Rakuten Eagles

Darrell Rasner was taken off the active roster today with discomfort in hip hip region.  Rasner was examined at a hospital in Saitama today but the team has not released information about his injury or about how long they expect him to be out.

Nippon Ham Fighters

The Fighters took Hisashi Takeda off the active roster today because of pain in the inner portion of his right knee (inflammation).  He first started feeling pain during a game on April 19th and was examined at a hospital in Tokyo on April 23.  No ligament damage was found at the time.  The team is considering whether or not to have Takeda re-evaluated.  There is currently no timetable for his return.

Takeda injured his right knee before in 2003.  

Softbank Hawks

Takehito Kanazawa was taken off the active today because of tightness in his right shoulder-blade area.

Chunichi Dragons

As expected, Kazuki Yoshimi was taken off the active roster today with a bruise on his left biceps femoris muscle.

Today's practice game against Softbank at Kurashiki: Darrell Rasner tossed a shutout inning in relief.  He faced four batters, allowed one hit, struck out two, and topped out at 146km/h. [Nikkan Sports] ... Luis Garcia was the starting DH and batted fourth.  He hit a solo homer to left off Hideki Okajima during his third at bat in the 6th inning. [Nikkan Sports] ... Wataru Nishimura started at short and batted sixth.  He went 1-for-3 with a double. [Nikkan Sports] ... With runners on first and third and two out in the 5th inning, Masato Nakamura entered the game as a pinch-hitter and hit an RBI single to left. [Nikkan Sports]

The Eagles worked out in Kurashiki, Okayama today.  They will be based out of Kurashiki through to March 15.

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Senichi Hoshino practiced throwing at a distance of about eighteen meters with head coach Koichi Tabuchi on Thursday.  Hoshino is slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Tabuchi on Saturday.

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Darrell Rasner is scheduled to pitch in Saturday's exhibition game against the Chiba Lotte Marines.  This will be his first outing of the year.

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The Ichi-gun players are planning to visit children living in/near earthquake disaster areas on March 28. The Yuriage region in Natori, Miyagi is one possible location.

Darrell Rasner injured his adductor muscle during spring camp and has been working his way back from the injury.  On Saturday he threw thirty-one pitches to Wataru Nishimura and allowed two could-be hits during pre-game batting practice.

"I faced a batter for the first time this year and it felt great.  It was also good that I was able to throw strikes.  I am still working on my off-speed pitches though.  I need to work on my curve a little more," said Rasner.

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Darrell Rasner is working his way back from a right adductor muscle strain. He tossed a bullpen session at Kin Stadium today.

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Senichi Hoshino played some catch (about twenty throws) with head coach Koichi Tabuchi during morning practice today.  Hoshino also spent some time throwing into a new.

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The Eagles closed out the Kumeshima leg of spring camp today.  They will travel to Okinawa Wednesday and restart practices on Thursday.

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1st round draft pick Yoshitaka Muto threw about 1,100 pitches during Kumeshima camp.  He was aiming for 1,200 pitches.

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The Eagles decided to extend James Heuser's tryout (it was supposed to end today).

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Darrell Rasner is working his way back from tightness in his right adductor muscle and should be able to toss a bullpen session soon (perhaps some time next week).

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The Eagles will send Jose Fernandez, Luis Garcia, and Yusuke Inoue down to Ni-gun.  Aoi Enomoto, Wataru Nishimura, Tadashi Ishimine, and Yusuke Kosui will remain with the Ichi-gun team after solid intra-squad performances.

Head coach Koichi Tabuchi told reporters Fernandez will rejoin the team as soon as he is ready (he got a late start).

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Valentine Chocolate Rankings: Takahiro Shioma 70 boxes, Motohiro Shima 61 boxes, Masahiro Tanaka 58 boxes.

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Masahiro Tanaka told reporters after his intra-squad start on Monday that he decided to hold off on using the pitching mechanics Yu Darvish taught him during the off-season because he was having a hard time with them.

The Rakuten Eagles announced today that they decided to hold on to Darrell Rasner (30), Kelvin Jimenez (31), and Luis Garcia (33).

Rasner will be paid 100M yen in 2012, Jimenez 65M yen, and Garcia 50M yen.

The Rakuten Eagles decided to exercise their 2012 option on Darrell Rasner on Saturday.  The option will be a one year deal worth 100M yen.

A team official said to reporters, "He should us he can close games this year and we also know he can start.  He's making better adjustments to Japanese baseball each year and we expect good things from him next year."

Darrell Rasner, Ryan Speier, Luis Garcia all left Japan on Thursday -- Rasner and Speier to the US and Garcia to Mexico.

There's mention that Rasner might try his luck at a return to the Majors next year without much on Speier or Garcia.

The Eagles announced today that both Akinori Iwamura and Darrell Rasner returned to Miyagi in order to get checked out at hospitals in Sendai -- Rasner felt tightness in his right hamstring during practice on the 16th and will be examined today; Iwamura needs additional tests on his left flank region (his test last night revealed no damage to the bones) and will be examined on the 19th (another report mentions the 20th).

While Iwamura was taken off the active roster today, the Eagles will wait to decide on Rasner until they find out more about what's wrong with him.