The Phillies and Japan

The country has more connections to the Fightins then you might think

As you read this, the Tokyo Series will be halfway done. Congratulations [Winner of First Game]. You’ll get them in the second matchup, [Loser of First Game] (I’m writing this the night before and will probably be too bleary-eyed to update it in the morning). With the endless discussion of the Dodgers’ trip abroad (the residents of Wrigleyville are there too, of course), it’s easy for fans of other clubs to feel a bit left out. Still, only two teams could be picked to make the journey, and it makes sense that the Phillies wouldn’t make the cut: only two Japanese players have ever suited up for the Phillies, neither for very long. Still, the history of baseball in Japan is long (pickup games were being played between visiting Americans and residents all the way back in 1859), so it should be no surprise that the Phillies have intersected with it at various points. While we can’t enjoy seeing our Fightins take the Tokyo Dome by storm, we can look back on the times that the Phillies found themselves connected to Japan. (We can also enjoy not having to wake up at 6 AM to watch them play.)

The Mentor

There are two Americans in Japan’s Baseball Hall of Fame. One is Randy Bass, the bearded slugger who was shuttled between 5 MLB teams before becoming a beloved legend with NPB’s Hanshin Tigers. The other, however, never played for a Japanese team. He did, however, play for the Phillies. Francis “Lefty” O’Doul, was a reliever-cum-left fielder who spent two seasons in Philadelphia, finishing 2nd in the National League MVP voting in a 1929 season that saw him slash a career-best .380/.459/.676. Afterwards, he visited Japan with several of the U.S. All-Star teams that toured the country to promote both baseball and goodwill. He returned the favor by welcoming Japanese players on tours of America. During one of these tours, he encouraged a young group of pros from Tokyo to name their team the Giants; he had finished his career with New York’s Giants. The result was the formation of the Tokyo (later Yomiuri) Giants, Japan’s oldest and most successful club. If only he had named them after the team where he had his greatest season. Tokyo Phillies has a nice ring to it.

From Japan to Philadelphia

Two Phillies originally hailed from Japan: 2nd baseman Tadahito Iguchi and outfielder So Taguchi. Iguchi was traded to the Phillies in 2007, after having started his MLB career with the Chicago White Sox, with whom he won a World Series. He slashed .304/.361/.442 as a Phillie, then signed with the Padres in the offseason. He was released in September, whereupon he re-signed with the Phillies, playing in 4 games to conclude his stateside career. He returned to NPB, playing 9 more seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines. So Taguchi came to the Phillies following 5 seasons with the Cardinals. He struggled in Philly, slashing .220/.283/.297. The Phillies let him go after the season; he played 1 more year in the Cubs organization and 2 more with Osaka’s Orix Buffaloes.

From Philadelphia to Japan

The planes travel both ways, of course. A number of former Phils have plied their trade in NPB. Yunior Marte and Nick Nelson are about to start their NPB careers with the Chunichi Dragons and Hanshin Tigers, respectively. Maikel Franco is entering his 3rd season with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Freddy Galvis played 2 seasons with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks after departing Philadelphia. And while his time in Japan preceded his time with the Phillies, I’d be remiss to conclude this section without mentioning Charlie Manuel, who won 3 pennants (1 Central League, 2 Pacific League) and a Japan Series across 5 excellent seasons as a player with the Yakult Swallows and Kintetsu Buffaloes.

Mascot Mixup

Some things transcend language. The Phanatic is one of them. In 2018, the Phanatic traveled to Tokyo to meet the Yakult Swallows’ mascot, Tsubakuro. They made for a good pair: both are birds (yes, the Phanatic is officially a flightless bird from the Galapagos; it’s in the media guide), both are known for being delightfully off-kilter.

The Phanatic was also offered a frosty beverage on his journey, although he did not partake. He did, however, charm the beer vendor.

A Prank for the Ages

Back in 2008, the Phillies had some news for pitcher Kyle Kendrick: he had been traded to the Yomiuri Giants. This was relayed to him by assistant general manager Rubén Amaro Jr. and manager Charlie Manuel. The team’s traveling secretary gave him the information for his flight to Tokyo. His agent tried convincing him that it was for the best. He met with the media about it. If this was a prank, it would have to be one heck of an elaborate one, for that many people to be in on the joke.

But they were, and it was.

Kendrick, as it turns out, didn’t find the whole thing very funny. It’s not hard to see why. Convincing someone that their entire life is about to be turned upside-down is probably having too much fun at their expense. But success is the best revenge: Kendrick went on to spend a decade in MLB, adding a World Series ring and a pair of NL pennants before he was done.