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After a holiday hiatus the Baseball America Fantasy podcast is back with our final positional ranking podcast of the offseason. We start the show discussing the trio of Japanese players that signed from NPB. We then discuss the Cubs and Marlins trade before diving into the top 200 pitchers.(3:00) Is the market reacting too much to Murakami's swing and miss concerns?(6:30) Tatsuya Imai ready to succeed state side?(11:00) Is Kazuma Okamoto the best of the three in 2026 only?(14:00) Owen Caissie traded to Miami. What are your expectations for Caissie in 2026?(17:00) Why Shohei Ohtani No. 1?(19:00) Is Yamamoto just outside the top tier of pitchers?(25:00) Is Joe Ryan Tier 2 or Tier 3?(27:00) Explaining the Aggressive Eury ranking(29:00) The Yesavage ranking is more than the playoff bias.Our Sponsors:* Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/baseball-america/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Time for Cinco de Lunch-o the show turns into a full-blown vent session for New York football fans. Evan and Shaun rank the five figureheads fans should be most furious with, starting with the Giants' defensive mess and ending with the most infuriating answer of all: how the Giants can justify bringing Joe Schoen back. Along the way, they debate whether Aaron Glenn's “tough guy” approach should matter, and why Jets ownership keeps making the job feel impossible. Then the show pivots into baseball with a hilarious MLB free agency bingo update where everybody whiffs on where Murakami would land. That leads into Evan's frustration with the Mets and Yankees seemingly passing on a perfect fit from Japan, and why the price tag makes it even more annoying. The segment closes with a surprisingly honest conversation about being a sports fan: you scream, you vent, and then you're forced to live with whatever your team does. Plus, a quick dive into early 2026 win totals and why Mets fans might have to accept an “86 wins is fine” mindset on January 6. Finally, the phones bring the chaos, including coaching takes, a Nets trade detour, and an all-time moment with a “17-year-old” caller who is definitely, absolutely, totally not cutting school.
Fantasy Baseball Live – January 4, 2026 – 3:00pmMicrosoft TeamsSegment 1 – Introduction and News and Notes – It was Asian Week1.The Astros sign to a three-year, $54 million contract with an opt-out after each season.a.Please tell us about him and give us a stat line for 2026 – GS, wins, ERA, Ks2.The Blue Jays sign Kazuma Okamato to a four-year, $60 contract – no opt outs.a.I can't remember, was this the player you liked better than Murakami?b.Let us about him.3.The Angels sign Kirby Yates.a.Who is the closer in Los Angeles and does Yates have a chance for some saves?4.Mercifully, Anthony Rendon retired from baseball. a.He was paid $245 million and had 224 hits in 257 games for the Angels. Just wow!Segment 2 – Let's review my first few rounds of my NFBC Draft and Hold Draft.Segment 3 – Second Base Ranking for 2026 Season1.How are you approaching this position for your upcoming drafts?2.We will break down the top 15 to 20 in detail. Then, go through 20 to 30 in less detail. We will end by jumping around the remaining ranked players.3.Which player not in the Top 10 has a chance to emerge there next season?4.Which Top 10 player will not be there next season?5.Give me a couple of sleepers6.Give me one, maybe two guys you are just going to avoid drafting?Close
Today's word of the day is ‘new beginnings' as in New Year as in 2026 as in the New England Patriots. What is going on there? Stefon Diggs could be in big trouble. Christian Barmore could be in big trouble. And head coach Mike Vrabel just wants to focus on football. (12:00) The Dallas Cowboys released Trevon Diggs. The reports say it was about Diggs not wanting to travel home with the team during Christmas break. Hmm. Is that the whole story? Now he's in Green Bay. (21:20) Tatsuya Imai is headed to the Houston Astros. One of the best free agents on the market is coming from Japan. But, what happened to the giant multi-year deals Imai and Murakami were supposed to get? (30:50) Anthony Rendon's time with the Los Angeles Angels is over. That's it. Rendon agreed to a settlement with the Angels that will see his full salary for the season differed. (36:40) Review: Pluribus. (41:00) NPPOD. (48:30) Let's end with some ratings talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Today's word of the day is ‘new beginnings' as in New Year as in 2026 as in the New England Patriots. What is going on there? Stefon Diggs could be in big trouble. Christian Barmore could be in big trouble. And head coach Mike Vrabel just wants to focus on football. (12:00) The Dallas Cowboys released Trevon Diggs. The reports say it was about Diggs not wanting to travel home with the team during Christmas break. Hmm. Is that the whole story? Now he's in Green Bay. (21:20) Tatsuya Imai is headed to the Houston Astros. One of the best free agents on the market is coming from Japan. But, what happened to the giant multi-year deals Imai and Murakami were supposed to get? (30:50) Anthony Rendon's time with the Los Angeles Angels is over. That's it. Rendon agreed to a settlement with the Angels that will see his full salary for the season differed. (36:40) Review: Pluribus. (41:00) NPPOD. (48:30) Let's end with some ratings talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The guys are talking Soderstrom extension, Murakami signing, Rendon and the Angels agree to a buy out, and other news and updates around the MLB world!
On this week's episode, Chuck Garfien sits down with Yuri Karasawa of World Baseball Network and Yakyu Cosmopolitan for an in-depth conversation about Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami and what he brings to the White Sox. Karasawa provides context on baseball in Japan and the NPB landscape, while breaking down Murakami's fame, reputation, and historic 2022 season that cemented him as one of the game's most feared sluggers. The discussion dives into why Murakami chose the White Sox, whether his signing came as a surprise, and what expectations should look like as he transitions from NPB to MLB pitching. Chuck and Yuri also examine Murakami's plate discipline, defensive versatility at first and third base, and his jaw-dropping power — including the moon shots that made him a household name in Japan. Plus, they look back at Murakami's injury-riddled 2025 season, his personality and desire to connect with fans by learning English, and how his skill set is expected to translate at the major league level.
On this week's episode, Chuck Garfien sits down with White Sox Director of International Scouting David Keller to go behind the scenes of the signing of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. Keller breaks down what went into landing Murakami and why his special power made him a must-have target. The conversation also dives into who Murakami is as a player and beyond the box score — the type of person and teammate he's expected to be in the clubhouse — and how his skill set translates to the major leagues. Plus, Keller shares how the White Sox are continuing to strengthen their international scouting footprint.
The Chicago White Sox made a surprising signing right before Christmas when they agreed to a deal with Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. As his posting window was nearing a close, there was a thought that the big-time power bat might not find a team. However, Murakami will be taking his power stroke to the South Side.On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz is joined by special guest host Dani Wexelman as they break down the two-year, $34 million deal that will send the two-time Central League MVP to Chicago on a very much prove-it deal. They wonder how so many in the baseball world got his posting window wrong and what it could mean when he becomes a free agent at the age of 28.Later, Jake and Dani talk about a flurry of moves that have gone on in baseball, including the Boston Red Sox trading for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Wilson Contreras, the New York Mets parting ways with another franchise staple and a wild three-team trade. They then get into the A's extending Tyler Soderstrom and the San Diego Padres bringing back Michael King before making their picks for The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.1:28 – The Opener: Murakami to the White Sox20:32 – Around the League: Red Sox trade for Contreras30:10 – Mets trade away Jeff McNeil36:20 – Three-team trade48:28 – Turbo Mode: Signings and an extension57:23 – The Good, The Bad & The Uggla Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast on your favorite podcast app:
In this historic, recorded live and in person, 200th episode, we discuss how the Cardinals make another major offseason move, sending Willson Contreras to Boston in a cash-assisted deal headlined by right-hander Hunter Dobbins. We break down what St. Louis is getting in Dobbins — his injury, stuff, and fit under Chaim Bloom — plus minor league depth additions and the team's search for a right-handed outfield bat. Around the league, O'Hearn lands in Pittsburgh, Murakami heads to Chicago, and we check in on the World Series as the hot stove keeps moving.Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737)Talking About Birds is listener supported on Patreon. Support the show and join our private discord server at: www.patreon.com/talkingaboutbirds.
Ben Lindbergh, Craig Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, and Joe Sheehan of The Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter break down teams’ last-minute Christmas shopping—including the White Sox signing Munetaka Murakami, the Padres signing Michael King and Sung Mun Song, the Orioles trading for Shane Baz, the Red Sox trading for Willson Contreras, a three-team trade involving the Pirates, Rays, and Astros, Jeff McNeil and Matt Strahm swaps, and the Yankees’ hibernation—plus banter about the quasi-retirement of Craig’s nemesis, Joe Kelly, the future of NPB, a report about Emmanuel Clase’s mid-game phone use, and supporting independent media. Then (1:11:40) they conduct an in-depth debate about the respective merits of human umpiring, the challenge system, and full ABS. Audio intro: Harold Walker, “Effectively Wild Theme” Audio outro: Tom Rhoads, “Effectively Wild Theme” Link to Kelly’s podcast Link to Dubuque on the challenge system Link to Craig on the challenge system Link to Joe on the challenge system Link to previous podcast discussion Link to Seitz decision wiki Link to Joe on the Seitz decision Link to Baumann on Murakami Link to Rosenblum on Murakami Link to Longenhagen on Murakami Link to Craig on Murakami Link to Sarris on Murakami Link to Ben on Murakami in 2022 Link to Sato story Link to FG post on King Link to FG post on Song Link to FG post on Baz Link to Craig on Baz Link to team SP projections Link to Joe on three-team trade Link to FG post on three-team trade Link to FG post on Contreras Link to FG post on Strahm Link to Strahm’s beer stance Link to Bowlan info Link to FG post on McNeil Link to Lindor/McNeil drama Link to Clase report Link to Craig on the K-Zone Link to Tango on challenge tactics Link to Five and Dive Link to subscribe to BP Link to subscribe to Joe Link to MLBTR on O’Hearn Link to Posnanski MVP post Link to A’s ballpark update Link to Rian Johnson post Sponsor Us on Patreon Give a Gift Subscription Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com Effectively Wild Subreddit Effectively Wild Wiki Apple Podcasts Feed Spotify Feed YouTube Playlist Facebook Group Bluesky Account Twitter Account Get Our Merch! var SERVER_DATA = Object.assign(SERVER_DATA || {}); Source
Anthony Franco joins Darragh McDonald to discuss a three-way trade headlined by Brandon Lowe to Pittsburgh, Mike Burrows to Houston and Tampa Bay acquiring prospects. Other topics include the recent Shane Baz trade, whether the Rays plan on competing in 2026, why the Orioles gave up so much to acquire Baz, what led Munetaka Murakami to settle for a two-year deal with the White Sox, the Cardinals trading Willson Contreras to the Red Sox, whether Boston will sign a big free agent, Michael King's three-year deal with the Padres, and the Mets sending Jeff McNeil to the A's.
