Pacific Swings

Monthly Swings: Inside the NPB with Cooper Hummel & Trey Cabbage | Talking Smack and Breaking Unwritten Rules of Baseball | Ep. 1

In this first edition of Monthly Swings, we sit down with Cooper Hummel (横浜DeNA BayStars) and Trey Cabbage (Yomiuri Giants) — two Americans playing on opposite sides of Japan's most storied rivalry — for what will be a monthly check-in from inside the NPB. Cooper is one month into his Japan adventure. Trey is navigating his second year with the Giants. Together they break down what nobody tells you about playing in Japan — from what it's really like guarding the outfield when the band won't stop playing, to taunting each other mid-game during a BayStars-Giants matchup, to the unwritten rules of baseball that Cooper may or may not have broken by borrowing Trey's bat mid-series. Hosted by documentary filmmaker Jasper Spanjaart and former MLB/NPB/KBO player David MacKinnon. 🎧 Pacific Swings is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Keywords: Cooper Hummel, Trey Cabbage, Monthly Swings, NPB, Japanese Baseball, Pacific Swings, Yokohama BayStars, Yomiuri Giants, Baseball Podcast, Americans in Japan, NPB 2026, BayStars Giants 月刊スウィングス：NPBの中から — クーパー・ヒュンメル & トレイ・キャベッジ | Pacific Swings |「試合で戦って、その後話す。」| 第1回 概要： 新企画『月刊スウィングス』第1回。ゲストはクーパー・ヒュンメル（横浜DeNAベイスターズ）とトレイ・キャベッジ（読売ジャイアンツ）。NPBの伝統の一戦で対戦する2人が、毎月Pacific Swingsに登場します。 来日1ヶ月のクーパーと、2年目を迎えたトレイが語るのは、ハイライトには映らないNPBのリアル。爆音スタジアムで外野を守る感覚、ベイスターズ対ジャイアンツの試合中に互いを煽り合った瞬間、そしてシリーズ中にバットを借りて野球の暗黙のルールを破った件まで。 そして2人は、まだこの番組の名前を決めていません。 ホスト： ドキュメンタリー映像作家 Jasper Spanjaart と、MLB・NPB・KBOでプレーした元プロ野球選手 David MacKinnon。 🎧 Pacific Swings は Spotify、Apple Podcasts、YouTube で配信中。 キーワード： クーパー・ヒュンメル、トレイ・キャベッジ、月刊スウィングス、NPB、日本野球、Pacific Swings、横浜DeNAベイスターズ、読売ジャイアンツ、野球ポッドキャスト、NPB2026

Scott Mathieson (マシソン) on 8 Years in Japan & Legendary Baseball Brawls | Pacific Swings | "The umpire told me to only throw fastballs against Ohtani"

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Scott Mathieson — a Canadian pitcher who survived two Tommy John surgeries before the age of 25, made it to the Philadelphia Phillies, and then made a decision that changed his life: he went to Japan. What was supposed to be a one-year deal turned into eight seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, an NPB all-time record for holds by a foreign pitcher, and — in a first for the franchise — a foreigner being named pitching captain. Scott opens up about the brawl in year three that turned his worst season around, what Jim Thome told him that saved his career, why he kept turning down MLB offers, and what it felt like to be handed the Giants captaincy as the first foreigner in club history. He also reflects on raising two Japan-born children, facing a young Shohei Ohtani, and what he told every new foreign player arriving in Tokyo. One of the most complete stories we've had on Pacific Swings. Hosted by documentary filmmaker Jasper Spanjaart and former MLB/NPB/KBO player David MacKinnon. 🇯🇵 Japanese subtitles available on YouTube. 概要： 今回の Pacific Swings のゲストは スコット・マシソン。25歳になる前に2度のトミー・ジョン手術を乗り越え、フィラデルフィア・フィリーズでメジャーデビューを果たしたカナダ人投手です。そして彼は、人生を変える決断をします——日本行きです。1年のつもりが 読売ジャイアンツ での8シーズンとなり、NPB外国人投手歴代最多ホールド記録を樹立。さらに球団史上初の外国人キャプテンにも就任しました。 3年目に経験した乱闘がどうシーズンを変えたか、ジム・トームの一言がどうキャリアを救ったか、なぜMLBのオファーを断り続けたか、そして外国人初のキャプテン就任がどんな意味を持ったか——率直に語ってくれました。日本生まれの2人の子どもを育てた経験、若き大谷選手との対戦、東京に降り立つ新しい外国人選手たちへ伝え続けたこと。Pacific Swingsの中でも特に充実したエピソードの一つです。 ホスト： ドキュメンタリー映像作家 Jasper Spanjaart と、MLB・NPB・KBOでプレーした元プロ野球選手 David MacKinnon。 🎧 Pacific Swings は Spotify、Apple Podcasts、YouTube で配信中。 🇯🇵 日本語字幕はYouTubeでご覧いただけます。 キーワード： スコット・マシソン、読売ジャイアンツ、NPB、日本野球、Pacific Swings、野球ポッドキャスト、トミー・ジョン手術、大谷翔平、外国人キャプテン、フィラデルフィア・フィリーズ、ホールド記録

Lewis Brinson on Japan, Pressure and Wearing Jackie Robinson's Number at the Tokyo Dome | Pacific Swings | "Going to Japan was the best decision I ever made"

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Lewis Brinson — first-round pick, centerpiece of one of MLB's most talked-about trades, and the man who wore number 42 at the Tokyo Dome for the Yomiuri Giants in 2023. Lewis opens up about what it really felt like to arrive in Miami as the Marlins' top prospect with the weight of a city on his shoulders, how that pressure shaped him as a player, and why signing with Japan's most storied franchise turned out to be the best decision he ever made — for himself and his family. He also reflects on the Tokyo Dome experience, Japanese fans crying at the sight of him on the subway, and what he'd tell his younger self if he could. One of the most honest conversations we've had on Pacific Swings. 🇯🇵 Japanese subtitles available on YouTube.

