Chiba Lotte Marines

Back in the 1990s, Irabu starred in Japan for nearly a decade before the San Diego Padres purchased his contract from the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Hideki Irabu, former New York Yankees pitcher, found dead 2011

Valentine, impressed by the method, brought 12 shirts to Japan when he took the job with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2004.

The Cultural Divide of 'Takeout Slides' 2011

Valentine has seen Darvish pitch against his own Chiba Lotte Marines, and said that his stuff will certainly translate—if he can handle the transition.

The Next Phenom or Matsuzaka 2.0? Daniel Barbarisi 2011

His tenure in Japan as manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines is something he cherishes.

Valentine Takes His Sweet Time 2010

Since leading the Chiba Lotte Marines to a Japan Series title in 2005, most of the team's fans have fretted the day his contract expires in October.

A Pitch to Get Baseball Back in 2016 Olympics 2009

Bobby Valentine, the former New York Mets manager who now pilots the Chiba Lotte Marines, also has complained about the talent drain from Japan; his team lost two pitchers to the U.S. this year.

Baseball Exports Find 2008

A year after leaving New York, Bobby took his services to Japan where he became the manager of a little-known baseball team, the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Andrew Jenks: The Zen of Bobby Valentine 2008

Some of the best-shot sequences are of the die-hard Chiba Lotte Marines getting ready for games and -- win or lose -- cheering their hearts out for their team.

‘The Zen Of Bobby V’: A Tribeca Review » MTV Movies Blog 2008

The other Pacific League teams wanted the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, a successful and popular team with financially struggling owners, to merge with the Chiba Lotte Marines, but Daiei insisted they wanted to retain ownership of the Hawks and to keep it a separate entity.

Strike one » Japundit Blog 2005

Though their season got off on the right foot with a win, the Eagles dropped the second game 26-0 to the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Two steps forward, one step back » Japundit Blog 2005