Hanshin Tigers vs Seibu Lions @ Seibu Dome - 14:00
Starters: Nomi, Atsushi (HAN) 3-2, 2.76 - Wakui, Hideaki (SEI) 3-1, 4.34

Attendance: 33918 | Time: 3h44m | Hanshin leads series, 1-0-0

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Yomiuri Giants

There is a good chance Michihiro Ogasawara will be added to the active roster on Sunday for the Nippon Ham series at Sapporo Dome (DH rule).

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013

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Shinnosuke Abe spoke to Hisayoshi Chono about his "stolen base" (was ruled defensive indifference) in the 8th inning with two out.

"The second baseman and short stop were not even bothering [on that play].  With the kind of lead we had, [Chono] should not have been running," said Abe.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013

Abe has hit a home run off 183 different pitchers.  That ties Sadaharu Oh's franchise record and is tenth all the NPB All-time list.  Tuffy Rhodes sits in first place with 228.

Source: Sponichi 5/18/2013

Chunichi Dragons

At forty-four years and six months, Takeshi Yamasaki set a new CL record and tied an NPB record on Friday for oldest player to record a walk-off hit.

At forty-two years and two months, George Altman established the previous CL record on June 14, 1975.  The previous NPB record of forty-four years and six months was set by Yoshiyuki Iwamoto on September 30, 1956 and again on October 4, 1956.

Yamasaki also set a new NPB record for oldest player to hit a come-from-behind walk-off hit.  The previous record of forty-two years and six months was set by Hiromitsu Kadota on September 9, 1990.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/18/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

Sponichi has slightly more detailed numbers: At forty-four years, six months, and ten days, Yamasaki is the third oldest player to record a walk-off hit in NPB history.  Iwamoto holds the top two records: forty-four years, six months, and twenty-eight days on October 4, 1956 and forty-four year, six months, and nineteen days on September 30, 1956.

Source: Sponichi 5/18/2013

Yakult Swallows

Kazuhiro Hatakeyama recorded the franchise's first come-from-behind walk-off grand slam on Friday.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013

Seventy-seven walk-off grand slams have now been hit in NPB history, of which thirty have been come-from-behind walk-off grand slams.  Only fifteen have been hit with the team trailing by three runs.

Four walk-off grand slams have been hit in franchise history: Lou Jackson on September 16, 1968 (tie game); Masaaki Iwashita on April 6, 1982 (tie game); Atsunori Inaba on May 31, 2001 (tie game); and Hatakeyama on May 17, 2013 (down 5-2).

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

Hanshin Tigers

1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami is scheduled to pitch anywhere from one to three innings in a rehab game on the 21st (Ikusei game vs Island League mixed team at Naruohama).  He will also toss a bullpen session today.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013, Sports Hochi 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013

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Brooks Conrad joined the Ichi-gun team for workouts today.  Conrad went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in a Ni-gun game against Hiroshima on Friday.  He could be added to active roster on Sunday for the Seibu series at Seibu Dome (DH rule).

Conrad is 7-for-19 over his last five Ni-gun games.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

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Scouts from the Yankees and A's were at Friday's game.  They may have been checking on Randy Messenger.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

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Yamato likes to hit on Fridays: 19-for-35 with six RBI.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

Yota Kosugi left Friday's game early with pain in his right shoulder.  The team is uncertain how severe the injury is.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013

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There were apparently some concerns about Shun Yamaguchi's adductor muscle, but he told Kiyoshi Nakahata before Friday's game that he would be more than ok to pitch one inning.  Whether or not the adductor muscle affected the way he pitched, Nakahata ended up losing confidence in Yamaguchi.

Jorge Sosa could take over as the new closer.

Source: Daily Sports 5/18/2013, Sponichi 5/18/2013

Softbank Hawks vs Hanshin Tigers @ Koshien Stadium - 14:00
Starters: Settsu, Tadashi (SOF) 4-1, 1.76 - Kojima, Tatsuya (HAN) 1-1, 6.23

Attendance: 45710 | Time: 3h13m | Series tied, 1-1-0

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Yutaka Wada watched the Ni-gun game against Orix at Naruohama on Thursday and likes Ryota Imanari as a possible left-handed DH candidate.  He is still not sure what to do about the DH from the right side.  Wada is also thinking about giving the Arai brothers and Matt Murton a break by using them as DHs.

Source: Sanspo 5/17/2013

Wada does want to call up a right-handed bat to take Kentaro Sekimoto's spot on the active roster.  Shinta Hifumi and Masahiro Nakatani are two possible candidates.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/17/2013

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Takahiro Arai and Ryota Arai could swap spots in the batting order -- Takahiro could move up to batting fifth with Ryota dropping down to sixth.

