Chunichi Dragons

Practices at Okinawa fall camp were cut after morning sessions because of the weather.  Morimichi Takagi gave the players the rest of the day off and jokingly asked reporters to right how he made everyone run the distance (seventeen kilometers) back to the team hotel.  Source: Nikkan Sports 11/17/2012

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Takagi had Naomichi Donoue work on behind-the-back tosses during fielding practice on Saturday.

Said Takagi, "Once you get a handle on it, it is something that can be used.  Just a way to show them that there is another way to do things."

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/17/2012

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Soma Yamauchi threw thirty pitches in the bullpen on Friday at Nagoya Stadium (twenty-seven to a standing catcher and three to a squatting catcher).  It was his first session since he hurt his left shin.  Source: Sponichi 11/17/2012, Sports Hochi Osaka 11/17/2012

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Takagi threw 600 pitches as a batting practice during workouts at Okinawa fall camp on Friday.  The batting practice session actually replaced a previously scheduled fielding/base-running session.  Source: Nikkan Sports 11/17/2012

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Takagi will go with Hitoki Iwase as the closer next season.  If he falters, there will be no letting him pitch out of it by moving him into another role.  Instead, he will be demoted to Ni-gun until he turns things around.  Retirement could be suggested if he does not manage to get things sorted out.  Source: Nikkan Sports 11/17/2012

Yakult Swallows

Comedian Tetsuro Degawa was named the team's very first honorary fan club member on Friday.  He may also have a chance to perform in front of the crowd.

The Fan Club will also be renamed the Swallows' Crew in 2013.

Source: Sanspo 11/17/2012, Sponichi 11/17/2012

Yomiuri Giants

The younger players that participated in the Asia Series, like Ryosuke Miyaguni, Kyosuke Takagi, and Daisuke Fujimura, joined the others for fall practice on Friday.  Source: Sanspo 11/17/2012

Miyaguni wants to gain some weight by doing weight training exercises during the winter.  Source: Daily  Sports 11/17/2012

Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers would like Orix free agent Takeshi Hidaka to not only help their team out as a player, but also a teacher.  Source: Nikkan Sports 11/17/2012

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Hayata Ito has managed to increase his swing speed from around 130km/h to about 140km/h.  Source: Sanspo 11/17/2012

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Yutaka Wada was hit by a pitch while standing in the batter's box during Yusuke Kawasaki's bullpen session on Friday.  Kawasaki apologized and said it was because he liked to throw inside.

Wada's reply: "Show me that kind of pitching during games, that is the kind of attitude I like. ... Not many get a chance to hit the manager.  The pitch did get away, but those kinds of things can affect batters too."

Source: Sanspo 11/17/2012

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Masayuki Kakefu visited Naruohama on business on Friday and also spent some time giving the younger players, like Masaki Anada, Kosei Fujii, and Tetsuya Sakaguchi, a lecture on proper hitting form and used Shinnosuke Abe as an example to follow (specifically, how he keeps his swing level).  Wei-Chu Lin and Ryota Arai also caught the tail end of the lecture.  Source: Nikkan Sports 11/17/2012

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With Ryota Igarashi no longer on the market, the Tigers will turn their attention to the foreign pitching market.  According to Sanspo, the Bay Stars may have offered Igarashi a two-year deal worth 500M yen and the Tigers a two-year between 400 to 500M yen.  He ultimately picked the three-year deal worth 600M yen from the Softbank Hawks.  Source: Sanspo 11/17/2012

The Tigers also now plan to work hard to make sure Kosuke Fukudome does not end up signing with Yokohama.  Source: Sanspo 11/17/2012

Possible foreign pitcher candidates: Scott Proctor (KBO), Brad Thomas (CPBL), and Paul Phillips (CPBL). Source: Daily Sports 11/17/2012

Yokohama Bay Stars

GM Shigeru Takada would like to wait for Kosuke Fukudome as long as possible.  They also do not plan on moving on Hiroyuki Nakajima until they have a clearer picture of what he wants to do.  Source: Daily Sports 11/17/2012

