Podcasts about Okamoto

For the first regular episode of the year (excepting our New Year's recap) we take a look at the New Year Traditions at Temmu's court.  How did the court celebrate the New Year in the late 7th century? For more, check out our blogpost:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-141 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 141: Temmu's New Year's Traditions   The chill winter air meant that most of the assembled crowd had donned multiple layers of robes.  Men and women had assembled together, upon the open, rock-covered courtyard, both to see and be seen.  To the north and east of the courtyard were the walls and gates of the buildings that made up the royal palace, the rooves of the buildings just visible beyond the gates. The onlookers stood arrayed around the open lanes that had been created for the event—at one end of the rocky field were targets, while at the other were archers, also arrayed in their finest outfits.  While technically they wore hunting robes, cut to allow greater movement in the arm, many of these fabrics had no business being anywhere near a moor or the dirt of open fields.  After all, this wasn't just some hunt:  They were demonstrating their skills in the center of the State.  At the officials' command, the archers let loose their arrows.  The crowd murmured at the soft crack of the bowstring, the faint whisper of arrow as the fletchings cut through the air, and the thud as the arrows struck their targets.  Looking downrange, approval bubbled through the crowd: the targets were well-struck.  Behind the archers on the field, another group awaited their turn. The events of the day would be the talk of the court, from the lowest clerk to the highest prince , for days to come.   Not just the well-placed shot, but also the grace and poise of the one who had let loose an arrow of particular note.  And heaven forbid an arrow miss its target.  Even kicking up stones or scraping the earth could have negative social consequences.  A particularly good showing could inspire poetry, and beyond the prizes being offered to the winner, could also bring notice to those from more obscure backgrounds. The new year had just started, and a good performance might be just what was needed to help put the rest of the year on a good footing.     Welcome back!  This is the first episode of the new year, 2026, and we are still going through the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tenno, covering the period from 672 to 686. Before we get started, though, a quick shout out to Suzuki for supporting us on Patreon.  It means a lot and helps us keep this thing going.  If you would like to support us or our efforts to maintain the website, where we also have the Armor manual, clothing, and a miscellany on various topics, we have information at Sengokudaimyo.com and we will have more information at the end of this and every episode.  Support is appreciated as I really do want to try and minimize ads—I don't put any into the podcast myself, though some platforms may place ads around the podcast, which I cannot always control.  Now we've covered a lot this reign, but this episode we are going to cover three things in particular.  First off, and perhaps a bit of a tangent, we'll talk about some of the issues with the Chronicles when it comes to reading it,especially in translation.  It seems quite clear to me that even the sources that the Chroniclers were using weren't always in agreement with each other on how they spelled certain things or even in properly recording when things happened. After that we'll cover the major topics of this episode, focusing primarily on the New Year traditions of the court—we'll look at the major events of the first month for each year in the reign, allowing us to see some of the similarities, and differences. Finally, we'll look at the last year of Ohoama's reign, particularly as he grew ill, because it can be a fascinating question:  What did people do when disease struck before we had modern medicine?  Here the Chronicles reveal a lot about not only the beliefs of the time, but of their syncretism: how people were willing to reach out to whatever power they could in order to cure disease.  Whether it was Yin-yang divination, beseeching the local kami, or attempting to make merit, all of these things were on the table when it came to illness and mortality. And so, let's get into it. One of the first things I want to talk about is the problem that we have in trying to read the Chronicles, both in the way they are written and then the translation issue on top of that.  Even in Japanese the Chronicles have to be translated out of an ancient form of kanbun—basically a Japanese version of Chinese, using Sinitic characters.  Like any document written by non-native speakers, the Chronicles have their idiosyncrasies that make it different from what someone in Chang'an might be writing at the same time.  There are times and places where it is clear that something is meant to be read in the Japanese pronunciation, which itself was different from modern Japanese.  Add to this the fact that there are many times that different Sinitic characters sound alike in Japanese—especially in modern Japanese.  So any English translation of the Chronicles which doesn't give the actual characters in the source text can add to the confusion.  This is why I like to consult either the Japanese Historical Text Initiative or an electronic version of the National History series text—though even those have issues at times when the characters used in the text don't exist in modern character sets, though that seems to be less and less of a problem. One example I want to give of the complexities of reading the Chronicles, and the need to dive deeper into the original language and consult multiple versions, is a set of records for Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others.  He is our first mention of a member of the Ki family: on the 9th day of the 8th month of 673, the first year since Ohoama's ascension and one year after the Jinshin no Ran, we are told that Ki no Omi no Abemaro and others were given favors and rewards for their service during the war in Iga province.  Indeed, Ki no Omi no Abemaro is listed prominently in the records of the Jinshin no Ran and appears to have been one of the generals for Ohoama and the Yoshino faction in general.  Less than a year later, on the 28th day of the 2nd month, Ki no Omi no Abemaro died and was posthumously awarded the rank of Daishi, which was 5th from the top in the old system of 26 ranks.  A rather respectable rank, to be sure. Later that same year we get a note that Ki no Omi no KATAmaro—another member of the family, apparently--was appointed, along with a "Prince Mino" as a commissioner for the erection of the Great Temple of Takechi. Two years later, however, we get a record on the 22nd day of the 4th month of 676 that the sovereign, Ohoama, sent an order to the Governor of Mino telling him to let the children of Ki no Omi no Abemaro, resident in the district of Toki, be removed to the East country and become peasants in that country.  On the face of it, this appears to be an incredible fall from grace.  Ki no Omi no Abemaro is basically one of the top generals and heroes of the Jinshin no Ran, but his children are so unruly that they are banished to the East and stripped of their noble status?  There has to be a story there, right? Then in 679, on the 3rd day of the 2nd month, we are told that Ki no Omi no Katamaro died.  For his service in the Jinshin War he received the posthumous rank of Upper Daikin.  That would have been roughly the 7th rank—two below Ki no Abemaro.  So was the Ki family back in the good graces of the court?  What is going on? First off, when we go to the original text, we see that Aston, whose translation of the Nihon Shoki we've been working on Ihas made an apparent error in translation.  Remember, Aston was translating the Chronicles back in 1896, without the aid of modern computers, along with a lot of other research that has happened since then, and I can hardly fault him for missing things here and there.  This is why, if you cannot check the original, you may want to also look at the new translation from John Bentley.  Here we can see that he translates the name not as "Ki no Omi no Abemaro", but rather that of "Ki no Omi no KASAmaro".  And if we compare Ki no Omi no KaSAmaro with the previous entry on Ki no Omi no KaTAmaro we can see that these are actually the exact same names except for a single character.  Which leads us to the question:  Are these the same person, and the scribes simply miswrote one of the characters in the name?  It may not even be on the Chroniclers so much as whatever texts they were, themselves, working on.  This isn't helped by the fact that we later on see another entry for Ki no KATAmaro, but that one uses character for "KATA", meaning "hard", using the kun'yomi, or Japanese reading, rather than using two phonetic characters in the on'yomi reading.  So is this just another way to write "KATAmaro" or is this a different person altogether? Ultimately, we cannot be entirely sure.  It does seem wild that there would be two "Ki no Omi no Katamaro" at court at the same time and nobody otherwise distinguished the two.  The question about KaSAmaro and KaTAmaro, and whose kids were sent into exile, is a bit harder to untangle. And, truth be told, it is ultimately a minor point.  We have only a couple of lines here, and maybe these passages will help illuminate something later in the histories, but for now, they are just fragments of the story of what was happening.  Parts of the tattered tapestry from which the royal history was ripped out and restitched together, the rest of the story largely discarded, unless it made its way to us through other means. The Chronicles may be flawed, but they are still our main source for the period, and while we might challenge individual items, we still get a glimpse at how things operated back at this time.  For instance, if we look at the events happening around the New Year, we can see some common threads. The New Year is an important tradition in many cultures.  Whether it was a solar or lunar cycle—or some combination—the new year indicated a new cycle, and was often accompanied by associated symbols and rituals.  Today in the US it is often celebrated with fireworks and champagne, followed by making resolutions for the new year.  In Japan, people will often go to their local shrine or temple for an important first visit, and temple bells will ring out 108 times. Another tradition is the osechi-ryori, the  traditional new years foods.  