Japanese Baseball

Sunday, August 17th Zabeth and I took the train down to Sendai to watch the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles play the Chiba Lotte Marines. Tohoku is the home team, and they are named after the region of Tohoku, Rakuten is the company that owns the team. I assume Chiba is the same way but I don't know. Anyway, I first heard about the team because Zabeth went to a game a few months ago. Then, as soon as we arrived here from Tokyo there was a huge team poster, and coincidentally there star player is none other than Andruw Jones. We tried to go twice last week, but the teams entire series was rained out. It looked like the same would happen this week, and each day of the series the sky was gray, and drizzly. Yet, it miraculously held off during each game time long enough for them to get in a full series. We actually decided not to go on Friday and Saturday because it was so rainy that we figured they wouldn't play. Sunday was the last chance though, so we got down to Sendai about five hours before game time and figured that if we missed the game at least we could have a full day in town. We really didn't though, because it was Andruw Jones bobble head giveaway, and gates opened at three. Which means we started heading to the stadium at 2. We finally found the bobble head line, and then realized we had to walk way back to the other side of the stadium just to join the line. We did, and when it was our turn the usher told us we needed a card to get in... It seemed we were out of luck, but a passerby flashed a plastic card of some sorts at the usher and she said ohh yes and let us right in. They gave us our dolls, and with two hours to spend before the game we went to the world beer tent and drank Brooklyn Lager and Blue Moon's. At five we went in, paring the rain would hold off at least for one inning. It held off long enough for the Eagles to go up three runs, and win the game 3-1!!!!! The main differences I couldn't help but notice: 1) the fans in the left field bleachers all had coordinated cheers for each batter complete with flags, drums, and led by a conductor. 2) The leadoff hitter in the first inning got on base, was bunted over to third, and the infield was immediately brought in, with one out in the 1st inning. 3) The seventh inning stretch is celebrated by everyone in the stadium blowing up balloons and then releasing them into a high pitch squeal at a synchronized moment.
Japanese Baseball=Awesome
Andruw Jones: 2 for 3 to raise his season average to .215...