The Japan Student Baseball Association and the All Japan University Baseball Federation held board of directors meetings today and decided on dates for three tournaments next season.

Japan-USA University Baseball Championship - five games beginning on July 6

All Japan University Championship - six days beginning on June 11

Meiji Jingu Tournament - five days beginning on November 16

The manager for the national university team will likely be decided to a manager meeting on January 1.

Source: Nikkan Sports 12/4/2012

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UPDATE @ 11:11pm - The national university team could play some games against a Korean national university team in Korea next summer in preparation for the 2015 Summer Universiade.  Source: Sponichi 12/4/2012

University

Finals

Yushiro Yamanaka (Toin Yokohama) hit a home run off Kazuki Mishima (Hosei) in the 6th inning. ... Kazuki Mishima start the game for Hosei and allowed one run on three hits over six innings of work. He also faced twenty-four batters, threw ninety-six pitches, struck out five, and walked/hit three. ... Kazuhiro Ono started the game for Toin Yokohama and tossed nine shutout innings. Final line: 9 IP, 138 NP, 37 BF, 7 H, 8 SO, 3 BB/HBP, 0 R.

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High School

Finals

Every player in the Sendai Ikuei starting line-up had at least one hit; four had two hits; one had three hits; and one had four hits. In the 3rd inning, they sent fourteen players to the plate and collected nine runs on ten hits.

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See also:

2012 Meiji Jingu Tournament Schedules (University and High School)

University

Game 1

Kento Tatebe (1-for-5, RBI) and Sho Suzuki (1-for-2, RBI) came up with consecutive RBI singles in the top of the 10th to give Hosei a 3-1 lead. Extra inning tiebreaker rules were in effect: bases loaded, one out. ... Shinzaburo Tawata (Fuji) tossed four shutout innings beginning in the 6th before giving up two consecutive RBI singles in the top of the 10th. Final line: 4.2 IP, 69 NP, 16 BF, 3 H, 6 SO, 0 BB/HBP, 0 ER. ... Kazuki Mishima (Hosei) entered the game in the 8th and tossed two shutout innings before uncorking a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th that allowed a run to cross the plate. He struck out two in a row to end the game Final line: 2.2 IP, 36 NP, 8 BF, 0 H, 4 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER.

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Game 2

Allen Kuri (Asia) gave up two runs (none earned) on three hits over 6.2 innings of work. He faced twenty-three batters, threw seventy-eight pitches, struck out seven, and walked none. ... Kazuhiro Ono (Toin Yokohama) tossed a five-hit complete game shutout. He faced thirty-four batters, threw 131 pitches, struck out ten, and walked/hit three batters.

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High School

Game 1

Ryo Kobayashi (Sendai Ikuei) went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in the 4th inning. ... Seiji Uebayashi (Sendai Ikuei) went 2-for-5 with a grand slam in the 7th inning. ... Kosuke Baba (Sendai Ikuei) went the distance and allowed one run (unearned) on six hits over nine innings of work. He threw 111 pitches, struck out six, and walked/hit one.

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Game 2

Called after seven innings according to tournament rules.

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See also:

2012 Meiji Jingu Tournament Schedules (University and High School)

University

Game 1

Kazuki Mishima (Hosei) tossed a four-hit complete game shutout and struck out sixteen. He faced thirty-two batters, threw 118 pitches, and gave up four hits and one walk. ... Takahiro Norimoto (Mie Chukyo) tossed two shutout innings in relief. He did not allow a hit or walk and struck out one. He threw twenty-three pitches.

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Game 2

Nao Higashihama (Asia) tossed a two-hit complete game shutout. He threw 109 pitches, faced twenty-nine batters, struck out fourteen and walked one.

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High School

Game 1

Kazuya Oguchi (Hokusho) tossed a complete game and allowed one run on ten hits over nine innings of work. He threw 141 pitches, faced 41 batters, walked/hit six, and struck out four. He went 1-for-4 at the plate with a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 9th.

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Game 2

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See also:

2012 Meiji Jingu Tournament Schedules (University and High School)

University

Game 1

Shinzaburo Tawata (Fuji) tossed the fourth no-hitter in tournament history. He threw 119 pitches, struck out nine, walked one, and hit one.

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Game 2

Takahiro Matsuba (Osaka Taiiku) went the distance in the loss.  He allowed five runs on seven hits over eight innings of work.  He threw 139 pitches, struck out seven, and walked/hit four.

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High School

Game 1

Takato Suzuki (Sendai Ikuei) gave up two runs on five hits over eight innings of work.  The threw 100 pitches, struck out seven, and did not walk/hit any batters.

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Game 2

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See also:

2012 Meiji Jingu Tournament Schedules (University and High School)

University

Game 1

Called after seven innings according to tournament rules.

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Game 2

Takahiro Norimoto (Chukyo) tossed nine complete innings and allowed four runs (one earned) on eight hits. He also topped out at 151km/h and struck out twelve. Source: Nikkan Sports 11/10/2012

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Game 3

Shunichi Sato (Dohto) went the full eight innings and gave up three runs (none earned) on six hits. He threw 153 pitches and struck out eleven.

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High School

Game 1

Kazuki Enomoto (Kyoto) went the distance and gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits over eight innings of work. He also struck out four and went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts. ... Kazuya Ogushi (Hokusho) also went the distance and held Kyoto Shoei to a run on seven hits over nine innings of work. He threw a total 135 pitches and struck out six.

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Game 2

Ren Wada (Kochi) wen 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple, and two RBI.

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See also:

2012 Meiji Jingu Tournament Schedules (University and High School)

University

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High School

Tomoyuki Sugano held a press conference at the Tokai University grounds in Hiratsuka today and spoke to reporters about his current feelings on the upcoming draft.

Some quotes...

Sugano on the possibility of being selected by a team other than the team he wants to sign with:

"I can only pray that does not happen."

Sugano on his year away from organized baseball:

"It felt short.  I was able to get things done. ... My end goal is not [draft day].  There is a lot to come after that.  I need to do what is necessary to make sure the path I selected ends up being the right one."

Tokai manager Hitoki Yokoi on what Sugano might do if selected by a team other than Yomiuri:

"[Sugano] will probably head overseas, maybe enroll in a study abroad program.  I do not think he will be in Japan."

Source: Sponichi 10/16/2012, Daily Sports 10/16/2012

And Nippon Ham Fighters' GM Masao Yamada told reporters today that the organization will not select Sugano again because:

"We like to select the best overall player [with out first pick].  If you consider the year he spent away from baseball, he can not be the best player available."

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/16/2012

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UPDATE 10/17 @ 2:51am - Sanspo has posted the Q&A from the press conference:

What are you current thoughts?

The only thing I can do is do what I can and wait.

How was this past year?

It felt short.  There were times it felt long, but all kinds of people helped me through it.  The 25th is not my final goal.  There is a lot to do after that.  However, I do think that day will be very important.

Did you experience any difficulties?

It was the first time I was in a place where I did not have any real peers.  I could not really speak up about it at the time, but I think that may have been a difficult adjustment.

Did you experience any growth?

I was able to see baseball from all kinds of different perspectives.  I was able to think about pitching and organize my thoughts on what baseball is.

Has you view of life changed?

I wanted to make something of my time so I tried to pass things I noticed to the younger players.  It made me think about wanting to become a coach at some point in the future.

Do you feel you made the right decision?

I struggled when making up my mind and was not sure what the right decision was back then.  I need to move forward in such a way that makes the path I took the right choice.

Do you still feel the same way about the team you would like to sign with?

Yes.

What will you do if you are selected by some other team?

I can only pray that does not happen.

Source: Sanspo 10/16/2012

The Japan Student Baseball Association met on the 14th to determine punishments for twenty-two cases (two university and twenty high school).

University Suspensions

Kansai Kokusai director - violence - six months beginning on July 7

Kokushikan director - delayed reports on underage drinking and smoking - six months beginning on August 18

Game Suspensions

Masuho Shogyo (Yamanashi) - violence, bullying within the club - three months beginning on July 9

Fujinomiya Higashi (Shizuoka) - violence, bullying within the club - three months beginning on July 23

Hamamatsu Kogyo (Shizuoka) - violence, bullying outside the club - one month beginning on July 25

Yamagata (Gifu) - violence, extorting money, bullying inside the club - three months beginning on July 21

Kokura Minami (Fukuoka) - violence, smoking within the club - July 19 to August 31

Mihara Higashi (Hiroshima) - smoking - one month beginning on July 27

Matsue Kogyo KotoSenmon (Shimane) - bullying, card gambling within the team - six months beginning on July 23

Konko Osaka (Osaka) - gambling - one month beginning on August 15

Shuri Higashi (Okinawa) - violence within the club - one month beginning on August 6

Tottori Chuo Ikuei (Tottori) - violence within the club - three months beginning on August 23

Hisai Norin (Mie) - violence within the club - three months beginning on August 30

Sakuranomiya (Osaka) - violence within the club - one month beginning on September 6

Suspensions

Chinzei (Kumamoto) director, assistant director - delayed reports on issues like violence within the club - three months beginning on July 11

Nara Gakuen Tomigaoka (Nara) manager - TV appearance by a player - two months beginning on August 11

Yamate Gakuin (Kanagawa) director, manager - delayed reports on violence within the club - two months beginning on August 9

Kaimei (Osaka) former manager - violence within the club - six months beginning on July 30

Tamagawa (Shiga) manager - violence within the club - three months beginning on August 12

Matsugaya (Tokyo) manager - violence within the club - three months beginning on August 18

Oji Sogo (Tokyo) director, manager - manager violence within the club, delayed report by director - three months beginning on September 5

Ito Shogyo (Shizuoka) - purchasing sex from a minor - indefinite, beginning on August 20

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UPDATE 9/19 @ 8:59pm - NHK informed the media the today that the Japan High School Baseball Federation (JHBF) warned them about high school baseball players making appearances on TV programs without prior consent (for non-news footage), something the Japan Student Baseball Association charter forbids.  NHK told the JHBF they will work on educating their employees because some of them, including the one in charge of the TV program the student appeared in, did not know of the rule.

According to NHK, the high school baseball player appeared in a segment about school club activities during a June 21 broadcast of Ohayanen! Sukinen!.

Source: Sponichi 9/19/2012

The list of university players that have submitted letters of intent for the 2012 draft.

* denotes players added in last update

Last Updated: 10/11/2012 @ 10:33pm / 85 players