R. Arai (batting fifth): 11 G, 6-for-40, .150/.250/.275
T. Arai (batting sixth): 31 G, 33-for-111, .297/.368/.486

Source: Sanspo 5/17/2013, Daily Sports 5/17/2013

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1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami was scheduled to throw about fifty pitches in the bullpen on Thursday.  He instead threw about twenty after asking if he could throw less.

Fujinami is not traveling with the team so that he can keep his workouts on the natural grass as Naruohama and Koshien.  The team also wants to keep his travel fatigue down.  Moving forward, he will likely have a chance to face some live hitters before he returns to the active roster on the 26th.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/17/2013

The Tigers will have a better idea for when Fujinami will be able to return to the active roster for his next start after his next bullpen session on Saturday.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/17/2013

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Thursday's Ni-gun game against Orix:

Naoto Nishida started at second and batted third.  He went 1-for-3 with a home run off Alex Maestri in the 3rd.  Source: Sanspo 5/17/2013

According to at least two reports, the Hanshin Tigers are interested in thirty-one-year-pitcher David Aardsma.  With Brooks Conrad struggling, the Tigers have a spot open for another foreign player on the active roster.  Shinobu Fukuhara was also recently taken off the active roster with some tightness in his lower back.  The Tigers see Aardsma as someone that can help bolster the bullpen and potentially step in as a closer, if necessary.

Incidentally, he has also been teammates with Matt Murton (Chicago Cubs in 2006) and Randy Messenger (Seattle Mariners in 2009).

If negotiations go smoothly, he could join the team some time in early June.

Source: Daily Sports 5/17/2013, Sanspo 5/17/2013

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Softbank Hawks vs Hanshin Tigers @ Koshien Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Hoashi, Kazuyuki (SOF) 1-1, 3.96 - Messenger, Randy (HAN) 5-0, 3.72

Attendance: 40086 | Time: 3h34m | Softbank leads series, 1-0-0

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Yomiuri Giants

Ryosuke Miyaguni started a Ni-gun game against Yokohama today.  He gave up ten runs on thirteen hits over 3.1 innings of work.  The game was called early due to rain.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013, Sanspo 5/16/2013

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Hisayoshi Chono became the first right fielder in franchise history to throw out a runner at first on Wednesday since Ming-Soo Ro in 1988.

With the bases loaded and two out in the 2nd inning against Lotte, Seth Greisinger hit a single to right, Chono charged and quickly fired the ball to first for the out.  Before the play, Chono told Jose Lopez to expect a throw on a hit to right.  The two also started talking about a possible play at first about two weeks ago.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

Chunichi Dragons

At forty-seven years and nine months, Masahiro Yamamoto became the oldest pitcher to record an Inter-league game on Wednesday.  The previous record, set by Kimiyasu Kudo in 2009, was forty-six years and zero months.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

Yamamoto has won thirty-six games since turning forty and is now two shy of tying Kudo's record for most victories after turning forty.  He is currently in a second place tie with Tadashi Wakabayashi.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

Yakult Swallows

Takeaki Tokuyama gave up a lead-off home run to Seibu Lion Hideto Asamura on Wednesday and became the sixty-third pitcher in NPB history to give up a home run to the first batter they faced.  Three players in franchise history -- Midori Nakagawa (1950), Hiroshi Kamizuru (1976), and Yataro Sakamoto (2002) -- have also given up home runs to the first batters they faced, but Tokuyama is the first to surrender a lead-off home run in the 1st inning.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

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2nd round draft pick Yasuhiro Ogawa turned twenty-three today.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

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Asuka Kuramochi (AKB48 member) is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on the 18th (vs Lotte at Jingu).

Source: Daily SPorts 5/16/2013

Hiroshima Carp

Kenjiro Nomura watched today's Ni-gun game against Chunichi today and checked on players like Nick Stavinoha and Kenta Kurihara.  Stavinoha collected three hits in the game, including a home run, and could be a candidate to make the active roster as a DH for PL games.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers are reportedly looking for a power-pitching, right-handed reliever on the foreign market.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

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Daiki Enokida's next start will likely come on the 22nd against Lotte.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013

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1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami's threw twenty pitches in the bullpen today.  It was his first session since he was removed from the active roster on the 11th.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

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GM Katsuhiro Nakamura on Brooks Conrad's status with the team: "I do not think the team will have a need for [Conrad] unless he can get big hits with runners in scoring position or can show some major progress."

Through Wednesday: 14 G, 12-for-49, 13 SO, 8 BB, .245/.373/.306

Source: Sanspo 5/16/2013

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The Entertainment and Communications division at Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, which includes the Hanshin Tigers, recorded about 108.6B yen in operating revenue (up 6.29B over last year) and 12.58B yen in operating profit (up 2.44B over last year).

