Best Nine Award
Encyclopedia
The Best Nine Award is awarded annually to the best player at each position in both the Central League
and Pacific League
of Japanese professional baseball as determined by a pool of journalist
s.
) that it became an annual award. After the Japanese Baseball League
was divided into Central and Pacific leagues in 1950
, the award was presented to nine playerrs from each league. Following the Pacific League's adoption of the DH
rule in , ten players (including the best designated hitter) have been chosen for the Best Nine Award in the Pacific League alone each year.
, catcher
, first baseman
, second baseman
, third baseman
, shortstop
, and three outfielder
s (typically chosen on merit of best offensive numbers, with the exception of pitchers) in each of the two leagues. As is the case with the Silver Slugger Award, said to be the Major League
equivalent of the award, left fielder
s, center fielder
s, and right fielder
s are not chosen separately.
Voters for the award are chosen from journalists employed by national newspaper
, broadcast
, or communication
outlets with five or more years of experience in covering professional baseball. Each voter is selects one player at each position in each league; the player with the most votes at each position receives the Best Nine Award. Until 2004
, the winning players of the award were announced two days after the final game of the Japan Series
; from 2005
onwards, the winners have been announced at the Professional Baseball Convention, the NPB's annual awards ceremony.
Because of the nature of the voting process, it is possible, although exceedingly rare, that two or more players may end up with the same number of votes at any given position. In 2004, Masahiro Araki
of the Chunichi Dragons
and Greg LaRocca
, then of the Hiroshima Carp
, were tied for most votes for the Central League
second baseman, the first time a tie had occurred since the current two-league system was adopted.
In addition, it is also possible that a players ends up with the most votes at more than one position in the same season. In , then-Nankai Hawks infielder
Yasuhiro Kunisada ended up with the most votes at both second base and third base in the Pacific League. He only received the award at second base, and the award for best third baseman went to Tony Roig of the Nishitetsu Lions.
(among those that have thrown the required number of innings) is named the Most Valuable Pitcher.
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
and Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
of Japanese professional baseball as determined by a pool of journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s.
History
While the Best Nine Award was first presented to players following the season, it was not until (after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) that it became an annual award. After the Japanese Baseball League
Japanese Baseball League
For the current Japanese Professional League, see Nippon Professional Baseball. was a professional baseball league in Japan.It was established on February 5, 1936 as "Japan Occupational Baseball League". Then it was renamed "Japanese Baseball League" in 1939. It was run until 1949. There was no...
was divided into Central and Pacific leagues in 1950
1950 Nippon Professional Baseball season
The 1950 Nippon Professional Baseball season was historic for Baseball in Japan. It was the first season using the new 2 league format since the split the previous year. The two leagues would be known as the Central League and the Pacific League....
, the award was presented to nine playerrs from each league. Following the Pacific League's adoption of the DH
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
rule in , ten players (including the best designated hitter) have been chosen for the Best Nine Award in the Pacific League alone each year.
Selection process
Journalists vote on the best pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, and three outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
s (typically chosen on merit of best offensive numbers, with the exception of pitchers) in each of the two leagues. As is the case with the Silver Slugger Award, said to be the Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
equivalent of the award, left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
s, center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
s, and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
s are not chosen separately.
Voters for the award are chosen from journalists employed by national newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, broadcast
Broadcast
Broadcast or Broadcasting may refer to:* Broadcasting, the transmission of audio and video signals* Broadcast, an individual television program or radio program* Broadcast , an English electronic music band...
, or communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
outlets with five or more years of experience in covering professional baseball. Each voter is selects one player at each position in each league; the player with the most votes at each position receives the Best Nine Award. Until 2004
2004 Nippon Professional Baseball season
The Nippon Professional Baseball season ended with the Seibu Lions defeating the Chunichi Dragons in the 2004 Japan Series.-Pacific League:* Season Format** Regular Season...
, the winning players of the award were announced two days after the final game of the Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
; from 2005
2005 Nippon Professional Baseball season
In the Nippon Professional Baseball season ended with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Pacific League defeating the Hanshin Tigers of the Central League in a four game sweep in the Nippon Series.-Pacific League:* Season Format** Regular Season...
onwards, the winners have been announced at the Professional Baseball Convention, the NPB's annual awards ceremony.
Because of the nature of the voting process, it is possible, although exceedingly rare, that two or more players may end up with the same number of votes at any given position. In 2004, Masahiro Araki
Masahiro Araki
Masahiro Araki is a Japanese professional baseball player. He currently is the second baseman for the Chunichi Dragons. He is noted for his speed and defense.-Early career:...
of the Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
and Greg LaRocca
Greg LaRocca
Gregory Mark LaRocca is a second baseman for the Orix Buffaloes in the Nippon Professional Baseball league Pacific League....
, then of the Hiroshima Carp
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
, were tied for most votes for the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
second baseman, the first time a tie had occurred since the current two-league system was adopted.
In addition, it is also possible that a players ends up with the most votes at more than one position in the same season. In , then-Nankai Hawks infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Yasuhiro Kunisada ended up with the most votes at both second base and third base in the Pacific League. He only received the award at second base, and the award for best third baseman went to Tony Roig of the Nishitetsu Lions.
Other notes
In the Central League, the pitcher that receives the Best Nine Award is also named the league's Most Valuable Pitcher. This is not the case in the Pacific League, where the pitcher with the highest winning percentageWinning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
(among those that have thrown the required number of innings) is named the Most Valuable Pitcher.