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The Bay Stars' documentary on the 2012 season was finalized on the 16th.  Tickets to the screening, which will place on December 9, the same day the DVD becomes available for purchase, have already sold out (about 450 of them).  Source: Sanspo 11/17/2012, Sponichi 11/17/2012

Nippon Ham Fighters

Masaru Nakamura started Ni-gun game against Yakult on Sunday: 6 IP, 23 BF, 91 NP, 2 H, 0 SO, 5 BB, 2 R, 2 ER).  As of now, he has a better chance at being called up over Yuki Saito.  Saito will likely get at least one more tune-up start at Ni-gun.  Source: Sanspo 8/13/2012, Nikkan Sports 8/13/2012

It is possible Saito may not make it back to Ichi-gun until September.  Source: Sports Hochi 8/13/2012

Orix Buffaloes

Alessandro Maestri purchased a yellow glove for about fifty dollars in 2010 with the Japanese word "一生懸命" (isshokenmei - best effort) stitched onto the thumb area.  Maestri told reporters he did not know what the Japanese word until he came to Japan.  Source: Nikkan Sports 8/13/2012, Daily Sports 8/13/2012

Maestri is the first Italian pitcher to play in the NPB.  There have been Italian position players: Reno Bertoia (1964) and Steven Rum (1981-1982).  He is also the first Orix foreign pitcher to record a win in his first appearance since Jason Phillips on July 6, 2003.  Source: Sponichi 8/13/2012

Chiba Lotte Marines

Pro wrestler Yuji Nagata is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on August 28 (vs Rakuten at QVC Marine).  Source: Nikkan Sports 8/13/2012

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Takahiro Fujioka started a Ni-gun game against the Futures on Sunday and tossed seven shutout innings.  He also gave up five hits and struck out ten.  Fujioka will likely make his next start at Ichi-gun against Nippon Ham on August 19.  Source: Nikkan Sports 8/13/2012

General News

A little more on the PL's 45,000th home run hit on Sunday night by Seibu's Jose Ortiz: the first PL home run was hit on March 11, 1950; before the start of Sunday's games, the PL was sitting on 44,997 home runs; the Central League is at 45,393.  Source: Sponichi 8/13/2012

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The Tigers had the day off today.

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Kenichi Tagami, Haruki Kurose, Ryota Arai, Issei Morita, and Masahiro Nakatani all worked out at Ginoza Stadium on their day off today.

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Batting coach Atsushi Kataoka wants every player to work towards being fully ready for the last two exhibition games in February (25 vs Yakult and 26 vs Chunichi).  That also means the younger players do not have that much more time to prove that they either deserve more looks or that they belong on the active roster.

The Tigers also held an emergency meeting after Sunday's game to remind the younger players they are running out of time.

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Matt Murton announced today that his intro music will be Phillips, Craig and Dean's Save the Day.

Murton is scheduled to play in his first game on February 23 (vs Rakuten, two or so at bats).

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Randy Messenger and Jason Standridge are scheduled to pitch in an intra-squad game on February 23.  Both pitchers tossed bullpen session on Sunday and spent some time signing autographs after practices.

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On Sunday: Kenji Jojima started a game at first for the first time since 9/7/2005 -- he handled two chances without any problem (foul out to first in the 2nd inning and a ground out to first in the 3rd inning).  Tomoaki Kanemoto played in a February game for the first time since 2002.

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1st round draft pick Hayata Ito's parents were on hand to watch Sunday's game against the Yomiuri Giants.

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Former Hanshin manager Akinobu Mayumi visited Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha on Sunday and met with team officials, including new manager Yutaka Wada.

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Yutaka Wada could go with a setup man by committee this year (three to four pitchers).

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The Tigers announced today that Ikusei 1st round draft pick Seiya Hirokami missed practices today because he was not feeling well.

