Look at me not doing Italian homework!
Just a quick post before dinner - I will get back to comments later, since Yahoo! is not being kind enough to let me check my e-mail at the moment. Sorry - I'm not trying to blow anyone off!
Found some footage on NPB Tracker (where I was reading up about Tazawa and trying to get a better look at his stuff) of Tsuyoshi Shinjo, one of my first favorite ballplayers. He homered in the first game I have memories of being at, although that was overshadowed by a Piazza walk-off against Atlanta that day. In this video, he's still with Hanshin - he homers, moves defensively to second base and performs well, and then tops it off by hitting a pitch that looks somewhat like an intentional ball (but could just be a pitch way to the outside) to drive in a run and win the game.
I find the last bit notable because I wrote a scene in Slumberwood where Sheridan is having a good enough game that he gets intentionally walked for the first time in his life, but decides to drive up the pitch count by swinging at ball four twice - and then, just to be cheeky, hits the sixth pitch of the at-bat to advance the runner on second to third base. But I'm mostly just posting this video because it's really awesome.
(Also, check out the page of links where I found it - there's some footage of 18-year-old Daisuke Matsuzaka throwing around 97 mph, too.)
EDIT: An Oki Caramelldansen? For serious? I love it. (Note: Oki from Oofuri, not Okaji.)
Found some footage on NPB Tracker (where I was reading up about Tazawa and trying to get a better look at his stuff) of Tsuyoshi Shinjo, one of my first favorite ballplayers. He homered in the first game I have memories of being at, although that was overshadowed by a Piazza walk-off against Atlanta that day. In this video, he's still with Hanshin - he homers, moves defensively to second base and performs well, and then tops it off by hitting a pitch that looks somewhat like an intentional ball (but could just be a pitch way to the outside) to drive in a run and win the game.
Click to viewI find the last bit notable because I wrote a scene in Slumberwood where Sheridan is having a good enough game that he gets intentionally walked for the first time in his life, but decides to drive up the pitch count by swinging at ball four twice - and then, just to be cheeky, hits the sixth pitch of the at-bat to advance the runner on second to third base. But I'm mostly just posting this video because it's really awesome.
(Also, check out the page of links where I found it - there's some footage of 18-year-old Daisuke Matsuzaka throwing around 97 mph, too.)
EDIT: An Oki Caramelldansen? For serious? I love it. (Note: Oki from Oofuri, not Okaji.)