The Okinawan baseball Magazine

Our team was featured in the Okinawa Magazine this month, as a new pick-up team added to the league. The pictures are quite hilarious, considering the fact that none of us had our original uniforms when the pictures were taken in June, only these uniforms from the previous team. I've had the opportunity to invite these guys to church. Some of the players are married with kids. Please pray that the Lord stirs their hearts to come to church on a Sunday morning or Wednesday night!

Praise the Lord for what He's doing through baseball.

God bless,

rob

Meio University Game

On the 24th on Saturday, we will be playing the University of Meio from Nago. The game will be held at Kadena Stadium starting at 2 o'clock. Please come out if you have some time and would like to check out a Japanese style baseball game.

Please continue to pray for all the baseball players throughout Japan. Everywhere you look, there is always a kid wearing a uniform, either walking to practice, or walking home from practice. Baseball is huge in Japan. It's especially big here in Okinawa.

Pray that they may know Jesus through baseball!!

God bless.

rob

A step closer

Here's a short clip of one of the innings during a practice game on Saturday.

Enjoy the Japanese voices in the background.

God bless,

rob

Ehime Mandarin Pirates Coaching Staff

It's not everyday that you get the opportunity to show your stuff to a professional baseball coaching staff. This is a picture of the head coach, Hoshino-san(former player and one of the coaches for the Rakuten Golden Eagles), pitching coach(former Yakult Swallows pitcher), and the head of the players development.

It was cool just meeting these guys and having the opportunity to just be there. This was part of Rika and my trip to visit family in Ehime. We were able to get in contact with them and ask them for a chance to workout with them.

God bless,

rob

First game of the year

We lost the first game of the season 8-3. Okinawa International University is the strongest University in Okinawa. They had a lot of well timely hits. Basically 2 doubles and the rest singles. I pitched 4 innings. 3 scoreless until the 3rd. Two errors cost us 2 runs, yet they capitalized and scored 6 runs in the third. My control was right on, and I only walked one batter. I put too many pitches right in the zone. My max was 139km(86 mph).

This was the first time I'd pitched to live batters in a game in one full year. I was blessed with the ability to throw strikes. That was the key. Next outing, I'll be mixing in more off-speed pitches. Pitching is all about destroying timing. I learn that for my former coach Don Sneddon at Santa Ana College.

God is in control. We have a big double header coming up at Akama Stadium in Onna-Son on September 24th.

Praise the Lord! He is faithful!

rob

Okikoku Practice Game

We have our first game for Aniya on Saturday the 20th at 9 am versus Okinawa International University.

I was blessed to get the nod as the starting pitcher. I haven't pitched against a hitter in a live game since last September.

May the Lord be glorified through baseball!

Pitching in Ehime

When my wife and I were in Ehime, we were able to visit with an independent pro team called the Ehime Mandarin Pirates. I was able to talk to them about a workout before I left just to see what the team was like. I was so blessed. They allowed me to throw a short bullpen. Afterward, we talked with the manager and a few of the coaches. It was a good opportunity to show my pitching and hear how they run the team.

A few of the guys on the team remembered me from my days playing for the Rangers in Wakayama.

God is good. Pray for the players and staff of the Mandarin Pirates. In Jesus' Name!

rob