Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles |
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| 東北楽天ゴールデンイーグルス | |||||
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| Information | |||||
| League | Nippon Professional Baseball
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| Location | Miyagino-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan | ||||
| Ballpark | Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi | ||||
| Year founded | November 2, 2004 | ||||
| Nickname(s) | Inuwashi (イヌワシ, golden eagles) | ||||
| PL pennants | 1 (2013) | ||||
| Japan Series championships | 1 (2013) | ||||
| Colors | Crimson, White, Yellow |
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| Mascot | Clutch, Clutchena, and Switch | ||||
| Playoff berths | 5 (2009, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2021) | ||||
| Retired numbers | |||||
| Ownership | Hiroshi Mikitani | ||||
| Management | Rakuten Baseball, Inc. | ||||
| Manager | Hajime Miki | ||||
| President | Masayuki Morii | ||||
| Uniforms | |||||
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The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles are a professional baseball team from Japan. They are based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. The team plays in the Pacific League, which is part of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). The Eagles were formed in November 2004 and are owned by the big online shopping company, Rakuten.
Contents
How the Team Started
The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles team was created in 2004. This happened because two other baseball teams, the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave, decided to merge. This merger would have left the Pacific League with fewer teams than the Central League.
Baseball players went on strike to protest the merger. They were worried about losing their jobs. To solve this, the league decided to allow a new team to join. Two companies, Livedoor and Rakuten, wanted to create a new team in Sendai. Rakuten was chosen to start the new team.
The new team was named the "Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles." The name comes from the golden eagle, a large bird found in Japan's Tōhoku region. The team's first home stadium was Miyagi Baseball Stadium.
Building the First Team
Instead of picking players from all teams, the Eagles had to choose from players left over from the merged teams. This was called a special "dispersal draft." The other team, Orix, got to pick 25 players first. This made it harder for the Eagles to get top players.
Despite this, the Eagles were able to get some good players. They got outfielder Koichi Isobe and star pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma. These players helped build the new team.
Early Years and First Successes (2005–2009)
The Eagles had a tough start in their first season in 2005. They lost many games and finished last in the Pacific League. They were the first NPB team in 40 years to lose over 90 games.
However, the team's first home game was a big success. The stadium was full, and the event ran smoothly. The team also brought a lot of money to the Tōhoku region. Rakuten invested more money to improve player training and the stadium.
In 2006, Katsuya Nomura, a famous manager, took over. The team slowly got better. In 2007, they showed real improvement. Takeshi Yamasaki became the first Eagles player to be named MVP of the month. Eight Eagles players, including rookie pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, were chosen for the All-Star team.
The team finished fourth in 2007, not last! Yamasaki led the league in home runs and RBIs. Tanaka won the Rookie of the Year Award. In 2008, pitcher Iwakuma had a great season. He won the league's MVP award and the Eiji Sawamura Award, which is like the Cy Young Award in MLB.
In 2009, the Eagles finished second in the Pacific League. This was their first time making it to the Climax Series, which is like the playoffs. They won the first round but lost in the second round to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
From Disaster to Champions (2010–2013)
After a tough 2010 season, Senichi Hoshino became the new manager. In March 2011, a huge earthquake and tsunami hit the Tōhoku region, including Sendai. The baseball season was delayed.
The Eagles trained in another region while their home city recovered. All 12 NPB teams played charity games to help raise money. Baseball returned to Sendai in April 2011, and the Eagles played their first home game there. The All-Star Series also held a game in Sendai to show support.
The team finished fifth in 2011. However, Masahiro Tanaka had an amazing year. He won three monthly MVP awards, a first for the Pacific League.
In 2012, the Eagles almost made the playoffs but finished fourth. Before the 2013 season, they signed former MLB players Casey McGehee and Andruw Jones.
A Championship Season (2013)
The 2013 season was historic for the Eagles. They started in fifth place in April. But then, Masahiro Tanaka started winning game after game. He won five monthly MVP awards in a row!
