MLB vs Japan All-Star Series

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

The MLB vs Japan All-Star Series begins on November 11th and runs through the 20th. The good news for void sufferers is all the games will be televised on MLB Network. Watch live early in the morning before work or a rebroadcast later in the evening. Schedule and roster link here. Astros on the squad are Fowler, Altuve, Carter and Veras.

[Nate Colbert]

Maybe it's because I'm suffering from withdrawal symptoms from the MLB season being over, but I'm really looking forward to watching this and had noted it previously. Gonna be cool to see Maeda and other pitchers who may be hitting U.S. shores sooner rather than later.

[Nate Colbert]

Maybe it was the competition, but Chris Capuano looked decent this morning in the exhibition game vs. a combined squad of Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants (only really recognizable name on that squad was long-time Giants catcher and WBC veteran Shinnosuke Abe) . Got the start for the MLB All Stars and went 4 scoreless allowing just one hit. The lefty is a FA and might be a decent low(er) cost pickup for a team needing a 5th starter. Despite bouncing around from team to team, numbers last couple of years haven't been bad--a certainly not horrible FIP of 3.72.

Carter, Altuve (at SS!), Fowler and Veras all played in the 8-7 win for the MLB team.

[Nate Colbert]

I've discussed each of these guys in another thread but here's the starting pitcher rotation for the series:

• Game #1 Maeda
• Game #2 Kaneko
• Game #3 Norimoto
• Game #4 Fujinami
• Game #5 Otani*

*I've also read that Otani will be used in relief in today's game. That game #5 start is a week away. Given that he is a two-way player, be interesting to see if he gets any plate time in games #2-#4 (I don't know this for certain but am assuming the DH will be used in all games in the series).

Game #1 kicks off in a couple of hours (televised live on MLB Network and then repeated in primetime tonight).

[roadrunner]

Looked like Maeda threw well

[Nate Colbert]

Otani did get in the game and tossed a 1-2-3 8th. Maeda did indeed pitch very well, allowing just the 2 hits (one of which was a double by Dexter Fowler) and blanking the MLBers over 5 IP. Would have gone longer but for the strict pitch counts a la the WBC (he ended up throwing 71 pitches). Did a nice job of working both sides of the plate and keeping the MLBers off balance. Interested in hearing what others thought who saw (will see) the game.

No Chris Carter, no Altuve in this one.

[Nate Colbert]

23-year old Takahiro Norimoto (see a bit more on him in this thread) goes 5 perfect innings and combines with 3 other pitchers to no-hit the MLB All Stars. The Samurai Japan win is the third in a row and clinches the 5-game exhibition series for them (according to a graphic put up by MLB Network during the game, since 1986 Japan had won only 1 of the previous 10 exhibition series against previous squads of All-Stars).

Norimoto walked none and whiffed six in his outing, showing an effective FB and excellent forkball (or shuuto in NPB parlance).

Altuve (who started and played in game #2) went 0-1 after pinch-running for Robinson Cano*. Chris Carter (has yet to see action) did not play. Dexter Fowler played his 3rd game and obviously went 0-2 but did draw a walk.

*Fractured a toe on his right foot on a plunk and will be out 3-4 weeks.

[Nate Colbert]

Altuve with a big game for the MLBers, going 3-4 with a double and a swipe as they finally win a game against Samurai Japan by a score of 6-1. Chris Carter finally gets off the bench and goes hitless with 2 Ks.

Young Japanese righty Shintaro Fujinami (see more on him in this thread) was roughed up a tad, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits over 4 IP including a 3-run longball to Justin Morneau.

Starter Chris Capuano again was productive, allowing a run on 4 hits over 5 frames.

[Nate Colbert]

Altuve goes 3-5 with a run scored and an RBI as MLBers win finale of series by a 3-1 score. A couple of his hits came off young flamethrower Shohei Otani. Altuve was 6-14 overall in the series.

Otani whiffed 7 in his four innings of work but also gave up 6 hits and walked 2.