For those keeping track of Eri Yoshida, my apologies for falling behind on updates.

Season: 2 G, 7 IP, 2-0, 128 NP (68 B, 60 S), 33 BF, 6 H (4 1B, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR), 6 BB, 5 K, 5 R, 5 ER, 6.43 ERA

===

Start vs Kishu Rangers on May 6

1st inning

G6, G6, Kl

2nd inning

1B7, HBP, SH, BB, Kl, 1B8 (two RBI), 2B7/8 (RBI), G6

3rd inning

G4, G3, F4

4th inning

BB (SB, PO), Ks, F7

5th inning

1B7 (SB), G3, G6 (RBI), G4

Final line: W, 5 IP, 21 BF, 79 NP, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 4 R, 4 ER.

===

Relief Appearance vs 06 Bulls on April 12

8th inning

Kl, 3B8/9, BB, SF8, BB, Ks

9th inning

1B7 (SB), F9, BB, G1, BB, F9

Final line: W, 2 IP, 12 BF, 49 NP, 2 H, 2 SO, 4 BB, 1 R, 1 ER.

There were talks of Akinori Otsuka (41) finalizing a deal with the Shinano Grandserows later this month, but it now seems that will not happen until early June.  Otsuka still needs some more time to square things away in San Diego and Shinano's schedule later this month is full with the team heading overseas to Hawaii for the Route Inn Cup Series.

"There is no doubt that [Otsuka] has decided to sign with Shinano.  The official contract [will be signed] in early June," said team president Kesaharu Misawa.

Source: Sponichi 5/18/2013

The Shinano Grandserows (BC League) announced the addition of former Yokohama Bay Star Brandon Mann (28) on Tuesday.

Mann signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals that included a spring training invite in January.  He decided to return to Japan after he was re-assigned in March.  He arrived in Japan on the 11th and started participating in workouts on the 12th.

Shinano has posted the following comment from Mann:

Hello, my name in Brandon.  I am happy to have another opportunity to pitch in Japan.  I will do my best to help the Shinano Grandserows win a championship.

Source: Sponichi 4/17/2013, official announcement, official tweet (with photo)

The Toyama Thunderbirds (BC League) announced today that they signed thirty-seven-year-old pitch Tomokazu Oka.

Oka spent a few years playing for the Yokohama Bay Stars (1994-1998) before going overseas.  While in the US, he spent time playing for the Boston Red Sox (1999-2001), Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (2001-2005), Milwaukee Brewers (2005-2006), Toronto Blue Jays (2007), Chicago White Sox (2008, minor league), and Cleveland Indians (2009).  He returned to the Bay Stars in 2010 and released in October 2011, shortly after he got his right shoulder cleaned out.

Source: official announcement via Sponichi 4/8/2013

The Toyama Thunderbirds (BC League) announced today that they agreed to a deal with twenty-three-year-old pitcher Luca Panerati.

Panerati was a member of the WBC Italy team.  He pitched in three games and did not allow a run over 3.2 innings of work.

Source: official announcement via Daily Sports 3/29/2013

(continue reading...)

The Hiroshima Carp announced today that the following four Ikusei pitchers will play in the Shikoku Island League plus this year.

Mitsuhiro Nagakawa
Kagawa Olive Guyners - March 25 through to the end of the season

Takeshi Komatsu
Tokushima Indigo Socks - March 27 through to the end of the season

Ryosuke Ikenouchi
Ehime Mandarin Pirates - March 27 through to the end of the season

Kohei Tsukada
Kochi Fighting Dogs - March 28 through to the end of the season

Additionally, the following players from Carp Academy will also play in the Shikoku Island League plus (Tokushima Indigo Socks): Onassis Sirrett, Martire Garcia.

Source: official announcement (Hiroshima), official announcement (league), official announcement (Kagawa), official announcement (Tokushima), official announcement (league), official announcement (Tokushima)

The Japan Independent Baseball League Association (JIBLA) announced on Thursday that they will support BC League and Shikoku Island League players by providing them with opportunities to earn a teaching license through Seisa University, a distance learning university in Hokkaido.  The hope is that players will be able to use the licenses to find jobs after they decide to retire.

Source: official announcement (BC League)

Kansai Independent League announced today that the Hyogo Blue Sandars, 06 Bulls, and Kishu Rangers will participate in the 2013 season.  The Yamato Samurai Reds and the Kobe Suns will sit the year out due to financial problems.  Both teams are hoping to return next year.

The first-half of the season will be made up for forty-eight games between March and June (opening day is March 23).  The second-half is scheduled to take place between July and September.

Source: Sanspo 2/13/2013

The BC League held a press conference today to announce additional details of a series of games between their five teams and two teams from the Pacific Baseball Association.

BC League Teams

Gunma Diamond Pegasus
Niigata Albirex Baseball Club
Shinano Grandserows
Toyama Thunderbirds
Ishikawa Million Stars
Fukui Miracle Elephants

Pacific Baseball Association

Hawaii Stars
Na Koa Ikaika Maui

The series of games will be sponsored by Route Inn Hotels and will be called the Route Inn Cup Japan/US Independent League Series (ルートインカップ日米独立リーグ対抗戦).

The Series will be split into two rounds.

Japan Round

Dates: July 30 - August 5
Rain Dates: August 2, August 6

July 30
Gunma vs Hawaii
Fukui vs Maui

July 31
Niigata vs Hawaii
Toyama vs Maui

August 1
Shinano vs Hawaii
Ishikawa vs Maui

August 3
Shinano vs Maui
Fukui vs Hawaii

August 4
Gunma vs Maui
Toyama vs Hawaii

August 5
Niigata vs Maui
Ishikawa vs Hawaii

America Round

Dates: May 28 - June 2

May 28 - May 30
Maui vs Ishikawa
Hawaii vs Shinano

May 31 - June 2
Maui vs Shinano
Hawaii vs Ishikawa

Start times and venues and will be release when schedules for the regular season are released (some time in late February).

Source: official announcement, official announcement

The BC League will play twenty-four games against two US independent league teams in Hawaii this year.  An official announcement is scheduled for the 25th.

The six teams in the BC League will play a total twenty-four games against the Na Koa Ikaika Maui and the Hawaii Stars, in both Japan and Hawaii.

Source: Sanspo 1/16/2013