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 Jason Coskrey

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Jason Coskrey
Jason Coskrey is a sports writer for The Japan Times. His primary focus is Japanese baseball, but he has also covered soccer, American football, boxing and basketball. He previously worked for the Marietta Daily Journal in Marietta, Ga. A native of Detroit, he is a graduate of the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Mar 7, 2015
Tigers' Fujinami may be ready to roar
Shintaro Fujinami was included on Samurai Japan's roster for next week's games against Europe probably because the Hanshin Tigers can give the ball to Randy Messenger, coming off an excellent 2014, or stalwart Atsushi Nomi on opening day. Fujinami is probably the biggest name on the Japan pitching staff,...
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Mar 2, 2015
Yamamoto bout ends in no contest
Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto is still looking for his first victory in UFC.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Mar 2, 2015
Milledge on comeback trail after losing most of 2014 season to injury
Lastings Milledge wasn't looking for results this past weekend at Tokyo Dome, though he did have a booming home run, a double and two walks in two spring games against the Yomiuri Giants. More importantly, it was a step forward on the long road back from the injury that cost him virtually the entire...
Japan Times
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Feb 28, 2015
'Kid' Yamamoto ready to rumble
Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto still gets asked about the time he knocked out an opponent in four seconds with a flying knee to the head.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Feb 23, 2015
Pena alone can't lift Rakuten's power profile
If the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles seal the deal with Wily Mo Pena, as reported on Monday by Daily Sports Online, it will help the Eagles avoid taking a step back in the power department, but it won't solve all the team's problems.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Feb 21, 2015
Iwase, Dragons may be in tough spot
Every athlete in every sport eventually declines with age. It's just more noticeable in the greats. For the stars who have reached amazing heights, the fall from grace can be long and painful to watch — or as in the case of slugger Michihiro Ogasawara, sudden and confusing.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Feb 14, 2015
Eagles need young duo to soar in '15
Earlier this year, 24-year-old Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles pitcher Wataru Karashima said he'd retire if he failed to reach 10 wins this season. Karashima has pitched in NPB for five seasons, and was used out of the bullpen over the first two, making 14 appearances as a reliever. Since becoming a starter...
Japan Times
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Feb 10, 2015
Horiguchi lands UFC flyweight title shot against Johnson
Several years ago, Kyoji Horiguchi went basically straight from high school to the gym, where he began training with the Krazy Bees MMA team, soon finding himself under the wing of Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, one of Japan's biggest MMA stars. In a few weeks' time, Horiguchi will get the chance of the lifetime,...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Feb 9, 2015
Media spotlight will continue to shine on Otani
Hideki Kuriyama was a television commentator for 10 years before becoming manager of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in 2012.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Feb 7, 2015
Dice-K could face rocky transition
Video of Daisuke Matsuzaka pitching in the bullpen on Thursday, posted online by the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, revealed nothing spectacular or particularly revelatory. If anything, Matsuzaka resembled the pitcher he's always been.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jan 31, 2015
Ichiro's move to Marlins can generate results for both
Ichiro Suzuki's introductory news conference with the Miami Marlins was held at a Tokyo hotel on Thursday, in a large room filled with media members — no fewer than 20 television crews, dozens more photographers and even more writers. There was an MC on hand to push the proceedings forward, and the...
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Jan 29, 2015
Marlins glad to add Ichiro
Ichiro Suzuki sipped green tea, elicited a few laughs and turned the tables on a media member with three questions of his own during his introductory news conference with the Miami Marlins.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jan 23, 2015
Former catcher Furuta voted into Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
When bespectacled catcher Atsuya Furuta was ready to set out on a professional baseball career, he was told by many that pro ballplayers don't wear glasses.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jan 19, 2015
Japan to co-host Premier 12 baseball world tourney
Japan was the first-ever champion of the World Baseball Classic, lifting the championship trophy on foreign soil in 2006. If Samurai Japan repeats the feat at the inaugural Premier 12, the Japanese will get to do all their celebrating at home.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jan 17, 2015
Abe leaves big shoes to fill at catcher's spot in lineup
A few seasons ago, in 2012, the Yomiuri Giants won the Japan Series just a few days after the San Francisco Giants clinched the World Series title. While the two teams already shared a nickname and color scheme, it was the first time they'd reached the pinnacle of their respective leagues in the same...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jan 12, 2015
Fighters' Saito braces for vital year
Yuki Saito is hard at work in Chiba, at Kamagaya Stadium, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' ni-gun base, these days. He's busy preparing for the upcoming season, which might turn out to be a pivotal one for the star pitcher.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Jan 10, 2015
Toritani may have thrived in majors
Two seasons ago, when it was thought Takashi Toritani was considering a move to MLB, many of the Pacific Rim scouts coming in and out of Japan were mostly lukewarm about his MLB prospects. They may had been fooled into thinking he was on a sharp decline by a decent, but un-Toritani-like year in 2011...
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Dec 20, 2014
Little sizzle found during NPB winter
Where will Chihiro Kaneko and Takashi Toritani be playing next season?
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 17, 2014
Jeter, Matsui coming together to aid Tohoku children
Retired New York Yankees greats Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui are teaming up once again, this time in support of children in the Tohoku region.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 26, 2014
Kaneko, Sugano claim MVP awards
Chihiro Kaneko put up big numbers last season, but was largely out of the spotlight when it was time to give out awards. This time around, the Orix Buffaloes ace was one of the main attractions.

Longform

Members of the nonprofit group Japan Youth Memorial Association search for the remains of dead soldiers in a cave in Okinawa Prefecture in February.
The long search for Japan’s lost soldiers