Sony takes on "big in Japan" FG baseball players in US PS2 TV ads

[Kuang_Grade]

Sony Computer Entertainment America has released a new major league baseball game, "MBL06: The Show" for the Playstation 2. As a part of the ad campaign, they are featuring fictitious baseball players who never made it to "the show". One of them uses a 'he sucked in the US but is now Big in Japan' storyline.



Rod "Samurod" Johnson

Rod Johnson signed with the Oakland Athletics(TM) at the tender age of 16 years old. Gifted with tremendous power and size, his monster blasts quickly became something of a minor-league legend. Unfortunately Johnson was plagued by inconsistent hitting throughout his career and consequently never got the call up to "the show". Johnson currently plays professional ball overseas for the Osaka Cyclones, where he's adored by the Japanese. Despite one of the lowest batting averages in Japanese pro baseball history, Rod has managed to rack up a semi-respectable 22 home runs so far this year.

http://www.readyfortheshow.com/players/rodjohnson/section/profile You can see three different CMs on this page

The CMs are not bad but I wonder why they decided to pick on Osaka? According to Rod, "People in Japan...they don't care about RBIs...it's all about the long ball, here in Osaka."

[drpepper]

The CMs are not bad but I wonder why they decided to pick on Osaka? According to Rod, "People in Japan...they don't care about RBIs...it's all about the long ball, here in Osaka."

My guess is that it is a joke/homage to Randy Bass, famous Osakan FG long ball hitter.

[Greji]

My guess is that it is a joke/homage to Randy Bass, famous Osakan FG long ball hitter.

It's only homage in certain quarters Doc. Greg "Boomer" Wells was the first triple crown winner among FG's for Hankyu, now Orix. They cut him when the manager Doi, said he didn't want to build a team around FGs. Randy who had also won the triple crown and tied Oh's homerun record of 55 dingers in a single season, went back to the states late in the next season to be with his young son who had to have major surgery to remove a brain tumor. He asked for the equivalent of a "leave of abscense", so it was not like he jumped the team and Hanshin rewarded his outstanding playing record by terminating his contract.

BTW Randy ran for the state senate in OK and became a state senator.

[drpepper]

It's only homage in certain quarters Doc. Greg "Boomer" Wells was the first triple crown winner among FG's for Hankyu, now Orix. They cut him when the manager Doi, said he didn't want to build a team around FGs. Randy who had also won the triple crown and tied Oh's homerun record of 55 dingers in a single season, went back to the states late in the next season to be with his young son who had to have major surgery to remove a brain tumor. He asked for the equivalent of a "leave of abscense", so it was not like he jumped the team and Hanshin rewarded his outstanding playing record by terminating his contract.

BTW Randy ran for the state senate in OK and became a state senator.

Ah, yes old Boomer, I remember him well... he practically walked around the bases.. so in any case same kinda deal with both of them in Osaka so that could be where they aimed this. I did say joke/homage as indeed it would depend upon whom you spoke to on the subject.

[Greji]

Ah, yes old Boomer, I remember him well... he practically walked around the bases.. so in any case same kinda deal with both of them in Osaka so that could be where they aimed this. I did say joke/homage as indeed it would depend upon whom you spoke to on the subject.

BTW Doi kantoku is the idiot who sent Ichiro to the farm because he didn't have a good pro baseball player's swing. Ichiro wasn't able to come back up to the main club until after Doi was fired! He then commenced to lead the league for six or seven straight years with that "stupid swing". Ichiro is now of course, the Superstar. Doi is a low level coach (or at least was) for the Giants, who they try to keep from being seen in public wearing his Giants uniform!