In Episode 515, Patrick, Jeffrey and Craig corect the record, chat about Death in Paradise, and then discuss five mostly baseball topics. 1. Trading Places: Boston and St. Louis make another deal, and the Rays love a three-team mixer.2. There is no such thing as a free agency: Michael King heads back to San Diego, Murakami is ticketed for the South Side, and P)aul Blackburn keeps his NYC apartment.3. Dreaming Through Tokyo Skies: Fare thee well, Austin Wynans...er, Austin Winnens, er, you know who this is. 4. It's the holidays, so you get double the games. First a very special lightning round...5. ...and then Craig gets to complain about his wifi again.Five and Dive is listener-supported, you can join our Patreon at patreon.com/fiveanddive. If you want to get in contact with the show, the e-mail address is fiveanddive@baseballprospectus.com. Our theme tune is by Andy Matthews, who you can follow on Bluesky @andymatthewsmusic. You can listen to him on Spotify and Apple Music. It was produced by Barrie Maguire and Tim Ferguson.
On a jam-packed episode, Chuck Garfien brings you inside one of the White Sox's biggest offseason moves. He opens with GM Chris Getz, who takes us behind the scenes of the signing of Murakami, what he brings to the lineup and the fan base, the potential international impact, and why the Sox are confident they can help him adjust to the majors and take his hitting to another level. Then it's Murakami himself, explaining why he chose the White Sox, the type of hitter he wants to become in Major League Baseball, and offering his own scouting report on fellow Japanese import Anthony Kay, who also joined the Sox this offseason.
If you extend the term "sock" to include "stocking", then the present of Chicago signing Japanese Phenom Munetaka Murakami makes a lot more sense. Hosted by Alex, join Mathias and "Splash" as the LAR crew explain why the White Sox are actually the perfect signing destination for Murakami and also how recent trades affect the teams on the East. All of this and more on today's edition of Losses Above Replacement!
There will be a show tomorrow, but no shows Wednesday-Friday! Today's word of the day is ‘motormouth' as in Pittsburgh as in Detroit as in Steelers as in Lions as in DK Metcalf as in fan. DK Metcalf grabbed a fan and looked to throw a punch at that fan during the Steelers win over the Lions. And nothing happened during the game because the NFL said no flag was thrown? WHAT? Let's discuss this event and how wrong it was by the fan, by Metcalf and by the NFL. (15:00) The Miami Dolphins will not bring Tua back next year. The Miami Dolphins will bring Mike McDaniel back next year? WHY!? (25:40) The Los Angeles Dodgers have broken another record. This time it's the size of their luxury tax bill. Awesome! (35:15) Review: Sean Combs: The Reckoning. (40:00) NPPOD. (45:00) Murakami is headed to the Chicago… White Sox? And not on the giant deal everyone thought? Hmmm. (49:30) The St. Louis Cardinals continue its teardown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
There will be a show tomorrow, but no shows Wednesday-Friday! Today's word of the day is ‘motormouth' as in Pittsburgh as in Detroit as in Steelers as in Lions as in DK Metcalf as in fan. DK Metcalf grabbed a fan and looked to throw a punch at that fan during the Steelers win over the Lions. And nothing happened during the game because the NFL said no flag was thrown? WHAT? Let's discuss this event and how wrong it was by the fan, by Metcalf and by the NFL. (15:00) The Miami Dolphins will not bring Tua back next year. The Miami Dolphins will bring Mike McDaniel back next year? WHY!? (25:40) The Los Angeles Dodgers have broken another record. This time it's the size of their luxury tax bill. Awesome! (35:15) Review: Sean Combs: The Reckoning. (40:00) NPPOD. (45:00) Murakami is headed to the Chicago… White Sox? And not on the giant deal everyone thought? Hmmm. (49:30) The St. Louis Cardinals continue its teardown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aram and Jack catch up on all of the headlines from the past few days in Major League Baseball, including Munetaka Murakami's 2-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox, Willson Contreras being dealt to the Boston Red Sox, and Jeff McNeil heading to Sacramento.Willson Contreras: 0:00Baz Trade: 10:00McNeil Trade: 18:00PIT/TB/HOU Trade, Murakami: 24:00SD Moves: 34:00Strahm/Keller/Weaver: 42:00Text "BASEBALL" to 29017 for 20% off of your next purchase at LIDSSubscribe to Our New Newsletter!Get Your Just Baseball MerchUse Code "JUSTBASEBALL" when signing up on BetMGMSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-just-baseball-show/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
The offseason continues to take shape, and Episode 125 of Tablesetters brings together a week where the market didn't explode — but it definitely shifted. We open with Munetaka Murakami landing with the White Sox, a short-term signing that reflects how teams are weighing upside against risk and flexibility. It's a move that raises questions about fit, timeline, and what both sides are really betting on as Murakami makes the jump to MLB. From there, the trade market comes into focus. Brandon Lowe heads to Pittsburgh, a deal that signals intent without locking the Pirates into long-term risk. At the same time, Baltimore adds Shane Baz, continuing to behave like a team that believes its competitive window is very real — and very open. Those moves create ripple effects elsewhere. The Rays once again load up on future assets, the Blue Jays and Diamondbacks monitor the Alex Bregman market, and San Diego opts for continuity, keeping Michael King in the fold while adding Sung-Mun Song. We also touch on Kansas City's bullpen move, another reminder of how aggressively teams are trying to solve late-inning depth. We wrap with listener interaction, breaking down the latest USA First Base debate, where the results were decisive — and revealing in terms of how our audience value upside, age, and track record heading into the next international cycle. Steve and Devin connect the dots across signings, trades, and market behavior, keeping the focus on process over headlines as the offseason continues to evolve. ⚾️ Measured bets, shifting leverage, and trade dominoes starting to fall — winter baseball is officially underway.
Hannah Filippo joins Brett Ballantini to discuss the unexpected holiday bounty of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami signing with the White Sox. The pair address the pros and cons of the move, as well as the anticipated effects the signing will have on the team, roster and front office. And yes, Brett mostly manages proper name pronunciation but, interestingly, turns Murakami's nickname from MoonAY into MoonEE throughout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Segment 1 – Introduction and News and Notes1.Tim's finished his draft:a.13 - Sal Stewart, 14 – Danny Palcencia, 14, Otto Lopez (MI), 16, Andrew Abbott, 17 – Robby Snelling, 18 – Riley O'Brien (St. Louis), 19 – Kodai Senga, 20 – Garrett Whitlock2.The White Sox win the Murakami sweepstakes, signing the Japanese 26-year-old to a two-year, $34 million contract.a.Thoughts?3.The Pirates acquire Brandon Lowe in a complicated three-way tradea.The Pirates, Rays, and Astros completed an involved three-team deal on Friday afternoon. Pittsburgh receives 2B Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum, and LHP Mason Montgomery from the Rays. Tampa Bay receives OF Jacob Melton and RHP Anderson Brito from the Astros, while Houston acquires RHP Mike Burrows from the Pirates to complete the trade.4.The Orioles acquired Shane Baza.In return, the Rays receive two of their four top picks from July's draft—OF Slater de Brun (one of my favorite players in the class) and catcher Caden Bodine—along with RHP Michael Forrett, OF Austin Overn, and a Competitive Balance Round A pick. All four players ranked inside my Orioles Top 20.5.The Padres re-sign Michael King for three years and $75 million with opt-outs after each year. The Padres were expected to reload a bit this season, but instead, re-signed King. Your thoughts?a.The Padres also signed Sung-Mun Song who posted a .315/.387/.530 slash line last year playing for the KBO with 26 home runs and 25 stolen bases. What can you tell us about him?Segment 2 – First Base Ranking for 2026 Season1.How are you approaching this position for your upcoming drafts?2.We will break down the top 15 to 20 in detail. Then, go through 20 to 30 in less detail. We will end by jumping around the remaining ranked players.3.Which player not in the Top 10 has a chance to emerge there next season?4.Which Top 10 player will not be there next season?5.Give me a couple of sleepers6.Give me one, maybe two guys you are just going to avoid drafting?Close
The latest episode of The Point delivered one of the most engaging debates of the offseason as the panel broke down the Pirates' blockbuster three-team trade for Brandon Lowe and what it signals about the organization's direction. With John Perrotto, Stephen Nesbitt, Kody Duncan, and Doug “Dougie Fresh” weighing in, the conversation centered on whether this move truly shifts expectations for 2026 or simply raises the floor. The group discussed Lowe's impact as a proven left-handed power bat, the cost of dealing Mike Burrows, and whether this trade represents a real “win-now” pivot or just the beginning. From there, the focus shifted overseas, debating whether the Pirates should aggressively pursue Japanese stars Munetaka Murakami or Kazuma Okamoto to address their glaring infield needs. Strong opinions, sharp analysis, and plenty of pushback made this a must-watch episode, capped off by a live audience vote to crown the night's winner. Watch or listen to the full episode now and join the debate on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
If the Mariners do not end up pulling the trigger on Brendan Donovan where else could they set their sights this offseason? NPB stars Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami remain options, along with Nico Hoerner of the Cubs if should become available. Okamoto or Murakami? 1:31 Interest in Hoerner? 11:06 Big Cubs Trade 19:44 Some links below are affiliate links Behind the scenes videos from Mariner Mojo! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfsGiwY3KWUsbGSmolnsB3Q/join ️The Hit It Here Podcast part of the Bleav podcast network! https://bleav.com/shows/hit-it-here/ FanDuel: Download the FanDuel app or head to FANDUEL.com to get started! https://www.fanduel.com/ NEW MERCH STORE: https://mariner-mojo-shop.fourthwall.com/ SimplySeattle Code "MOJO10" at checkout for 10% off your order! https://www.simplyseattle.com/ BreakingT http://breakingt.com/MarinerMojo to head straight to the Mariners specific merchandise! Seat Geek Code "MarinerMojo" for $20 off https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/teamseatgeek Check out the OFFICIAL Mariner Mojo Merch! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfsGiwY3KWUsbGSmolnsB3Q/store Twitter: https://twitter.com/MojoMariner Linktree: https://linktr.ee/marinermojo Discord: https://discord.gg/Mg7W7jPRUh Business Inquiries MarinerMojoBiz@gmail.com FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