This has grown over time from a tradition of eating a large bowl of rice to various other foods that are seen as auspicious or having special properties, such as the hardening of teeth—a major concern before the era of modern dental hygiene!  Then there are traditions such as the Kagami Biraki, or opening of the mirror, and the creation of special mochi, or rice cakes for the purpose.  Of course all of these traditions started somewhere and have evolved over time, so what do we know about the New Year celebrations during the late 7th century? One caveat: in the Chronicles, we only really see what was happening in the court, and the Yamato court at that.  There may have been local traditions that others were following that, unless we find documentation about them, we likely would never know.  But many of the court traditions were passed down to later generations. These traditions appear to include the giving of gifts; large, celebratory banquets; and the annual archery tournament. Banquets are some of the first and most common things we see.  We see a banquet as Ohoama assumed the throne in 673—which probably was the event that overshadowed anything else they might have done that year.  The following year, 674, there doesn't seem to have been much recorded, and I wonder if they were still pulling everything together after the turmoil of Ohoama's ascension.  And so it is that in the first month of 675 we really get to see the annual new year's events in their full form.  On the second day of that year, from the Royal Princes on down, all of the public functionaries presented their respects to the sovereign.  I suspect that this was a large ceremony, where everyone gathered in the courtyard of the palace together or something similar, not that each person individually went up and presented their respects—I doubt Ohoama would have wanted to sit through all of that.  Also, as we've already seen, there were limits on what parts of the palace different functionaries were allowed to enter.  So some of these well-wishers may have been "outside", others in the courtyard, and others in the palace building itself, depending on their rank and importance in the bureaucratic hierarchy. On the following day, all public functionaries, from the initial rank upwards, presented firewood.  Aston notes that this is the first mention of what would become a yearly practice.  Firewood may not seem like much, but it would have likely been important to keeping things running, especially given how early people were supposed to arrive at the palace and administrative complex each day.  This wasn't firewood for a fireplace—they didn't have those—but probably would have been used either for cooking or, I suspect, for the large braziers that burned with wood and pitch to light the darkness, particularly in the winter months.  Firewood could also be processed into smaller pieces of coal for other uses.  It is interesting that for the first ceremony, the Chronicles describe the court from the Royal Princes on down, while for the giving of firewood the order is from the initial—which is to say the lowest—ranks upwards.  This could indicate the order in which things progressed in these cases. Several days after that, on the 7th day of the first month, a banquet was given at court for the Ministers—so only the higher ranking functionaries.  But ten days later, on the 17th, everyone of rank—the Ministers of State; the Daibu, or high officials; and all of the public functionaries from the initial rank upwards had an archery meeting in the Court of the Western Gate. Archery and archery contests had been important to the Yamato people for ages—and the same on the continent.  Confucius, in his day, suggested that archery was a martial skill that even nobles should cultivate.  I believe we've noted before how archery could be used both for warfare and for just feeding your family.  As such, it was considered a particularly useful skill for just about everyone to have.  It probably also helped that it was a martial skill that noblemen and others could use to show off without actually risking any injury to themselves in the process.  I'm just saying.  And as we described at the top of the episode, this particular archery contest would, for both participants and spectators, likely have been a chance to show off the top of their game, whether in martial prowess, clothing, or behavior. And since we are looking at the new year's celebrations, let's keep this going and look at later years in Ohoama's reign. As I go through these you'll start to see the patterns, where the events I've just described will generally recur year after year, but not identically, sometimes with a shuffle in the schedule. In 676, we see that the Ministers and public functionaries pay their respects on the first day of the new year.  On the 4th day, the sovereign granted gifts to the higher level officials, from Royal Prince Takechi, down to the high officials, or Daibu, of Shoukin rank.  Their not so secret Santa gifts included robes, hakama, lined garments, obi for their waist, leg straps, and staves, or walking sticks.  We are also told that everyone above the rank of Shoukin also got an armrest thrown in, as well.  Further gifts or grants were given out several days later, on the 7th, to everyone from Shoukin on up, based on their individual circumstances.  Then, on the 15th, we again see all of the functionaries present firewood and then they were all entertained at a court banquet. The following day they held the annual new year's archery contest, with prizes, at the court of the western gate.  Those who hit the target received prizes of different values.  In his recent translation of the Nihon Shoki, Bentley references Kuroita on Article 41 of Miscellaneous Statutes, saying that this archery event was apparently a regular new year's occurrence, and even the prizes were noted as varying over time. The same day they held the archery contest, that year, Ohoama held a banquet at the Shima Palace.  Shima was the name given to the Soga Prime Minister, back in the day, so I assume that this was at or near the site of the old Soga residence? In 677, by comparison, we don't see nearly as much referenced.  There is archery at the South Gate, vice the west gate, but that is it.  The festivities in 678 similarly only talk about the archery at the south gate.  There is also mention of a preparation for worshipping the kami of heaven and earth, for which a purification was held throughout the state.  In addition, an abstinence palace, or saiguu, was erected on the bank of the Kurahashi river.  Kurahashi appears to refer to a tributary of the Ohara river, in Sakurai.  This feels less like a New Year's celebration, however, and more like a sign of merit-making.  The Saiguu would have likely been to prepare for a trip to Ise shrine, and three months later Ohoama was preparing to go to the Saiguu, but that is when Princess Towochi suddenly died, and they scuttled the plans. In 679, the court greeted the New Year with a new decree.  Ohoama declared that Princes, Ministers, and public functionaries—anyone in service to the government, basically, were to refrain from paying respects during New Years or other ceremonies to anyone except relatives of the grade of elder brother, elder sister, and above, or to the senior members of the Houses.  Princes weren't even to pay respects to their own mothers unless they were, themselves, princesses.  Ministers were likewise not to pay respects to their mothers if they were of "mean" rank.  In other words, if they were commoners. These kinds of statutes are interesting.  First of all, you ask yourself why?  In all likelihood, there were various local traditions and individuals paid respects to their parents as well as to others to whom they owed respect for one reason or another.  Here the State is ordering society such that there is a clear hierarchy, at least among the members of the court.   Since women often found advancement by marrying up, it was usual for one's mother to have been born a lower rank in society than oneself.  And so we see them enforcing the social order. That new order was based on Confucian concepts of hierarchy, and this seems to go along with those same ideas. What we don't really see is how this was enforced—if at all.  The day after that, the yearly archery competition took place at the West Gate of the palace. The next year, 680, we see a New Year's Banquet at the Court of the Great Hall.  Ohoama himself occupied the Mukai-kodono, which appears to refer to one of the smaller wings.  Based on the palace layout that we see in the posthole remains, this probably means that he was set up in the smaller wing, likely in a more intimate space, while most of the other guests were in the large hall, maintaining that crucial separation of sovereign and subjects. This New Year's archery event included Princes of the Blood all the way down to the rank of Shouken—the very lowest rank in the court—and it was held at the South Gate. You may be noticing a pattern, that the archery competition is listed as being held at either the south or west gates.  The south gate probably refers to the main gate of the later Okamoto—aka the Kiyomihara—palace.  The West gate refers to the west gate of the Ebinoko enclosure.   We talked about these and the general layout of the palace back in Episode 134, and you can check out that podcast blog post for some images of what things looked like, as well.  These gates were on the north and east sides of a large, rectangular courtyard, which was likely the actual event location.  So it isn't as if these were separate areas, just a difference of where things were set up in what was otherwise the same relative space. The following year, 681, we see similar ceremonies.  We see offerings made to the kami of Heaven and Earth, and we once again see a note about various functionaries paying their respects at court.  Even though this wasn't mentioned every year, it could have been an annual thing and just wasn't always recorded so the Chroniclers just wrote down what they had records for.  There are certainly other things we don't necessarily witness in the records, such as the annual promotions and promulgations.  We see irregular promotions, of course, such as on someone's passing, but the regular administration of the government and promotions of people to new positions is not something we really see regularly documented, since it doesn't really shed much light on the sovereign and the royal household.  And so we sometimes see things if they get mentioned, but otherwise we only see glimpses.  That would change as records became more administrative and the histories were more about simply recording what was happening—though still from a particular angle.  At this point, however, we aren't dealing with a single court record, but rather with numerous records, stories, and recollections.  