Softbank, Nippon Ham, Orix, Rakuten, Lotte: December 24, 2012
by Gen on Dec.24, 2012 @ 11:47 pm, under NPB
Softbank Hawks
Hiroyuki Kawahara, Ayatsugu Yamashita, Taisei Makihara, Sho Arima, and Keisuke Yasuda returned from the Winter Leagues in Taiwan today. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012 Stats (CPBL site): Kawahara, Yamashita, Makihara, Arima, Yasuda
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Tadashi Settsu will meet with the front office for salary negotiations on Tuesday. He will likely get a significant raise -- he made 190 million yen this past season and could be offered a salary of around 300 million yen (based on preliminary discussions). The current NPB high for a player in their fifth year: Yu Darvish, 270 million in 2009. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012
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Yuichi Honda does not plan to use a lawyer to handle his salary negotiations on the 27th, even though many other Softbank players making over 100 million yen have. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012
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Nobuhiro Matsuda might have an interest in the Majors, but not so much that he is willing to give up his current playing conditions. That could mean he would rather remain in the NPB as an everyday player than go to the US as a back-up player. Source: Sponichi 12/24/2012
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Hiroki Yamada is limited in the kinds of food he can eat right now because he not only had a tonsillectomy earlier this month, but also had three wisdom teeth removed. He has so far lost about five kilograms and currently weighs ninety-two kilograms. Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 12/24/2012, Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012
Nippon Ham Fighters
The Fighters may keep Yuki Saito, Sho Nakata, and 1st round draft pick Shohei Otani separated during spring camp next season as part of their crowd control efforts. They may also want to keep them separate so Otani does not try to overwork himself by trying to keep up with them.
Otani's scheduled: December 25 - press conference, tour Sapporo Dome; December 26 - tour other Sapporo facilities; December 17 - tour Kamagaya facilities; January 11 - 2012 draft class training camp; January 25 - staff meeting to decide player assignments for spring camp; February 1 - start of spring camp.
Source: Sports Hochi 12/24/2012
Orix Buffaloes
The Buffaloes have compiled a list of candidates they might select as compensation for losing Hayato Terahara. They are currently looking for either a left-handed starter or a position player with power.
"We have narrowed down possible candidates to under ten. That includes pitchers and position players. We will make a decision before the deadline (January 13) after discussing things with Hiroshi Moriwaki," said team director Yoshio Murayama.
A team meeting could be held as early as January 4.
Source: Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012
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Alfredo Figaro's contract will have to wait until after the New Year, but before spring camp, so sometime in January. Source: Sports Hochi 12/24/2012
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Takayoshi Kawabata was awarded Karaoke Rainbow's Grand Slam Award for the grand slam he belted on May 22 against the Hanshin Tigers at Kyocera Dome. Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 12/24/2012, Daily Sports 12/24/2012
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Orix team director Murayama told reporters on Sunday that the team will likely be interested in pursuing Ichiro Suzuki after his two-year contract with the New York Yankees ends. Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 12/24/2012, Daily Sports 12/24/2012
Rakuten Eagles
Masahiro Tanaka plans to prepare for both the WBC and a possible NPB opening day start on March 29. Source: Daily Sports 12/24/2012, Sponichi 12/24/2012
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Yusuke Inoue will train in the Los Angeles with a group of other players for about two weeks, beginning in early January. Source: Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012
Chiba Lotte Marines
Toshiaki Imae has decided to go back to the type of bat he used in 2010 (from the 84 centimeter bat he used this past season to the 83.75 centimeter bat he used in 2010). He also wants to focus on making contact with the ball, not necessarily with power (increase the chance of hitting the ball by keeping the swing compact). Source: Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012, Sponichi 12/24/2012
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Shunichi Nemoto will be getting a new uniform number next season: from thirty-two to two. Source: official announcement, Nikkan Sports 12/24/2012
You’re probably all used to my stupid comments by now, but here’s another one. Please keep in mind, I am an American who is unable to watch most Fighters games, getting most of my knowledge from this site (shoutout to Gen for keeping this site going).
Why the hype with Nakata? I mean, he was elected to the national team, is considered one of the best hitters in the PL and definitely one of the best on the Fighters. But why? Ok, he hit 24 home runs and I realize that’s a lot these days in the NPB, one of the top in the League. But, if you’re only hitting 24 home runs a season, is that even that valuable? Not to mention the guy batted in the .230′s last season and his OBP really wasn’t that good either. I know batting averages are down but geez.. Again, I’m sure this is a stupid question and obvious to all you NPB fans, but I don’t speak Japanese and can’t watch most of the games. The only way I can learn is by asking these kinds of questions. Thanks!
Nakata was a star in high-school, both as a pitcher and a hitter, so the expectations were high and still are.
Several reasons for Nakata’s level of popularity:
1. He played at Koshien;
2. He hits home runs and hit a ton of them in High School;
3. He hits home runs in NPB and in a very pitcher friendly park (Sapporo Dome);
4. Plays everyday – thus always in the boxscores;
5. Agrees to be on TV – and that helps A TON;
Takeya Nakamura hits many more home runs, BUT he was not at Koshien, flew under the radar during high school, doesn’t seem to want to appear on Japanese TV (perhaps he has some standards, lol!) and goes on the dl for quite some time.
It seems like I read somewhere that Figaro signed back in the States.
Figaro did, but the deal was nixed because he was on the Buffaloes’ reserved list.
http://yakyubaka.com/2012/12/21/12212012-yoshinori-tateyama-alfredo-figaro-koji-uehara/
Nakata is simply not that good. Sapporo Dome isn’t THAT much of a pitcher’s park – Fighters had 4 of the top 11 in HR last year.
Nakata is no better than the 4th best position player on his own team (if that), let alone being a premier player in the country. Absolutely not deserving of the hype.
Wow. Missed that one. Is this something that has come up much in the past?