There has been a lot of hype around Japanese superstar slugger Munetaka Murakami, as he was posted this offseason. With his posting nearing expiration, many are wondering which MLB team might make a move for the first baseman, or if there is a chance that he might not sign at all and stay in Japan for next season.On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the fascinating posting of Murakami and why teams like the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Seattle Mariners, among a few others, could be a suitable fit for his services. They then get into the flurry of transactions that have gone on over the past few days, including Jorge Polanco going to Queens, the Philadelphia Phillies picking up Adolis García and an update to the Scott Boras Scoreboard.Later, Jake and Jordan take a look at a couple of rosters for the World Baseball Classic, including the superstar power on Team USA and why the Dominican Republic squad is loaded on offense. They then ask a few questions pertaining to each team that could help them figure out which team could come out on top in the 2026 edition of the tournament. 1:14 – The Opener: Murakami signing soon31:40 – Predictions for his landing spot36:36 – Around the League57:09 – Scott Boras Scoreboard update1:02:02 – World Baseball Classic: Team USA roster1:11:09 – A look at Team DR Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast on your favorite podcast app:
Headlines and 12th Man News with GREGG BELL (Tacoma News Tribune)- As far as regular-season games, this one is about as big as it gets! What the buzz at the VMAC about weather implications on Thursday? What's the biggest challenge the Seahawks face? Will we see philosophical changes from the Seahawks because of the magnitude of the game and the opponent? What is Gregg's key to the game this week? Latest injury report? Will Charles Cross be ready to go? Will Adams be out for the Rams? :30- The Mariners hot stove is simmering… Over the weekend, Jorge Polanco signed a 2-year, $40 million deal with the NY Mets. It sounds like the M's made a competitive offer, but he followed the money to NY and we can't fault him for that. So, now the team has to find someone to fill that hole left by Polanco. Who will it be? Is Brendan Donovan a good fit? :45- There's a lot at stake on Thursday apparently… Do the rules need to change for field goals? It's getting too easy for teams and kickers to take advantage of the current kicking rules. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
RICK NEUHEISEL (CBS Sports) Last time we talked to Coach, we were hoping he'd be getting a shot at the Coug head coaching job. That didn't happen, but he wishes nothing but the best for Kirby Moore. What will happen with the Michigan head coaching vacancy? Will Jedd leave Montlake? :30- The Old Judge is here! The honorable Cornelius Buckhole the 99th is presiding… - Bring on the rainy & windy weather on Thursday, it can only help the Seahawks against the Rams - Kirby Moore was the right hire for the Cougs - Murakami is on your Christmas wish list - Candy Cane is the Candy Corn of Christmas… :45- We close out the Tuesday show with one last thing! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Teun wil meer omarmen, minder afwijzen en mee op meditatiecursus met Gijs, die zich op zijn beurt compleet ontheemd voelt in zijn tussenfase. Verder blijkt geluk veel discipline te vergen; waarom zijn we niet iets meer zoals Murakami? Teun uitte zich per ongeluk racistisch maar loste het op met een opgestoken duim en Hanneke is totaal onsentimenteel over het afscheid van het huis waar ze eeuwen heeft gewoond. We sluiten af met een kerstboodschap van John en Yoko.❤️ Insta: @teun.gijs
En el noticiero Baseball News de hoy analizamos todos los movimientos más importantes del mercado de MLB
Hello Interactors,Spain's high-speed trains feels like a totally different trajectory of modernity. America prides itself on being the tech innovator, but nowhere can we blast 180 MPH between city centers with seamless transfers to metros and buses…and no TSA drudgery. But look closer and the familiar comes into view — rising car ownership, rush-hour congestion (except in Valencia!), and growth patterns that echo America. I wanted to follow these parallel tracks back to the nineteenth-century U.S. rail boom and forward to Spain's high-spe ed era. Turns out it's not just about who gets faster rail or faster freeways, but what kind of growth they lock in once they arrive.TRAINS, CITIES, AND CONTRADICTIONSMy wife and I took high-speed rail (HSR) on our recent trip to Spain. My first thought was, “Why can't we have nice things?”They're everywhere.Madrid to Barcelona in two and a half hours. Barcelona to Valencia, Valencia back to Madrid. Later, Porto to Lisbon. Even Portugal is in on it. We glided out of city-center stations, slipped past housing blocks and industrial belts, then settled into the familiar grain of Mediterranean countryside at 300 kilometers an hour. The Wi-Fi (mostly) worked. The seats were comfortable. No annoying TSA.Where HSR did not exist or didn't quite fit our schedule, we filled gaps with EasyJet flights. We did rent a car to seek the 100-foot waves at Nazaré, Portugal, only to be punished by the crawl of Porto's rush-hour traffic in a downpour. Within cities, we took metros, commuter trains, trams, buses, bike share, and walked…a lot.From the perspective of a sustainable transportation advocate, we were treated to the complete “nice things” package: fast trains between cities, frequent rail and bus service inside them, and streets catering to human bodies more than SUVs. What surprised me, though, was the way these nice things coexist with growth patterns that look — in structural terms — uncomfortably familiar.In this video
Enemy Alien was screened in 2022. This short documentary film tells the story of Joseph Clement Kisaburō Murakami (Jo Murakami), a Broome-born Japanese Australian who, as a teenager during WWII, was sent with his family to an internment camp as an “enemy alien.” A Sydney-based Japanese family, the Kasugas, portrayed the Murakami family in the film. This story was first published in 2022. - 2022年４月に94歳で亡くなった村上ジョセフ・クレメント・喜三郎（ジョー村上）さんを主人公にした、短編ドキュメンタリー映画「Enemy Alien」。村上家を演じた、春日家のインタビューを再度お聞きください。
The offseason officially rolls on for the Chase for 28 crew, but optimism is in short supply. In Episode 117, Chris, the Podcast Padre, and the Podcast Paisan return to break down a Yankees winter that feels frozen in time. From the shocking qualifying offer acceptance by Trent Grisham to the continued reliance on analytics over fundamentals, the guys question whether Brian Cashman and the front office truly understand what this team needs to win in October.The conversation spans roster construction, positional logjams, and the growing frustration of running back essentially the same team. They debate Volpe's future, Ben Rice's role, the impossibility of moving Giancarlo Stanton's contract, and whether the Yankees are leaning too heavily on pitching to mask offensive flaws. Add in lockout speculation, ownership spending concerns, Asian market rumors, and a lively trivia debate, and this episode captures exactly how uneasy Yankees fans feel heading into 2026.Key Topics DiscussedWhy the Yankees made (and lost) the Trent Grisham qualifying offer gambleHow MLB qualifying offers work—and why this one backfiredHas baseball passed Brian Cashman by?Analytics vs. “using your eyes” in roster decisionsThe Yankees' youth movement paradox: Domínguez, Jones, Volpe, WellsBen Rice as catcher or first baseman—and the ripple effectsLefty-heavy lineups, balance, and Yankee Stadium roster philosophyFrustrations with bottom-of-the-lineup productionDebating contact hitters vs. power-first approachesAsian market targets: Murakami, Okamoto, Imai, and posting-system realitiesGiancarlo Stanton's contract and the need to free the DH spotPitching reliance: Cole's age, Rodón's value, and rotation trustLockout speculation and the Dodgers changing the financial landscapeAre the Yankees still true AL East favorites?Yankees Trivia
If you had Phillip Rivers return to the NFL on your 2025 bingo card, congrats! While it's not official, Rivers worked out for the Colts last night and it's highly possible he could un-retire and sign with the Colts who are dealing with a VERY difficult situation at QB. The Seahawks have faced their fair share of backup quarterbacks, but this week against the Colts is on another level. :30- The Winter Meetings are ongoing and activity is slow! - Are we happy with the trade return for Harry Ford? - Could Mitch Garver make a reduced-rate return to the Mariners? - The Mariners are being mentioned in Ketel Marte trade rumors. - CJ Abrams could also be a possibility… - What's up with Murakami? He has to sign with a team by 12/22, the clock is ticking. :45- The Kraken dropped their 6th straight game, losing to the Wild at home last night and that may not have been the worst thing to happen! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
If you had Phillip Rivers return to the NFL on your 2025 bingo card, congrats! While it's not official, Rivers worked out for the Colts last night and it's highly possible he could un-retire and sign with the Colts who are dealing with a VERY difficult situation at QB. The Seahawks have faced their fair share of backup quarterbacks, but this week against the Colts is on another level. :30- The Winter Meetings are ongoing and activity is slow! - Are we happy with the trade return for Harry Ford? - Could Mitch Garver make a reduced-rate return to the Mariners? - The Mariners are being mentioned in Ketel Marte trade rumors. - CJ Abrams could also be a possibility… - What's up with Murakami? He has to sign with a team by 12/22, the clock is ticking. :45- The Kraken dropped their 6th straight game, losing to the Wild at home last night and that may not have been the worst thing to happen!