The team took first place in July and never gave it up. They won their first Pacific League pennant. Tanaka finished the season with an incredible 24 wins and no losses.
As league champions, the Eagles went straight to the Climax Series Final. They defeated the Chiba Lotte Marines to reach their first Japan Series. In a thrilling seven-game series, Rakuten beat the Yomiuri Giants at home to win their first-ever Japan Series championship.
Pitcher Manabu Mima was named the Japan Series MVP. At the end of the season, Tanaka won the PL MVP and Eiji Sawamura Awards. This was a truly special year for the team and its fans.
Challenges and Comebacks (2014–Present)
After their championship win, Masahiro Tanaka left to play for the New York Yankees in MLB. The team struggled without him, finishing last in 2014 and 2015. Manager Senichi Hoshino resigned.
The team tried new managers and made changes to how the team was run. Hoshino returned as a vice chairman, helping to manage baseball operations.
In 2016, the stadium was renovated again, increasing its capacity to over 30,000 people. The team hired a new manager, Masataka Nashida, and signed new players. They avoided last place but still missed the playoffs.
Returning to the Playoffs
In 2017, the Eagles improved a lot. They finished third in the Pacific League and made it to the Climax Series. They won the first round against the Saitama Seibu Lions. In the next round, they won the first two games against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks but then lost the next three, ending their playoff run.
In 2018, Senichi Hoshino sadly passed away. The team honored him by retiring his uniform number 77. The Eagles struggled that season, finishing last. Former pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii was hired as the new general manager (GM) to help lead the team.
In 2019, the Eagles made the playoffs again, finishing third. However, they lost in the first round. After that, Hajime Miki became the new manager.
In 2020, the season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Eagles missed the playoffs. In 2021, Kazuhisa Ishii became the manager himself. Masahiro Tanaka also returned to play for the Eagles after his time in MLB! The team finished third and made the Climax Series again, but they did not advance to the final round.
Team Identity
Logos and Uniforms
The Eagles' main color is crimson red, which is the color of Rakuten, their owner. Yellow is also used to represent a golden eagle. The team's logo has a golden eagle design with wings. The letter "E" from this logo is also on their caps.
The Eagles' uniforms have changed a few times over the years. Since 2020, Mizuno Corporation has supplied their uniforms. The uniforms also have logos of different sponsors.
Home and Away Uniforms
The home uniforms are mostly white. They have crimson (dark red) stripes or details. The team's logo is on the front. Since 2011, a special patch that says "Let's do this, Tōhoku" has been on the left sleeve. This patch shows support for the region after the earthquake.
The away uniforms are crimson red. They have the word "Rakuten" on the chest in white. The design has changed over time, with different stripes and fonts.
Special Uniforms
The Eagles have also worn many special uniforms for certain games or events.
- Third Alternate Uniform: An older design, often white with crimson sides.
- Fan Club Day Uniforms: These were sometimes chosen by fans and were often white or crimson.
- "Fans'" Uniform: Worn for games in the Tōhoku region, often gray or black, with "Tohoku" on the chest.
- "Eagle Rainbow" Uniform: A unique V-neck jersey with seven shades of red, orange, and yellow, worn in 2011.
- "Tohoku Green" Uniform: Green jerseys to raise awareness for Tōhoku's forests.
- "Tohoku Blue" Uniform: Blue jerseys to represent the sky, introduced in 2019.
Mascots
The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles have three main mascots:
- Clutch: A male golden eagle mascot. He wears jersey number 10, which is retired for the fans, who are considered the "tenth man" on the field.
- Clutchena: A female golden eagle mascot, Clutch's partner.
- Switch: A harpy eagle mascot, introduced in 2016.
There is also an unofficial mascot called Mr. Carrasco, who is a mischievous crow character.