That same year, 681, we also see another banquet, with Ohoama situated in the Mukai no Kodono, while the Princes of the Blood and non-royal Princes were both introduced into the inner reception chamber.  Ministers attended in the outer reception chamber.  They all received sake and musical performances, and rank advancements were given out.  Kusakabe no Kihi no Ohogata was graduated from the rank of Upper Daisen to Lower Daikin, and given the title of Naniwa no Muraji.  A few days later, Sakahibe no Muraji no Iwazumi was granted a fief with 60 horses and received presents of coarse silk, floss silk, cloth, and one hundred mattocks—the last one being a rather interesting gift, I have to admit.  Of course, in true Chronicles fashion, we have no idea why these gifts were made—we don't even have another reference to Iwazumi around there, but he must have done something. We are later told that there was the annual archery shoot, and then a decree, possibly unrelated to New Years, that the various provinces were ordered to repair the shrines to the kami of heaven and earth. The year 682 is an anomaly.  There is no mention of a banquet, nor of an archery tournament.  I wonder if this may have to do with some of the sad events of that first month.  While it started fine—Toneri no Miyatsuko no Nukamushi was raised from Daisen to Lower Shoukin—we are told that on the 18th, Lady Higami, one of Ohoama's consorts, died in the palace.  The next day there was an earthquake, and she was buried on the 27th.  A prominent illness and death may have put a pall on the ceremonies, and could explain why we don't see any mention of them for that year. It is also possible that some of this New Year tradition had become so routine that people were no longer commenting on it, and therefore the Chroniclers weren't including references to it. The following year, in 683, we again see the functionaries paying their respects.  We also see the presentation of a three legged sparrow by the Viceroy of Tsukushi, Tajihi no Mabito no Shima, along with others.  A three legged sparrow would have been something: it is reminiscent of the three legged crow, often depicted in the sun.  It is unclear if it was still alive, but that wasn't the point.  They invited the Princes of the Blood down to the Ministers to great hall, the Daigokuden, for a banquet, where the three legged sparrow was displayed. .  Later that month, Ohoama issued a decree in regards to all of the auspicious omens and made presents to everyone, from Shouken rank upwards.  There was also a general amnesty—all crimes were pardoned, from capital offenses on down, and all forced labor was remitted, so that people didn't have to provide the normal service.  The phrasing for this particular entry is intriguing.  Ohoama is mentioned as Yamato Neko Sumera no Mikoto and is specifically called a "God Incarnate".  This is one of the rare times that we see the Chronicles explicitly call out the sovereign as a living deity.  Of course, they trace the royal lineage back to Amaterasu, but there isn't a lot suggesting that the sovereign is necessarily a deity. And in reality, this was probably something that was more honorific than anything else.  Heck, at times in Japanese history we would see sovereigns selling their calligraphy to help keep the royal palace funded while warriors went around actually being in charge of things.  However, this divine language did show up in the 19th and 20th century, especially as the Tennou, now called Emperor in English terminology, once again was recognized as the Head of State, and people would actually pray to him.  Not necessarily like praying at a shrine, but out of respect.  And remember, a lot of time the Tennou was kept out of sight of regular people and hidden, much like the way that the kami were treated.  The concept of the Emperor's divinity was very much tied up in the elevation of the State and the general sense of Nationalism that had gripped Japan in the early half of the 20th century.  And so the allies quite explicitly had Emperor Showa renounce his divinity after Japan  World War II. Those studying Japanese history have probably heard of this concept, and so it is interesting to see evidence of it here, as well as the nature of the royal house, where the sovereign is kept at a distance from those of lower rank, unless they are directly serving him.  But it was not as though the sovereign was a god in the sense of being all powerful.  Even if he were considered a living, visible kami, the kami were not omnipotent, and there was no getting over the fact that our particular sovereign, Ohoama, was getting older.  Only a year or so earlier, he had suffered a rather bad illness, so he clearly was not invincible.  And it is of course possible that this language was simply royal exaggeration, rather than any attempt to define the sovereign as something more than he was.  Still, that concept would continue to play a part throughout Japanese history. The same day in 683 that Ohoama issued the pardons, we are told that there was a special performance at the Woharida Court of dance and music from Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla—the "Three Countries" of the Korean peninsula, even if only one of them was still going strong.  The Woharida palace is thought to have been north, along the banks of the Asuka River.  It may have been moved over time—there appears to have been a palace in the Furumiya area, near Toyoura, but there is also evidence of a palace by a shared name over by Ikazuchi-no-oka, on the other side of the river.  Excavations at Ikazuchi no oka revealed pottery with the name of the palace, suggesting that this was the site, but even then, that pottery was from the later Tempyo era.  Regardless, it seems that the Asuka valley was just chock full of palaces, new and old, though the older ones were not as regularly used for government functions, one assumes. The following year, 684, we again get told about the annual archery shoot.  It took place in the Eastern court this time, with Ministers in attendance.  Apparently they had men skilled in archery shooting alongside palace attendants and little people—the word used in Japanese is "Shuju" or "Hikihito".  This word is often translated as "dwarf"; it appears to be a derogatory term for anyone considered short of stature, though it is also used to refer more generally to those seen as either lacking wit or to actors and performers. This isn't the first time we see the term.  Back in 675, about 9 years prior, Ohoama had sent orders to a number of regions near the capital, from Awaji to Tamba, to Afumi and to Mino and Wohari, among others, to send as tribute common people who could sing, shuju—or dwarfs—and jugglers.  More generally they seem to be referring to entertainers, and it strikes me that could be what is meant here.  Either way, the entertainment industry was hardly a lucrative one, and we can see that performers are almost more of a commodity, to be "paid" as tribute, rather than a professional who is "hired" to work.  I suspect that, as in many other times and places, individuals who were shorter than average often found work as entertainers in this sense—whether they wished it or not. The year 685 we don't see any mention of archery, though it probably still happened.  Instead the Chronicles focus on the various government officials paying their respects to their sovereign.  The rest of the entries for the month are largely concerned with changes to the rank system as of that year. The year 686, we get the last records of various new years festivals—four months later, the sovereign would grow terribly ill, and he would eventually pass away later that year.  However, for those still celebrating the new year in 686, that was all in the future. The last year of Ohoama's reign started out relatively like others. Ohoama went to the Daigokuden, the Great Hall of Audience, and gave a banquet to the Princes and High Officials.  There he decided to have something of a riddle challenge.  He would ask riddles, and then offer prizes for the correct answer. And no, unfortunately we don't have any of the riddles, at least that I have seen.  Aston calls these "conundrums" and notes that they are specifically nonsensical questions, and provides examples such as "Why does a horse, after a rapid run, listen to the earth? Why does a dog, when he goes slowly, raise his leg?"  Ohoama's son, Prince Takechi, answered correctly, and so did Prince Ise.  Their prizes differed in content, but in both cases were pretty extensive.  The winners received ceremonial robes, brocade or purple hakama, numerous bolts of coarse silk, many pounds of thread, hundreds of pounds of flossed Silk, and hundreds of bolts of cloth. I think that makes it quite a bit more lucrative than any of the quiz nights I've ever been to. Later that month, there was another banquet, this time for nine Buddhist monks of Daikan-daiji. Besides its status as a national temple, this may have also been related to the year before, when Ohoama had fallen ill, and prayers had been offered at Daikandaiji for his recovery.  The courthad likewise provided gifts to the temple in the last month of the previous year, and then, at the banquet, gave to the attending monks silk and cloth, based on their rank. But that wasn't the end of the gifts.  The following day the Princes and High Officials all received upper garments and hakama—likely referring to official garments—each getting one suit, each. Then, on the 13th day of the new year, the court invited 20 exceptional individuals to a banquet.  These were talented people, professors, divination specialists, and physicians.  They were also wined and dined and presented various gifts. On the 16th day, the Princes and High Officials were then invited to a banquet in the Daigokuden.  They were given gifts of silk and cloth, based on their rank.  Then they held another riddle competition, with correct answers rewarded with gifts of coarse and flossed silk. This was only a short time after disaster had struck, though a bit removed—two days earlier, in the evening, the royal storehouse at Naniwa had caught fire, eventually burning the entire Toyosaki palace complex to the ground.  Some claimed that it was actually started at a private residence,  that of Ato no Muraji no Kusuri, and then spread to the Palace.  In the end, only the military storehouse was spared. This would have been quite the tragedy for the government, but it did not halt the festivities happening down in Asuka.  The Naniwa Palace appears to have been a major government center for the administration of the state, but it was not the royal court which had been in Asuka for over a decade.  