An analysis of the evolution of tie game rules and extra inning regulations in NPB. This article examines how rule changes from unlimited extra innings to the 12-inning limit have affected pennant races and game operations.
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.
NPB's record for innings is a 28-inning game in 1942; its record for time is 6 hours and 26 minutes in 1992. From nighttime curfews to the Central League's 15-inning era and the 12-inning limit, this article revisits the longest games in NPB history and the endurance they demanded.
In NPB, a game tied after 12 innings ends in a draw. In most professional baseball leagues worldwide, ties either do not exist or are extraordinarily rare. Why does Japan alone tolerate baseball without a winner?