Source: Sanspo 5/16/2013, Sports Hochi 5/16/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

The commissioner's office issued Kiyoshi Nakahata a stern warning and a 400,000 yen fine for his ejection from Wednesday's game against Rakuten.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013

Nakahata lost his brother to colon cancer on Wednesday.  He may have let his emotions get the best of him when he argued the safe call at third base in the 6th inning.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013, Sports Hochi 5/16/2013

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Mobage will be releasing a high school baseball simulator titled Eikan-e no Kiseki (栄冠へのキセキ).  Early sign-ups are eligible to earn a special player modeled after Hideki Matsui.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013

Chunichi Dragons

Masahiro Yamamoto was taken off the active roster today with a bruise on his left shin -- he took a batted ball off his left leg during his start against Nippon Ham on Wednesday.  The injury is not considered serious.  There were already plans to give him an extended rest.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013, Sports Hochi 5/16/2013

Yakult Swallows

Masahiko Tanaka has decided not to go under the knife after suffering a fracture in his left collarbone during a game against Hanshin on the 12th.  He will likely require two to three months for a full recovery.

Source: Sanspo 5/16/2013

Hanshin Tigers

Kentaro Sekimoto was taken off the active roster today with pain in his left calf.  He reportedly suffered the injury during a game on the 12th.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/16/2013

Rakuten Eagles

Brandon Duckworth hurt his left hamstring during his start against Yokohama on Wednesday and was taken off the active roster today.  The injury does not appear to be severe.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

Hanshin Tigers

Shinobu Fukuhara was taken off the active roster today because of tightness in his lower back.  The Tigers expect Fukuhara to return to the active roster in the minimum ten days.

Source: Daily Sports 5/15/2013

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Kosuke Fukudome (left knee) may not be able to return to the active roster until, at the earliest, June.  His workouts on Tuesday included upper body and shoulder exercises and about twenty minutes of running in a therapy pool.  Fukudome will not be able to begin regular roadwork training until the pain in his left knee goes away.  Until then, he will have to continue pool therapy.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/15/2013, Daily Sports 5/15/2013

Seibu Lions

Randy Williams was taken off the active roster today with tightness in his left upper arm.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/15/2013

Yomiuri Giants

Curry based on a Matsui family recipe was sold at an event hosted by Nippon Hoso last month (Radio Park in Hibiya).  The curry sold so well (2,000 servings at 600 yen) there are now plans to package and sell it to the general public sometime during or after summer.

Source: Sanspo 5/15/2013

Chunichi Dragons

Masahiko Morino hurt his right side (ribs) during pre-game practices on Tuesday.  He did not play on Tuesday and is considered day-to-day.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/15/2013

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There was some mis-communication on a defensive play in the 7th inning on Tuesday night against Nippon Ham:

With a runner on second and two out, Atsunori Inaba hit a single to center.  Yohei Oshima fielded the ball and threw it toward home.  There was no cut-off man on the play.  Morimichi Takagi felt Hirokazu Ibata should have cut the ball off and told him so when he returned to the dugout after the inning.  Ibata was not happy (he thought it was up to Matt Clark to cut the ball off) and disappeared beyond the dugout doors.  Takagi noticed this and went after him.  Concerned players followed.  Ibata later told reporters he should have been there to cut the ball off when he realized Clark was not moving into position.

A team meeting was held after the game in an attempt to clear the air.

Takagi also was not happy about Daniel Cabrera's performance (does not check the runners, throws a steady diet of fastballs, has difficultly throwing off-speed pitches for strikes) and wanted more of his players to learn something by watching how hard Hector Luna was working.

Source: Sanspo 5/15/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/15/2013, Sponichi 5/15/2013

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At forty-four years and six months, Takeshi Yamasaki set a new CL record for oldest player to record a triple.  The previous record of forty-four years and three months was set by Tomoaki Kanemoto in 2012.  The NPB record of forty-eight years and four months was set by Shinji Hamazaki in 1950.

Source: Sanspo 5/15/2013

Hanshin Tigers

Tatsuya Kojima joined the Ichi-gun team for practice today.  He is slated to start a Ni-gun game against Softbank at Koshien on the 18th.

Source: Daily Sports 5/15/2013

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Tuesday's Ni-gun game against Orix:

Brooks Conrad started at third and batted third.  He went 1-for-3 with walk.  Shinta Hifumi started in left and batted sixth.  He went 1-for-2 with a walk.  The Tigers feel the two players are not quite ready and need a little more time at Ni-gun.  Source: Sanspo 5/15/2013

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Hanshin fan Ken Watanabe (actor) visited Koshien on Tuesday for the first time this season.  Watanabe has been busy with the Godzilla remake (he was in Vancouver, Canada up until late last month).  He may not be able to catch another game in person until some time in July.

Source: Sanspo 5/15/2013, Sponichi 5/15/2013