Indeed, I imagine that the news probably reached Asuka around the time of the Banquet itself. And yet, rather than putting a damper on the festivities, they continued another couple of days – presumably everything was already prepared and there was no point in canceling.  On the 17th, the court sponsored a banquet in the rear palace, presumably for the Queen and members of the imperial family.  Then the following day there was a great revel at the palace.  Ohoama took his place in front of the royal muro and made presents to performers, as well as to the singers.  As before everything varied according to rank. Asuka wasn't the only place to get in on the festivities.  The same month, the court also sponsored a banquet for the Silla envoys in Tsukushi, sending Prince Kawachi and others. Regrettably, that would be the last new year that Ohoama would see.  In the fifth month, he grew ill, and what we see in the Chronicles after that is an interesting look into how people of the time dealt with sickness. First, the court had the Sutra of Yakushi expounded at Kawaradera and held a Buddhist retreat in the palace, inviting monks to come and expound Buddhist teachings.  Yakushi, or Yakushi Nyorai—Bhaisajyaguru in Sanskrit—was known as the Medicine Buddha, and his name in Sinitic characters was basically "Master of Medicine".  It is said that he was responsible for the Eastern Pure Land, and that, as a Bodhisattva, he had made 12 great vows to cure the illnesses of all living beings in the world.  For that reason, Yakushi Nyorai was often called upon to cure illness.  In fact, six years earlier, when the Queen, Uno no Sarara Hime, had taken ill, Ohoama erected an entire temple to Yakushi Nyorai, known as Yakushiji.  He then had 100 people take vows as priests, and they attributed her recovery to this effort. In this case, however, it seems that it didn't have quite such an effect, and Ohoama remained under the weather.  We are also told that the court sent Palace Attendants, the Oho-toneri, to clean the pagodas of various temples and that a general amnesty was announced for all under heaven, emptying the prisons.  All of this points to the idea of making merit in the hope of bringing good karma, and thus healing. But the following month, Ohoama was still ill.  Divination was performed by the Onmyoji, the court diviners, and they claimed that there was a curse from Kusanagi, the sword that is considered one of the three main royal symbols.  This is the sword that was said to have been found by Susanowo in the tale of Yamata no Worochi, and which gained its name, Kusanagi, when used by Yamato Takeru, cutting down the grass to save him when his enemies tried to catch him by setting fire to the field where he was hunting.  For more on that, check out Episodes 34 and 35. Given the importance of Kusanagi, I suspect that the idea of destroying it to remove the curse was out of the question, and so it was sent to Atsuta Shrine, where it was enshrined and would largely stay except when needed for enthronement ceremonies.  And yet, even after the sword was taken away, the illness remained.  Six days later, on the 16th day of the 6th month, the court sent Prince Ise and officials to Asukadera and asked the monks there to make and oath with the Buddha to make Ohoama whole through the power of the Three Treasures of Buddhism.   For their work, the three Buddhist Officers, the Master of the Law, and the Upadhyaya and temple directors, as well as those monks with the rank of "master" each received a donation of one robe and one cover, or "Ohi". Three days later, the court ordered the hundred officials to go to Kawaradera and perfom the ceremony of lighting lanterns and giving offerings to Buddha.  Then they held a great feast and offered repentance for their transgressions.  All of this sounds like a continued attempt to make merit for the state, and thus for Ohoama. We then see the court granting the monks Hounin and Gishou 30 stipend-households to provide for them in their old age, which may be more merit-making, or possibly was related to some of the many other activities so far.  There are a few issues with this entry, and Aston and Bentley don't seem to agree on the actual date.  Bentley has it on the 28th, but that seems odd as it comes before the entry for the 22nd of the same month.  Aston has it as the 20th, but then claimes that there is something odd about the date of the 22nd. On the 22nd, we are simply told that the district kitchen of Nabari caught fire.  Aston notes that this would have been the official government arm in the district gathering food to supply the royal household—rather than being a kitchen in terms of a place to prepare food. Merit-making continued into the 7th month.  We see the Soujou and Soudzu, the primary and secondary prelates of the Asukadera, performing ritual repentance.  The following day there is another general amnesty, and Aston specifically mentions performing a Oho-harai, or cleansing. The day after taxes were halved from the provinces and corvee labor with local conscripted labor was exempted for the year.  Then we see the court presenting paper offerings to the Kunikasu Kami in Ki provinces, as well as the four shrines in Asuka and the Great Suminoe—aka Sumiyoshi—shrine. On the 8th day of the 7th month, 100 monks were invited to the court to read the Golden Light Sutra—Konkoymyou kyou.  And on the 15th there was another court issued amnesty. Despite all of these attempts to make merit and intercede with the Buddha or with various kami, Ohoama's illness continued.  We see that the court issued a decree that all things that should occur, great or small, should be reported to the queen and the crown prince—presumably because Ohoama was no longer in a state to be able to do so. Continuing with their efforts, the court declared that destitute commoners who had been forced to borrow rice seed or money before the 12th month of the previous year would be exempted from repayment.  And then the court changed the name of the year to Akami-tori, or Shuuchou.  They also renamed the palace in Asuka to "Kiyomihara"—again, go check Episode 134 for more on the palace.  "Shuuchou" is the Red Bird, likely referring to Suzaku, though Aston also points out that "Asuka" here is given as "flying bird", as well, and there had been numerous bird-related omens reported throughout the reign. Although these names would not have been used prior to this point—the 7th month of the final year of the reign—the Chroniclers applied the nengo, Shuuchou, to all of the entries for this year, and the name of the palace is often given as "Kiyomihara" is given to distinguish it from the Later Okamoto Palace, even though it was simply the latter palace with the addition of the Ebinoko enclosure. The changing of the era name was likely another attempt to change the seemingly inauspicious year, along with all of the merit-making that the court had been undergoing. And yet they kept going. The court selected 70 people who were diligent in keeping Buddhist laws and had them take the tonsure, and they sponsored a feast—or festival—in the Royal Muro of the Palace. At the same time the various princes had a statue of the Boddhisatva of Compassion, Kannon, made for the sovereign and had the Lotus sutra—the sutra where Kannon is first mentioned—read out at Daikandaiji. Kannon, or Avalokitesvara, was originally seen as a male Boddhisatva, but is often depicted as a woman.  They are also known as Guanyin, from which we get Kannon in Japanese.  Guanyin is also seen as Goddess of Mercy, and is one of the most popular figures across multiple sects of Buddhism and even outside of the Buddhist faith, where she is still seen as a goddess.  In this case, however, it seems clear that the princes were seeking compassion to relieve the sovereign of his affliction. And yet it persisted. They had 80 more people take the tonsure, and then 100 more men and women, placed 100 statues of the Boddhisatva, Kannon, in the palace, and then read out 200 volumes of the Lotus Sutra. And then they made prayers to the kami of Heaven and Earth.  And they dispatched Hata no Imiki no Iwakatsu to present paper offerings to the Tosa great shrine.  Nothing seemed to be working. In the 9th month, we see the royal princes and others, down to the various ministers, all gathered at Kawaradera making oaths for the health of the sovereigns.  This last ditch effort would go unrewarded.  Five days later, and Ohoama would pass away.  Of course, they couldn't just say that he died:  The Chronicles actually say that he divinely departed.  After all, didn't they call him an incarnate kami? Two days later, the court began the ritual of mourning, raising voices in lamentation, and setting up a temporary palace of interment in the courtyard, south of the palace.  Ohoama's body was placed there some thirteen days later, and people mourned his passing. For the rituals, we see monks and nuns performing ritual lamentation in the courtyard between 3 and 5 am, around the time that court officials would normally be waiting at the gates.  Over the next several days, various ceremonies were held and eulogies given.  We are told that the court presented offerings of food for the dead for the first time, and over the next several days monks and nuns would offer their laments and then various individuals would provide their eulogies.  Finally, on the last day of the ninth month, the eulogies concluded with Nyang-u, a Baekje prince, who pronounced a eulogy on behalf of his father, and then the Miyatsuko of various provinces came and did likewise.  There were also performances of all manner of singing and dancing. With that, the reign of Ohoama would come to an end.  The government would continue under his wife, the Queen, and Crown Prince.  We'll get into the succession in a later episode.  For now I'll just say that he was eventually buried in a large tomb in the modern Noguchi area of Asuka, and you can still go see it. And while that does bring us to the end of the reign, we still have a few more things that I want to discuss.   This episode just seemed a good time to talk about all of the various new years ceremonies, and that seemed to lead naturally into the very last year, but there is still more to discuss.  For one thing, we still haven't quite covered the spread of Buddhism and the changes in the structure.  There are also various laws and punishments that are worth covering.  Finally, there are the Chronicles themselves: we've talked about it all along, but the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki are attributed to this era, as is the start of what would become the capital of Fujiwara-kyo—many works that Ohoama would not live to see to the end, but is largely held responsible for starting. But until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

