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Bryan Bullington is ok with getting the opening day start if Kenta Maeda cannot make it.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013

The Hiroshima Carp announced they re-signed Bryan Bullington (32) to a two-year deal.  They also officially announced they signed newcomer Fred Lewis (32) to a one-year deal.

Bullington: two years at 125 million yen plus incentives per year, includes 53 million yen signing bonus.

Lewis: one year at 40 million yen plus incentives, includes a 15 million yen signing bonus and a club option for a second year.  He was also assigned the number forty-one.

Source: official announcement (Bullington), official announcement (Lewis), Nikkan Sports 12/11/2012

Dennis Sarfate finished out the second year of a two-year deal today.  The media learned on Wednesday that Hiroshima is not planning to offer the thirty-one-year an extension for the 2013 season.

Sarfate struggled a little this season, perhaps due to an inguinal hernia surgery he had last winter, and may have also been worried about his wife's health (he returned to the US in June to be with her).  In either case, it seems Hiroshima felt he lost a little something on his fastball and may have felt he would be a risk for the 2013 season.

Kam Mickolio, Nick Stavinoha, and Brad Eldred will likely return next year.  The Carp are talking things over with Bryan Bullington (he finished out a two-year deal).  They are also talking to Fred Lewis.

Source: Sponichi 11/8/2012, Sports Hochi Osaka 11/8/2012, Chugoku Shimbun 11/8/2012, Nikkan Sports 11/8/2012

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According to Sanspo, the Yokohama Bay Stars have added Sarfate to their list of players to look into.  Signing him would allow the team to move Shun Yamaguchi to the starting rotation.  Source: Sanspo 11/8/2012

The Hiroshima Carp are looking to bring back Bryan Bullington, Kam Mickolio, and Brad Eldred next season.  Bullington has expressed an interest to return.  Mickolio and Eldred signed two-years deals where the second year is a club option.

The Carp are still undecided on Dennis Sarfate.  The club may be leaning towards cutting ties with Nick Stavinoha and Brian Barden.

The Carp reportedly have a list of thirty foreign player candidates for the 2013 season and would ultimately like to carry a total of six foreign players next season (three pitchers, three position players).

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/25/2012, Sports Hochi Osaka 9/25/2012

Bryan Bullington's contract includes an opt-out clause that allows him the Hiroshima Carp to leave after the season, provided he does not sign with another NPB team.  But Bullington told reporters on Sunday that he would like to return if given the opportunity.

An unnamed team source said, "[Bullington] pitches a good game and we also like his attitude toward baseball."

At this point, it seems there is a good chance that Bullington will to Hiroshima next season.

Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 9/24/2012

The Hiroshima front office is interested in bringing Bryan Bullington, Dennis Sarfate, and Kam Mickolio back for the 2013 season.

All three players are on one-year deals with team options for the 2013 season.

Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 7/23/2012

Bryan Bullington threw first-pitch strikes to thirteen of the seventeen batters he faced on Tuesday.

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Yoshihiro Maru (22) will be filing marriage papers with 22-year-old woman name Rika Iwamasa (岩政里佳 ?).  The two have been seeing each other for ten years and Iwamasa is currently pregnant with a due date sometime in September.

Bryan Bullington and Dennis Sarfate worked out on their day off today.  They were also seen playing catch for about fifteen minutes in the light rain at Mazda Stadium.

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If 1st round draft pick Yusuke Nomura continues to pitch well (he tossed three shutout innings against the Chunichi Dragons on Sunday), he could end up starting the third game of the season, behind Kenta Maeda and Bullington.

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The Hiroshima Carp announced today that they will add two t-shirts featuring 1st round draft pick Yusuke Nomura and 4th round draft pick Shohei Habu to their product line-up.  The shirts will go on sale March 6.

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Maeda and Yuya Fukui appeared at a ceremony for Momimiji Ginko's Carp V Yokin 2012 accounts earlier today.

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Kenjiro Nomura on K. Maeda slipping on the mound during his outing on Sunday: "It was a boneheaded thing to do.  Hopefully this turned out to be a good lesson for him to check the mound before pitching."

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Hiroshima's game against the Seibu Lions was rained out today.

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Takahiro Aoki had his left knee re-examined today and was diagnosed with a meniscal tear.  He will not be able to practice for about two weeks.

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Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui visited Nichinan camp today.

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Bryan Bullington sees himself as the number two pitcher in the starting rotation, behind Kenta Maeda.  As such, he wants to step up and help Maeda carry the team.

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The team had the day off today.

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A number of players, including Ryuhei Matsuyama, Shota Dobayashi, Yuta Shirahama, Hayato Shoji, and Tomohiro Abe, visited the 5th Air Fleet at the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Naha Air Base on their day off today.

Dobayashi and Shoji will likely get playing time during tomorrow's practice game against Nippon Ham.

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1st round draft pick Yusuke Nomura was only planning to throw fifteen pitches to a squatting catcher on Thursday, but ended up throwing twice that amount.

====== UPDATE 2/11 @ 2:02am

Kenta Maeda threw his bullpen session on Thursday at about 60%.  He also had some timing issues throwing out of the wind.