Team Achievements
Championships
- Japan Series Championship (1): 2013
Season Records
The table below shows how the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles have performed each season. It includes their wins, losses, and how they finished in the Pacific League.
| Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |||||||||||
| Year | Manager | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. | GB | BA | ERA | Finish | Postseason |
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| 2005 | Yasushi Tao | 136 | 38 | 97 | 1 | .281 | 51.5 | .255 | 5.67 | 6th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2006 | Katsuya Nomura | 136 | 47 | 85 | 4 | .356 | 33.0 | .258 | 4.30 | 6th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2007 | Katsuya Nomura | 144 | 67 | 75 | 2 | .472 | 13.5 | .262 | 4.31 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2008 | Katsuya Nomura | 144 | 65 | 76 | 3 | .461 | 11.5 | .272 | 3.89 | 5th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | Katsuya Nomura | 144 | 77 | 66 | 1 | .538 | 5.5 | .267 | 4.01 | 2nd, Pacific | Lost in second stage, 1–4 (Fighters) |
| 2010 | Marty Brown | 144 | 62 | 79 | 3 | .440 | 15.0 | .265 | 3.98 | 6th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | Senichi Hoshino | 144 | 66 | 71 | 7 | .482 | 22.5 | .245 | 2.85 | 5th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2012 | Senichi Hoshino | 144 | 67 | 67 | 10 | .500 | 7.5 | .252 | 2.99 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | Senichi Hoshino | 144 | 82 | 59 | 3 | .582 | - | .267 | 3.51 | 1st, Pacific | Nippon Series champions, 4–3 (Giants) |
| 2014 | Senichi Hoshino | 144 | 64 | 80 | 0 | .444 | 17.0 | .255 | 3.97 | 6th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | Hiromoto Okubo | 143 | 57 | 83 | 3 | .407 | 33.5 | .241 | 3.82 | 6th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2016 | Masataka Nashida | 143 | 62 | 78 | 3 | .443 | 25.0 | .257 | 4.11 | 5th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2017 | Masataka Nashida | 143 | 77 | 63 | 3 | .550 | 29.5 | .254 | 3.33 | 3rd, Pacific | Lost in final stage, 2–4 (Hawks) |
| 2018 | Masataka Nashida Yosuke Hiraishi |
143 | 58 | 82 | 3 | .414 | 15.0 | .241 | 3.78 | 6th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | Yosuke Hiraishi | 143 | 71 | 68 | 4 | .511 | 15.0 | .251 | 3.74 | 3rd, Pacific | Lost in first stage, 1–2 (Hawks) |
| 2020 | Hajime Miki | 120 | 55 | 57 | 3 | .491 | 16.5 | .258 | 4.19 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2021 | Kazuhisa Ishii | 143 | 66 | 62 | 15 | .516 | 5.5 | .243 | 3.40 | 4th, Pacific | Lost in first stage, 1–1–2 (Marines) |
| 2022 | Kazuhisa Ishii | 143 | 69 | 71 | 3 | .491 | 6.5 | .243 | 3.47 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | Kazuhisa Ishii | 143 | 70 | 71 | 2 | .496 | 17.0 | .244 | 3.52 | 4th, Pacific | Did not qualify |
| Total | -- | 2545 | 1150 | 1319 | 76 | .460 | – | – | – | – | - |
Retired Numbers
The Eagles have retired two numbers to honor important parts of their team:
- 10: This number is worn by the mascots, Clutch and Clutchena. It represents the fans, who are seen as the "tenth man" on the field. This is a unique way to honor the fans in Japanese baseball.
- 77: This number was retired for Senichi Hoshino, a beloved manager who led the team to its first Japan Series championship.
Minor League Team
The Golden Eagles also have a minor league team. This team plays in the Eastern League and helps develop new players for the main team. It was founded in 2005.
See also
In Spanish: Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles para niños
- "The Manpower!!!" (THE マンパワー!!!) – The first official cheer song for the Golden Eagles.
- "Koero! Rakuten Eagles" (越えろ!楽天イーグルス) – The fourth official cheer song for the Golden Eagles.
- Vegalta Sendai
