Defensive Shift Ban Discussion - Limiting Extreme Positioning
Quantifies the effects of MLB 2023 shift-ban rules and analyzes the key issues and potential impact of adopting similar regulations in NPB.
Articles tagged with rules
Why Only the Catcher Looks in the "Same Direction as the Spectators" - The One Player Who Does Not Turn His Back on the Field
Of the nine defensive players in baseball, eight face toward home plate. Only the catcher sits facing the other way, in other words toward the pitcher. He is the one player who looks in the same direction as the spectators behind the backstop. This "reversed" position is what makes the catcher the most unusual figure in baseball.
The Quirky World of Ground Rules - Special Rules That Differ by Stadium
Each NPB stadium has unique ground rules. This article introduces the world of special rules created by stadium structures, from balls hitting ceilings to balls stuck in fence gaps.
Does NPB Need a Pitch Clock? - Game Time Reduction and Pitcher Adaptation
The pitch clock introduced in MLB in 2023 dramatically reduced game times. As discussion intensifies in NPB, this article examines compatibility with Japanese baseball culture and the pros and cons of adoption.
Who Gained the Most From Rain-Called Games - How Weather Rewrote NPB Wins and Losses
In NPB there is the "called game," in which a game is stopped partway through because of rain. Under this rule, the team leading at the end of the fifth inning is awarded the win, so the weather decides a game that might have been turned around had it been played through nine innings. Teams saved by the rain, teams left in tears by the rain. This article digs into the unexpected relationship between weather and wins and losses.
Why Batters Run to First Base "With Their Backs Turned" - The Curious Act of Running Without Watching the Ball
When a batter hits a grounder and runs to first base, he sprints all out without checking where the ball went. Baseball is the only sport in which players run without watching where the ball they hit has gone. Why do batters run with their backs turned? There is a structural reason built into the design of the baseball field.
Why Does "Strike" Mean "Hit It"? - The Origins of Baseball Hidden in the Umpire's Call
In English, "strike" means "to hit". Yet in baseball, a pitch the batter did not swing at (took) is also called a strike. Why is a word meaning "hit it" used for "a pitch that was not hit"? Behind this contradiction lies the changing role of the umpire in early baseball.
The "Furi-Nige" Is the World's Most Complicated Baseball Rule - A Complete Explanation of Its Maze of Conditions
The "furi-nige" (literally "swing and run," the uncaught third strike) is a strikeout that does not result in an out. Its formal name is "the batter-runner's right when the catcher fails to catch the third strike". The conditions of this rule are so complex that few people, even those with baseball experience, can explain them accurately. We fully unravel why such a rule exists, its historical origins and its conditions.
Why Baseball Players Wear a Glove on Only One Hand - Catching with Two Hands Would Be Safer
Baseball players wear a glove on only one hand. Wearing gloves on both hands should make catching more reliable, so why don't they do it? The answer "because you couldn't throw" is half right and half incomplete. The real reason the glove goes on one hand is built into the very design of baseball's movements.
Why Is Baseball "9 Innings"? - The Origin of the Inning Count and the Possibility of 7-Inning Games
Why is a baseball game 9 innings? Just as soccer has 90 minutes and basketball has 48 minutes, is there some basis for baseball's 9 innings? In fact, early baseball was not played over 9 innings. Tracing the changes in the number of innings reveals the surprising path by which the number "9" became established.
The Conditions for a "Winning Pitcher" Are Absurd - The Contradictions and Unfairness of the 5-Inning Rule
The condition for a winning pitcher is that "the starting pitcher must pitch 5 innings or more." This rule, however, is an absurd system that hands out wins regardless of how much a pitcher actually contributed. A pitcher can become the winning pitcher even after allowing 10 runs in 5 innings, while one who holds the opponent scoreless for 4 2/3 innings cannot. This article examines that contradiction.
