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Where EAST meets the Northwest

WORLD SERIES CHAMPS. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate in the locker room after their team beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win Major League Baseball’s World Series, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Shohei Ohtani bats for the Los Angeles Dodgers. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Pictured is pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

From The Asian Reporter, V34, #11 (November 4, 2024), pages 14 & 15.

By Stephen Wade

AP Sports Writer

TOKYO — The World Series trophy has landed in Los Angeles, but there was a hearty celebration going on across the Pacific Ocean in Japan, too.

People milled around the edge of the Ginza shopping area in central Tokyo last Thursday afternoon as single-sheet, special newspaper editions rolled off the presses, proclaiming Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto as world champions along with their Dodgers teammates after a stirring Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees.

The headline in Japanese in the Sports Nippon newspaper, set in yellow and blue type — with red highlights — read: "No. 1 in The World. Ohtani beats the Yankees."

"I want to thank my Japanese fans for coming all the way to cheer me this season," Ohtani said on Japanese television. "That cheering gave me some energy, so I’m glad I could return the gratitude by winning."

The newspaper handouts are a Tokyo tradition when Japan celebrates a big event. And it was a scramble, as usual, with men and women — young and old — sprinting up and down the sidewalk to get their free collector’s items.

The Yomiuri Shimbun headline read: "Dodgers No. 1; Ohtani, Yamamoto in first season."

Yasuko Shibata, an 80-year-old woman who said she faithfully watches Ohtani’s games, said she admired "Ohtani’s personality." Not to mention his great play.

"His presence is huge," she said. "He is a source of my energy. When he doesn’t do well, I also feel blue."

Another fan echoed her thoughts, standing near the Ginza underground entrance.

"He is the pride of Japan," said Hideki Shinohara, who called himself a hardcore fan. "You cannot describe him with just ‘amazing.’ You need to invent a new word."

Shinohara added: "He went through many things this year, and I didn’t expect him to come all this way. I am very pleased with what he has achieved."

The Japanese pride in Ohtani is a huge one for a country whose players were once considered too small, or only good pitchers. Now, there is strong pride in the fact that their players are among the best in the game.

Japan defeated the United States in the World Baseball Classic final last year in Miami, another sign of the country’s prowess in the American pastime.

It was also a victory for Ohtani’s hometown in northern Japan — Oshu City — where fans had been gathering all week and anticipating their superstar hero would help deliver the title.

About 38,000 special edition newspapers were also published in Iwate Prefecture, the northern area where Oshu City is located.

From The Asian Reporter, V34, #11 (November 4, 2024), page 13.

By Beth Harris

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ first game of the season in South Korea was overshadowed afterward by Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter hinting at his stealing from the Japanese superstar. Their last postgame was a beer and champagne-fuelled celebration of the franchise’s eighth World Series title.

In between came a multitude of injuries, especially to the rotation as well as Mookie Betts’ broken hand and Freddie Freeman’s sprained ankle, Ohtani’s historic 50/50 feat, the franchise’s 11th National League West title in 12 seasons, and compiling the best record in the majors.

Then came the playoffs, where the Dodgers proved a resilient bunch.

They trailed rival San Diego 2-1 in the National League Division Series and rallied to win in five games.

They were pushed to six games in the NL Championship Series by the New York Mets before advancing.

They were about to lose the World Series opener until Freeman delivered the first walk-off grand slam in Series history. They ran through eight pitchers to eke out a 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees to close out the World Series in five games.

"We just kept going. Even in the post-season, I don’t think anyone had us picked. I don’t think they had us picked to get out of the first series," manager Dave Roberts said. "For us to go out there and fight and scratch and claw and win 11 games in October, that’s a credit to our guys."

Investing a billion dollars to acquire Ohtani and fellow Japanese player Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason certainly paid off, even if Ohtani’s playoff performance didn’t match what he did during the regular season when his offense carried the Dodgers.

Ohtani reached career highs in home runs, stolen bases, and RBIs and is the favorite to win NL MVP honors. In the playoffs, he went 2 for 19 with no RBIs and had one single after partially dislocating his shoulder in Game 2 of the World Series.

"What Shohei’s done to our ball club, the Dodger fan base domestically, globally, I just don’t think you can quantify," Roberts said. "He was playing with one arm in the postseason. So most guys would probably tap out, but he was going to not be denied at playing and posting and being in the lineup."

The Dodgers made some key pickups at the July trade deadline, including pitchers Jack Flaherty — who was one of three healthy starters in the playoffs — and Michael Kopech as well as utilityman Tommy Edman, whose offense in the NLCS earned him MVP honors.

Ohtani’s former interpreter is on his way to jail on bank and tax fraud charges when he’s sentenced in December. Ohtani is going back to being a two-way sensation next year when he resumes pitching after he spent this season recovering from a second elbow surgery.

The Dodgers have eight players who became free agents when the World Series ended: Walker Buehler, Flaherty, Kiké Hernández, Teoscar Hernández, Daniel Hudson, Joe Kelly, Kevin Kiermaier, and Blake Treinen.

Hudson announced his retirement after the Wednesday night victory, while Kiermaier had already said he planned to retire.

The Dodgers hold team options on Austin Barnes and Miguel Rojas for next season. Clayton Kershaw has a player option and has said he plans to be back after a toe injury kept him out of the playoffs.

But for now the celebration continues.

After winning a neutral-site World Series against Tampa Bay in 2020 and being denied a parade because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Dodgers had pent-up energy to burn.

"I’m sure there’s no asterisk on this one," Roberts said.

They commemorated their championship with a downtown parade and Dodger Stadium celebration last Friday, which would have been Fernando Valenzuela’s 64th birthday. The 1981 NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year winner died last month.

"It’s going to be emotional," Roberts, who was friends with Valenzuela, said prior to the events. "I know he’s smiling right now and very proud of this organization."

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