The Wonderful Baseball Cartoon: Major

As a crazy baseball fan, I am always looking for the things which relate to baseball, like clothes, cartoons, baseball cards, and every products of baseball.

In Japan, there are many cartoons, operas and games about baseball. Now I want to introduce my favorite baseball cartoon for all of you.

Major (棒球大聯盟) is a famous baseball cartoon series in Japan. If you are a baseball fan, I believe that you will love “Major”. Major is the story about the life of Gorō Honda ( Gorō Shigeno) , from kindergarten to being a Major League professional baseball player. There are a lot of challenges on his way to achieve the goal.

 I love this cartoon because I can see the passion and strong faith for baseball. In the story, Gorō Shigeno never gives up playing baseball even though his right shoulder is injured. Although Gorō Shigeno can’t use his right hand to throw the ball, he puts much effort in training himself to switch to be a left hand pitcher. When I read this part of story, I was touched by Shigeno’s effort and spirit. I used to play baseball, but in the end I gave up playing baseball. So every time I read “Major” I always recall the precious memory of playing baseball.

By the way, I use one of character’s name to be my English name. 

Basic Baseball Terms

When we watch the baseball game in TV broadcast, some of people may don’t understand 

what the anchorman is talking about. For me, hearing the anchorman’s report and comment is the most interesting part in baseball game because sometimes anchorman will tell some jokes or history record during the game. But sometimes I can’t understand those terms because they speak in English. Ha ha!! Accordingly I go to search those terms in English, and now I’m going to list some terms for you guys.

SP: Starting Pitcher, who pitches in the beginning of game. 先發投手

RP: Relief Pitcher, who pitches after the starting pitcher.  中繼投手

CP: Closer Pitcher, who pitches in the end of game and keeps the victory. 救援投手

HC: Head Coach, who controls the whole team 總教練

Switch Hitter: the player who can hits in the right side and left side. 左右開弓打者

DB: 2 base hit 2壘安打  TB: 3 base hit 3壘安打   HR: HomeRun 全壘打

FO: Fly out 飛球   GO: Ground out 滾地球  SB: Steal base 盜壘

DP: Double play 雙殺  TP: Triple play 三殺(very rare)

Tied run 追平比數  Back to Back Homerun 連續全壘打

Heater: fast ball 快速球  sinker: 伸卡球  slider: 滑球 change up 變速球

Breaking ball: not the fast ball 變化球

After looking this list, I hope you guys can know more about baseball and enjoy the game.

If you want to learn more, you can come and ask me more. I will glad to answer you.

The Best Closer: Mariano Rivera

In the baseball game, the pitchers play the very important part in the team. We can distinguish pitchers into three different kinds, starting pitcher, relief pitcher, and closer pitcher. In the previous article, I have introduced starting pitcher and relief pitcher. One is starting pitcher, Chien-Ming Wang, and the other is Kuo. Now I’m going to introduce the greatest closer pitcher in MLB.

Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right- handed pitcher, who has already played 17 years in MLB. He always uses his cutter ball to strike out batters. Rivera is well known for his accurate pitching and his calmness. He always makes his emotion steady in the game and keeps the victory in the end. Some peoples regard Rivera as an existing legend because he has a lot of remarkable records in MLB. 12 times all star games, 5 world champions, 603 saves ( the leader of MLB history).

I appreciate Rivera because he always keeps in steady condition every year. Now, he is old, but he still performs well. This is very difficult to the athletes. When he is on the field, he always let everyone feel relieved. Rivera is still in the field and continues to pitch. I believe that Rivera will make a greatest legend in the baseball history. 

MLB All-Star Series in Taiwan

Last week, all of Taiwan can feel the heat of baseball. There were the All-Star series in Taiwan last week. This time MLB all-star team had five games with Taiwan national team in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung.

 Curtis Granderson who is Yankees center fielder and other 26 players. Even though the midterm is coming, I still watched these five games in TV. Although Taiwan national team didn’t win any game, I still feel excited. Because this is the rare experience for the entire baseball fans in Taiwan. We can see the MLB player performs their power and hitting skill.

        In MLB all star team, we can see Robinson Cano, the second baseman of Yankee,

        After this all-star series, I found that we still have some good player. They are very young and potential. I can see Taiwan baseball’s future from their performance. I think those young player can have a big progress by this rare and precious experience. Next time, I hope that I can see the top and super player in MLB all-star team.

