History of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles

Beating out Livedoor, Hiroshi Mikitani's internet services company Rakuten was selected to create a new PL team to be based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.

[3] One week later a second internet services company, Tokyo-based Rakuten, also submitted a formal application to Japanese professional baseball to form a team.

The panel consisted of Central League chairman Hajime Toyokura and the head officials of the Yomiuri Giants, the Yokohama BayStars, the Seibu Lions and the Chiba Lotte Marines.

[9] A telephone survey conducted by Kyodo News during the selection period of 300 people living in Tōhoku indicated that Livedoor was the early fan favorite to win the right to start a new team in Sendai.

Rakuten president Mikitani had extensive connections in established Japanese business circles and already operated another sports team, the soccer club Vissel Kobe in Japan's J.League.

[11] It was the first time a new team, excluding cases of mergers or acquisitions, joined NPB since the creation of the now-defunct Takahashi Unions in the Pacific League in 1954.

In hiring Kuhnert, NPB's first foreign general manager, he hoped to bring "new blood" and "innovative ideas" to Japanese baseball.

[14][13] Despite also voicing that he no intention of playing for the merged team, Orix protected Hisashi Iwakuma, the Kintetsu Buffaloes' pitcher who led the league in wins the previous season.

Iwakuma insisted that Orix team president Takashi Koizumi live up to his pledge that he would sincerely listen to the players involved in the merger regarding their futures.

[19] Eventually it was revealed that there had been friction between Kuehnert and higher-ups, and that he had been denied powers afforded to most general managers, such as being able to attend league or players' association meetings, having input in the budget, and being made a company director.

Contributing factors were that the average home-game attendance for the year came close to the team's target of 15,000 per game, sales of Eagles' merchandise were strong, and players' performance-based pay was minimal.

They were awarded the opportunity to draft Tanaka after winning a four-team lottery against the Yokohama BayStars, the Orix Buffaloes, and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, who also named him as their first-round selection.

With one of the All-Star games being played at the Eagles' home stadium that year, fans also voted in seven other Rakuten players, including rookie pitcher Tanaka.

[47] A pair of complete game wins at home both by Iwakuma and Tanaka in the First Stage allowed the Eagles to advance, however, the managerial decision loomed over the 2009 Pacific League Climax Series and Nomura expressed bitterness about the situation after the sweep.

[54] The preseason game that Rakuten was playing against the Hanshin Tigers in Akashi, Hyōgo at the time of the event was cancelled after the eighth inning so players and personnel could check on the safety of their friends and families in the area.

[57] In addition to the Eagles holding fund-raising events,[58] all 12 teams played charity games between April 3 to 4 to help raise money for earthquake relief.

Fans displaced by the earthquake were able to watch Rakuten's come-from-behind win on large screens the team set up at 20 refuge sites in Tōhoku.

An opening ceremony attended by the governor of Miyagi Prefecture Yoshihiro Murai and United States Ambassador John Roos was held before the game and Rakuten went on to win.

[61] Furthermore, the final game of the 2011 All-Star Series was switched from Tokyo Dome to Kleenex Stadium, the second time the Eagles hosted the event in four years.

[63] However, in addition to winning a Golden Glove and a Best Nine award,[64][65] Tanaka was also named PL MVP of the month three times over the course of the season, a first in the Pacific League.

[69] Rakuten went deep into the season as a playoff contender that year, but ultimately missed advancing to the Climax Series by one game and finished fourth.

[83] Following the championship-winning season, Masahiro Tanaka left the Eagles via the posting system to play for the New York Yankees, netting the team a $20 million transfer fee in return.

[86][68] At the end of July, hitting coach Tomio Tashiro abruptly resigned and it was brought to light that owner Hiroshi Mikitani had often been interfering in on-the-field decisions, such as dictating the batting order.

The turmoil brought about by Mikitani taking the lead on baseball operations after Hoshino's unexpected resignation forced Rakuten to reevaluate how the team was managed and organized.

It was decided that Hoshino, who had been retained as an Eagles vice chairman, would have full authority over baseball operations, similar to the role of an MLB general manager.

[89] The team, hoping to avoid a third consecutive last-place finish, hired veteran Pacific League manager Masataka Nashida[90] and signed free agent Toshiaki Imae, a two-time Japan Series MVP.

Taking responsibility for the team's poor performance, Nashida resigned as manager that month and head coach Yosuke Hiraishi was given the position for the remainder of the season.

Former NPB and MLB pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii was hired in the role to help coordinate the efforts of the front office and field management.

Ishii announced in the offseason that he himself would replace Miki as manager and signed a multi-year contract to assume both managerial and GM duties starting with the 2021 season.

[109] The next season, a third-place finish secured the Eagles a place in the 2021 PL Climax Series, however a loss and a tie against the Marines ensured that Rakuten would not advance to the Final Stage.