For episode 272 of Yapping Yankees, I yap all about how there have STILL been no bigger moves made in mid-January now, my frustration over Imai & Okamoto signing elsewhere, and all of the latest regarding Bellinger, Tucker, Peralta & Bichette, & whether or not we all see any of those happening at all at this point!

Join Tom (@tagates99), David (dgofman.bsky.social - in his PLive podcast debut!) and Greg (@greghoogkamp) as they lay out their New Year's resolutions for fantasy baseball, the Marlins/Cubs deal, Okamoto signing, news around Prospects Live and spent the majority of the episode on the dynasty outlooks for the Dodgers and Phillies.Dodgers players discussed: Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages, Max Muncy, Zyhir Hope, Eduardo Quintero, Josue De Paula, Mike Sirota, Landyn Vidourek, Emil Morales, Ryan Ward, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, Emmet Sheehan, River Ryan, Edwin Diaz, Tanner ScottPhillies players discussed: Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, JT Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Aidan Miller, Gabriel Rincones Jr., Felix Reyes, Dante Nori, Justin Crawford, Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Jhoan Duran, Andrew Painter, Gage Wood, Moises Chace, Yoniel Curet

New @InThisLeaguePod Fantasy Baseball Podcast with @BogmanSports and @IsItTheWelsh⚾ Third Base Ranks ⚾➡️ How deep is 3B this year?➡️ Can Caminero run it back?➡️ Maikel Garcia fits all team builds➡️ Okamoto vs MurakamiJoin up to be a member of the army and support your boys to create more and more fantasy Baseball content that not only wins your league, but makes you laugh! Redraft ranks, prospect/dynasty ranks, groupme rooms, live podcasts, and more! Find it all at inthisleague.comFollow the guys on Twitter @IsItTheWelsh  @BogmanSports

In our 122nd episode, Mike Couillard and Jeremy Brewer discuss the latest MLB transactions before diving into the newest baseball card release, 2025 Bowman Draft, hitting shelves on Jan. 14.You can find us on bluesky at @cardscategories.bsky.social, @mcouill7.bsky.social, and @jbrewer17.bsky.social. Email the pod at cardscategories@gmail.com.We have Cards & Categories swag for purchase here!Sign up here to get access to all of the Razzball tools to win your 2026 fantasy leagues!Links to things discussed in the pod:Cubs deal for Edward Cabrera, ship out Owen CaissiePrevious pod discussing NPB importsAstros land Tatsuya ImaiKazuma Okamoto to the Blue JaysGiants ink Tyler Mahle to one-year dealO's re-sign Zach EflinPete Fairbanks stays in Florida, signs with MarlinsKirby Yates joins the Angels bullpen pictureCubs add Hunter HarveyLogan Henderson's friends gift him Topps Now card for the hardest-hit ball that he gave upDesign for 2026 Topps Series 1 hobby box releasedUpcoming baseball card release schedule:1/6: 2025 Panini Select1/7: 2025 Topps Allen & Ginter X1/7: 2025 Topps Chrome Update Sapphire Edition1/14: 2025 Bowman Draft1/16: 2025 Topps Museum Collection2/11: 2025 Topps MLB MVP Collection2025 Bowman Draft (44:30) (link to related Razzball post)Beckett checklistChecklist Insider previewTopps Ripped coverage

Pirates reporter Jason Mackey from the PG joined the show. Jason reflected on the news of the PG, his main employer, ceasing to exist as of May 2026. Jason described yesterday as an ‘odd' day. Jason gave his quick thoughts on the Steelers-Texans matchup Monday night. Jason told us the Pirates were not close to signing Kazuma Okamoto, despite what many claimed on social media before or after the fact. He thinks Okamoto will be a pretty good MLB player. Is Eugenio Suarez still a realistic possibility at 3B? Jason doesn't see it if the contract approaches $20M/year.

Mike Tomlin spent some time praising the Texans' defense earlier this week. Are we as a collective sleeping on what Houston can bring on that side of the ball? The guys think the Steelers can hang around in this game, but not due to the doubts of that defense, but of the offense. CJ Stroud is a good QB, but hasn't taken the step to ‘great' just yet. The last 3 QBs that have beaten the Steelers in the playoffs have all won the MVP award. Stroud isn't that player yet. Is Demeco Ryans the mirror image matchup against Mike Tomlin? Is it a little bit of what Tomlin wishes he had? Pirates reporter Jason Mackey from the PG joined the show. Jason reflected on the news of the PG, his main employer, ceasing to exist as of May 2026. Jason described yesterday as an ‘odd' day. Jason gave his quick thoughts on the Steelers-Texans matchup Monday night. Jason told us the Pirates were not close to signing Kazuma Okamoto, despite what many claimed on social media before or after the fact. He thinks Okamoto will be a pretty good MLB player. Is Eugenio Suarez still a realistic possibility at 3B? Jason doesn't see it if the contract approaches $20M/year.

Guest: Former Blue Jays all-star slugger Justin Smoak This week in Deep Left Field, we find out about the Blue Jays' new free-agent acquisition, Kazuma Okamoto, from someone who played with him. Justin Smoak, a five-year Jay and an all-star in 2017, when he hit 38 home runs, played his final professional season in Japan in 2021 as a teammate of Okamoto's, and joins us to give his up-close-and-personal scouting report on the Jays' $60 million (US) man, as well as some memories of playing with 20-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. You'll also hear highlights of Okamoto's introductory news conference, where the six-time Japanese all-star talked about what brought him to Toronto and how he expects to contribute and also showed off his sneaky sense of humour. And, as always, we open up the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca to hear from you! Listen here or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at thestar.com/subscribe.

What can we expect from the newest member of the Blue Jays in Kazuma Okamoto? Former Yomiuri Giant - and former Blue Jays first baseman - Justin Smoak (1:14) stops by to chat with Sho Alli and Jesse Rubinoff on his one-time teammate, playing in Japan, and how he viewed a terrific run for the Jays in 2025. Afterwards, Sho and Jesse are joined by SiriusXM MLB Radio analyst and former MLB GM Jim Duquette (12:54) to discuss his recent X post regarding the pursuit of Kyle Tucker, what could be next for Bo Bichette, and where he sees next year's offseason going as well. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

First impressions matter, so how do you make yours count? Communication consultant Rebecca Okamoto outlines five simple ways to introduce yourself in 20 words or fewer, setting up any interview or conversation for those three crucial words: "Tell me more." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss Tatsuya Imai signing with Houston on a deal with multiple opt outs, Kazuma Okamoto landing a big deal and how he will fit on the Blue Jays' roster, the Pirates signing Ryan O'Hearn and if they will still acquire a huge free agent, and whether the Giants are good enough to compete.

Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning kick off Wednesday morning by recapping the Maple Leafs' 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers. They dive into the gravity of this victory, the impact of Florida's injuries, Auston Matthews' recent resurgence, and whether the team is leaning too heavily on Joseph Woll. After the break, they turn their attention to the Blue Jays' introductory press conference for Kazuma Okamoto. The boys look over his comments about signing in Toronto and discuss his fit as a super utility player, as well as Ross Atkins' remarks on pursuing additional free agents and how that could affect playing time. The guys also break down reports linking the Jays to Kyle Tucker, before closing the hour with a look at the Ravens' decision to fire John Harbaugh.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Ben Verlander is back with some big MLB news as NPB Stars Tatsuya Imai & Kazuma Okamoto sign with their respective MLB clubs: The Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are far away the best American League team despite the New York Yankees being the betting favorite. Ben also gives his Top 3 Wedding Requests for things he would like to see get done by the time he comes back from his honeymoon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the recent success of Japanese players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, teams throughout baseball have been clamoring to add stars from Japan to their rosters. The Houston Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays did just that by bringing in Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto, with hopes of having similar impacts on their game.On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jordan Shusterman is joined by guest host Eric Longenhagen from FanGraphs to talk about the two signings and how their skill sets might be adjusted to the major league level. They then check in on the Scott Boras Scoreboard to try to determine how the super agent did with his deal for Imai.Later, Jordan is joined by Astros beat writer Chandler Rome from The Athletic as they dig a little deeper into the Imai signing and try to figure out why he chose to go to Houston. They then talk about what the future might hold for the team after this signing and how, positionally, the Astros could be set up for the 2026 season. Jordan and Eric then discuss how recent events in Venezuela could impact baseball and talk about the fall of a top prospect.2:57 – Kazuma Okamoto to the Blue Jays19:11 – Tatsuya Imai to the Astros25:26 – Scott Boras Scoreboard update34:12 – Chandler Rome joins the show53:46 – Future of the Astros1:06:51 – Venezuela's impact on baseball1:17:46 – Jarred Kelenic signs with the White Sox Subscribe to Baseball Bar-B-Cast on your favorite podcast app:

From 'Play Tessie' (subscribe here): Gordo, Sammy, and Pat are all finally in the same time zone to discuss the shocking signing of Kazuma Okamoto to the Blue Jays. What does this do for Toronto and more importantly the Red Sox for the rest of the offseason? Then, even though they haven't made any signings, the Sox have added almost the same amount of players as the Jays, but one definitely feels better than the other. And, Alex Bregman seemingly has an "aggressive" offer from the Sox, but if that report is leaked from Boston's end then who knows how aggressive the offer really is. 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

MLB.com Blue Jays Reporter Keegan Matheson joined OverDrive to discuss Kazuma Okamoto's signing with the Blue Jays, his introduction to the team, the place in the lineup, the impact to the lineup, the importance of change, Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker's next steps and more.

