Chunichi Dragons

The Dragons held full-squad workouts at Nagoya Dome today.  Source: Sponichi 10/7/2012

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Hirokazu Ibata (right elbow inflammation) is in Miyazaki and will participate in the Phoenix League.  He could play in his first rehab game on Monday.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012

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The Dragons are only planning to take around ten position players to their fall camp in Chatan, Okinawa.  The Donoue brothers, Ryosuke Hirata, Yusuke Matsui, and Nobumasa Fukuda could be included in the ten.  The rest of the position players will workout at Nagoya Stadium with the pitchers.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012

Yakult Swallows

Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi tweaked his right elbow while fielding a bunt in the 9th inning of tonight's game against Hiroshima.  Two batters later, he was removed from the game as a precaution.  The Swallows will wait to see how he is feeling over the next few days before deciding what steps to take next.  Source: Sports Hochi 10/7/2012

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Wladimir Balentien should become the first player to record a home run title without attaining enough plate appearances to qualify for a batting title since the start of the two-league format in 1950.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012

Yomiuri Giants

Shinnosuke Abe was left out of the starting line-up today and will finish the year with a .3404 batting average (159-for-467).  That is the highest batting average for a catcher in NPB history.  The previous high, set by Atsuya Furuta in 1991, was .3398 (140-for-412).  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012

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Hirokazu Sawamura reminded himself not to push too hard during Saturday's start against Yokohama because he has a tendency mess up his balance by overthrowing.

The Giants now also have four pitchers with ten or more victories.  That is a franchise first since 1990 when Masaki Saito (twenty victories), Masumi Kuwata (fourteen), Kazutomo Miyamoto (fourteen), Masao Kida (twelve), Isao Koda (eleven) all recorded more than ten wins.

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012

Sanspo wonders if the eight kilograms Sawamura gained during the off-season did anything to help (or hurt) his season this year.  Source: Sanspo 10/7/2012

Hanshin Tigers

Tomoaki Kanemoto is expected to be in the starting line-up for his retirement game: left field, batting clean-up.  Source: Daily Sports 10/7/2012

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Takahiro Arai joined the Ichi-gun team for practices today.  His workouts included batting practice and some light fielding practice.  He told reporters his right shoulder was feeling ok.  Source: Sanspo 10/7/2012

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Atsushi Nomi will most likely get one last shot at winning the CL strikeout title during the Tigers' last game on Tuesday.  He needs two to tie Yomiuri Giant Tsuyoshi Sugiuchi's 172.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012

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Hiroaki Saiuchi (coming back from lower back pain) started a Ni-gun practice game on Saturday and gave up two runs on four hits over two innings of work.  Said Saiuchi, "I overthrew a little at first.  My body is fine.  I will continue working hard at the Phoenix League."  Source: Sanspo 10/7/2012

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GM Katsuhiro Nakamura briefly met with Yutaka Wada on Saturday to talk about the coach staff titles and to thank him for his work so far.  Source: Sanspo 10/7/2012

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GM Nakamura told reporters on Saturday that he likes what he sees in Shinta Hifumi so far.  Source: Daily Sports 10/7/2012

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The Tigers are planning to offer Kenichiro Kawamura a job as Ni-gun batting coach next year.  Kawamura is perhaps best known for working with Ichiro Suzuki when he first turned pro.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012, Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012

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Yasuo Kubo (new), current Ichi-gun pitching coach Keiichi Yabu, and current Ni-gun pitching coach Toshiro Yufune will be Ni-gun pitching coaches next season.  Current Ni-gun pitch coach Kiyooki Nakanishi will be promoted to Ichi-gun pitching coach.  Ichi-gun battery coach Yasuo Yoshida and Ichi-gun fielding/base-running coach Koji Yamawaki will be re-assigned to Ni-gun positions.  Source: Sanspo 10/7/2012

Yokohama Bay Stars

Alex Ramirez missed another game today because of his left knee and told reporters that he was giving up his quest to reach the 2,000-hit milestone this year because there was not enough time -- Ramirez is not expected to make the starting line-up tomorrow and still needs seven more hits in the team's remaining two games.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/7/2012