On March 20th, 1995, the Tokyo subway system was flooded with sarin nerve gas in a coordinated terrorist attack by the religious cult Aum Shinrikyō. Led by the charismatic new-age guru, Shoko Asahara, the well-funded and technologically ambitious Aum organization manufactured and deployed chemical weapons in an attempt to bring about the end of the world. In the chaos that followed, 13 people were killed, thousands were injured, and the international community shuddered at the possibility of future attacks by fringe political groups. SOURCES: Amarasingam, A. (2017, April 5). A history of sarin as a weapon. The Atlantic. Cotton, Simon. “Nerve Agents: What Are They and How Do They Work?” American Scientist, vol. 106, no. 3, 2018, pp. 138–40. Danzig, Richard; Sageman, Marc; Leighton, Terrance; Hough, Lloyd; Yuki, Hidemi; Kotani, Rui; Hosford, Zachary M.. Aum Shinrikyo: Insights Into How Terrorists Develop Biological and Chemical Weapons . Center for a New American Security. 2011. Gunaratna, Rohan. “Aum Shinrikyo's Rise, Fall and Revival.” Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses, vol. 10, no. 8, 2018, pp. 1–6. Harmon, Christopher C. “How Terrorist Groups End: Studies of the Twentieth Century.” Strategic Studies Quarterly, vol. 4, no. 3, 2010, pp. 43–84. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26269787. “IHT: A Safe and Sure System — Until Now.” The New York Times, 21 Mar. 1995. Jones, Seth G., and Martin C. Libicki. “Policing and Japan's Aum Shinrikyo.” How Terrorist Groups End: Lessons for Countering al Qa'ida, RAND Corporation, 2008, pp. 45–62. Kaplan, David E. (1996) “Aum's Shoko Asahara and the Cult at the End of the World”. WIRED. Lifton, Robert Jay. Destroying the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism. 1999. Murakami, Haruki. Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche. Translated by Alfred Birnbaum and Philip Gabriel. 2001. Murphy, P. (2014, June 21). Matsumoto: Aum's sarin guinea pig. The Japan Times. Reader, Ian. Religious Violence in Contemporary Japan: The Case of Aum Shinrikyo. 2000. Tucker, Jonathan B. “Chemical/Biological Terrorism: Coping with a New Threat.” Politics and the Life Sciences, vol. 15, no. 2, 1996, pp. 167–83. Ushiyama, Rin. “Shock and Anger: Societal Responses to the Tokyo Subway Attack.” Aum Shinrikyō and Religious Terrorism in Japanese Collective Memory., The British Academy, 2023, pp. 52–80. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chris Cooper interviews Professor Akira Murakami from Birmingham University. lostincitations@gmail.com
Welcome to Episode 121 of Tablesetters — and today we're joined by one of the most essential voices in global baseball storytelling. Jim Allen, longtime NPB writer, analyst, historian, and the force behind jballallen.com and its weekly newsletter, sits down with us for a deep, far-reaching conversation about the heartbeat of Japanese baseball and its growing impact on MLB. For decades, Jim's reporting has been the bridge that helps English-speaking fans understand not just NPB players, but the culture, structures, and histories that shape them. From the posting system to player development pathways, from extra-inning philosophy to editorial norms, and from national identity to modern pitch-design trends, Jim brings context you simply can't find anywhere else. And with Tatsuya Imai, Munetaka Murakami, Kona Takahashi, and others drawing MLB attention — all while Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki redefine the top of the sport — this is the perfect moment to have him on. In our conversation, Jim takes us inside how the posting system actually works: the incentives that guide both leagues, how timing and leverage shape negotiations, and why the 2013 reforms solved some issues while pushing others into new territory. We break down Imai's rise into a front-line starter, why his growth feels so intentional, and what parts of his profile give him the best chance to translate quickly to MLB. Jim also helps untangle the narrative around Murakami's 56-homer “Japanese-born record,” how it's framed against Balentien's 60, and what American fans need to understand about how that story was built and why it stuck. We dig into the philosophical gap between MLB's open-ended extra innings and NPB's 12-inning limit, what that says about pace, workload, and cultural logic, and how that contrast resurfaced when Yamamoto appeared in the World Series on almost no rest. From there, we look at Japan's relationship with the WBC — Ohtani's commitment, the national pride attached to the tournament, and how fans weigh those responsibilities against MLB club preferences. Jim also breaks down why narrow milestones and highly specific statistical labels catch fire so quickly in Japanese media, and what American audiences often miss about that editorial tradition. We explore how public sentiment in Japan has shifted regarding stars leaving for MLB, from the tension-filled Matsuzaka era to today's more normalized wave of early departures. And we close with a look ahead: the next generation of NPB names to know, plus Jim's thoughts on Anthony Kay's breakout season and Trevor Bauer's polarizing stint in Japan. It's one of our most wide-ranging episodes yet — part baseball, part culture, part analytics, part history — and Jim guides all of it with clarity, nuance, and generosity.
We're breaking down a loaded crop of Japanese players with special guest Yakyu Cosmopolitan (2:10)! ... Munetaka Murakami has transcendent power but struggles with strikeouts (3:56). ... What is Tatsuya Imai's upside as a pitcher (16:52)? ... Kazuma Okamoto is more well-rounded hitter than Murakami (28:15). ... Kona Takahashi profiles as more of a low-end streamer type (38:08). ... What are the ideal landing spots for these names (42:55)? ... Can any of these former MLB pitchers make an impact (45:07)? ... Who are some other Japanese stars we need to know for the future (47:41)? Subscribe to our YouTube channel: youtube.com/FantasyBaseballToday Download and Follow Fantasy Baseball Today on Spotify: https://sptfy.com/QiKv Follow our FBT team on Twitter: @FBTPod, @CPTowers @CBSScottWhite, @Roto_Frank Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fantasybaseballtoday Sign up for the FBT Newsletter at https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters/fantasy-baseball-today/ For more fantasy baseball coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Every MLB offseason there seems to be a new Japanese baseball sensation set to take Major League Baseball by storm. With the arrivals of Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, teams are hoping to find similar superstars across the globe to help bolster their chances of bringing home a championship.On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman are joined by Japanese baseball expert Yuri Karasawa as they discuss Munetaka Murakami, Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto all being posted this offseason. Will their games translate to MLB and which players could end up where? These questions and more are answered in this must-listen conversation.Later, Jake and Jordan talk about the four qualifying offers that were accepted this week and why some of them were a bit questionable, including Trent Grisham returning to the Yankees and Shota Imanaga going back to the Chicago Cubs. The guys then close out the episode by making their weekly picks for The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.5:36 – Yuri Karasawa joins the show12:29 – Munetaka Murakami breakdown25:57 – Get to know Kazuma Okamoto34:50 – What to expect from Tatsuya Imai45:20 – Yoshinobu Yamamoto's heroics55:19 – Around the League: QO surprises1:21:43 – The Good, The Bad & The Uggla Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast on your favorite podcast app:
- Headlines and Thursdays with SOFTY. When Softy joins the show, everything is on the table! From KJR sleepovers to re-signing Josh Naylor; that's how things start! Is it enough if the only moves the Mariners make this offseason are bringing back Naylor, Suarez and/or Polanco? The Dawgs head to the Rose Bowl to face UCLA on Saturday- can they figure out what they're doing on the road? When Sark says he's not going anywhere, does Softy believe him? :30- Steve Sarkisian is sick of the rumors that he's leaving Texas and he set the record straight. Do we believe him? :35- It's fact or fiction time and Bucky REALLY likes one game this week! :45- When Jerry joined us yesterday, he gave us some insight into which top prospects might play a prominent role on the 2026 Mariners team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Headlines and 12th Man News with GREGG BELL (Tacoma News Tribune) The Seahawks are looking to get back on track against a 1-9 Titans team, but there are some O-Line concerns. We get Gregg's key to the game, injury updates, Ken Walker possibilities and more! :30- The Mariners keep getting mentioned in connection with Murakami, do we want him? :35- Chuck doesn't like his Fact or Fiction pick, so let's see how it goes! :45- Sam Darnold is fully taking the blame for last week's loss, can he put that behind him and be the Sam Darnold we've seen most of the season? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Headlines and 12th Man News with GREGG BELL (Tacoma News Tribune) The Seahawks are looking to get back on track against a 1-9 Titans team, but there are some O-Line concerns. We get Gregg's key to the game, injury updates, Ken Walker possibilities and more! :30- The Mariners keep getting mentioned in connection with Murakami, do we want him? :35- Chuck doesn't like his Fact or Fiction pick, so let's see how it goes! :45- Sam Darnold is fully taking the blame for last week's loss, can he put that behind him and be the Sam Darnold we've seen most of the season?