Kris, Ryan, & Jacob discuss what the Yankees are doing in the trade market, reacting to Imai and Okamoto's signings, and the new rumors about a big trade for Edward Cabrera. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off following a busy weekend in sports, highlighted by the Jays landing Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto. Then, Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling joins the show (9:18) to discuss what the addition of Okamoto means for Toronto and their pursuit of Bo Bichette and/or Kyle Tucker, where Okamoto will fit in on the roster, how the World Baseball Classic will impact spring training, how the rest of the division has improved alongside Toronto, and much more. Later, Ailish and Justin discuss Canada's “early” exit at the World Juniors and then conduct a 'Who won't win the Super Bowl' draft!The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Blake Murphy joins JD in-studio to get into any offseason Blue Jays thoughts he has, before switching gears to the Raptors. JD and Blake dive into their New Years resolutions for the Raptors, the pairing of Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, and which depth players are a part of the team's long-term plan. The show ends with 'What we Missed'! (35:00)The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.  

Jeff Blair and Sho Alli listen in on the Toronto Blue Jays' newest addition, Kazumo Okamoto's press conference. They follow up with their thoughts on the move, a discussion on what the six-time NPB All-Star brings to the lineup, and a projection of what comes next in the Blue Jays' offseason, including where the team stands in Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker's market.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jeff Blair and Sho Alli listen in on the Toronto Blue Jays' newest addition, Kazumo Okamoto's press conference. They follow up with their thoughts on the move, a discussion on what the six-time NPB All-Star brings to the lineup, and a projection of what comes next in the Blue Jays' offseason, including where the team stands in Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker's market.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Chris Rose and Trevor Plouffe discuss the hottest offseason stories in baseball! Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/BASEBALL2026. Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount Head to https://www.factormeals.com/today50off to save 50% off your first box! Shop your favorite gear from the Jomboy Media store. Click here to shop today! https://shop.jomboymedia.com/ 00:00 INTRO02:32 Blue Jays sign Kazuma Okamoto to 4-year/$60M deal08:32 Where will Alex Bregman land?20:24 Tatsuya Imai signs three-year deal with the Astros29:15 Giants add Tyler Mahle33:38 Yanks closing in on a trade for one of these pitchers?39:36 OUTRO Follow us on X/Instagram: @ChrisRoseSports Chris Rose on X/Instagram: @ChrisRose Trevor Plouffe on X/Instagram @TrevorPlouffe Follow all of our content on https://jomboymedia.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The two marquee free agents coming over from Japan are officially off the books, with Tatsuya Imai signing a three-year, $54 million deal with the Houston Astros and Kazuma Okamoto putting pen-to-paper for four years and $60 million with the Toronto Blue Jays. All three hosts break it down, and get into trade rumblings at the end!Read Aram's Tatsuya Imai Breakdown HEREText "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 BetMGMCheck out Thompson Cigars and use my code JUSTBASEBALL for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.comCheck out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.comCheck out Aura.com: https://aura.com/removeOur Sponsors:* Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/remove* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com* Check out Thompson Cigars and use my code JUSTBASEBALL for a great deal: https://thompsoncigar.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-just-baseball-show/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Kazuma Okamoto to Toronto. Pirates fans are left staring at the same question: now what? On this episode of Bucco Brew, we break down the Blue Jays landing Kazuma Okamoto on a 4-year, $60 million deal and what it means for Pittsburgh after swinging big and coming up empty. With the “impact bat” still a need, where does the front office pivot if they want to be a real playoff contender in 2026? We dive into the latest buzz on Eugenio Suarez, including Jason Mackey's reporting that the Pirates have stayed in contact but may not have the winning bid, plus the realistic trade and free agent paths that could actually move the needle. Powered by De Fer Coffee & Tea. Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NS9 for 30% off your first order at https://www.gritily.com Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith analyzes the Blue Jays signing of Japanese free-agent Kazuma Okamoto. Ben discusses if Okamoto can be an everyday third baseman, who the Jays may look to trade to manage positional needs, and how the Okamoto signing impacts the Jays chase for Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette.  The show ends with 'What We Missed!' The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Nathan Baker discusses the signings of Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto and how to shape your draft around loopholes in fantasy rules to get the most out of your hitters. Presented by FanDuel SUBSCRIBE, Rate and Review on Apple and Spotify! Follow us on Twitter: @EthosFantasyBB Follow us on Bluesky: @ethosfantasymlb Join our Fantasy Sports Discord Server: https://discord.gg/jSwGWSHqaV Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special bonus episode of Deep Left Field, we take an in-depth look at the Blue Jays first real foray into the Pacific Rim, the signing of six-time NPB all-star Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million (US) contract. Who is Okamoto and what does he bring? How does his signing affect the Jays' roster - who goes where? And, of course, what about Bo Bichette? The answers to all these questions, plus a dip into the mailbag at deepleftfield@thestar.ca, are all here for you on our first special bonus episode of 2026!

The Blue Jays have officially announced their signing of six-time NPB All-Star Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal! Jeff Blair (3:30) stops by Sportsnet Today with Sho Alli and Zack Bodenstein to break down the signing, and what it means for the Blue Jays going forward from an alignment perspective and in free agency. Plus, what is the landscape of MLB as the off-season continues? Afterwards, Yahoo Sports' Jordan Shusterman (17:52) joins for a deeper dive on Okamoto's play in NPB and how that will transition to MLB, and what it means for the Jays now that they have made a big splash in the international signing market. Jordan's piece on Okamoto: https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/blue-jays-finally-land-a-japanese-star-with-kazuma-okamoto--but-where-does-he-fit-on-the-roster-235314924.html The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Send us a textWhile Bregman, Bellinger, Tucker, and Valdez wait for some team to pull the trigger and sign them, two more Japanese League players - Imai and Okamoto signed with the Astros and Blue Jays respectively.  Baseball WAR scores are not adjusted for when players played. But that does not acknowledge what really happened. Before baseball was integrated, and before international players became integral, the player pool was smaller and thus a replacement player was not as able. We talk about some of the weird records set in the 2025 season. And close the podcast talking about players that reached base 300 times or more in a single season. There are only 157 of them!  Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com.  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!www.almostcooperstown.com

Episode 128 of Tablesetters is a mini reaction pod focused on a pivotal stretch of the offseason where one signing, one trade market, and one free agent begin to reshape how teams are positioning themselves for 2026. We open in Toronto, where the Blue Jays officially make their long-anticipated breakthrough in the Japanese market by signing Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract just ahead of the expiration of his 45-day posting window. The deal is a straight four-year agreement with no opt-outs, structured as a $5 million signing bonus, a $7 million salary in 2026, and $16 million salaries in each of the final three seasons, with Okamoto represented by the Boras Corporation. To create a 40-man roster spot, Toronto designated right-hander Paxton Schultz for assignment. MLB Trade Rumors ranked Okamoto 19th on its top 50 free agents list and projected a four-year, $64 million deal, putting the final terms right in line with expectations. The signing also triggers a $10.875 million posting fee to the Yomiuri Giants under the NPB–MLB posting system. From there, we break down what Okamoto's arrival does to the Blue Jays' roster construction. The 29-year-old projects as Toronto's regular third baseman, while also bringing experience at first base and in the outfield. His versatility creates ripple effects across the lineup, including a likely platoon with Addison Barger at third base, more consistent second base work for Ernie Clement, and a positional shift that moves Andrés Giménez from second base to everyday shortstop. We also examine how the picture changes if Bo Bichette re-signs, and how crowded things could become if Toronto lands another rumored target like Kyle Tucker. The signing adds another layer to an offseason for a Blue Jays team that came within two outs of winning Game 7 of the World Series, following earlier pitching additions like Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers. It also effectively closes the door on pursuits of Alex Bregman and Yoán Moncada unless Toronto makes the unconventional decision to deploy Okamoto primarily in the outfield. Next, we shift to the trade market, where Edward Cabrera has emerged as one of the most consequential arms potentially available. The Yankees are actively engaged in discussions with the Marlins while also remaining involved on Freddy Peralta, with the Mets and Cubs also expressing interest in Cabrera. We break down why Cabrera's 2025 season, his power profile, his remaining club control through 2028, and his projected $3.7 million arbitration salary make him such an attractive target. We also examine the injury concerns that complicate his value, the Yankees' urgent rotation needs with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón set to open the year on the injured list, and why Cabrera's affordability matters for both New York and Chicago as they juggle payroll, roster needs, and other offensive pursuits. For the Mets, we look at how their rotation has remained largely untouched despite major position-player turnover, and why their collection of young infield talent could factor into any serious push for pitching. We close with the expanding market for Cody Bellinger, as the Cubs check in and join a group that already includes the Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Mets, Angels, Blue Jays, and Phillies at various points this offseason. We discuss why Chicago's interest reads as due diligence rather than a clear pivot, how Bellinger fits their roster, and why prospect timelines complicate any reunion. From there, we focus on the Yankees, where Bellinger remains the top offseason priority and negotiations have escalated to a second formal offer. We break down the roster logjam his return would create, how it impacts Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, and why a Bellinger deal could directly intersect with New York's pursuit of Edward Cabrera. Steve and Devin connect the dots across international markets, trade leverage, payroll pressure, and roster math, focusing less on headlines and more on what these developments reveal about how teams believe they need to be built to win in 2026. ⚾️ One signing changes the board, trade talks gain momentum, and leverage begins to shift.

Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning kick off Monday by celebrating Auston Matthews breaking the Leafs' franchise goal record. They discuss the impact of this achievement on past playoff disappointments, whether Matthews can regain his previous form, and what his age means for his prime years. They also analyze Morgan Rielly's recent play and the implications of Tanev's potential long-term absence. The conversation shifts to the Blue Jays' signing of Kazuma Okamoto and its effects on their roster strategy. After the break, they address Canada's loss to Czechia at the IIHF World Junior Championships and whether it reflects a larger problem for Hockey Canada. Finally, they wrap up by evaluating the Steelers' win against the Ravens and if winning the AFC North justifies the Rodgers partnership (33:19).The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning wrap up the morning with MLB Network insider Jon Morosi. They discuss his insights from the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships and whether Americans are as concerned about their hockey program as Canadians after disappointing results. Next, they dive into the recent signing of Blue Jays player Kazuma Okamoto—what can fans expect, and does it impact the futures of Tucker and Bo Bichette? After the break, they chat with the host of the “Straight Facts Homie” Podcast about NFL week 18 (28:45). They touch on the Steelers winning the AFC North, expectations for the Ravens, possible changes in Baltimore, Aaron Rodgers' future in Pittsburgh, intriguing playoff matchups, and whether the Packers should be favored over the Bears.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.

The Toronto Blue Jays made a big and surprising move by signing 3B/1B Kozuma Okamoto to a 4-year $60 million contract. Justin and Patrick break down the deal and what it means for the roster, and whether or not this will stop the Jays from signing Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker. To start the episode, the guys look at the Hall of Fame Ballot Tracker.

Tatsuya Imai is signing with the Houston Astros (2:33)! Can Imai maintain his control improvements (8:43)? ... Where are we ranking Imai for Fantasy (14:30)? ... Kazuma Okamoto is headed to the Blue Jays (22:48). ... How are we ranking Okamoto (28:35)? 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

Tonight on The Point, Anthony DiNardo is joined by NS9's Tyler, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Noah Hiles and Colin Beazley, plus Scott Moore from Bucco Bantr for a full-on Kazuma Okamoto roundtable. With less than 48 hours left for Okamoto to choose an MLB team, we're putting everyone in the hot seat: if you had the chance to pitch him directly, what's the best argument for Pittsburgh right now? We'll break down fit, role, lineup impact, and what the Pirates can realistically offer that other suitors can't. Then we'll go on record with predictions: where do we think Okamoto ultimately signs? And if it isn't the Pirates, we'll lay out the cleanest pivot paths and who they should target next so this offseason momentum doesn't stall. Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NS9 for 30% off your first order at https://www.gritily.com Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

KJ and Carroll recap the off field situations going on with Christian Barmore and Stefon Diggs. Mike Vrabel may be the best coach in the league to handle off the field issues. The Blue Jays signed Japanese star Infielder Kazuma Okamoto, does this take them out of the pursuit of Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette?

Post-Gazette Pirates insiders Jason Mackey and Colin Beazley break down the latest rumors behind GM Ben Cherington's pursuit of free agent Kazuma Okamoto. What are Jason and Colin hearing? Could the Pirates really be making another splash on the open market? Or will the Japanese star sign with one of the various other teams interested in his services? Would the signing make sense? Do Jason and Colin think it could really happen? Our duo tackles those topics, then discusses the best Pirates of the quarter-century as 2026 gets underway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Years' Traditions and Will Okamoto Sign in Pittsburgh? full 1555 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:25:23 +0000 psWYa28PmOVEYiZAeyb21HUfbzA5PNNU nfl,pittsburgh pirates,steelers,mlb,sports The Pomp And Joe Show nfl,pittsburgh pirates,steelers,mlb,sports New Years' Traditions and Will Okamoto Sign in Pittsburgh? with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey. © 2024 Audacy, Inc. Sports False https://player.amperwavepodcasting

11AM - New Years' Traditions and Will the Pirates Sign Okamoto? full 3187 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:12:00 +0000 20T98S3OlG6EZOb2OZ2nmOP1fRLMacJx pittsburgh pirates,pittsburgh steelers,sports The Pomp And Joe Show pittsburgh pirates,pittsburgh steelers,sports 11AM - New Years' Traditions and Will the Pirates Sign Okamoto? with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey. © 2024 Audacy, Inc. Sports False https://player.amperwavepodca

Send us a textEpisode 248 DescriptionAre the Pirates still the front-runners in the Okamoto sweepstakes, or is another team making a late push? We break down the latest rumors, best fits, and what Okamoto's decision could mean for the league.Plus, all eyes are on Ravens vs. Steelers in a true pressure-packed AFC North showdown. Who's really on the hot seat — coaches, quarterbacks, or entire rosters?We also check in on the Rookie of the Year race as the season heats up, and close with a full breakdown of the Diggs brothers debate — who's making the bigger impact right now?Tap in for real takes, real debates, and everything you need to know heading into the week.

Kyle Okamoto is the Chief Technology Officer at Aethir: the leading decentralized enterprise-grade cloud computing network. With over 20 years of experience in cloud and edge computing, digital media, IoT and AI, Kyle's leadership has been pivotal in scaling growth businesses and driving technological innovation at Aethir.Before joining Aethir, Kyle served as the General Manager of Aeris Communications and Ericsson's enterprise businesses, overseeing Internet of Things, Security, and Connected Vehicle portfolio companies. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of Edge Gravity, a global edge cloud platform facilitating cloud gaming, AI, and media and entertainment applications. Kyle's extensive experience also includes his tenure as Chief Network Officer of Verizon Media and his role as a founding member of Verizon Digital Media Services, which grew to a multi-billion dollar business before its acquisition by Private Equity.In addition to his work with Aethir, Kyle is an early investor and advisor to Theta Labs, holds board positions in various technology companies and non-profit organizations, and is an active angel investor and advisor in the venture capital and private equity spaces. Kyle holds a Master of Business Administration from New York University and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology.In this conversation, we discuss:- AI's growth is now gated by access to compute rather than model quality - Compute is becoming a financial asset class - AI demand continues to outpace supply - GPUs - Investors are starting to treat compute like infrastructure, not software - Financial structures are becoming essential to scaling AI infrastructure - Decentralized compute offers an alternative path during the global GPU shortage- Enterprises are moving toward multi-source compute strategies - Financing compute - The financing of compute is as important as the tech side AethirX: @AethirCloudWebsite: www.aethir.comLinkedIn: AethirKyle OkamotoLinkedIn: Kyle Okamoto---------------------------------------------------------------------------------This episode is brought to you by PrimeXBT.PrimeXBT offers a robust trading system for both beginners and professional traders that demand highly reliable market data and performance. Traders of all experience levels can easily design and customize layouts and widgets to best fit their trading style. PrimeXBT is always offering innovative products and professional trading conditions to all customers.  PrimeXBT is running an exclusive promotion for listeners of the podcast. After making your first deposit, 50% of that first deposit will be credited to your account as a bonus that can be used as additional collateral to open positions. Code: CRYPTONEWS50 This promotion is available for a month after activation. Click the link below: PrimeXBT x CRYPTONEWS50FollowApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicRSS FeedSee All

For the final podcast of the year, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down the latest on NPB stars Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto as their MLB posting windows close, analyzing where they could sign and how their profiles contrast with previous Japanese imports like Munetaka Murakami and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The guys take a hard look at the differences between pitching and hitting projections for international talent, highlighting Imai's adaptability and Okamoto's ready-made bat for contending teams. They discuss the best roster fits for Imai, focusing on the Giants, Mets, and Phillies, among others, and debate which teams actually make sense for the 3B slugger Okamoto.Later in the show, they open up the Bar-B-Cast mailbag and answer questions about Juan Soto, the Dodgers' championship window and some baseball easter eggs in the latest Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man.Finally, they close the episode with a round of Turbo Mode, highlighting a bevy of signings across the league in Cincinnati, Chicago, Seattle & more. Also, a special shout-out to the Buffalo Sabres.1:53 - Why is it taking so long for Japanese stars Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto to sign?14:45 - Where will Imai sign?24:50 - Where will Okamoto sign?31:30 - Baseball Bar-B-Cast Mailbag: Mets, Dodgers, Knives Out & more1:05:10 - Turbo Mode: Reds, Cubs, Mariners & more