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1st round draft pick Hayata Ito had a ganglion cyst removed from his right wrist on Tuesday and rested on his day off yesterday.  He took batting and fielding practice today without any problems.

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Matt Murton has narrowed down his intro music to Phillips, Craig and Dean's Save the Day and Third Day's Trust In Jesus.  Murton has decided to take input from fans via Twitter (deadline is February 18).

FYI: Murton's intro music during his first two seasons was Kutless' Strong Tower.

And for those wondering, his website will be located at http://murtonbaseball.com/ (still under construction).

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1st round draft pick Hayata Ito's intro music will be the Ultraman Song.

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If the Yomiuri Giants are going to start Ryosuke Miyaguni against them on February 19, then the Tigers will have their scouts and players keep a close eye on the youngster.  In other words, their goal will not be to hit the pitcher, but to learn more about him.

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Kenichi Tagami spent about forty minutes laying down bunts toward third in the batting cages during his day off on Wednesday.  He also spent about an hour working on his bunt after Tuesday's game against Hiroshima.

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Randy Messenger's Sanspo Tigers' Promise: hit one homer during the season.  If he fails, he owes Sanspo some memorabilia.  If he succeeds, Sanspo will reward Messenger with sixty meals of Tenka Ippin ramen.

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Messenger and Jason Standridge went kite flying on the beach on their day off on Wednesday.

Regular Additions

Ikusei Additions

Regular Subtractions

The following are players that became free agents after the Holdover Lists were published on Thursday.

You can view individual Holdover Lists via the links below:

• Chunichi Dragons
• Hanshin Tigers
• Hiroshima Carp
• Yakult Swallows
• Yokohama Bay Stars
• Yomiuri Giants
• Chiba Lotte Marines
• Nippon Ham Fighters
• Orix Buffaloes
• Rakuten Eagles
• Seibu Lions
• Softbank Hawks

In addition to Keiichi Yabu, the Rakuten Eagles also announced today that Ryuji Miyade was informed of his senryokugai status.

The club also announced that Todd Linden and Andy Phillips will not return to club next year.

7/20/2010 1:21am JST

...The Eagles announced on Monday that Andy Phillips was returning to the US in order to get his left knee examined.  Phillips was originally taken off the active roster in May with a left flank injury.  The knee problems started up sometime during the beginning of Spring and apparently never went away.

7/19/2010 11:15am JST

...Masahiro Tanaka started playing catch again yesterday.  Tanaka told reporters he was hoping to return to the active roster some time in early August.

10:41pm JST

...Andy Phillips (left flank) dropped by Kleenex Stadium during pre-game practice today to give Marty Brown an update regarding his injury.

12:32pm JST

...Naoto Watanabe was held out of the starting line-up last night due to left shoulder pain.  Watanabe apparently hurt his shoulder on defense in the 3rd inning during Tuesday night's game.  Watanabe told reporters that he thought he'd be able to play today.  The team will take a wait-and-see approach before making any final decisions.

...Kenta Satake picked up a screwball during the off-season to use against right-handed hitters.  He apparently used that very pitch last night to strikeout Hidenori Tanoue in the 7th inning.

...Masahiro Tanaka apparently hurt his right leg while running 50 meter dashes during pre-game practice yesterday.  It also seems his injury could keep him from participating in the All-Star game.

...The Eagles fell to 9 games under 500 for the first time this season.

...Sponichi blames Todd Linden, Andy Phillips, and to a lesser degree, Randy Ruiz, for the team's offensive woes.  Seems Sponichi is also seems to think their problems are making veteran players like Takeshi Yamasaki and Norihiro Nakamura press harder at the plate.

Nakamura - 76 G, .339 / .448 / .787

Yamasaki - 74 G, .289 / .425 / .714

Ruiz - 23 G, .300 / .378 / .678

Linden - 31 G, .308 / .290 / .598

Phillips - 26 G, .283 / .296 / .579

...The Eagles announced that they released an iPhone app chock full of Eagles' news and information (player profiles, event information, game updates, and plenty more).