A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Powerleegirl hosts, the mother daughter team of Miko Lee, Jalena & Ayame Keane-Lee speak with artists about their craft and the works that you can catch in the Bay Area. Featured are filmmaker Yuriko Gamo Romer, playwright Jessica Huang and photographer Joyce Xi. More info about their work here: Diamond Diplomacy Yuriko Gamo Romer Jessica Huang's Mother of Exiles at Berkeley Rep Joyce Xi's Our Language Our Story at Galeria de la Raza Show Transcript Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express. Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:00:46] Thank you for joining us on Apex Express Tonight. Join the PowerLeeGirls as we talk with some powerful Asian American women artists. My mom and sister speak with filmmaker Yuriko Gamo Romer, playwright Jessica Huang, and photographer Joyce Xi. Each of these artists have works that you can enjoy right now in the Bay Area. First up, let's listen in to my mom Miko Lee chat with Yuriko Gamo Romer about her film Diamond Diplomacy. Miko Lee: [00:01:19] Welcome, Yuriko Gamo Romer to Apex Express, amazing filmmaker, award-winning director and producer. Welcome to Apex Express. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:01:29] Thank you for having me. Miko Lee: [00:01:31] It's so great to see your work after this many years. We were just chatting that we knew each other maybe 30 years ago and have not reconnected. So it's lovely to see your work. I'm gonna start with asking you a question. I ask all of my Apex guests, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:01:49] Oh, who are my people? That's a hard one. I guess I'm Japanese American. I'm Asian American, but I'm also Japanese. I still have a lot of people in Japan. That's not everything. Creative people, artists, filmmakers, all the people that I work with, which I love. And I don't know, I can't pare it down to one narrow sentence or phrase. And I don't know what my legacy is. My legacy is that I was born in Japan, but I have grown up in the United States and so I carry with me all that is, technically I'm an immigrant, so I have little bits and pieces of that and, but I'm also very much grew up in the United States and from that perspective, I'm an American. So too many words. Miko Lee: [00:02:44] Thank you so much for sharing. Your latest film was called Diamond Diplomacy. Can you tell us what inspired this film? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:02:52] I have a friend named Dave Dempsey and his father, Con Dempsey, was a pitcher for the San Francisco Seals. And the Seals were the minor league team that was in the West Coast was called the Pacific Coast League They were here before the Major League teams came to the West Coast. So the seals were San Francisco's team, and Con Dempsey was their pitcher. And it so happened that he was part of the 1949 tour when General MacArthur sent the San Francisco Seals to Allied occupied Japan after World War II. And. It was a story that I had never heard. There was a museum exhibit south of Market in San Francisco, and I was completely wowed and awed because here's this lovely story about baseball playing a role in diplomacy and in reuniting a friendship between two countries. And I had never heard of it before and I'm pretty sure most people don't know the story. Con Dempsey had a movie camera with him when he went to Japan I saw the home movies playing on a little TV set in the corner at the museum, and I thought, oh, this has to be a film. I was in the middle of finishing Mrs. Judo, so I, it was something I had to tuck into the back of my mind Several years later, I dug it up again and I made Dave go into his mother's garage and dig out the actual films. And that was the beginning. But then I started opening history books and doing research, and suddenly it was a much bigger, much deeper, much longer story. Miko Lee: [00:04:32] So you fell in, it was like synchronicity that you have this friend that had this footage, and then you just fell into the research. What stood out to you? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:04:41] It was completely amazing to me that baseball had been in Japan since 1872. I had no idea. And most people, Miko Lee: [00:04:49] Yeah, I learned that too, from your film. That was so fascinating. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:04:53] So that was the first kind of. Wow. And then I started to pick up little bits and pieces like in 1934, there was an American All Star team that went to Japan. And Babe Ruth was the headliner on that team. And he was a big star. People just loved him in Japan. And then I started to read the history and understanding that. Not that a baseball team or even Babe Ruth can go to Japan and prevent the war from happening. But there was a warming moment when the people of Japan were so enamored of this baseball team coming and so excited about it that maybe there was a moment where it felt like. Things had thawed out a little bit. So there were other points in history where I started to see this trend where baseball had a moment or had an influence in something, and I just thought, wow, this is really a fascinating history that goes back a long way and is surprising. And then of course today we have all these Japanese faces in Major League baseball. Miko Lee: [00:06:01] So have you always been a baseball fan? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:06:04] I think I really became a fan of Major League Baseball when I was living in New York. Before that, I knew what it was. I played softball, I had a small connection to it, but I really became a fan when I was living in New York and then my son started to play baseball and he would come home from the games and he would start to give us the play by play and I started to learn more about it. And it is a fascinating game 'cause it's much more complex than I think some people don't like it 'cause it's complex. Miko Lee: [00:06:33] I must confess, I have not been a big baseball fan. I'm also thinking, oh, a film about baseball. But I actually found it so fascinating with especially in the world that we live in right now, where there's so much strife that there was this way to speak a different language. And many times we do that through art or music and I thought it was so great how your film really showcased how baseball was used as a tool for political repair and change. I'm wondering how you think this film applies to the time that we live in now where there's such an incredible division, and not necessarily with Japan, but just with everything in the world. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:07:13] I think when it comes down to it, if we actually get to know people. We learn that we're all human beings and that we probably have more in common than we give ourselves credit for. And if we can find a space that is common ground, whether it's a baseball field or the kitchen, or an art studio, or a music studio, I think it gives us a different place where we can exist and acknowledge That we're human beings and that we maybe have more in common than we're willing to give ourselves credit for. So I like to see things where people can have a moment where you step outside of yourself and go, oh wait, I do have something in common with that person over there. And maybe it doesn't solve the problem. But once you have that awakening, I think there's something. that happens, it opens you up. And I think sports is one of those things that has a little bit of that magical power. And every time I watch the Olympics, I'm just completely in awe. Miko Lee: [00:08:18] Yeah, I absolutely agree with you. And speaking of that kind of repair and that aspect that sports can have, you ended up making a short film called Baseball Behind Barbed Wire, about the incarcerated Japanese Americans and baseball. And I wondered where in the filmmaking process did you decide, oh, I gotta pull this out of the bigger film and make it its own thing? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:08:41] I had been working with Carrie Yonakegawa. From Fresno and he's really the keeper of the history of Japanese American baseball and especially of the story of the World War II Japanese American incarceration through the baseball stories. And he was one of my scholars and consultants on the longer film. And I have been working on diamond diplomacy for 11 years. So I got to know a lot of my experts quite well. I knew. All along that there was more to that part of the story that sort of deserved its own story, and I was very fortunate to get a grant from the National Parks Foundation, and I got that grant right when the pandemic started. It was a good thing. I had a chunk of money and I was able to do historical research, which can be done on a computer. Nobody was doing any production at that beginning of the COVID time. And then it's a short film, so it was a little more contained and I was able to release that one in 2023. Miko Lee: [00:09:45] Oh, so you actually made the short before Diamond Diplomacy. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:09:49] Yeah. The funny thing is that I finished it before diamond diplomacy, it's always been intrinsically part of the longer film and you'll see the longer film and you'll understand that part of baseball behind Barbed Wire becomes a part of telling that part of the story in Diamond Diplomacy. Miko Lee: [00:10:08] Yeah, I appreciate it. So you almost use it like research, background research for the longer film, is that right? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:10:15] I had been doing the research about the World War II, Japanese American incarceration because it was part of the story of the 150 years between Japan and the United States and Japanese people in the United States and American people that went to Japan. So it was always a part of that longer story, and I think it just evolved that there was a much bigger story that needed to be told separately and especially 'cause I had access to the interview footage of the two guys that had been there, and I knew Carrie so well. So that was part of it, was that I learned so much about that history from him. Miko Lee: [00:10:58] Thanks. I appreciated actually watching both films to be able to see more in depth about what happened during the incarceration, so that was really powerful. I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about the style of actually both films, which combine vintage Japanese postcards, animation and archival footage, and how you decided to blend the films in this way. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:11:19] Anytime you're making a film about history, there's that challenge of. How am I going to show this story? How am I gonna get the audience to understand and feel what was happening then? And of course you can't suddenly go out and go, okay, I'm gonna go film Babe Ruth over there. 'cause he's not around anymore. So you know, you start digging up photographs. If we're in the era of you have photographs, you have home movies, you have 16 millimeter, you have all kinds of film, then great. You can find that stuff if you can find it and use it. But if you go back further, when before people had cameras and before motion picture, then you have to do something else. I've always been very much enamored of Japanese woodblock prints. I think they're beautiful and they're very documentary in that they tell stories about the people and the times and what was going on, and so I was able to find some that sort of helped evoke the stories of that period of time. And then in doing that, I became interested in the style and maybe can I co-opt that style? Can we take some of the images that we have that are photographs? And I had a couple of young artists work on this stuff and it started to work and I was very excited. So then we were doing things like, okay, now we can create a transition between the print style illustration and the actual footage that we're moving into, or the photograph that we're dissolving into. And the same thing with baseball behind barbed wire. It became a challenge to show what was actually happening in the camps. In the beginning, people were not allowed to have cameras at all, and even later on it wasn't like it was common thing for people to have cameras, especially movie cameras. Latter part of the war, there was a little bit more in terms of photos and movies, but in terms of getting the more personal stories. I found an exhibit of illustrations and it really was drawings and paintings that were visual diaries. People kept these visual diaries, they drew and they painted, and I think part of it was. Something to do, but I think the other part of it was a way to show and express what was going on. So one of the most dramatic moments in there is a drawing of a little boy sitting on a toilet with his hands covering his face, and no one would ever have a photograph. Of a little boy sitting on a toilet being embarrassed because there are no partitions around the toilet. But this was a very dramatic and telling moment that was drawn. And there were some other things like that. There was one illustration in baseball behind barbed wire that shows a family huddled up and there's this incredible wind blowing, and it's not. Home movie footage, but you feel the wind and what they had to live through. I appreciate art in general, so it was very fun for me to be able to use various different kinds of art and find ways to make it work and make it edit together with the other, with the photographs and the footage. Miko Lee: [00:14:56] It's really beautiful and it tells the story really well. I'm wondering about a response to the film from folks that were in it because you got many elders to share their stories about what it was like being either folks that were incarcerated or folks that were playing in such an unusual time. Have you screened the film for folks that were in it? And if so what has their response been? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:15:20] Both the men that were in baseball behind barbed wire are not living anymore, so they have not seen it. With diamond diplomacy, some of the historians have been asked to review cuts of the film along the way. But the two baseball players that play the biggest role in the film, I've given them links to look at stuff, but I don't think they've seen it. So Moi's gonna see it for the first time, I'm pretty sure, on Friday night, and it'll be interesting to see what his reaction to it is. And of course. His main language is not English. So I think some of it's gonna be a little tough for him to understand. But I am very curious 'cause I've known him for a long time and I know his stories and I feel like when we were putting the film together, it was really important for me to be able to tell the stories in the way that I felt like. He lived them and he tells them, I feel like I've heard these stories over and over again. I've gotten to know him and I understand some of his feelings of joy and of regret and all these other things that happen, so I will be very interested to see what his reaction is to it. Miko Lee: [00:16:40] Can you share for our audience who you're talking about. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:16:43] Well, Sanhi is a nickname, his name is Masa Nouri. Murakami. He picked up that nickname because none of the ball players could pronounce his name. Miko Lee: [00:16:53] I did think that was horrifically funny when they said they started calling him macaroni 'cause they could not pronounce his name. So many of us have had those experiences. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:17:02] Yeah, especially if your name is Masanori Murakami. That's a long, complicated one. So he, Masanori Murakami is the first Japanese player that came and played for the major leagues. And it was an inadvertent playing because he was a kid, he was 19 years old. He was playing on a professional team in Japan and they had some, they had a time period where it made sense to send a couple of these kids over to the United States. They had a relationship with Kapi Harada, who was a Japanese American who had been in the Army and he was in Japan during. The occupation and somehow he had, he'd also been a big baseball person, so I think he developed all these relationships and he arranged for these three kids to come to the United States and to, as Mahi says, to study baseball. And they were sent to the lowest level minor league, the single A camps, and they played baseball. They learned the American ways to play baseball, and they got to play with low level professional baseball players. Marcy was a very talented left handed pitcher. And so when September 1st comes around and the postseason starts, they expand the roster and they add more players to the team. And the scouts had been watching him and the Giants needed a left-handed pitcher, so they decided to take a chance on him, and they brought him up and he was suddenly going to Shea Stadium when. The Giants were playing the Mets and he was suddenly pitching in a giant stadium of 40,000 people. Miko Lee: [00:18:58] Can you share a little bit about his experience when he first came to America? I just think it shows such a difference in time to now. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:19:07] Yeah, no kidding. Because today they're the players that come from Japan are coddled and they have interpreters wherever they go and they travel and chartered planes and special limousines and whatever else they get. So Marcie. He's, I think he was 20 by the time he was brought up so young. Mahi at 20 years old, the manager comes in and says, Hey, you're going to New York tomorrow and hands him plane tickets and he has to negotiate his way. Get on this plane, get on that plane, figure out how to. Get from the airport to the hotel, and he's barely speaking English at this point. He jokes that he used to carry around an English Japanese dictionary in one pocket and a Japanese English dictionary in the other pocket. So that's how he ended up getting to Shea Stadium was in this like very precarious, like they didn't even send an escort. Miko Lee: [00:20:12] He had to ask the pilot how to get to the hotel. Yeah, I think that's wild. So I love this like history and what's happened and then I'm thinking now as I said at the beginning, I'm not a big baseball sports fan, but I love love watching Shohei Ohtani. I just think he's amazing. And I'm just wondering, when you look at that trajectory of where Mahi was back then and now, Shohei Ohtani now, how do you reflect on that historically? And I'm wondering if you've connected with any of the kind of modern Japanese players, if they've seen this film. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:20:48] I have never met Shohei Ohtani. I have tried to get some interviews, but I haven't gotten any. I have met Ichi. I did meet Nori Aoki when he was playing for the Giants, and I met Kenta Maya when he was first pitching for the Dodgers. They're all, I think they're all really, they seem to be really excited to be here and play. I don't know what it's like to be Ohtani. I saw something the other day in social media that was comparing him to Taylor Swift because the two of them are this like other level of famous and it must just be crazy. Probably can't walk down the street anymore. But it is funny 'cause I've been editing all this footage of mahi when he was 19, 20 years old and they have a very similar face. And it just makes me laugh that, once upon a time this young Japanese kid was here and. He was worried about how to make ends meet at the end of the month, and then you got the other one who's like a multi multimillionaire. Miko Lee: [00:21:56] But you're right, I thought that too. They look similar, like the tall, the face, they're like the vibe that they put out there. Have they met each other? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:22:05] They have actually met, I don't think they know each other well, but they've definitely met. Miko Lee: [00:22:09] Mm, It was really a delight. I am wondering what you would like audiences to walk away with after seeing your film. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:22:17] Hopefully they will have a little bit of appreciation for baseball and international baseball, but more than anything else. I wonder if they can pick up on that sense of when you find common ground, it's a very special space and it's an ability to have this people to people diplomacy. You get to experience people, you get to know them a little bit. Even if you've never met Ohtani, you now know a little bit about him and his life and. Probably what he eats and all that kind of stuff. So it gives you a chance to see into another culture. And I think that makes for a different kind of understanding. And certainly for the players. They sit on the bench together and they practice together and they sweat together and they, everything that they do together, these guys know each other. They learn about each other's languages and each other's food and each other's culture. And I think Mahi went back to Japan with almost as much Spanish as they did English. So I think there's some magical thing about people to people diplomacy, and I hope that people can get a sense of that. Miko Lee: [00:23:42] Thank you so much for sharing. Can you tell our audience how they could find out more about your film Diamond diplomacy and also about you as an artist? Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:23:50] the website is diamonddiplomacy.com. We're on Instagram @diamonddiplomacy. We're also on Facebook Diamond Diplomacy. So those are all the places that you can find stuff, those places will give you a sense of who I am as a filmmaker and an artist too. Miko Lee: [00:24:14] Thank you so much for joining us today, Yuriko. Gamo. Romo. So great to speak with you and I hope the film does really well. Yuriko Gamo Romer: [00:24:22] Thank you, Miko. This was a lovely opportunity to chat with you. Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:24:26] Next up, my sister Jalena Keane-Lee speaks with playwright Jessica Huang, whose new play Mother of Exiles just had its world premiere at Berkeley Rep is open until December 21st. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:24:39] All right. Jessica Huang, thank you so much for being here with us on Apex Express and you are the writer of the new play Mother of Exiles, which is playing at Berkeley Rep from November 14th to December 21st. Thank you so much for being here. Jessica Huang: [00:24:55] Yeah, thank you so much for having me. It's such a pleasure. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:24:59] I'm so curious about this project. The synopsis was so interesting. I was wondering if you could just tell us a little bit about it and how you came to this work. Jessica Huang: [00:25:08] When people ask me what mother of Exiles is, I always say it's an American family story that spans 160 plus years, and is told in three acts. In 90 minutes. So just to get the sort of sense of the propulsion of the show and the form, the formal experiment of it. The first part takes place in 1898, when the sort of matriarch of the family is being deported from Angel Island. The second part takes place in 1999, so a hundred years later where her great grandson is. Now working for the Miami, marine interdiction unit. So he's a border cop. The third movement takes place in 2063 out on the ocean after Miami has sunk beneath the water. And their descendants are figuring out what they're gonna do to survive. It was a strange sort of conception for the show because I had been wanting to write a play. I'd been wanting to write a triptych about America and the way that interracial love has shaped. This country and it shaped my family in particular. I also wanted to tell a story that had to do with this, the land itself in some way. I had been sort of carrying an idea for the play around for a while, knowing that it had to do with cross-cultural border crossing immigration themes. This sort of epic love story that each, in each chapter there's a different love story. It wasn't until I went on a trip to Singapore and to China and got to meet some family members that I hadn't met before that the rest of it sort of fell into place. The rest of it being that there's a, the presence of, ancestors and the way that the living sort of interacts with those who have come before throughout the play. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:27:13] I noticed that ancestors, and ghosts and spirits are a theme throughout your work. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about your own ancestry and how that informs your writing and creative practice. Jessica Huang: [00:27:25] Yeah, I mean, I'm in a fourth generation interracial marriage. So, I come from a long line of people who have loved people who were different from them, who spoke different languages, who came from different countries. That's my story. My brother his partner is German. He lives in Berlin. We have a history in our family of traveling and of loving people who are different from us. To me that's like the story of this country and is also the stuff I like to write about. The thing that I feel like I have to share with the world are, is just stories from that experience. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:28:03] That's really awesome. I guess I haven't really thought about it that way, but I'm third generation of like interracial as well. 'cause I'm Chinese, Japanese, and Irish. And then at a certain point when you're mixed, it's like, okay, well. The odds of me being with someone that's my exact same ethnic breakdown feel pretty low. So it's probably gonna be an interracial relationship in one way or the other. Jessica Huang: [00:28:26] Totally. Yeah. And, and, and I don't, you know, it sounds, and it sounds like in your family and in mine too, like we just. Kept sort of adding culture to our family. So my grandfather's from Shanghai, my grandmother, you know, is, it was a very, like upper crust white family on the east coast. Then they had my dad. My dad married my mom whose people are from the Ukraine. And then my husband's Puerto Rican. We just keep like broadening the definition of family and the definition of community and I think that's again, like I said, like the story of this country. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:29:00] That's so beautiful. I'm curious about the role of place in this project in particular, mother of exiles, angel Island, obviously being in the Bay Area, and then the rest of it taking place, in Miami or in the future. The last act is also like Miami or Miami adjacent. What was the inspiration behind the place and how did place and location and setting inform the writing. Jessica Huang: [00:29:22] It's a good question. Angel Island is a place that has loomed large in my work. Just being sort of known as the Ellis Island of the West, but actually being a place with a much more difficult history. I've always been really inspired by the stories that come out of Angel Island, the poetry that's come out of Angel Island and, just the history of Asian immigration. It felt like it made sense to set the first part of the play here, in the Bay. Especially because Eddie, our protagonist, spent some time working on a farm. So there's also like this great history of agriculture and migrant workers here too. It just felt like a natural place to set it. And then why did we move to Miami? There are so many moments in American history where immigration has been a real, center point of the sort of conversation, the national conversation. And moving forward to the nineties, the wet foot, dry foot Cuban immigration story felt like really potent and a great place to tell the next piece of this tale. Then looking toward the future Miami is definitely, or you know, according to the science that I have read one of the cities that is really in danger of flooding as sea levels rise. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:30:50] Okay. The Cuban immigration. That totally makes sense. That leads perfectly into my next question, which was gonna be about how did you choose the time the moments in time? I think that one you said was in the nineties and curious about the choice to have it be in the nineties and not present day. And then how did you choose how far in the future you wanted to have the last part? Jessica Huang: [00:31:09] Some of it was really just based on the needs of the characters. So the how far into the future I wanted us to be following a character that we met as a baby in the previous act. So it just, you know, made sense. I couldn't push it too far into the future. It made sense to set it in the 2060s. In terms of the nineties and, why not present day? Immigration in the nineties , was so different in it was still, like I said, it was still, it's always been a important national conversation, but it wasn't. There was a, it felt like a little bit more, I don't know if gentle is the word, but there just was more nuance to the conversation. And still there was a broad effort to prevent Cuban and refugees from coming ashore. I think I was fascinated by how complicated, I mean, what foot, dry foot, the idea of it is that , if a refugee is caught on water, they're sent back to Cuba. But if they're caught on land, then they can stay in the us And just the idea of that is so. The way that, people's lives are affected by just where they are caught , in their crossing. I just found that to be a bit ridiculous and in terms of a national policy. It made sense then to set the second part, which moves into a bit of a farce at a time when immigration also kind of felt like a farce. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:32:46] That totally makes sense. It feels very dire right now, obviously. But it's interesting to be able to kind of go back in time and see when things were handled so differently and also how I think throughout history and also touching many different racial groups. We've talked a lot on this show about the Chinese Exclusion Act and different immigration policies towards Chinese and other Asian Americans. But they've always been pretty arbitrary and kind of farcical as you put it. Yeah. Jessica Huang: [00:33:17] Yeah. And that's not to make light of like the ways that people's lives were really impacted by all of this policy . But I think the arbitrariness of it, like you said, is just really something that bears examining. I also think it's really helpful to look at where we are now through the lens of the past or the future. Mm-hmm. Just gives just a little bit of distance and a little bit of perspective. Maybe just a little bit of context to how we got to where we got to. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:33:50] That totally makes sense. What has your experience been like of seeing the play be put up? It's my understanding, this is the first this is like the premier of the play at Berkeley Rep. Jessica Huang: [00:34:00] Yes. Yeah. It's the world premier. It's it incredible. Jackie Bradley is our director and she's phenomenal. It's just sort of mesmerizing what is happening with this play? It's so beautiful and like I've alluded to, it shifts tone between the first movement being sort of a historical drama on Angel Island to, it moves into a bit of a farce in part two, and then it, by the third movement, we're living in sort of a dystopic, almost sci-fi future. The way that Jackie's just deftly moved an audience through each of those experiences while holding onto the important threads of this family and, the themes that we're unpacking and this like incredible design team, all of these beautiful visuals sounds, it's just really so magical to see it come to life in this way. And our cast is incredible. I believe there are 18 named roles in the play, and there are a few surprises and all of them are played by six actors. who are just. Unbelievable. Like all of them have the ability to play against type. They just transform and transform again and can navigate like, the deepest tragedies and the like, highest moments of comedy and just hold on to this beautiful humanity. Each and every one of them is just really spectacular. So I'm just, you know. I don't know. I just feel so lucky to be honest with you. This production is going to be so incredible. It's gonna be, it feels like what I imagine in my mind, but, you know, plus, Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:35:45] well, I really can't wait to see it. What are you hoping that audiences walk away with after seeing the show? Jessica Huang: [00:35:54] That's a great question. I want audiences to feel connected to their ancestors and feel part of this community of this country and, and grateful and acknowledge the sacrifices that somebody along the line made so that they could be here with, with each other watching the show. I hope, people feel like they enjoyed themselves and got to experience something that they haven't experienced before. I think that there are definitely, nuances to the political conversation that we're having right now, about who has the right to immigrate into this country and who has the right to be a refugee, who has the right to claim asylum. I hope to add something to that conversation with this play, however small. Jalena Keane-Lee:[00:36:43] Do you know where the play is going next? Jessica Huang: [00:36:45] No. No. I dunno where it's going next. Um, exciting. Yeah, but we'll, time will Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:36:51] and previews start just in a few days, right? Jessica Huang: [00:36:54] Yeah. Yeah. We have our first preview, we have our first audience on Friday. So yeah, very looking forward to seeing how all of this work that we've been doing lands on folks. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:37:03] Wow, that's so exciting. Do you have any other projects that you're working on? Or any upcoming projects that you'd like to share about? Jessica Huang: [00:37:10] Yeah, yeah, I do. I'm part of the writing team for the 10 Things I Hate About You Musical, which is in development with an Eye Toward Broadway. I'm working with Lena Dunham and Carly Rae Jepsen and Ethan Ska to make that musical. I also have a fun project in Chicago that will soon be announced. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:37:31] And what is keeping you inspired and keeping your, you know, creative energies flowing in these times? Jessica Huang: [00:37:37] Well first of all, I think, you know, my collaborators on this show are incredibly inspiring. The nice thing about theater is that you just get to go and be inspired by people all the time. 'cause it's this big collaboration, you don't have to do it all by yourself. So that would be the first thing I would say. I haven't seen a lot of theater since I've been out here in the bay, but right before I left New York, I saw MEUs . Which is by Brian Keda, Nigel Robinson. And it's this sort of two-hander musical, but they do live looping and they sort of create the music live. Wow. And it's another, it's another show about an untold history and about solidarity and about folks coming together from different backgrounds and about ancestors, so there's a lot of themes that really resonate. And also the show is just so great. It's just really incredible. So , that was the last thing I saw that I loved. I'm always so inspired by theater that I get to see. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:36] That sounds wonderful. Is there anything else that you'd like to share? Jessica Huang: [00:38:40] No, I don't think so. I just thanks so much for having me and come check out the show. I think you'll enjoy it. There's something for everyone. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:48] Yeah. I'm so excited to see the show. Is there like a Chinese Cuban love story with the Miami portion? Oh, that's so awesome. This is an aside, but I'm a filmmaker and I've been working on a documentary about, Chinese people in Cuba and there's like this whole history of Chinese Cubans in Cuba too. Jessica Huang: [00:39:07] Oh, that's wonderful. In this story, it's a person who's a descendant of, a love story between a Chinese person and a Mexican man, a Chinese woman and a Mexican man, and oh, their descendant. Then also, there's a love story between him and a Cuban woman. Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:39:25] That's awesome. Wow. I'm very excited to see it in all the different intergenerational layers and tonal shifts. I can't wait to see how it all comes together. Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:39:34] Next up we are back with Miko Lee, who is now speaking with photographer Joyce Xi about her latest exhibition entitled Our Language, our Story Running Through January in San Francisco at Galleria de Raza. Miko Lee: [00:39:48] Welcome, Joyce Xi to Apex Express. Joyce Xi: [00:39:52] Thanks for having me. Miko Lee: [00:39:53] Yes. I'm, I wanna start by asking you a question I ask most of my guests, and this is based on the great poet Shaka Hodges. It's an adaptation of her question, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Joyce Xi: [00:40:09] My people are artists, free spirits, people who wanna see a more free and just, and beautiful world. I'm Chinese American. A lot of my work has been in the Asian American community with all kinds of different people who dreaming of something better and trying to make the world a better place and doing so with creativity and with positive and good energy. Miko Lee: [00:40:39] I love it. And what legacy do you carry with you? Joyce Xi: [00:40:43] I am a fighter. I feel like just people who have been fighting for a better world. Photography wise, like definitely thinking about Corky Lee who is an Asian American photographer and activist. There's been people who have done it before me. There will be people who do it after me, but I wanna do my version of it here. Miko Lee: [00:41:03] Thank you so much and for lifting up the great Corky Lee who has been such a big influence on all of us. I'm wondering in that vein, can you talk a little bit about how you use photography as a tool for social change? Joyce Xi: [00:41:17] Yeah. Photography I feel is a very powerful tool for social change. Photography is one of those mediums where it's emotional, it's raw, it's real. It's a way to see and show and feel like important moments, important stories, important emotions. I try to use it as a way to share. Truths and stories about issues that are important, things that people experience, whether it's, advocating for environmental justice or language justice or just like some of them, just to highlight some of the struggles and challenges people experience as well as the joys and the celebrations and just the nuance of people's lives. I feel like photography is a really powerful medium to show that. And I love photography in particular because it's really like a frozen moment. I think what's so great about photography is that. It's that moment, it's that one feeling, that one expression, and it's kind of like frozen in time. So you can really, sit there and ponder about what's in this person's eyes or what's this person trying to say? Or. What does this person's struggle like? You can just see it through their expressions and their emotions and also it's a great way to document. There's so many things that we all do as advocates, as activists, whether it's protesting or whether it's just supporting people who are dealing with something. You have that moment recorded. Can really help us remember those fights and those moments. You can show people what happened. Photography is endlessly powerful. I really believe in it as a tool and a medium for influencing the world in positive ways. Miko Lee: [00:43:08] I'd love us to shift and talk about your latest work, Our language, Our story.” Can you tell us a little bit about where this came from? Joyce Xi: [00:43:15] Sure. I was in conversation with Nikita Kumar, who was at the Asian Law Caucus at the time. We were just chatting about art and activism and how photography could be a powerful medium to use to advocate or tell stories about different things. Nikita was talking to me about how a lot of language access work that's being done by organizations that work in immigrant communities can often be a topic that is very jargon filled or very kind of like niche or wonky policy, legal and maybe at times isn't the thing that people really get in the streets about or get really emotionally energized around. It's one of those issues that's so important to everything. Especially since in many immigrant communities, people do not speak English and every single day, every single issue. All these issues that these organizations advocate around. Like housing rights, workers' rights, voting rights, immigration, et cetera, without language, those rights and resources are very hard to understand and even hard to access at all. So, Nik and I were talking about language is so important, it's one of those issues too remind people about the core importance of it. What does it feel like when you don't have access to your language? What does it feel like and look like when you do, when you can celebrate with your community and communicate freely and live your life just as who you are versus when you can't even figure out how to say what you wanna say because there's a language barrier. Miko Lee: [00:44:55] Joyce can you just for our audience, break down what language access means? What does it mean to you and why is it important for everybody? Joyce Xi: [00:45:05] Language access is about being able to navigate the world in your language, in the way that you understand and communicate in your life. In advocacy spaces, what it can look like is, we need to have resources and we need to have interpretation in different languages so that people can understand what's being talked about or understand what resources are available or understand what's on the ballot. So they can really experience their life to the fullest. Each of us has our languages that we're comfortable with and it's really our way of expressing everything that's important to us and understanding everything that's important to us. When that language is not available, it's very hard to navigate the world. On the policy front, there's so many ways just having resources in different languages, having interpretation in different spaces, making sure that