Every Yomiuri Free-Agent Signing and the Players Sent Back as Compensation - From Ochiai in 1993, Through the Winter Yomiuri Let Utsumi and Chono Go
Yomiuri took 31 of NPB's 113 domestic free-agent moves from 1993 to 2025, the most of any team, and gave up 16 of 42 compensation players. The full list, the winter it let Utsumi and Chono go, and its call for the abolition of player compensation.
The Pitch Count Debate - Where Should the Standard Be to Protect Arms
Triggered by pitch count limits in high school baseball, NPB is debating pitcher workload management. This article analyzes scientifically appropriate pitch counts, the six-day rotation and complete-game culture, and tactical impacts.
Universal DH Debate - Unifying the DH Rule Across Both Leagues
Examines from multiple angles the long-running debate over whether the designated hitter rule, adopted by the Pacific League in 1975, should be extended to the Central League, looking at batting performance, the burden on pitchers, and the business side, and traces the path to the Central League's decision to adopt the rule from 2027.
Tiebreaker Rule Debate - Ghost Runner Controversy
An in-depth analysis of NPB's tiebreaker rule introduced in 2018, examining the ghost runner debate through statistical data, comparisons with MLB's extra-inning rules, and perspectives from players and managers.
The History of NPB's Helmet Mandate - 40 Years of Batter Protection Shaped by Beanballs
NPB now mandates double-eared batting helmets, but reaching this standard required tragic beanball incidents and years of debate. From the helmet-less founding era of 1937, through optional helmet use postwar, single-eared helmet adoption, and finally double-eared helmet mandates, batter protection evolved in stages. We trace 40 years of NPB helmet history through the lens of accidents and rule changes.
NPB Pension System - Player Retirement Security
A detailed look at NPB's player pension system established in 1959, its abolition in 2011, and the transition to lump-sum retirement payments and individual defined-contribution plans, with specific payout figures.
Evolution of NPB Roster Limits - How the Expansion from 25 to 31 Active Players Reshaped Lineup Tactics
NPB's active roster has long operated under a 28-player registration cap (with 25 players permitted to dress for a game). After the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic prompted balancing infection control with game operation, the cap expanded, and a 31-player roster has now taken hold. This evolution has reshaped bench tactics, the deployment of development-contract players, and the interplay with the farm system. We trace NPB's roster history from the regulatory side.
Sign Stealing Scandals and Countermeasures - NPB's Integrity Challenge
Tracing the story of sign stealing scandals and countermeasures - npb's integrity challenge, from history of sign stealing to ensuring competitive integrity.
NPB's Tie Games Are a Global Anomaly - An International Comparison of Baseball Without a Winner
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?
Typhoons and Game Operations - NPB's Weather Risk Management History
Even when a typhoon arrives, NPB games are held in principle at domed stadiums, while at outdoor stadiums a cancellation call is made in severe weather. Cancelled games are rescheduled, and a full ticket refund is the rule when a game is called off before the start. Examines the evolution of cancellation criteria, the impact of the spread of domed stadiums, the design of the rescheduling system, and the new challenges brought by climate change, with concrete data.
The Hidden Training System of NPB Umpires - How Baseball's Invisible Protagonists Are Made
NPB umpires undergo rigorous selection and years of development before taking the field, yet their training system remains largely unknown. This article details the path from recruitment to first-team promotion, judgment training methods, and the impact of technology.
The Power of Official Scorers - The Opacity of Hit-or-Error Rulings
In NPB games, official scorers hold the authority to judge whether a batted ball is a hit or an error. These rulings shape major performance metrics such as batting average, ERA, and earned runs. Yet the standards are not fully objectified, and many situations rely on the scorer's subjective judgment. We explain dispute cases over rulings, the ambiguity of the standards, the challenges of objectification, and the powers and responsibilities of the official scorer position.
The Last Generation of Pitchers at the Plate - A Vanishing NPB Landscape as the DH Expands
For decades, Central League pitchers stepped into the batter's box as a matter of course. With universal DH under discussion, the sight of a pitcher batting may soon vanish from NPB entirely.