Ps. there is good news from The Washington Post, “The Nationals took a significant step toward setting their 2012 starting rotation Thursday afternoon, finalizing a one-year contract with right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, a team official said. The deal, pending a physical, is worth $4 million plus performance bonuses” by Adam Kilgore

Kuo is going to have the elbow surgery, again!

In this week, I heard one good news and one bad news for Hong-Chih Kuo.

The bad news is that Hong-Chih Kuo is going to have elbow surgery, again. This would be the fifth elbow surgery for Kuo.

 Fortunately, this surgery is not so serious that Kuo will recover in six to eight weeks. In this year, Kuo went through the worst season (9.00 earned running average) and the anxiety disorder. Base on Kuo’s poor record in 2011, the Dodgers is not willing to offer a new contract for Kuo. This means that maybe Kuo will wear other team’s uniform in 2012.

Having elbow surgery again means that Kuo still wants to play baseball, he still has ambition. I’m so happy to see this. Certainly, Kuo will come back with the best condition because he has gone back twice before. GO GO KUO!! Let's see Kuo's pitching in the 2012 season.

The Amazing Pitcher: Hong- Chih Kuo

   In this week, I believed that many baseball fans were shocked by the news from Hong- Chih Kuo. Kuo undecided about future in baseball, he is not sure about whether he will continue play baseball or not.

   Kuo is the first Taiwanese left hand pitcher in Major League with Los Angeles Dodgers. Kuo is well known as his powerful fast ball and plentiful injury history. Kuo’s fast ball is always in 93-95MPH(150-153km/hr), and Kuo underwent 4 times elbow surgeries. None of pitcher can suffer this terrible pain and come back to threw the ball, but Kuo did this. Kuo has brought many surprises for Taiwanese baseball fans, he always came back to MLB after every surgery, and in 2007 Kuo became the first Taiwanese player hit a home run in MLB. In 2010, Kuo broke the record giving 0 hit for 36 consecutive left bats, and was chosen into MLB all star game.

   After the amazing 2010 season, Kuo didn’t do well in this year. In this year, Kuo has suffered from the YIPS, the mental disorder which infect the player’s performance. Now, Kuo lost the ambition of the baseball. Kuo says that "I need a break. I love baseball and that's why I keep going. If I want to still play and somebody wants to give me a try, I play. If not, fine with me. But I don't want to play unless I enjoy playing again."

   As a fan of baseball, I was sad to see this news. I want to see Kuo still can play baseball in MLB. Every time I see Kuo throwing the ball, I always feel excited. Kuo let me remember the time when I used to play baseball. Kuo is a kind of soul leader to the baseball fans or other baseball players. I can’t image that the baseball game without Kuo, but no matter the outcome will be, all of the Taiwanese will support you. GO GO Kuo!!

(resource:http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/

ny.stgloballink.com/
sports201007/
t20100718_1375382.html)

 

The Glory of Taiwan: Chien Ming Wang

   Five years ago, peoples in Taiwan were crazy about the baseball. Do you know why? The reason is that Chien- Ming Wang began shining at Major League. Because Chien- Ming Wang played well in America, the baseball has become more and more popular in Taiwan. As a big fan of the baseball, I’m going to introduce something about our glory of Taiwan.

   In 2006, 2007, Chien- Ming Wang was one of the best pitchers in Major League. Chien- Ming Wang won 19 games in both years and the best winning percentage.Nevertheless, in 2008, 2009, Wang got the right foot injury and the shoulder injury. In the end of the 2009 season, the Yankee didn’t offer the contract for Wang.


   Fortunately, in 2010, the Washington Nations signed Wang and predicted Wang could come back in the middle season, but Wang’s rehabilitation didn’t in the good condition. As a result of poor rehabilitation condition, Wang didn’t show up in 2010 season.

   After the two years hard time, Wang is back. Although Wang isn’t in the best condition, he is looking more and more like the pitcher who won 19 games twice in the Yankee. On Monday, Wang made the longest game after the surgery of his pitching shoulder. Wang gave up three runs and six hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out fine in 6 2-3 innings. I am glad to see Wang’s come back and believe that Wang will create a outstanding records in Major league. Ps. Wang’s final pitch in this season is On this Sunday 1a.m. let us cheer on Chien- Ming Wang   

(the picture source is from

www.cdns.com.tw/
20110823/news/tyxw/
765000002...73699.htm and apple daily)