Nippon Ham's Nakata shows promise

Nippon Ham's Nakata shows promise

SAPPORO, Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters' Sho Nakata hits a home run in his fourth consecutive game during the eighth inning against the Rakuten Eagles at Sapporo Dome on Aug. 8, 2010. Nakata, an up-and-coming third-year player, has hit eight homers in 11 games.

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

CINCINNATI, Untied States - Atlanta Braves right-hander Kenshin Kawakami starts a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 26. Kawakami took the third loss in the game giving up eight runs and eight hits including two homers in 4-2/3 innings. The Reds won 8-2.

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

CINCINNATI, United States - Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kenshin Kawakami (L) is taken out of the game against the Cincinnati Reds by manager Bobby Cox at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 26. Kawakami took the third loss in the game giving up eight runs and eight hits including two homers in 4-2/3 innings. The Reds won 8-2.

3 homers lift Softbank past Nippon Ham

3 homers lift Softbank past Nippon Ham

FUKUOKA, Japan - Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada (L), who pitched four-run eight innings, and outfielder Hiroshi Shinohara, who hit a go-ahead two-run homer, wave to the audiences after the Softbank Hawks beat the Nippon Ham Fighters 7-4 at Yahoo Dome on April 8.

Matsui hits pair of 2-run homers

Matsui hits pair of 2-run homers

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yomiuri slugger Hideki Matsui watches his second two-run homer of the day arch toward the right field stands in the fifth inning at Yokohama Stadium on April 6. Matsui's homers and the eight-hit pitching of Koji Uehara (1-1) paced the Giants 9-5 over the host Yokohama BayStars.

Bonds homers in exhibition baseball series

Bonds homers in exhibition baseball series

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hits a three-run homer in the fourth inning of an exhibition game between the major league and Japanese all-stars at Seibu Dome in Saitama Prefecture on Nov. 11. The major leaguers scored eight runs in the fourth and went on to win the game 13-5 for their fourth victory of the eight-game series against two defeats with one tie.

Matsui homers in exhibition game with major leaguers

Matsui homers in exhibition game with major leaguers

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Yomiuri Giants outfielder Hideki Matsui connects for a second-inning solo homer off Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Sirotka on Nov. 11 in an exhibition game between the major league and Japanese all-stars at Seibu Dome in Saiatama Prefecture. The major leaguers won the game 13-5 to improve their record in the eight-game series to four wins against two losses with one tie.

Matsui hits pair of 2-run homers

Matsui hits pair of 2-run homers

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yomiuri slugger Hideki Matsui watches his second two-run homer of the day arch toward the right field stands in the fifth inning at Yokohama Stadium on April 6. Matsui's homers and the eight-hit pitching of Koji Uehara (1-1) paced the Giants 9-5 over the host Yokohama BayStars.

Baseball: Otani does it all as Fighters complete sweep of Hawks

Baseball: Otani does it all as Fighters complete sweep of Hawks

Nippon Ham Fighters pitcher Shohei Otani, batting in the leadoff spot, homers on the game's first pitch at Yafuoku Dome on July 3, 2016. Otani won his seventh straight start after throwing eight dominant innings as the Fighters completed a three-game sweep of the SoftBank Hawks with a 2-0 win. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

CINCINNATI, United States - Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kenshin Kawakami (L) is taken out of the game against the Cincinnati Reds by manager Bobby Cox at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 26. Kawakami took the third loss in the game giving up eight runs and eight hits including two homers in 4-2/3 innings. The Reds won 8-2. (Kyodo)

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

Braves pitcher Kawakami takes 3rd loss

CINCINNATI, Untied States - Atlanta Braves right-hander Kenshin Kawakami starts a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 26. Kawakami took the third loss in the game giving up eight runs and eight hits including two homers in 4-2/3 innings. The Reds won 8-2. (Kyodo)

Nippon Ham's Nakata shows promise

Nippon Ham's Nakata shows promise

SAPPORO, Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters' Sho Nakata hits a home run in his fourth consecutive game during the eighth inning against the Rakuten Eagles at Sapporo Dome on Aug. 8, 2010. Nakata, an up-and-coming third-year player, has hit eight homers in 11 games. (Kyodo)

Hideki Matsui among newcomers on 2018 Hall of Fame ballot

Hideki Matsui among newcomers on 2018 Hall of Fame ballot

Undated file photo shows Hideki Matsui (L), a former New York Yankees outfielder who is among 19 new candidates on the 2018 Hall of Fame ballot that is being cast by more than 430 members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Matsui became the second Japanese pro baseball player chosen as a Hall of Fame candidate following Hideo Nomo (R) in 2014. The BBWAA described Matsui as a World Series hero who earned World Series MVP honors by hitting .615 with three homers and eight RBIs for the New York Yankees in 2009. The results of the election will be announced on Jan. 24, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo