Chunichi Dragons

Maximo Nelson could get his first Ichi-gun start of the season on May 22 (vs Rakuten).

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Morimichi Takagi decided that he will not swap third base coach Ken Hirano with first base coach Hiroyuki Watanabe.  It seems he also denied ever considering it.

Yakult Swallows

Kyohei Muranaka was removed from the active roster after he took a batted ball off his right shin during a game against Chunichi on May 9.  There is still no timetable for when he will be able to start throwing again.

Masanori Ishikawa took a batted ball off the base of his left pinky finger during Wednesday's game against Softbank and will likely miss one turn in the starting rotation (May 22 vs Lotte at QVC).

Yomiuri Giants

Toshiya Sugiuchi picked up his first multi-hit game of his pro career on Thursday night (2-for-2).  He also notched his nineteenth career Inter-league victory (19-7).

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Hayato Sakamoto recorded his fifteen Inter-league homer on Thursday.  According to Sponichi, the Giants are 8-1 when Sakamoto hits a homer at Tokyo Dome during Inter-league play.  On the road, the team is 2-2-1 (includes a two homer game).

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Michihiro Ogasawara wore cleats during practice on Thursday for the first time since he strained his left hamstring.  Workouts took place indoors and included running and playing catch.

Hanshin Tigers

Craig Brazell took part in early workouts today.  He is currently struggling at the plate: he has one hit, a double, in his last sixteen trips to the plate.  Brazell is also doing better on the road than at home:

Home: 8-for-58, 1 HR, 13 TB, .138/.194/.224
Road: 16-for-63, 3 HR, 30 TB, .252/.299/.476 

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Akira Iwamoto started a Ni-gun game against Chunichi on Thursday and recorded his first victory since turning pro.  Final line: 6 IP, 113 NP, 25 BF, 4 H, 1 HR, 8 SO, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 1 R, 1 ER.

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Yuya Ando will likely be taken off the active roster today because he is not scheduled to pitch within the next ten days -- his next start could come on May 28 against Seibu.

Hiroshima Carp

Takaya Kawauchi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchihara were added to the seventy man roster today.

Yokohama Bay Stars

According to Sponichi, the Bay Stars are currently on pace to lose eighty-eight games this year.  Sponichi also points out that the ten shutout losses in the first thirty-six games of the season is the second quickest in NPB history since the Taiyo Whales recorded ten shutouts in their first thirty games of the 1958 season.

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Wrestler Keiji Muto visited Yokohama Stadium on Thursday and met with Kiyoshi Nakahata and Daisuke Miura before the game.