoya dome.
It's a great stadium with real character. Talk around town is that it may be going to Higashi Hiroshima (shitsville suburbia). I very strongly second your sentiment about the Tokyo and Nagoya Dome.
In fact, everything you said there is dead on, Pete. This really makes me sad.