Chunichi Dragons

Morimichi Takagi attended Chunichi's New Year Ceremony in Nagoya today.  Source: Sponichi 1/4/2013

===

Masahiro Yamamoto began his training at his Alma mater, Nihon University Fujisawa High School, today.  Source: Nikkan Sports 1/4/2013

===

1st round draft pick Koji Fukutani has decided to take things slow this year after drawing a small luck fortune during Hatsumode on Wednesday that warned him to be careful about rushing.  Fukutani did have problems with the adductor muscle in his right leg last March and does not want to face similar problems in his first year as a pro.  Source: Sports Hochi 1/4/2013

Yakult Swallows

Yoshinori Sato and his brother Takanori began their training in Sendai, Miyagi today.  Their workouts included running and playing catch.  Source: Nikkan Sports 1/4/2013

===

Akinori Iwamura will hold a mini-camp with other players in Matsuyama between the 12th and 18th.  Iwamura drew the luck in the future fortune during Hatsumode.  He apparently drew the big luck fortune last year.  Source: Sanspo 1/4/2013

Iwamura swung the bat sixty-three times and hit two over the fence during his first round of batting practice in 2013 on Thursday.  Source: Sponichi 1/4/2013

Yomiuri Giants

Yoshihito Ishii was the first to begin workouts at Giants Stadium today -- he arrived after 9:00am but had to wait around until 10:00am for the facilities to open.  Source: Daily Sports 1/4/2013

===

Ryuichi Kajimae worked out at Giants Stadium today.  Source: Nikkan Sports 1/4/2013

===

Yasunari Takagi plans to toss a bullpen session (standing catcher) at Giants Stadium at some point this month.  Source: Sponichi 1/4/2013

===

Ryosuke Miyaguni is slated to sign some sort of equipment deal with Adidas.  Source: Nikkan Sports 1/4/2013

===

Shuichi Murata will begin his workouts in Kadena, Okinawa later this month.  Source: Sanspo 1/4/2013

===

The Giants plan to have their advance scouts analyze the Hanshin Tigers' new additions during spring camp and the exhibition game season.  Source: Daily News 1/4/2013

===

2nd round draft pick Susumu Orui began his workouts in Sapporo on Thursday.  He plans to use Sean Paul's Hold On for his intro music.  Source: Sponichi 1/4/2013

Hanshin Tigers

Takashi Toritani will again be the team captain this year.  He has already been informed by Yutaka Wada.  Source: Daily Sports 1/4/2013

===

1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami began his workouts at the Osaka Toin High School facilities today.  Fujinami's immediate goal is to get himself ready to toss a bullpen session on the first day of spring camp.  The Tigers dispatched three people from their PR department to help deal with the fifty or so members of the media that showed up.  Source: Sanspo 1/4/2013, Nikkan Sports 1/4/2013

Wada spoke to reporters today and said that as of now, he planned to assign Fujinami to Ichi-gun spring camp.  Source: Sanspo 1/4/2013, Sports Hochi 1/4/2013

===

2nd round draft pick Fumiya Hojo drew a big luck fortune during Hatsumode (second year in a row) that said everything would be fine if he did not make any mistakes in selecting his path.  Source: Sponichi 1/4/2013, Sanspo 1/4/2013, Nikkan Sports 1/4/2013

===

4th round draft pick Shinya Azuhata's father Shokan is a priest at Inuyama Naritasan Daishoji in Aichi.  Azuhata plans to have his father purify/cleanse his baseball equipment with prayer.  Source: Nikkan Sports 1/4/2013, Sponichi 1/4/2013

===

900 fan-club members (300 groups) were allowed to pray at Koshien Stadium today.  Source: Daily Sports 1/4/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

Alex Ramirez needs seven more hits to get to 2,000.  The Bay Stars open the season against the Dragons at Nagoya Dome (March 29-31), before their home opener against the Yomiuri Giants (April 2-4).  Ramirez would like to try and record his 2,000th hit during the Yomiuri series.  Source: Sports Hochi 1/4/2013