How an American Manager Built a Japan Series Champion From Scratch | Trey Hillman | トレイ・ヒルマン | Shinjirarenai!

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Trey Hillman — the only manager in baseball history to have managed teams in Major League Baseball, Nippon Professional Baseball, and the Korea Baseball Organization. He didn't just manage in all three leagues. He won in two of them. Hillman managed the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from 2003 to 2007, winning the 2006 Japan Series — ending a 25-year championship drought — while managing a young Yu Darvish in his development years. He then managed the Kansas City Royals in MLB before heading to Korea, where he won the Korean Series with SK Wyverns in 2018. He's also coached with the Dodgers, Yankees, Astros, and Marlins. Nobody in baseball has seen more of the game from the dugout across three different worlds. Key Topics Covered: * Why Trey left a clear MLB path to take a risk on Japan in 2003 * The biggest cultural shocks of managing Japanese players * Managing Yu Darvish — and knowing early he was destined for the big leagues * How he built the 2006 Fighters into champions after 25 years without a title * The famous "Shinjirarenai!" moment after winning the Japan Series * Structuring a roster under NPB's foreign player limits * What MLB can learn from Japan and Korea — and vice versa * How management style has to shift between American, Japanese, and Korean players About Trey Hillman: Trey Hillman began his career in the Yankees and Rangers organizations before becoming one of the most traveled managers in global baseball history. As manager of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2003–2007), he won the 2006 Japan Series and oversaw a 14-game winning streak in 2007. He managed the Kansas City Royals (2008–2010) and later won the 2018 Korean Series with the SK Wyverns. He has served as a coach with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Miami Marlins. Hosted by Jasper Spanjaart and David MacKinnon. 🇯🇵 Japanese Episode Notes エピソードタイトル： MLB、NPB、KBOすべてを制した唯一の監督 — トレイ・ヒルマン エピソードノート： MLBとNPBとKBO、三つのリーグすべてで監督を務めた唯一の人物、トレイ・ヒルマンが登場。2006年の日本シリーズ制覇（北海道日本ハムファイターズ）と2018年の韓国シリーズ制覇（SKワイバーンズ）を達成した伝説の監督が、異なる野球文化でのチームマネジメント、ダルビッシュ有との思い出、そして日米韓の野球から学んだ教訓を語る。 🇰🇷 Korean Episode Notes 에피소드 제목： MLB, NPB, KBO — 3개 리그를 모두 경험한 유일한 감독, 트레이 힐먼 에피소드 노트： 메이저리그, 일본 프로야구, KBO 리그 세 곳 모두에서 감독을 맡은 역사상 유일한 인물, 트레이 힐먼. 2006년 일본시리즈 우승과 2018년 SK 와이번스와의 한국시리즈 우승을 이끈 그가 세 리그의 야구 문화 차이, 다르빗슈 유와의 추억, 그리고 국제 야구에서 배운 교훈을 솔직하게 털어놓는다.

Cooper Hummel's NPB Dream: Playing Little League in Japan & the Yokohama BayStars | クーパー・ヒュンメル | Episode 23

In this episode of Pacific Swings, we sit down with Cooper Hummel — an outfielder whose 2025 season reads less like a baseball career and more like a fever dream written by someone who has never seen a contract before. Astros. Yankees. Orioles (for 48 hours). DFA'd. Re-signed. DFA'd again. And then: 11 homers in 22 games with Tampa Bay in AAA, a flight to Tokyo, and a deal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. David MacKinnon, former NPB player and Seibu Lions alumnus, guides Cooper through what's coming. Jasper Spanjaart watches from a safe distance, having never been DFA'd in his life. Inside This Episode: - The high school coach who told Cooper he'd never amount to anything as a switch hitter (current status: professional switch hitter, year 10) - Being drafted in the 32nd round and building an MLB career anyway - Why Cooper always knew NPB was in his future — he lived in Japan as a kid - Playing Little League in Musashi-Fuchu with a future NPB player as a teammate - First impressions of Yokohama: the food, the shopping, the neighborhood - Why the BayStars care more about the CL pennant than the Japan Series - The NPB dead ball era coming to an end (allegedly — we know nothing, don't sue us) - Goal-setting: OBP .400 every year, compare yourself to the best in the league - If Cooper hits 40 homers, he's buying dinner. We're holding him to this. 🎙️ Hosted by David MacKinnon (@DCMacK24) & Jasper Spanjaart (@spnjrt) 📺 Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@PacificSwings [https://youtube.com/@PacificSwings] #CooperHummel #YokohamaBayStars #DeNABayStars #NPB #JapaneseBaseball #PacificSwings #DavidMacKinnon #BaseballPodcast #NPB2025 #BayStars2025 #MiyazakiToshiro #YoshiTsutsugo #ShugoMaki #MLBtoNPB #SpringTrainingJapan #NPBDeadBall #横浜DeNAベイスターズ #クーパー・ヒュンメル #宮崎敏郎 #牧秀悟 #筒香嘉智 #プロ野球2025 #外国人選手NPB #野球ポッドキャスト