Robo Ump Strike Zone - Challenges of Automated Ball-Strike Calls
How MLB's ABS challenge system, formally adopted for 2026, and KBO's league-wide rollout frame the technical and institutional questions NPB would face in adopting automated ball-strike calls.
Transfer Window Proposal - Activating NPB Trades
Reveals the full picture of the transfer window proposal, a plan for activating NPB trades. Considers the subject from many sides, including the current state of the NPB trade market and the challenges and expected benefits of introducing the system.
Why Only in Baseball Does the Home Team Bat Last - The Structural Advantage of Batting Second
In no other major sport does the home team always attack last. Why does baseball assign the home team to bat in the bottom of each inning, and does batting second actually confer a measurable advantage?
The Strategy of Intentional Walks - The Break-Even Point of Avoiding Confrontation
Is an intentional walk cowardice or strategy? This article analyzes the history of intentional walks in NPB, their statistical break-even point, and the impact of the no-pitch intentional walk rule.
Why Baseball Bases Are 27.43 Meters Apart - The Miraculous Distance of 90 Feet
The distance between bases is 90 feet (27.43 meters), unchanged since the 1840s. One meter longer and infield hits would vanish. One meter shorter and ground-ball outs would nearly disappear. Ninety feet is the miraculous equilibrium where human running speed and throwing speed are perfectly balanced.
NPB Free Agency Light and Shadow - Player Rights and Team Struggles
NPB's free agent system since 1993: domestic FA after 8 years, international after 9, compensation mechanisms, and the talent concentration debate.
The DH Unification Debate - Why the Central League Clings to Pitchers Batting
Half a century after the Pacific League adopted the DH in 1975, the Central League still has pitchers bat. This article examines both sides of the unification debate and the tactical and economic implications.
Stadium Security Evolution - Systems Protecting Spectator Safety
Traces the evolution of NPB stadium security, covering foul ball accident prevention, bag checks, facial recognition trials, and spectator incident response.
Why You Can Hit Foul Balls Forever - The Reason Fouls After Two Strikes Don't Count
After two strikes, a batter can foul off pitches indefinitely without striking out. Why? The answer involves a time when fouls didn't count as strikes at all, and the current rule is a historical compromise.
Nobody Can Perfectly Explain the Balk - The Most Ambiguous Rule in NPB
The balk is baseball's least understood rule. The Official Baseball Rules list 13 balk conditions, yet interpretation varies by umpire and even players struggle to explain them. Why is the balk so ambiguous?
A History of Sign Stealing - The Lineage of Baseball's Intellectual Crime and the Arms Race of Technology
Sign stealing has existed as long as baseball itself. From runners on second to telescopes, video cameras, and wearable devices, this article traces the escalating arms race between cheaters and defenders.
The Strategic Evolution of the Intentional Walk - How the No-Pitch IBB Changed NPB's Competitive Philosophy
NPB's 2018 introduction of the no-pitch intentional walk fundamentally altered the strategic calculus of the intentional base on balls. By eliminating the physical act of throwing four wide pitches, the rule reduced the cost of issuing an intentional walk and changed when and how managers deploy it.
NPB's Double Motion Rule - The Evolution and Controversy of Pitching Form Regulations
NPB has long regulated pitching motions branded as 'double motion,' a topic of debate for over 30 years involving phases of stricter and looser enforcement. The rule aims to prevent unnatural deceptive deliveries but has wrestled with ambiguous adjudication and conflicts with international standards. The 2006 tightening and the 2011 liberalization marked major turning points. We trace the history of NPB pitching-motion regulation through controversy and globalization.
The Gesture Language of Umpires - Meaning and History Behind Calls
Even a single strike call varies between umpires. This article introduces the meaning of NPB umpire gestures, their historical evolution, and famous umpires known for distinctive calls.