Did you have a Merry Christmas? Show me your Candy Cane! Friars are still looking for players. Who's left? Big decisions coming for Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Yankees, White Sox. Chargers bad loss vs Texans. NFL Statement Games Broncos, Jaguars, Patriots, Eagles, 49ers, Lions, Steelers, Seahawks, Raiders. NFL Notes from Las Vegas, Chiefs, Browns. College Football Playoff Round #2 Preview. NCAA Hiring, Firings and Games - Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio, San Diego State, USC, UCLA. Lakers Chemistry Problems. Clippers Kawhi Wow. Kings and Ducks Skid. Plus, news from PGA, Team USA Soccer and the LA Times. Got a question or comment for Hacksaw? Drop your take in the live chat on YouTube, X or Facebook. Here's what Lee Hamilton thinks on Monday, December 29, 2025.   1)...PADRES ROSTER DECISIONS COMING "WHO IS LEFT...WHAT CAN BE DONE"   2)...MLB NOTEBOOK "DECISIONS-DECISIONS"   METS DODGERS BLUE JAYS YANKEES WHITE SOX   "IMAI...OKAMOTO"   3)...CHARGERS AWFUL LOSS TO HOUSTON "JUSTIN HERBERT VS THE WORLD"   4)...NFL SCOREBOARD WATCHING "STATEMENT GAMES"   BRONCOS ...JAGUARS PATRIOTS...EAGLES 49ERS...LIONS STEELERS...SEATTLE RAIDERS   5)...NFL NOTEBOOK…RAIDERS/CHIEFS/BROWNS "NEWS OFF THE FIELD" ============= (HALFTIME...DIXIELINE LUMBER ============= 6)...COLLEGE FOOTBALL STORYLINES "HIRINGS-FIRINGS-GAMES"   COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF ROUND 2 MICHIGAN NOTRE DAME OHIO U AZTECS USC-UCLA ------------------ 7)...LAKERS BASKETBALL...JJ REDICK IN THE HEADLINES…CLIPPERS KAWHI "WHAT IS MISSING-TEAM CHEMISTRY" ------------------- 8)...HOCKEY HEADLINES…KINGS-DUCKS "SKID CITY ON THE ICE" ------------------ 9)...HOT HEADLINES "OFF THE SPORTSWIRE"   BROOKS KOEPKA CHRISTIAN PULISIC LA TIMES ========== #nfl #BILLS #PATRIOTS #BROWNS #STEELERS #TEXANS #JAGUARS #CHIEFS #CHARGERS #RAIDERS #BRONCOS #EAGLES #LIONS #BEARS #BUCS #PANTHERS #49ERS #RAMS #SEAHAWKS #MLB #yankees #bluejays #whitesox #mets #pirates #PADRES #ajpreller #jakecronenworth #ryanohearn #TATSUYAIMAI #DODGERS #CODYBELLINGER #jarrenduran #alexbregman #stevenkwan #calraleigh #juansoto #franciscolindor #petealonso #KYLETUCKER #JEFFMCNEILL #sandiegostate #aztecs #seanlewis #sdsu #treywhite #BERTEMMANUAL #oregon #ohiostate #sherronebrown #indiana #CURTCIGNETTI #FERNANDOMENDOZA #KYLEWITTINGHAM #TEXASTECH #TCU #georgia #alabama #olemiss #notredame #PETECARROLL #justinherbert #matthewstafford #joshallen #drakemaye #deshaunwatson #SHEDEURSANDERS #liamcoen #danieljones #philiprivers #trevorlawrence #bonix #seanpayton #TRAVISKELCE #BENJOHNSON #calebwilliams #bakermayfield #samdarnold #BROCKPURDY #nhl #DUCKS #KINGS #lakers #lebronjames #deandreayton #jjredick #clippers #kawhileonard #teamusa #christianpulisic #livgolf #brookskoepka #LATIMES     Be sure to share this episode with a friend! ☆☆ STAY CONNECTED ☆☆ For more of Hacksaw's Headlines, The Best 15 Minutes, One Man's Opinion, and Hacksaw's Pro Football Notebook: http://www.leehacksawhamilton.com/ SUBSCRIBE on YouTube for more reactions, upcoming shows and more! ► https://www.youtube.com/c/leehacksawhamiltonsports FACEBOOK ➡ https://www.facebook.com/leehacksaw.hamilton.9 TWITTER ➡ https://twitter.com/hacksaw1090 TIKTOK ➡ https://www.tiktok.com/@leehacksawhamilton INSTAGRAM ➡ https://www.instagram.com/leehacksawhamiltonsports/ To get the latest news and information about sports, join Hacksaw's Insider's Group. It's free! https://www.leehacksawhamilton.com/team/ Thank you to our sponsors: Dixieline Lumber and Home Centers https://www.dixieline.com/  

The Pirates finally added a real bat, and we're breaking down what the Ryan O'Hearn signing actually means for the 2026 lineup. How does he fit at 1B/DH, what changes on the roster because of it, and is this a “nice move” or the start of something bigger? Then we pivot to the Kazuma Okamoto rumors with the January 4 deadline looming, why the Pirates are reportedly among the interested teams, and what a move like that would signal about this front office. We'll also hit the Yoán Moncada chatter as another possible third base option, plus quick notes around the division including Andrew Heaney retiring and the Reds adding JJ Bleday and Dane Myers. Jump in live with your questions and tell us what you want next: Okamoto, Moncada, or a different bat entirely. Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NS9 for 30% off your first order at https://www.gritily.com Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pirates are signing Ryan O'Hearn to a 2-year deal worth $29MM, up to $30MM in incentives. Let's talk about what that does for this roster. Further moves need made, Okamoto rumors are heating up, what else can/will the Pirates do? Let's talk all about it!https://linktr.ee/bridgetobuctoberSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/bridge-to-buctober/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hear award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic's Daily Shots of Steelers, Penguins and Pirates -- three separate podcasts -- every weekday morning on the DK Pittsburgh Sports podcasting network, available on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/dkpghsports Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

Yoshimasa Okamoto by Marios Ellinas

BT & Sal unleash on the current state of New York baseball's offseasons, focusing heavily on the Mets' disarray. Sal rips Edwin Diaz for his "baby" behavior, reportedly leaving the Mets due to being upset they signed Devin Williams without consulting him. The hosts debate if GM David Stearns is showing "flimsy" conviction by holding a hard line on a three-year deal for Pete Alonso despite the growing fan backlash. They question where the Mets will find a replacement power bat if Alonso walks, liking the idea of trading for Peralta and McGill combined with signing Bellinger and Okamoto for a fundamentally different, defense-first team. The discussion pivots to the Yankees, criticizing GM Brian Cashman for his lack of action. Sal pitches Nico Hoerner as the perfect scrappy, contact-hitting, Gold Glove infielder (with elite stolen base numbers) that the Yankees desperately need to replace the inconsistency of players like Jazz Chisholm

Rebecca Okamoto helps transform your introduction from boring to powerful. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) How to introduce yourself in 20 words or less 2) How to project confidence in your introduction–both in person and online3) Best practices for crafting great first impressions Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1113 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT REBECCA — Rebecca Okamoto is a communication and clarity consultant, and the founder of Evoke Strategy Group. She helps people with something to say but struggle to say it. Rebecca is on a mission to change the way overlooked and misunderstood voices are seen, heard, recognized and rewarded. She works with professionals to communicate, align and influence senior stakeholders, showcase strategic thinking and explain the commercial value of complicated concepts.• LinkedIn: Rebecca Okamoto• TEDx Talk: How to introduce yourself—and get hired | Rebecca Okamoto | TEDxNorthwesternU• Website: 20Words.com — RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • TEDx Talk: Want to sound like a leader? Start by saying your name right | Laura Sicola | TEDxPenn• Book: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chriss Voss and Tahl Raz• Past episode: 311: Communication Secrets from FBI Kidnapping Negotiator Chris Voss• Past episode: 769: How to Command the Room, Connect with Your Audience, and Close the Deal with Laura Sicola— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome• Taelor. Visit Visit taelor.style and get 10% off gift cards with the code PODCASTGIFT• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.