D.T.H.

珈琲を飲むときに悩みますな。やっぱり二杯にします。 Pressed for choices when it comes to coffee mugs. Guess I'll have two cups. #StarWars #BVB

David Bowie in Kyoto, Japan, 1980

Dansby Swanson makes it look easy 😮‍💨

甘く入った変化球を上手く捉えた当たりは満員のライトスタンドへ🌈🎆 今シーズン初スタメンの #度会隆輝 選手が、見事に期待に応えるソロホームランを放ちベイスターズが先制🌟 1回裏 DB 1 - 0 S #baystars

Yesterday, Ian Happ hit an absolute tank for a home run. 109 off the bat. 32 deg LA. .. except, he didn't. Thanks to our friends at @WeatherApplied, we know that the wind cost him *113 feet* of distance -- which is now the largest stop in the data. --> mlb.com/news/how-ian-h…

@CommanderKiri そうなんです。欧州の歴史において平和に終わる物語はほぼありませんな。

@CommanderKiri その認識が当たっています。この写真は拙者が大学で使った近代欧州歴史の教科書からの抜粋です。

これは、ただの試合じゃない。 朝のMLBは、気づけば日常になっている。 2026シーズン開幕！ また、この時間が始まる⚾️ #ベースボールは唯一無二

@CommanderKiri 拙者はそういう外国人に入りますかな。ルーツは100%🇳🇴であり、イリノイ州にある祖父母が埋葬されている墓地にはノルウェー語で書かれているお墓もあります。祖母の家にはノルウェー語の祈りの板が壁にも飾ってありましたし、クリスマス🎄のときは伝統のノルウェー🇳🇴の料理も食べました。

今永投手がオープン戦最終登板を終え記者会見に応える👀 キャンプではフィジカルを鍛えることに重きを置いたようで、今季は安定した試合を作り、土俵際で踏ん張ることを目標に掲げました！ キャンプで手応えを感じたという今永投手の今季の活躍に期待です👀 🎦@MLBJapan

This officially licensed Lucasfilm product is a collaboration between Star Wars and traditional Edo ukiyo-e prints, a proud Japanese art form. The prints feature popular heroes and unique characters from Star Wars, using ukiyo-e techniques.

Roki Sasaki looks like a shell of the pitcher he once was. Sasaki's historic amateur prospect pedigree earned him the nickname “Kaibutsu,” or “Monster,” of Japan’s current imperial era, Reiwa, a title previously bestowed upon all-time greats Suguru Egawa (Showa) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (Heisei). In 2022, the Iwate native sent shockwaves across the baseball world when he threw a 19-strikeout perfect game as a 20-year-old and followed it up with 8 more perfect frames in the very next start. Durability was always Sasaki’s undoing, but that was the only question. When he was on the mound, his dominance was undeniable, drawing comparisons to a young Jacob deGrom. But the former first-round pick saw a steep decline in his dominance after an oblique injury in July 2023. Prior to that, Sasaki was on pace for the best pitching season in NPB history on a per-inning basis. 2023 Stats as of July 24: 13 GS 85.0 IP 1.48 ERA 40.4 K% 4.7 BB% 64.1 GB% 39.1 Whiff% 37.7 CSW% The flamethrower returned from injury in just 7 weeks and looked rusty in a couple of starts, but that could easily be attributed to being rushed back or not yet fully healthy. The more concerning signs emerged early in 2024, when his fastball velocity dropped noticeably, sitting 95-98 mph in starts instead of the 98–101 range seen in previous years. He still produced great results in NPB as his signature splitter remained highly effective, and he started to incorporate the slider more. However, both the shape and command of his fastball had clearly regressed, especially when compared to the gaudy metrics he posted in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. March 2022 - July 2023 (Fastballs Only) Pitches: 1,654 Avg Velo: 98.6 Max Velo: 103 Whiff%: 21.0 Z-Con%: 82.8 Strike%: 73.1 pERA-: 67 September 2023 - October 2024 (Fastballs Only) Pitches: 851 Avg Velo: 96.9 (-1.7) Max Velo: 101 (-2) Whiff%: 12.6 (-8.4) Z-Con%: 91.7 (+8.9) Strike%: 70.7 (-2.4) pERA-: 95 (+28) Then, Sasaki triggered what is believed to be an early posting clause in his contract to pursue a move to Major League Baseball, ultimately signing a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If not for international bonus pool restrictions on players under 25, the right-hander was widely viewed as a talent worth hundreds of millions. His debut campaign stateside was anything but smooth, as Sasaki struggled out of the gates before missing three months with a right shoulder impingement, an issue that also potentially bothered him during his final NPB season. He returned in September and made an impact for LA out of the bullpen in the early stages of the postseason, but looked shaky during the World Series. Still, he was able to reach triple digits on his fastball again, offering some hope that 2026 could be a rebound year. He skipped the WBC to focus on building back up as a starter, but endured a disastrous spring training, walking 29% of batters to the tune of a 15.58 ERA. As of right now, it’s difficult to view Sasaki as starter material. His fastball has lost its power, his mechanics are off, he lacks a true third pitch, and he doesn’t show the confidence to attack the zone, preventing his world-class splitter from really shining. What the Dodgers — but more importantly, Roki Sasaki himself — do from here will define his career. Will the most talented Japanese arm ever be remembered as the injury-prone phenom who set his sights on MLB too early and crumbled in the process, or will he emerge as a force in a dynasty alongside fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto?

@devilpuppetsinc @SamOlbur No problem. I was born in Joliet and still have extended family in Northern IL, but have lived over half my life now in Japan. Was raised a Chicago fan, and have done so with my kids here. Our Japanese team is the Baystars, so we were happy he chose the Cubs😉 Go Cubs Go!

@NorskAkiruno @SamOlbur Thanks! I’m a bit shocked I got it right, that was 23 years ago. Seiya Suzuki and Shōta Imanaga are big hits here in Chicago. Take care and go Cubs!

リグレーフィールド付近の小さなショップで非公式感あふれる鈴木誠也Tシャツが販売されていました。 #カープ

@devilpuppetsinc @SamOlbur Yes, news of a PCA extension would make you want to dance in celebration. よく覚えましたね！

@NorskAkiruno @SamOlbur Rock on and I’ll listen to some Seikima-II to celebrate. Favorite track is probably “1999 Secret Object”. Here’s how I felt about the news (please forgive my spelling, I took Japanese many years ago) Odatari odotari shimasu.

／ オフに取り組んだことが 少しずつ身になっている💪 ＼ #カブス 今永昇太が語る、 キャンプでの確かな手応え⚾️ 開幕に向けて「伸びしろ」を感じながら、着実にステップアップを続けています🔥

THE BAT OUT OF HELL IS GOING TO BE A GODDAMN CHICAGO CUB FOR A LONG TIME

Cubs best all around player, cubs most important player, but don't forget.... Cubs most MARKETABLE player as well. It's good business to lock him up for an extra 3 years in addition to what you already have. Fans, kids etc love him. And of course the ceiling is HIGH.

@SamOlbur 遅くまでお疲れ様！ Lunch Tuesday for me.

Hello!