Yokohama DeNA BayStars
The Yokohama DeNA BayStars (Japanese横 浜DeNAベイスターズ, Yokohama di- Enu ¢ Beisutāzu ) is a Japanese professional baseball team. They play in the Central League and included, among other names of the founding teams of today's league structure in 1950. Robins and Whales as they had played in Shimonoseki, Kyoto and Kawasaki before 1978 they moved to Yokohama. So far, twice - 1960 and 1998 - they could win the Nippon Series. Home of BayStars is the Yokohama Stadium in the borough of Naka.
Owner of the BayStars since the end of 2011, the e -commerce company DeNA, which holds a majority of the shares. Manager is since 2012 the former Giants infielder Kiyoshi Nakahata.
History
The history of BayStars goes back to the 1930s, when the operating crew of the fishing company Taiyo Gyogyo first at the Intercity Baseball Tournament (都市 対 抗 野球 大会, toshi Taiko Yakyu taikai ) participated. As the current league structure was introduced, the company converted the team in 1950 in a pro team, the Taiyo Whales, with home in Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture. 1953 merged the Whales with the Shochiku Robins, a professional team from the 1930s, which won the 1950 Central League. The new team was called in 1953 Taiyo Shochiku Robins, 1954 Robins Yosho with a second leg in Kyoto and from the 1955 season, when she moved to Kawasaki, then again Taiyo Whales. Sporty the first few years were not very successful: 1950-1959 was the team seven times in sixth, so Last, the Central League.
1960 was Mihara Osamu, who had previously led the Nishitetsu Lions to three championships in a row, manager of Whales: A significant improvement in the pitchers ( 2.32 ERA after 3.47 in the previous year ) the team finished the season as the first (70 wins, 56 defeats, 4 draws ) and could then also the Nippon Series win against the Daimai Orion. Mihara remained until 1967, but did not get beyond two second places.
Also in the 1970s, remained the results mixed ( six times under the last two). 1978 attracted the Whales to Yokohama Yokohama Stadium at the newly built and renamed themselves Yokohama Taiyo Whales; In the same year the television networks NBS increased with 30 % and TBS with 15% participation a. Since the new stage had higher outfield boundary walls, the number of home runs declined, while the defense improved slightly; 1978 and 1979 were the Whales for the first time again achieve more victories than defeats after seven years. Greater success but remained from: From 1980 to 1994, the Whales did not come back with a winning percentage of .500.
The end of 1992 Taiyo Gyogyo changed his name to Maruha KK and the Whales were renamed Yokohama BayStars. Towards the end of the 1990s succeeded in the team again, winning seasons, so to produce more victories than defeats, which was crowned in 1998 with the second league title and the subsequent profits of the Nihon Series ( 4-2 against the Seibu Lions ). Among the stars of the BayStars were at this time the outfielder Robert Rose and Takanori Suzuki and Kazuhiro Sasaki, the pitcher. In 2001, the shares of TBS Maruha. The 2000s were less successful athletic, 2002-2011 achieved the BayStars no winning seasons more. Manager of the team was from 2007 to May 2009 Akihiko Ōya, who had coached the team in 1996 and 1997 as a player and had been active 16 years for the Yakult Swallows. Since the withdrawal OYA Coach Tomio Tashiro was interim manager, who played as a infielder 19 years with the Whales. Then took over the former Yakult pitcher Takao Obata. In the Postseason 2011 BayStars were sold to DeNA, the team carries since December 1, 2011 as Yokohama DeNA BayStars like most professional teams the owner's name.
On April 30, 2013 Tony Blanco ran with 14 home runs in the season a new record. Thereupon, one wondered why it is possible to score as many home runs in one season. On June 11, 2013 it was revealed that the balls were changed in order to achieve more homeruns (see Japanese Baseball Scandal, 2013).
Since its foundation as a professional team in 1950 BayStars reached up to and including 2011, a winning percentage of .444 ( with 3,547 wins, 4,437 losses and 263 draws).
Stadium
The home of the BayStars is the Yokohama Stadium. It was built in 1978 and has 30,000 seats. The interior consists of artificial turf. At the owner company also TV Asahi, Fuji TV and the city of Yokohama are involved in addition to the BayStars and TBS.
Minor league team
- Eastern League: Shonan Searex, Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture