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Dai-Kang Yoh closed out his spring camp workouts today.  He will begin his WBC training with Taiwan.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/11/2013

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Before arriving in Japan on the 8th, Brian Wolfe tossed two bullpen sessions in the US.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/11/2013

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Bullpen catcher Ryuichi Watanabe thought 1st round draft pick Shohei Otani's fastball hit 150km/h during his bullpen session on Sunday.

US-based scout Alan Hargesheimer watched Otani take batting practice on Saturday and toss his bullpen session on Sunday.  He was impressed with the rookie and told reporters the first name that popped into his head when he saw him swing the bat was Larry Walker.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/11/2013

NPB commissioner Ryozo Kato had a chance to watch Otani toss his bullpen session on Sunday.

Otani is scheduled to throw another bullpen on the 12th (forty to fifty pitches).

Source: Sanspo 2/11/2013

Otani worked out at third during fielding practice today.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/11/2013

The Nippon Ham Fighters announced today that they signed Brian Wolfe and Micah Hoffpauir to contracts for the 2013 season.  They also announced that Terrmel Sledge will not be returning next year.

The following comments from Wolfe and Hoffpauir were posted by the Fighters:

Wolfe: My love for team, Hokkaido, and the fans have grown strong after spending three years with the Fighters.  My family is happy they will be able to come back here again.  I want to always do my best in front of the fans in Hokkaido and all across Japan.  I will prepare myself for winning the Nippon Series next year by working hard once I return home.

Hoffpauir: I am happy that I will be able to return as a member of the Fighters in 2013 and fight to win with my teammates and the fans.   While we were able to win the pennant, we unfortunately failed to win a Nippon Series.  Next season, I will prepared to use all my abilities to in order to win a Nippon Series.  I look forward to the continued support.

Source: official announcement

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UPDATE @ 9:01pm - According to Sports Hochi, Wolfe signed a deal worth 105M yen (up 18M yen) and Hoffpauir 68M yen (up 5M yen).  Source: Sponichi Hochi 10/5/2012

According to Nikkan Sports, Terrmel Sledge (35) will not be returning to the the Nippon Ham Fighters next season.  An announcement will be made within the next couple of days.

Dustin Molleken's (28) status is still uncertain -- much will depend on negotiations.  Brian Wolfe (31) and Micah Hoffpauir (32) are both expected to return in 2013.

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/4/2012

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UPDATE @ 11:10pm - Bobby Keppel (30) is also expected to return next year.  Source: Daily Sports 11/4/2012

Brian Wolfe (31) and Micah Hoffpauir (32) will most likely return to the Nippon ham Fighters next season.

The Fighters exercised a club option on Wolfe and have reportedly agreed to pay him about 100M yen next season.  Hoffpauir drew interest from one or more NPB teams but has already unofficially agreed to sign a deal worth an estimated 80M yen.

Still no word on what Nippon Ham is planning with Bobby Keppel.  Terrmel Sledge will most likely not return.

Dicky Gonzalez (YOM) was lifted from his start against the Chunichi Dragons after he complained of complained of discomfort in his body (he may have tweaked his left flank during his at bat in the top of the 2nd inning) while throwing practice pitches before the start of the bottom of the 2nd.

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Brian Wolfe (HAM) left the game after throwing three pitches to Shigenobu Shima (Seibu) in the 4th inning.  Wolfe called for time after throwing two pitches to Shima because he felt some discomfort in his left hamstring and took himself out of the game after throwing the third pitch.

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Today's Kyoiku League game against Rakuten at Kamagaya: Brian Wolfe started the game and allowed one run (unearned) on two hits over five innings of work. [Nikkan Sports]

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4th round draft pick Kensuke Kondo could make it into the starting line-up at catcher for some exhibition games during the team's road trip to the Kanto region (beginning on March 16).

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Tomohiro Nioka could play in Friday's (March 16) exhibition game against the Yokohama Bay Stars depending on how things go over the next couple of days.  Nioka has been practicing at Kamagaya since March 8 and is working his way back from right calf problems.

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Toshimasa Konta is working his way back from right shoulder surgery in December.  He has already logged some playing time as a DH and took fielding practice for the first time on Sunday.

"Rehab is moving quicker than originally planned," said Konta. "All that is left is throwing.  It is ultimately up to the manager and coaches to decide on how they want to use me.  I will continue to do my best so that I am prepared to go whenever they need me."

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7th round draft pick Takumi Oshima took batting practice on Monday by standing over home plate against a pitching machine that throws curves -- swinging and missing means getting hit by the baseball.

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Sapporo's Toho subway line will be running a Fighters subway for three years, beginning March 19, 2012.

7th round draft pick Takumi Oshima may opt to miss his university graduation ceremony (March 26) since he hopes to be in Hokkaido preparing for opening day on March 30.

Oshima did not play in Saturday's exhibition game against the Rakuten Eagles because of some lower back pain.  And while he did take batting practice, he was not available off the bench.

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Terrmel Sledge and Brian Wolfe went fishing on their day off on Friday and returned to the player hotel empty-handed.

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The Fighters currently have forty-one players at Ichi-gun camp.  Hideki Kuriyama is planning to drop three pitchers and three position players to Ni-gun on February 28 and continue to pare the roster down to about thirty players by March 8.

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Bobby Keppel is scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Yokohama Bay Stars.

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The Fighters have set up three meeting rooms on the first floor of their team office in Sapporo.  The three rooms will each have a name: Darvish, Shinjo, and Hillman.

Nikkan Sports reports that the Fighters announced earlier today that they signed Brian Wolfe and Bobby Keppel to contract extensions for the 2012 season.

Sponichi says that Keppel Wolf will return next year and that the Fighters will exercise Micah Hoffpauir's team option for the 2012.  Regarding Bobby Scales, they feel he won't be returning.

And Daily Sports reports that Wolfe and Keppel will return while Hoffpauir and Scales will likely be gone.

UPDATE @ 11:34am - Nikkan Sports is now also reporting that Scales won't be returning next year.  The reasons they list: Kensuke Tanaka is now healthy, his drop-off in production towards the end of the season due to pitchers making adjustments, and concerns about his defense.  As for Hoffpauir, they're saying he signed a 2-year deal before the start of the season and will therefore return in 2012.

UPDATE @ 12:34pm - Daily Sports is now also reporting that the Fighters signed Wolfe and Keppel to contract extensions for the 2012 season.

UPDATE 11/1 @ 1:15pm - According to Sports Hochi, Wolfe likely got a deal worth US$1.5M (120M yen) and Keppel US$1.1M (87M yen).

Brian Wolfe tweaked something in his left hamstring while pitching in the third inning of today's game against the Chiba Lotte Marines.  Wolfe is scheduled to get his leg checked out a hospital tomorrow.  The Fighters are expected to take him off the active roster and in turn call up Tomohiro Nioka.

UPDATE 10/3 @ 2:50pm - MRI results on Wolfe's left leg came back negative.  Wolfe is essentially day-to-day.

The Nippon Ham Fighters announced earlier today that they agreed on a contract extension with Brian Wolfe for the 2011 season.

Wolfe's comment on the extension:

"I'm extremely happy to have a chance to return as a member of the Nippon Ham Fighters.  It is unfortunate that we missed the Climax Series this year.  I'd like to contribute to the team as a starter next season help bring home a championship to the fans.  I look forward to everyone's continued support."

UPDATE (10:26pm JST): seems his salary for 2011 will be about 45M yen (up from the 36M yen he made this season).