everybody who is involved in this society can do what they need to do and can understand the decisions that are being made. That affects them and also that they can affect the decisions that affect them. Miko Lee: [00:46:19] I think a lot of immigrant kids just grow up being like the de facto translator for their parents. Which can be things like medical terminology and legal terms, which they might not be familiar with. And so language asks about providing opportunities for everybody to have equal understanding of what's going on. And so can you talk a little bit about your gallery show? So you and Nikita dreamed up this vision for making language access more accessible and more story based, and then what happened? Joyce Xi: [00:46:50] We decided to express this through a series of photo stories. Focusing on individual stories from a variety of different language backgrounds and immigration backgrounds and just different communities all across the Bay Area. And really just have people share from the heart, what does language mean to them? What does it affect in their lives? Both when one has access to the language, like for example, in their own community, when they can speak freely and understand and just share everything that's on their heart. And what does it look like when that's not available? When maybe you're out in the streets and you're trying to like talk to the bus driver and you can't even communicate with each other. How does that feel? What does that look like? So we collected all these stories from many different community members across different languages and asked them a series of questions and took photos of them in their day-to-day lives, in family gatherings, at community meetings, at rallies, at home, in the streets, all over the place, wherever people were like Halloween or Ramadan or graduations, or just day-to-day life. Through the quotes that we got from the interviews, as well as the photos that I took to illustrate their stories, we put them together as photo stories for each person. Those are now on display at Galleria Deza in San Francisco. We have over 20 different stories in over 10 different languages. The people in the project spoke like over 15 different languages. Some people used multiple languages and some spoke English, many did not. We had folks who had immigrated recently, folks who had immigrated a while ago. We had children of immigrants talking about their experiences being that bridge as you talked about, navigating translating for their parents and being in this tough spot of growing up really quickly, we just have this kind of tapestry of different stories and, definitely encourage folks to check out the photos but also to read through each person's stories. Everybody has a story that's very special and that is from the heart Miko Lee: [00:49:00] sounds fun. I can't wait to see it in person. Can you share a little bit about how you selected the participants? Joyce Xi: [00:49:07] Yeah, selecting the participants was an organic process. I'm a photographer who's trying to honor relationships and not like parachute in. We wanted to build relationships and work with people who felt comfortable sharing their stories, who really wanted to be a part of it, and who are connected in some kind of a way where it didn't feel like completely out of context. So what that meant was that myself and also the Asian Law Caucus we have connections in the community to different organizations who work in different immigrant communities. So we reached out to people that we knew who were doing good work and just say Hey, do you have any community members who would be interested in participating in this project who could share their stories. Then through following these threads we were able to connect with many different organizations who brought either members or community folks who they're connected with to the project. Some of them came through like friends. Another one was like, oh, I've worked with these people before, maybe you can talk to them. One of them I met through a World Refugee Day event. It came through a lot of different relationships and reaching out. We really wanted folks who wanted to share a piece of their life. A lot of folks who really felt like language access and language barriers were a big challenge in their life, and they wanted to talk about it. We were able to gather a really great group together. Miko Lee: [00:50:33] Can you share how opening night went? How did you navigate showcasing and highlighting the diversity of the languages in one space? Joyce Xi: [00:50:43] The opening of the exhibit was a really special event. We invited everybody who was part of the project as well as their communities, and we also invited like friends, community and different organizations to come. We really wanted to create a space where we could feel and see what language access and some of the challenges of language access can be all in one space. We had about 10 different languages at least going on at the same time. Some of them we had interpretation through headsets. Some of them we just, it was like fewer people. So people huddled together and just interpreted for the community members. A lot of these organizations that we partnered with, they brought their folks out. So their members, their community members, their friends and then. It was really special because a lot of the people whose photos are on the walls were there, so they invited their friends and family. It was really fun for them to see their photos on the wall. And also I think for all of our different communities, like we can end up really siloed or just like with who we're comfortable with most of the time, especially if we can't communicate very well with each other with language barriers. For everybody to be in the same space and to hear so many languages being used in the same space and for people to be around people maybe that they're not used to being around every day. And yet through everybody's stories, they share a lot of common experiences. Like so many of the stories were related to each other. People talked about being parents, people talked about going to the doctor or taking the bus, like having challenges at the workplace or just what it's like to celebrate your own culture and heritage and language and what the importance of preserving languages. There are so many common threads and. Maybe a lot of people are not used to seeing each other or communicating with each other on a daily basis. So just to have everyone in one space was so special. We had performances, we had food, we had elders, children. There was a huge different range of people and it was just like, it was just cool to see everyone in the same space. It was special. Miko Lee: [00:52:51] And finally, for folks that get to go to Galleria de la Raza in San Francisco and see the exhibit, what do you want them to walk away with? Joyce Xi: [00:53:00] I would love for people to walk away just like in a reflective state. You know how to really think about how. Language is so important to everything that we do and through all these stories to really see how so many different immigrant and refugee community members are making it work. And also deal with different barriers and how it affects them, how it affects just really simple human things in life that maybe some of us take for granted, on a daily basis. And just to have more compassion, more understanding. Ultimately, we wanna see our city, our bay area, our country really respecting people and their language and their dignity through language access and through just supporting and uplifting our immigrant communities in general. It's a such a tough time right now. There's so many attacks on our immigrant communities and people are scared and there's a lot of dehumanizing actions and narratives out there. This is, hopefully something completely different than that. Something that uplifts celebrates, honors and really sees our immigrant communities and hopefully people can just feel that feeling of like, oh, okay, we can do better. Everybody has a story. Everybody deserves to be treated with dignity and all the people in these stories are really amazing human beings. It was just an honor for me to even be a part of their story. I hope people can feel some piece of that. Miko Lee: [00:54:50] Thank you so much, Joyce, for sharing your vision with us, and I hope everybody gets a chance to go out and see your work. Joyce Xi: [00:54:57] Thank you. Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:55:00] Thanks so much for tuning in to Apex Express. Please check out our website at kpfa.org/program/apexexpress to find out more about the guests tonight and find out how you can take direct action. Apex Express is a proud member of Asian Americans for civil rights and equality. Find out more at aacre.org. That's AACRE.org. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating, and sharing your visions with the world. Your voices are important. Apex Express is produced by Miko Lee, Jalena Keene-Lee, Ayame Keene-Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar, Anuj Vaida, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Nina Phillips & Swati Rayasam. Thank you so much to the team at KPFA for their support and have a good night. The post APEX Express – 11.20.25 – Artist to Artist appeared first on KPFA.
- Headlines and Thursdays with SOFTY. When Softy joins the show, everything is on the table! From KJR sleepovers to re-signing Josh Naylor; that's how things start! Is it enough if the only moves the Mariners make this offseason are bringing back Naylor, Suarez and/or Polanco? The Dawgs head to the Rose Bowl to face UCLA on Saturday- can they figure out what they're doing on the road? When Sark says he's not going anywhere, does Softy believe him? :30- Steve Sarkisian is sick of the rumors that he's leaving Texas and he set the record straight. Do we believe him? :35- It's fact or fiction time and Bucky REALLY likes one game this week! :45- When Jerry joined us yesterday, he gave us some insight into which top prospects might play a prominent role on the 2026 Mariners team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For episode 268 of Yapping Yankees, I yap all about the Yankees early offseason rumor mill & options, most notably the Japanese players in Murakami, Okamoto & Imai, recent Yankees news in Grisham's qualifying offer & bringing Hill back, and every 2025 MLB award winner, especially Judge with his 3rd MVP!
Chrome NBA is officially back — and MJ's coating debate is suddenly relevant again.Topps Chrome NBA returns after 16 years and the hobby is buzzing. Plus, a new MJ Finest sale has reignited the great coating debate. We break down Murakami's posting, a 1,000-pack Topps giveaway, Debut Patch previews, Trout's dip, and Skenes' surge — plus the wildest Opening Rip we've had in months.Because every card has a story.Topics:Final U.S. penny trading cardCody Rhodes chase promoYamamoto's dramatic photo cardMJ coating debateMurakami postedTopps 1,000 pack giveawayDebut Patch previewChrme NBA returnsBuy-low Trout?Skenes' market spikeStory Links (all URLs): https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1282458560590145&id=100064780388234 https://www.facebook.com/reel/1514910322873158 https://www.instagram.com/p/DQkS7U0kjgT/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ9fdIFgNZK/ https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1395293088622105&id=100044242815620 https://www.si.com/collectibles/topps-is-giving-away-1-000-packs-of-cards-to-one-lucky-collector https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ7udFOEh91/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ65_TDjllG/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DQmTs6KErPv/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DRAs5HCkm_E/#TalkingShopPodcast #SportsCards #CardCollecting
On this week's Hot Sheet Show, J.J. Cooper, Geoff Pontes, Jesús Cano and Scott Braun discuss scouting reports for star Japanese players being posted to MLB, including Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto and Tatsuya Imai.Later, we talk about the Pirates Top 10 Prospects that debuted Monday and some Arizona Fall League players who have stood out this season in the desert.We stream the Hot Sheet Show every Monday at 3:30 p.m. ET on YouTube.Time Stamps(0:00) Introduction (1:05) How will Munetaka Murakami translate to MLB? (4:10) Murakami's potential swing issues (6:00) Scouting Kazuma Okamoto (8:50) How much money will Tatsuya Imai will get? (14:30) Pirates Top 10 prospects for 2026: Depth behind Konnor Griffin & Termarr Johnson (22:45) Max Anderson's great AFL season (24:30) The return of Daniel Espino (26:00) More AFL pitchers who have stood outOur Sponsors:* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com* Check out Uncommon Goods: https://uncommongoods.com/ba2022Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/baseball-america/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
(Episode 221): Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz have officially opted out of their contracts! Will they return to Queens? Who is the bigger priority?... Munetaka Murakami has been posted! Could he replace Pete at 1B or is someone else in David Stearns plans? Plus, are the New York Mets in need of a "culture shift" in the clubhouse? Subway To Shea's Anthony Rivera discusses all that and more!____________________________________________Follow on X, Instagram, & Tik Tok: @SubwayToSheaSubscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@subwaytoshea
We cover the top 8 stories of the week in the Ocho. 1. Seahawks vs Cardinals 2. Week 10 got underway last night… kind of 3. Week 11 of CFB kicks off tomorrow 4. Dawgs at Badgers 5. UW Men get win #2 6. Sounders head to Minnesota for a winner-take-all-game 3 7. The Stove is here! 8. Kraken in St Louis :30- DUSTIN NICKERSON is back in town and came into studio to catch up! He's opening for Nate Bargatze at CPA tonight and making us laugh with his stories. :45- It's time for a preview of the Big Ten matchups this weekend and our fantasy pickups See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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