The 2012 Fresh All-Star rosters were posted today.

* denotes first year players
'XX (Z) XX is year the player was drafted, Z indicates round. I = Ikusei

Sponichi is reporting that a Tohoku Earthquake Relief benefit game, involving NPB and amateur players, will be played at Koriyama Kaiseizan Baseball Stadium on August 5.

The NPB team will likely be made up of Ni-gun players (two from each team) that have connections to Tohoku (more specifically, Fukishima).  Their opponent will be a mixed team of players belonging to Industrial League teams and schools (universities) in Fukushima.

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Eastern League managers met today in order to select candidates for the Fresh All-Star Game (July 19).  The actual list of candidates will be released, together with the Western League, on April 18.

The starters for the 2011 Fresh All-Star Game were posted today.

Eastern League (Home time - 3rd base side)

Western League (Vising team - 1st base side)

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See also:

2011 NPB Fresh All-Star Rosters posted

The All-Star Game steering committee announced today that Ryo Hirai (Yakult) and Daiki Yoshikawa (Chunichi) won't be able to play in this year's Fresh All Star Game (7/21 at Alpen Stadium) due to injuries.

Taking their places on the roster: Rafael Fernandes (Yakult) and Nobumasa Fukuda (Chunichi).

You can view the 2011 Fresh All-Star roster here.

The 2011 Fresh All-Star rosters were posted today.

Replacements

Injury: Rafael Fernandes (Yakult) in for Ryo Hirai (Yakult)

Injury: Nobumasa Fukuda (Chunichi) in for Daiki Yoshikawa (Chunichi)

Injury: Kyohei Iwasaki (Chunichi) in for Nobumasa Fukuda (Chunichi)

Injury: Hiroyuki Kawahara (Softbank) in for Yuki Shimooki (Softbank)

The NPB held a player selection meeting today for the 2011 Fresh All-Star teams.  A total 42 candidates were selected and will be announced on 5/19.

Yuki Saito (HAM) and Hirokazu Sawamura (YOM) were not endorsed by their respective clubs since they're both pitching at the Ichi-gun level.  Tatsuya Oishi (SEI) apparently made it as a candidate.

Sky A coverage has started (began at 5:45pm).

5:52pm JST: They're showing interviews of the managers from both teams.

5:59pm JST: the players are taking the field with their counterpart little leaguers.

6:00pm JST: Top of the 1st - Kenji Tomura takes the mound for his practice pitches.

6:02pm JST: first pitch.

6:13pm JST: Bottom of the 1st - Takeru Imamura begins his warm-ups.

7:25pm JST: mascots take the field after the 5th inning and entertain the crowd.

8:29pm JST: 19,450 in attendance.

8:40pm JST: Winning manager interview - Masahiro Kawai

8:43pm JST: Hero interview - Kyohei Iwasaki and Shuichi Furukawa

8:49pm JST: Awards Ceremony - Managers get their awards for participation.

8:51pm JST: Highlight Player Awards - Kentaro Inomoto, Shuichi Furukawa, Shogo Saito, and Kei Hosoya

8:52 pm JST: MVP Award - Kyohei Iwasaki

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(NOTE: count and pitch sequence information may not always be 100% accurate.)

Time: 2h 34m

Western League - Hitting

Eastern League - Hitting

Western League - Pitching

Eastern League - Pitching

Home runs
WL: Kyohei Iwasaki (2nd inn of Tomura), Kentaro Inomoto (2nd inn off Tomura), Shota Dobayashi (7th inn off K. Hayashi)
EL: Kei Hosoya (2nd inn off Imamura)

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Play-by-Play

Top of the 1st inning

Kenta Imamiya hits a single to left (2-0 pitch).

Kenichi Tagami hits a double down the third base line (2-1 pitch).  Imamiya to third, Tagami to second.

Issei Morita hits a sac fly to center (0-0 pitch).  Imamiya scores, Tagami to third.

Takahiro Iwamoto strikes out swinging (2-2 pitch).

Yusuke Matsui hits grounder to short (0-2 pitch).  Matsui out at first.

Bottom of the 1st inning

Daisuke Fujimura hits a grounder to short (3-2 pitch).  Fujimura reaches on an E6.

Fujimura steals second on 0-1 count.

Yoshifumi Okada hits a sac bunt (1-1 pitch).  Okada out at first, Fujimura to third.

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo strikes out swinging (0-2 pitch).

Taishi Ota strikes out swinging (3-2 pitch).

Top of the 2nd inning

Shota Dobayashi flies out to left (0-0 pitch).

Kenta Doi walks on four straight balls (ball, ball, ball = 3-0 pitch).

Doi advances to second on a wild pitch (?) on 1-0 count.

Kyohei Iwasaki hits a home run (ball, wild pitch = 2-0 pitch).  Doi scores.  Iwasaki scores.

Kentaro Inomoto hits a home run (ball = 1-0 pitch).  Inomoto scores.

Kenta Imamiya strikes out swinging (strike looking, ball, strike swinging, fouled back, fouled off = 1-2 pitch).

Kenichi Tagami hits a single back up the middle (strike looking, fouled off, fouled off, fouled off, ball, ball in the dirt, ball, fouled off = 3-2 pitch).

Tagami thrown out trying to steal second on 0-1 pitch.

Issei Morita (strike looking, ball).

Bottom of the 2nd inning

Kei Hosoya hits a home run (fouled off = 0-1 pitch).  Hosoya scores.

Seiichi Ohira walks (ball, ball, fouled off, fouled off, fouled off, fouled off, just foul down the third base line, ball, fouled off, fouled off = 3-2 pitch).

Shogo Saito hits a double over the left fielder's head, one hop off the wall (fouled back = 0-1 pitch).  Throw goes to second.  Ohira rounds third and heads home, throw to home, out at home.

Takahiro Araki pops out to second (ball, strike = 1-1 pitch).

Tatsuya Takeno strikes out looking (fouled off, strike looking, fouled off = 0-2 pitch).

Top of the 3rd inning

Pitching change: Akiyoshi Toyoshima

Issei Morita strikes out swinging (ball, strike looking, ball, strike swinging = 2-2 pitch).

Takahiro Iwamoto srikes out swinging / tried to check his swing (strike looking, ball, strike swinging, ball, ball, fouled off = 3-2 pitch).

Yusuke Matsui hits a grounder to short (strike swinging, ball, ball, ball = 3-1 pitch).  Matsui out at first.

Bottom of the 3rd inning

Pitching change: Hiroki Yamada

Daisuke Fujimura hits a grounder to short (ball, strike swinging = 1-1 pitch).  Fujimura out at first.

Yoshifumi Okada strikes out looking (fouled off, fouled off, ball, fouled off = 1-2 pitch).

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo fouls out to the catcher (0-0 pitch).

Top of the 4th inning

Pitching change: Takashi Ishida

Shota Dobayashi strikes out swinging (ball, strike looking, ball, strike swinging = 2-2 pitch).

Kenta Doi fouls out to first (0-0 pitch).

Kyohei Iwasaki hits a grounder to second (ball = 1-0 pitch).  Iwasaki out at first.

Bottom of the 4th inning

Pitching change: Shuichi Furukawa

Taishi Ota strikes out looking (strike swinging, strike swinging = 0-2 pitch).

Kei Hosoya strikes out swinging (ball, strike swinging, strike looking, ball, fouled off, fouled off = 2-2 pitch).

Seiichi Ohira strikes out swinging (strike swinging, strike swinging = 0-2 pitch).

Top of the 5th inning

Pitching change: Mikinori Kato

Kentaro Inomoto hits a grounder to short (0-0 pitch).  Inomoto out at first.

Kenta Imamiya flies out to right (strike looking, strike swinging, ball, ball, ball, fouled off = 3-2 pitch).

Kenichi Tagami hits a grounder to first (0-0 pitch).  Unassisted out at first.

Bottom of the 5th inning

Pitching change: Takumi Akiyama

Shogo Saito gets hit by a pitch (strike looking, ball, strike looking, fouled off = 1-2 pitch).

Takahiro Araki pops out to short (fouled off = 0-1 pitch).

Tatsuya Takeno grounds out to third (strike swinging, strike swinging = 0-2 pitch). Saito out at second, Takeno out at first.  5-4-3.

Top of the 6th inning

Pitching change: Keisuke Hayashi

Defense: Takeshi Hosoyamada is the new catcher; Masayoshi Kato in at short.

Issei Morita strikes out swinging (ball, fouled off, fouled off = 1-2 pitch).

Takahiro Iwamoto hits a grounder to second (ball = 1-0 pitch).  Iwamoto out at first.  4-1.

Yusuke Matsui hits a grounder to deep short (strike looking = 0-1 pitch).  Matsui safe at first.  Infield hit.

Matsui gets caught trying to steal second on 0-1 count.

Shota Dobayashi (strike swinging, strike swinging).

Bottom of the 6th inning

Pitching change: Shinji Iwata

Defense: Toshikazu Yoshida is the new catcher; Ryosuke Shibata takes over in right.

Daisuke Fujimura flies out to second (0-0 pitch).

Yoshifumi Okada grounds out to short (fouled off = 0-1 pitch).  Okada out at first.

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo grounds out to first (ball, ball = 2-0 pitch).  Unassisted out at first.

Top of the 7th inning

Shota Dobayashi hits a solo homer to left (0-0 pitch).  The ball lands in the last row of the stands.  Dobayashi scores.

Kenta Doi gets hit by a pitch (ball, fouled down the third base line missing home run by a small margin, ball, fouled off, fouled off = 2-2 pitch)

Kyohei Iwasaki hits a grounder to first (ball).  Doi out at second.  Iwasaki safe at first.  3-6.

Iwasaki steals second on first pitch.

Ryosuke Shibata hits a grounder to the pitcher (ball, ball = 2-0 pitch).  Shibata out at first.  Iwasaki stays at second.

