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By Errol Alegre, Jr.
Since 1993 Guam has been the location of choice for Japan’s top baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants, to train and prepare for their annual baseball season. This year is no different as 14 players arrived on January 5th to train at the Paseo Stadium in Hagatna to aid them in their upcoming season that is set to start at the end of March.
Yasu Kawauchi, a Guam resident from Japan, plays an instrumental role in the coordination of the Giants’ arrival and stay on the island year after year. According to Kawauchi, the players come to Guam every year to better their performance level. At this time of the year, Japan weather is too cold which makes it difficult for the baseball players to train under safe conditions. To help them meet the team’s standard-body-performance level of 90%, players train on Guam prior to their pre-season training camp in Japan. The players who participate are able to go into pre-season training with a body-performance level of 70%, according to Kawauchi.
Before training on Guam the Giants would use indoor training facilities to conduct their “old fashioned” style of training, according to Kawauchi. Now that other teams have become more competitive, the Giants have enhanced their training which demanded for a warmer, outdoor environment.
The Yomiuri Giants are currently the defending champions in the Japan Series and are considered to be the “New York Yankees of Japan”. From 1965 to 1973, the Giants won nine straight Japan Series championships. Some of the best Japanese players of all time have played for the Giants, including home run king Sadaharu Oh.They are also the oldest and most popular team in Japan.
The Giants have birthed quite a few players who went on to play in the Major Leagues, including current players such as Hideki Matsui (Yankees 2003-2009), Hideki Okajima (Red Sox 2007-2011), Koji Uehara (Red Sox), and Hisanori Takahashi (Cub). The Giants have recently signed former MLB player Jose Lopez who played seven seasons with the Seattle Mariners. Also included in their roster is Japan’s number one pitcher Tetsuya Utsumi and Japan’s top catcher Shinnosuke Abe who are both training on Guam.
The Giants players will continue to train at the Paseo Stadium until the 22nd of this month.
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GPS Sports Calendar
March 2024
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for February
1st
ISA SOFTBALL
IIAAG MS GIRLS SOCCER FINALS
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
HS RUGBY PLAYOFFS
Events for March
2nd
HS RUGBY
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for March
2nd
Events for March
4th
ISA HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
ISA SOFTBALL ALL-ISLAND COACHES MEETING
Events for March
5th
HS RUGBY PLAYOFFS
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for March
8th
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL FINALS
ISA HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS PLAYOFFS
Events for March
9th
ISA SOFTBALL FINALS
HS RUGBY FINALS
Events for March
9th
Events for March
14th
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
Events for March
16th
Events for March
17th
Events for March
18th
Events for March
19th
Events for March
20th
Events for March
22nd
Events for March
24th
Events for March
25th
Events for March
27th
Events for March
28th
Events for March
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for March
30th
Soccer
ISLANDERS OUTSHOOT DOLPHINS
Uncategorized
4TH QUARTER SPORTS SET FOR TAKE OFF
Soccer
ISLANDERS OUTSHOOT DOLPHINS
Uncategorized
4TH QUARTER SPORTS SET FOR TAKE OFF
COMING SOON …
4th Quarter Sports
- Guam Marathon