Tadashi Settsu is slated to get the opening day start.

Source: Sponichi 3/27/2013

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Brian Falkenborg will be the closer.  Ryota Igarashi will pitch the 8th and Sho Iwasaki the 7th.

Source: Sponichi 3/27/2013

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6th round draft pick Hirofumi Yamanaka's Ni-gun start was rained out today.  He will pitch in Thursday's game.

Source: Nikkan Sports 3/27/2013

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The Hawks prayed for a successful season in front of the Taka Kanzenon Daibosatsu today.

Source: Sponichi 3/27/2013

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Masahiko Morifuku spent over thirty minutes signing autographs for the 100 or so fans that waited outside the stadium after Tuesday's Ni-gun game against Chunichi.

Source: Nikkan Sports 3/27/2013

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Mizuho Corporate Bank signed a naming rights agreement for the premium seat section behind home plate at YafuOku Dome.  The section has been named Mizuho Premium Seats.

Source: official announcement, Nikkan Sports 3/27/2013

A Softbank Hawks official told reporters on Friday that the team planned to offer Brian Falkenborg a contract for the 2013 season.  The team will probably want Hideki Okajima to return next season as well, but he has expressed an interest in returning to the US.

Other players that will likely return next season: Wily Mo Pena, Terry Doyle, Brad Allen, Yao-Hsun Yang, and Ikusei pitcher Edison Barrios.

The Hawks are not expected to offer Renyel Pinto, Angel Castro, Levi Romero, and Ikusei outfielder Josh Short contracts for the 2013 season.

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/20/2012

The Softbank Hawks will take Brian Falkenborg off the active roster on Thursday because of tightness in his right biceps brachii muscle.

Source: Sponichi 10/17/2012

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UPDATE 10/18 @ 8:49am - Falkenborg started feeling the discomfort in his right arm during pre-game practices on Wednesday.  Source: Sponichi 10/18/2012

Softbank Hawks

Brian Falkenborg was taken off the active roster today with pain in his neck.

Said pitching coach Ikuo Takayama, "[Falkenborg] was in no shape to compete at Ichi-gun so we removed him [from the active roster].  When I asked if he could pitch, he said pushing himself would hurt him."

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/7/2012

Rakuten Eagles

The Eagles announced that Shintaro Masuda was diagnosed with an injury to the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.  Masuda suffered the injury while running the bases during a game against the Nippon Ham Fighters on Wednesday.  He got an MRI at a hospital in Sendai on Thursday and was taken off the active roster.

The team trainer told reporters today that it will be about a month before he can resume playing again.  A return before the end of the season might be difficult.

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/7/2012

The Hawks took Brian Falkenborg off the active roster today with discomfort in his right shoulder.

Falkenborg had similar problems with his right shoulder earlier this season and was taken off the active roster on May 18.  He returned a little over a month later on June 22 and pitched an inning in relief on June 26 (vs Orix).  At some point between then and today, Falkenborg tossed a bullpen session and felt some discomfort in his right shoulder.

The Hawks called up Levi Romero to take Falkenborg's spot on the active roster.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/29/2012

UPDATE 6/30 @ 10:58pm - Falkenborg first felt some discomfort during a bullpen session on Thursday.  He will have the shoulder checked out within the next couple of days.  Source: Nikkan Sports 6/30/2012

Brian Falkenborg threw forty-three pitches (including off-speed pitches) in the bullpen on Tuesday.  It was his second session since he was taken off the active roster on May 18 with tightness in his right shoulder.

Assuming no setbacks, Falkenborg might be able to return to the active roster as early as June 2 (start of the Yakult series at Yahoo Dome).

Brian Falkenborg was taken off the active roster today with tightness in his right shoulder and will be shut down for a couple/few days.

UPDATE @ 6:10pm - According to Daily Sports, Falkenbog did take part in team workouts at Jingu Stadium today.  He also said to reporters, "I have had the tightness for a little while now.  I thought that I might not be able to do what is expected of me.  I want to get back as soon as possible."

Today's practice game against Rakuten at Kurashiki: Tadashi Settsu started the game and allowed a run on five hits over five innings of work. [Sports Hochi] ... Nobuhiko Matsunaka hit a two-run homer off the foul pole in right. [Sports Hochi]

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Hiroki Kokubo returned to Fukuoka on Wednesday so that he can focus on getting treatment for the tightness in his left calf.  He is expected to rejoin the team on March 18 and should be able against the Chiba Lotte Marines on March 20.

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Brad Penny was scratched from his Kyoiku League start on Wednesday because of lower back pain.  If Penny can not throw a certain amount of innings/pitches during his next outing (likely five innings and around eighty pitches on March 21 vs Nippon Ham), he could be swapped out of the starting rotation with someone that is more prepared.

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Koji Akiyama called over to Kenta Imamiya during workouts and asked him to try pushing him with his bat.

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Someone registered a fake Brian Falkenborg Twitter account.  It seems the account has since been removed.

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Pitching coach Ikuo Takayama told reporters today that he will approach the season as if Takahiro Mahara will not be able return this year.  That means reassigning bullpen roles, including making Brian Falkenborg the closer.  Masahiko Morifuku could also be called on to help with the workload.

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Nikkan Sports notes that Tadashi Settsu, Brad Penny, and Kazuyuki Hoashi are the only pitchers with spots in the starting rotation.

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The Hawks announced they signed a uniform sponsorship deal with Everlife -- the company logo will appear on the left sleeve.

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The Hawks announced today that Mu-Young Kim's wife gave birth to the couple's second child, a boy weighing 3,298 grams.

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Renyel Pinto is scheduled to pitch in an intra-squad game on February 23.

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Pitching coach Ikuo Takayama apparently feels starters should be able to throw about 120 pitches on six days of rest.

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As of Saturday, Whily Mo Pena was 0-for-7 with four strikeouts over two intra-squad games.