NPB's Rookie of the Year award since 1950: the lineage from Nagashima through Nomo to Ohtani, selection criteria, and whether the 'Rookie of the Year curse' is real.
NPB's Golden Glove Award since 1972, honoring defensive excellence from Tsuyoshi Shinjo's 10 wins to Ryosuke Kikuchi's acrobatic second base play.
The Sawamura Award, NPB's most prestigious pitching honor since 1947, named after legendary pre-war pitcher Eiji Sawamura. Examining its seven selection criteria, the lineage of winners, and modern debates over outdated standards.