NPB Golden Glove Award Lineage - The Artistry of Defensive Masters
NPB's Golden Glove Award since 1972, honoring defensive excellence from Tsuyoshi Shinjo's 10 wins to Ryosuke Kikuchi's acrobatic second base play.
Articles tagged with analysis
The Surprising Connection Between a Batter's Dominant Eye and Hitting - Which Side of the Plate Sees the Pitcher Better
Humans have a dominant eye just as they have a dominant hand. When a right-eye-dominant batter stands in the left-handed box, the dominant eye faces the pitcher. Does this explain NPB's abundance of left-handed hitters?
How Far Do NPB Players Run in One Game - The Surprising Truth About Distance by Position
Soccer players run 10-13 km per game. How far do baseball players run? The answer is surprisingly little, but the gap between the most and least active positions is wider than you'd expect.
The Value of Utility Players - Multi-Position Player Contributions
Examines from multiple angles the value that utility players capable of covering multiple positions bring to NPB teams, drawing on WAR and games played data and on case studies of specific players including Yamato, Kosuke Tanaka, and Seiya Kinami.
The Winning Pitcher Rule Is Absurd - The Contradictions and Unfairness of the Five-Inning Requirement
The requirement for a winning pitcher is that a starter must pitch at least five innings. But this rule is an absurd mechanism that distributes wins without regard to a pitcher's actual contribution. A starter can earn a win after allowing 10 runs in five innings, while another who holds the opponent scoreless for 4 2/3 innings cannot. Examines this contradiction.
Aging Curve Analysis - When Do NPB Players Peak
Analyzes how NPB hitter and pitcher performance changes with age using WAR and OPS data, examining peak ages by position and common traits among long-career players.
Baserunning Efficiency Analysis - Quantifying Hidden Run Contributions
Stolen-base totals alone cannot capture the full value of baserunning.
The Karakuri Dome Mystery - Is Tokyo Dome Really a Home Run Haven?
Tokyo Dome has been mockingly called 'Karakuri Dome' (Trick Dome) and criticized as a home run-friendly park that favors the Yomiuri.
Launch Angle Revolution - Fly Ball Revolution Impact on NPB
How MLB's fly ball revolution reshaped NPB hitting, analyzed through launch angle trends, home run and strikeout data, and case studies of players like Yuki Yanagita.
Strategic Use of the Disabled List - The Tactics of Registration and Removal
Analyzes strategic roster management in NPB, examining disabled list system evolution, tactical registration manipulation, and psychological impacts on players.
Why First-Round Draft Picks Bust - Structural Analysis of Selection Failures in NPB
Only about half of NPB first-round draft picks become first-team regulars. This article analyzes the structural factors behind draft busts, from scouting limitations to development failures.
Structural Analysis of Left-Handed Batting Advantage in NPB
Examines the structural advantages of left-handed batters in NPB through data analysis, covering distance to first base, pitcher handedness ratios, and stadium asymmetry.
Why Lefties Command a Premium - Structural Analysis of Left-Handed Pitcher Value in NPB
NPB drafts consistently overvalue left-handed pitchers relative to performance. This article uses data to explain the structural reasons behind the left-handed pitcher premium.
The Science of Pitch Framing - How Catchers Influence Umpire Calls
Examines pitch framing in NPB through data analysis, measuring how catchers' mitt manipulation influences umpire calls and the adoption of framing metrics.
NPB Rookie of the Year Lineage - Future Stars Who Shone in Their First Year
NPB's Rookie of the Year award since 1950: the lineage from Nagashima through Nomo to Matsuzaka, selection criteria, and whether the 'Rookie of the Year curse' is real.
NPB Triple Three Lineage - The Superhuman .300/30HR/30SB Record
The 'Triple Three' (.300/30 HR/30 SB) is one of NPB's rarest achievements, highlighted by Yuki Yanagita and Tetsuto Yamada's simultaneous accomplishment in 2015.
Which Position Is the Most Idle in a Baseball Game - How Often Outfielders Actually Field the Ball
An NPB game lasts about three hours. During that time, outfielders handle the ball shockingly few times. Left and right fielders may touch the ball only a handful of times per game. The data reveals which position spends the most time waiting.
Why the Pinch-Hit Specialist Disappeared from NPB - Reading the Decline of a Dying Art in Numbers
NPB once celebrated pinch-hit specialists as clutch heroes. Players like Takai Yasuhiro and Hiyama Shinjiro built careers around a single at-bat. Today, the pure pinch-hitter has all but vanished, replaced by utility players and bullpen-heavy rosters.
Platoon Split Trends - Changes in L-R Batting Differentials
Platoon splits, where batters perform better against opposite-handed pitchers, shape NPB lineup construction. This analyzes long-term trends and tactical evolution in platoon usage.
