Effectively Wild Episode 1621: Japan’s Field of Dreams (and Nightmares)

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest head-scratching Scott Boras quote, a disheartening Shohei Ohtani interview and Ohtani’s two-way future, Charlie Morton leaving the Rays to sign with the Braves, and the items from the 2020 season preserved by the Hall of Fame, then (28:06) talk to Ema Ryan Yamazaki, director of the documentary Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams, about the history and significance of Japan’s Koshien high school baseball tournament, the legends Koshien creates, the cultural conflict over coaching in high school baseball, the abuse of amateur players, how Ema chose her subjects, how Ichiro Suzuki influenced her career, the cancellation of Koshien in 2020, the contrast in the pandemic responses of Japan and the United States, and the future of Koshien. Audio intro: Metronomy, "Reservoir" Audio interstitial: The Strokes, "I Can’t Win" Audio outro: PUP, "Reservoir" Link to article with Boras quote Link to Ohtani interview Link to newsletter with Hall of Fame items Link to Koshien screening info Link to rent Koshien Link to Koshien trailer Link to Japan Times review of Koshien Link to Ema’s website Link to 2013 piece on pitch counts at Koshien Link to 2018 piece on pitch counts at Koshien Link to Kuroda story Link to Human Rights Watch report Link to story about canceling Koshien in 2020 Link to EW Secret Santa  iTunes Feed (Please rate and review us!)  Sponsor Us on Patreon  Facebook Group  Effectively Wild Wiki  Twitter Account  Get Our Merch!  Email Us: [email protected] var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source