Chunichi Dragons

The manager and coaches held a meeting at Nagoya Dome today in preparation for fall camp in Chatan, Okinawa (will focus on younger players and will last about two weeks beginning on November 5).  The group also decided that spring camp will be a four-day work week (one day-off for every four days of workouts) with younger players participating in practice games on their days off.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/31/2012

===

The Dragons decided to list base coaches under position titles because Morimichi Takagi wants the staff to take the position more seriously after he ran into some problems with the third base coaches this season.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/31/2012

Yakult Swallows

Yuki Shichijo complained of pain in his left knee on Tuesday and branched off from the rest of the team.  The Swallows are being a little cautious with Shichijo because he had surgery in the same area in December 2011 -- they will not force him to attend fall camp if his knee is not feeling well.  Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012

===

Junji Ogawa would like to see Shingo Kawabata become the face of the Swallows.  Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012

Yomiuri Giants

Tetsuya Matsumoto's mobile phone standby screen is a picture of his smiling wife.  Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012

Hanshin Tigers

Daiki Kiyohara, Kazuo Ito, and Akira Iwamoto could all pitch in the intra-squad game that is scheduled for the first day of fall camp.  The Tigers are planning to play four intra-squad games during fall camp.  Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012

Tatsuya Kojima, Ito, Kiyohara, Iwamoto, Naoto Tsuru, and Kazuhito Futagami will likely be competing for spots in the starting rotation.  Ryoma Matsuda, Masanori Fujihara, Yusuke Kawasaki, Hirokazu Shiranita, and Yutaka Tamaki for spots in the bullpen.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/31/2012

===

Thirty-two players will be attending fall camp.  About ten players will be dropped.  The remaining players will get to attend Ichi-gun spring camp next year.  Intra-squad games are also being scheduled early on during fall camp so that coaches can evaluate players and set workouts menus as needed.  Source: Daily Sports 10/31/2012

===

The Tigers had players taking batting practice against pitching machines that were set up about fifty centimeters closer than usually in order to increase the velocity on the pitches (from ~140km/h to ~150km/h) during the last day of fall workouts at Koshien on Tuesday.

The point of the exercise was not necessarily about hitting the ball, but rather to see how hitters adjusted to the faster pitches.

The Tigers also had hitters work on their bunts against a pitching machine throwing sliders.

Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012, Sports Hochi Osaka 10/31/2012, Daily Sports 10/31/2012

===

The media learned on Tuesday that Matt Murton told the Tigers before returning to the US that he wanted to get back to work right away because he was getting a good feel for hitting toward the end of the season.  Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012

===

Kazuya Tsutsui will not attend fall camp because there is a chance he will make the Cuba vs Samurai Japan roster.  Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012

===

The Tigers will be moving to a one advance scout per team format next season.  By having one scout cover one team, they will be able to collect more data.

"We will be moving to a one advance scout per team system so we can use our time more effectively.  Scouts will have time to check out Ni-gun games.  During the season, young pitchers get a chance to pitch at the Ichi-gun level.  Checking players at the lower levels will help in these situations.  Scouts should go to as many Ni-gun games as time permits," said a team official.

The move to have advance scouts check Ni-gun games is something Yutaka Wada pushed for because the team struggled at times this season when facing young opposing pitchers for the first time.

The new system will kick into action next year with scouts focusing a lot of time at Ni-gun spring camps.

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/31/2012

===

GM Katsuhiro Nakamura may send out scouts to the various Winter Leagues during the off-season if there are players he wants to check in on.  Source: Sports Hochi 10/31/2012

===

The Tigers are planning to sign Aikido instructor Tomio Watanabe to a one-year deal.  He will live in the team dorm and will provide players with additional support.  Source: Daily Sports 10/31/2012

Hiroshima Carp

The Carp apparently invited golfer Shinichi Yokota to be a special one-day instructor/lecturer during the first day of fall camp (today).  Source: Sponichi 10/31/2012

Yokohama Bay Stars

Kiyoshi Nakahata met with Sho Aranami, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, and Yuki Kuniyoshi individually today during fall workouts at the Ni-gun Yokosuka facilities.

Said Nakahata, "These are three players I thought did their jobs this year.  I wanted to know what they were thinking and what kinds of things they wanted.  I told them that I really wanted them to become everyday players next year, in every sense of the word.  They are very close to that."

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/31/2012

===

Nakahata is thinking about changing the team slogan for 2013.  Source: Sponichi 10/31/2012