Chunichi Dragons

There is a good chance Nobumasa Fukuda will be converted back to an infielder (first and third) in order to get more playing and because Morimichi Takagi feels he is not good enough to be a catcher.

Fukuda was drafted as a catcher out of high school and was converted to an infielder in 2007.  He pushed to return as a catcher and was given the opportunity this year.

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/9/2012

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Masahiro Yamamoto pitched in his first Ichi-gun game since turning forty-seven on August 11 and became the fourth pitcher in NPB history to pitch in a game after turning forty-seven.  The other three: Shinji Hamazaki (nine games in 1950), Yoshio Yuasa (one game in 1950), and Kimiyasu Kudo (ten games in 2010).

Of those three, Hamazaki started three games in 1950 (forty-eight years and four months on April 23, forty-eight years and four months on April 30, forty-eight years and ten months on November 5), Yuasa one game in 1950 (forty-eight years and one month on November 5), and Kudo zero games (all his games were in relief).

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/9/2012

Yakult Swallows

Team president Tsuyoshi Kinugasa told reporters today he plans to offer Junji Ogawa an extension for the 2013 season.  Source: Sports Hochi 9/9/2012

Yomiuri Giants

Shuichi Murata shaved his hair down before Saturday's game in order to help lighten the mood -- he was feeling down about his struggles at the plate.  Source: Sponichi 9/9/2012

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The Giants have not hit a home run over their last four games.  They have also collected four, twelve, sixteen, and fifteen hits in those four games.  The last time they piled up double-digit hits in three consecutive games without hitting a home run was in 2009 (April 19-22).

The Giants were also 15-22-6 in zero home run games before the All-Star break.  Since the All-Star break: 10-7-4.

Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers have successfully executed three squeeze bunts this season: April 4 vs Yakult (Shunsuke Fujikawa in the 8th inning); April 6 vs Yomiuri (Shinji Komiyama in the 7th innning); and September 8 vs Chunichi (Akihito Fujii in the 9th inning).

The Tigers also became the first team to win a 1-0 game on a squeeze bunt since Yakult on September 15, 2005.

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/9/2012

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Kyuji Fujikawa was seen talking to Yutaka Wada for about fifty minutes in the outfield during pre-game practices on Saturday.  Source: Daily Sports 9/9/2012

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The Tigers are still very much leaning toward offering Tomoaki Kanemoto a contract for the 2013 season -- they want to keep him around not just as a player, but also as role-model for the younger players.  Source: Nikkan Sports 9/9/2012

Hiroshima Carp

Kenta Maeda owns the Bay Stars this season: 6 G, 5-1, 48.0 IP, 31 H, 33 SO, 6 BB, 4 R, 3 ER, 0.56 ERA, 0.77 WHIP.  That includes a no-hitter on April 6 and a shutout on September 8.