Kenta Imamiya strikes out swinging (ball, strike looking, fouled off, fouled off, ball in the dirt = 2-2).

Bottom of the 7th inning

Pitching change: Yuki Nishi

Taishi Ota flies out to center (just foul down the third base line, ball = 1-1 pitch).

Kei Hosoya fouls out to the catcher (0-0).

Seiichi Ohira strikes out swinging (strike looking, ball, ball, strike looking = 2-2 pitch).

Top of the 8th inning

Pitching change: Masumi Hoshino

Kenichi Tagami strikes out swinging / tries to check his swing (fouled off, strike looking, ball, fouled off, ball = 2-2 pitch).

Soichiro Tateoka hits single between short and third (ball = 1-0 pitch).

Takahiro Iwamoto hits a single through the right side (strike swinging = 0-1 pitch).  Tateoka to third.  Iwamoto on first.

Toshikazu Yoshida hits a sac fly to center (fouled off, strike looking, fouled off, ball, fouled off, fouled off = 1-2 pitch).  Tateoka scores.  Iwamomto advances to second on throw home.

Shota Dobayashi flies out to center (ball, ball, strike swinging = 2-1 pitch).

Bottom of the 8th inning

Pitching change: Ryunosuke Yokoyama

Shogo Saito hits a grounder to deep second (0-0 pitch).  Saito safe at first.  Infield single.

Masayoshi Kato hits a single to center (ball, ball, strike swinging = 2-1 pitch).  Saito to second.  Kato on first.

Takeshi Hosoyamada strikes out swinging (strike looking, ball, fouled off = 1-2 pitch).

Daisuke Fujimura fouls out to third (ball = 1-0 pitch).

Jun Matsui hits a one bouncer to short (0-0 pitch).  Matsui safe at first.  Throw to home, Saito scores.  Kato to second.  Matsui on first.

Taishi Nakagawa hits a grounder to short (ball, strike looking, fouled off = 1-2 pitch).  Matsui out at second.  6-4.

Top of the 9th inning

Pitching change: Shigeru Kaga

Keiji Nakahara strikes out swinging (fouled off, strike looking = 0-2 pitch).

Kyohei Iwasaki hits a grounder to second (ball = 1-0 pitch).  Iwasaki out at first.

Ryosuke Shibata grounds out to second. (check swing strike = 0-1 pitch).  Shibata out at first.

Bottom of the 9th inning

Pitching change: Hisashi Takeuchi

Taishi Ota strikes out swinging (fouled off, ball, ball, strike swinging, fouled off, fouled off = 2-2 pitch).

Kei Hosoya fouls out to the catcher (fouled off, ball, ball = 2-1 pitch).

Seiichi Ohira lines a double to right (ball in the dirt, fouled off to the right and out of the stadium = 1-1 pitch).

Ohira advances to third on wild pitch.

Shogo Saito hits a triple to right-center (wild pitch = 1-0 pitch).  Ohira scores.

Masayoshi Kato flies out to second (ball, strike looking = 1-1 pitch).

Game Over.

The final rosters for the Fresh All-Star Game as of today.

Alternate Information

Shogo Saito is an alternate for Masaru Misawa.

Masamitsu Hirano is an alternate for Yusei Kikuchi.

Taishi Ota is an alternate for Tomoya Ichikawa.

Mikinori Kato is an alternate for Ryo Hirai.

Akiyoshi Toyoshima is an alternate for Toshiyuki Yanuki.  Yanuki was an alternate for Hirotoshi Masui.

Starting Line-ups

The Fresh All-Star 2010 Game takes place tomorrow Big N Stadium at 18:00

...The NPB announced today that uniforms worn during the All-Star Game this year will be auctioned off online with proceeds going towards foot and mouth disease relief efforts in Miyazaki.  The auction will take place between 8/2 and 8/9.

...Alex Ramirez told reporters he had a couple ideas for a special HR jig he wanted to do with Craig Brazell should one of them hit a homer during the All-Star Games.  Seems he's working on a version of Fukuoka and a version for Niigata.

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Fresh All-Star News

...The committee overseeing the All-Star games announced today that Hirotoshi Masui (HAM; right shoulder), Tomoya Ichikawa (YOM; lower back pain), and Ryo Hirai (YAK; warts?) won't be participating in this year's Fresh All-Star Game due to injuries.  The three players will be replaced by Toshiyuki Yanuki (HAM), Taishi Ota (YOM), and Mikinori Kato (YAK).

...Even though Takeya Nakamura and Tetsuya Matsumoto are currently out with injuries, both ended up getting enough votes for a spot on the 2010 All-Star rosters.  And while either player would probably love to participate, there's a good chance one (Nakamura), or both, could miss the game.

...Kenji Jojima will be participating in his first NPB All-Star game since 2005.

...The NPB announced that Seibu's Masaru Misawa won't be eligible to play in the 2010 Fresh All-Star Game due to an injury (fractured left index toe).  Taking his place on the roster will be Seibu's Shogo Saito.