If MLB is the best baseball league in the sport, Japan clearly has the second-best.
The Japanese have a highly competitive league, with star-level players and thousands of fans in attendance every game.
They are also very, very creative.
Today is Opening Day in Japan, so naturally, fans are excited for a new season.
Nippon Ham Fighters fans were in for a treat during player introductions, especially when it was Tsuyoshi Shinjo’s turn.
Amid cheers and applauses
“It’s Opening Day in Japan, here’s how Nippon Ham Fighters Big Boss Tsuyoshi Shinjo entered his first game,” MetsMerized Online Michael Mayer tweeted.
It’s Opening Day in Japan, here’s how Nippon Ham Fighters Big Boss Tsuyoshi Shinjo entered his first game.
— Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) March 25, 2022
The “Big Boss” Is Cool And He Knows It
It was a display of color, lights, and flair: “Big Boss,” which is Shinjo’s nickname, sure knows how to interact with the public, and that’s very, very good for baseball.
Shinjo was “unveiled” in a big box with a shiny jacket highlighting his cool nickname.
Perhaps MLB teams can have a similar performance for player introductions, especially those who are most popular among fans.
You could see the players smiling and applauding the show, and fans surely loved it in Japan.
That kind of show may help MLB attract some more audience, specially after a long, grueling lockout.
Look at how Big Boss handled the “first pitch” of the game:
This is how Big Boss handled the first pitch on Opening Day.
Major League Baseball is missing out. pic.twitter.com/cixSYBBsEj
— Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) March 25, 2022
Mayer himself, in a conversation with fans who were replying to his tweet, said that these kind of fun initiatives are necessary.
nah, while winning is certainly important, having fun is too in almost every country but the US.
— Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) March 25, 2022
There just aren’t too many cool nicknames for MLB players.
Javier Baez is “El Mago” (The Magician), Josh Donaldson is “The Bringer Of Rain”, Pete Alonso is “The Polar Bear”, and Noah Syndergaard is “Thor”, for example.
Why can’t their teams have a similar display of silliness and fun with those nicknames every once in a while?
It won’t hurt anyone, and will go viral in a hurry.
It’s certainly something to consider.