Yukio Hatoyama the pirate

I’m a displaced Pittsburgher, and the Pirates are the topic of many depressing conversations over there. (There’s a “h” on the end of the city.)

We’re terrible at drafting, make bad drafts, don’t have any steroid users, and couldn’t even get a good Japanese player. We’re historically bad now, nearing the end of a US-record 17th straight losing season.

Actually, I felt terrible for him, and I’m sure even in spite of his age he could have found a better big-league club. I especially feel bad because the day his family came over from Japan to watch him pitch the Pirates cut him. I wish he would have stuck around, because it’s not like they had/have any better pitchers in their system.

To this day, when I tell Japanese people I’m from Pittsburgh they all know that’s where Kuwata played.

Bah, I even thought pirate party would reach japan. Hollywood has too much influence to japanese politicians.

One of the things that I love about Japanese baseball is it’s all so beautifully naive. Classy players like Kuwata continued to play ball (and into the Majors) not because he was performing well or because of the money, but he pitched for his best friend and rival, Kiyohara.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI7hb9JSrVI&feature=PlayList&p=F75F32FCF368B57A&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=12