Baseball Players Spend Most of the Game Facing Left - The Structural Leftward Bias of Right-Handed Batting and Counterclockwise Baserunning
Watch a baseball game from above and you'll notice players spend a disproportionate amount of time facing left. Right-handed batters face left, runners circle counterclockwise, and fielders orient leftward tracking batted balls. Baseball is structurally a leftward-facing sport.
The Tactics of Rain Delays - How Managers Turn Weather to Their Advantage
Analyzing the tactical dimensions of rain delays in NPB, from pitching change decisions and body temperature management to historic games transformed by weather interruptions.
Relief Pitcher Workload - Overuse and Injury Correlation
An in-depth analysis of relief pitcher workload - overuse and injury correlation, exploring the scope of relief pitcher overuse and future outlook.
Why Switch Hitters Are Going Extinct - The Vanishing Art of Batting From Both Sides in NPB
NPB once featured numerous switch hitters including Kazuo Matsui. Their numbers have plummeted in recent years. This article examines the structural factors behind the decline through data and developmental changes.
Structural Analysis of Tied Games - How Bench Tendencies Reveal Each NPB Team's Identity
NPB's 12-inning tie rule produces roughly 1 to 8 ties per team in a normal season, and more than 20 for some teams in years when extra innings were shortened or suspended. Tied games look random at first glance, but breaking down each franchise's tie rate and tied-game profile reveals patterns in late-inning bullpen management, pinch-hitting, and bench philosophy. We analyze NPB's bench culture through the lens of tied games.
Why There Are No Left-Handed Catchers in Baseball - The Structural Reasons Behind an Extinct Position
Left-handed pitchers and batters are common. Left-handed catchers are virtually nonexistent in both NPB and MLB. Why is catching the one position reserved exclusively for right-handers?
Win Probability Added - Clutch Players Through WPA in NPB
An in-depth analysis of win probability added - clutch players through wpa in npb, exploring what is wpa (win probability added)? and practical applications ..
NPB 200-Win Club Lineage - The Summit Only Great Pitchers Can Reach
NPB's 200-win club: 24 members from Kaneda's 400 wins to Yamamoto Masa's 219, and why reaching 200 wins has become nearly impossible in modern baseball.
Defensive Metrics Evolution - UZR and DRS in NPB
A comprehensive look at defensive metrics evolution - uzr and drs in npb, from the turning point - limitations of fielding percentage to tracking technology ..
A .300 Batting Average Means Failing 70% of the Time - The Absurdity of a Sport Built on Failure
A .300 batting average marks an elite hitter. But .300 means failing 7 out of 10 times. No other sport calls someone who fails 70% of the time a genius. Why is baseball built on such an extraordinary tolerance for failure?
Hawks Dynasty Analysis - Structure of SoftBank's Golden Era
Tracing the story of hawks dynasty analysis - structure of softbank's golden era, from overview of the softbank dynasty to end of the dynasty and lessons.
How Often Does Nothing Happen in an NPB Inning - The Probability of Three-Up-Three-Down and the Science of Boredom
How often does an inning end with three batters retired in order? The frequency of 'nothing happening' reveals the hidden structure of baseball's rhythm between action and stillness.
In a Three-Hour Baseball Broadcast, the Ball Is Actually in Play for Only 18 Minutes
An NPB game lasts about three hours, but the cumulative time during which the ball is actually in play is shockingly brief. What fills the rest? The numbers reveal the true nature of baseball's famous pauses.
Lotte Falls Below .500 for the First Time in Franchise History - Only Hanshin Has Never Had a Losing All-Time Record
On April 8, 2026, the Chiba Lotte Marines fell below .500 in their all-time record for the first time since their founding in 1950. This leaves the Hanshin Tigers as the only team among all 21 NPB franchises, including defunct ones, to have never had a losing career record.
Catcher Value in NPB - Why the Fan's Pivot Controls the Game
Examining catcher value in npb - why the fan's pivot controls the game in depth, covering the fan's pivot through modern catcher profile.
Batting Title Races - Down-to-the-Wire Batting Average Battles
Examining batting title races - down-to-the-wire batting average battles in depth, covering why the batting title holds a special place in npb through trends..
The Cruel Role of the Mop-Up Pitcher - The Reality of Throwing in a Lost Cause
Someone has to pitch when the team is down by seven runs. The mop-up pitcher's role never leads to victory yet remains operationally essential. Why does this cruel position exist, and what is it like to pitch in a lost cause?
NPB Pinch-Hit Artistry - Technique and Resolve of Men Betting on One At-Bat
The art of pinch-hitting in NPB: Yasuhiro Takai's world-record 27 pinch-hit home runs, 'God of Pinch-Hitting' Hiroshi Yagi, tactical differences created by the DH rule, and the mental fortitude one at-bat demands.