By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
Last year, Chris Carter played for the Saitama Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s big leagues, joining a long line of former Major League Baseball players to journey across the ocean, and fall in love with the country, people and culture.
“I loved it and had a great time there,” said Carter, who played in 59 games and batted .294. “It was one of the best decisions I made. My wife, Emily, and I had a great time. We’d run into fans and they got to know my wife. I love the Seibu Lions.”
Carter got hurt and signed with the Ishikawa Million Stars, a semi-pro team in Japan’s Baseball Challenge League, which beat the Hawaii Stars 6-3 on Friday night at Wong Stadium and brought along an old friend back to Hilo.
There are three gaijin or foreign players on the Ishikawa roster: former Hawaii Stars closer Roman Martinez, pitcher/outfielder Tucker Cardoza and Carter, who had extended cups of coffee with the Boston Red Sox in 2008-09 and New York Mets in 2010, playing in 113 games.
He was picked in the 17th round out of Stanford by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2004 MLB draft. Carter graduated with a degree in human biology in 2005, with backup plans to head into the medical field, but hitting a baseball was more fun.
Martinez and Cardoza were drafted in 2003 by the Seattle Mariners and were teammates in the farm system for two seasons. Martinez spent eight years in the minor leagues before being released in 2009. Cardoza was cut after two seasons.
Each NPB team is allowed only four foreigners, making it a tough nut to crack for semi-pro players from the BCL to land roster spots. There are only 12 NPB teams; there are 30 in the major leagues.
“There are always scouts at the games,” Carter said. “I’m in conversations with NPB teams. My goal is to get back to the Japan big leagues.”
The Million Stars also have a traveling fan club. A dozen fans followed the team and watched the game. Ishikawa averages about 600 fans a game, peanuts compared to Seibu’s following.
The Seibu Dome seats over 34,000 and Carter remembers that it was not only a full house every game, but also a passionate nightly event for the folks from Saitama, about a hour from Tokyo.
“Every game it was full and the fans with their banner waving were perfectly coordinated,” said Carter, whose wife is expecting the couple’s first child back home in Boston. “I had a really great time with the fans. I’ve met some of the best people there. It’s a great culture.”
The infielder/designated hitter also had equal appreciation for the Million Stars, who have McDonald’s as a sponsor. No word if they get free Big Macs for a victory.
After two years, Carter is not fluent but can work his way around a menu in Japan. One helpful phrase to remember is “Yoroshiku onegai shimasu,” which translates to “Please take care of me.”
Martinez knows the feeling.
“It’s pretty good playing for the Million Stars,” he said. “They take care of you. I only know a couple of words. But if you need to go out, they give you a driver and translator. Anything you need, they are there for you.
“I’m trying to make it to the NPB. All the scouts follow our games. The fans are really passionate in every game.”
The Lions are perhaps best known for two things. In 2009, the team received a $51.1 million posting fee from the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. They also have a nice history: 13 out of 17 Pacific League titles from 1982 to ‘98, including eight NPB championships.
But for Carter he had a such a great time there, building a bunch of precious memories, he can’t wait to go back.
No 50 yet
Hawaii Stars pitcher Dallas Mahan was incorrectly credited with the 5-2 win over the Shinano Grandserows on Thursday night. Pointstreak.com had Mahan going 8 1/3 innings.
The 35-year-old left-hander officially pitched seven innings of two-run ball on four hits and one walk. He struck out six and is still stuck with a 49-44 record in 13 seasons of independent ball.
Mahan left with the game tied 2-2. Tony York pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief for the win.