Hideaki Wakui earned his domestic FA option today with eight years of service time on the active roster.

In speaking to reporters, Wakui avoided making any direct comments about the option and said, "My [job] is to focus on the season and starting."

The Lions are interested in keeping Wakui in Saitama, but the hurler did turn down a two-year deal this past winter.

Source: Sponichi 6/14/2013

According to a number of reporters, the Yomiuri Giants issued a warning and a fine to Toshiya Sugiuchi after a story broke about him meeting a woman during WBC mini-camp in February.

GM/team rep Atsushi Harasawa held a press conference at the team offices today and said, "A player the Giants sent out caused a stir at this important time of year.  A stern warning is not enough."

He continued, "It was a private meeting, but it created a distraction for the team.  It goes without saying that he has a lot of responsibilities."

With regards to the fine, he said that it was not an insignificant amount.

Harasawa called WBC manager Koji Yamamoto to apologize for the incident.  He also spoke to Suiguchi over the phone and said, "He is feeling really bad for what happened and told me he was very sorry and would accept whatever disciplinary action was handed out.  He was ready to accept the consequences."

Sugiuchi worked out with the team at Tokyo Dome as scheduled on Thursday.  He will be available for today's game.

Source: Daily Sports 3/8/20103, Sanspo 3/8/2013, Nikkan Sports 3/8/2013, Sports Hochi 3/8/2013

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UPDATE @ 10:24pm -

Hideaki Wakui was also named in the article.  The Seibu Lions have given him a warning and will investigate the incident further after the WBC ends.  A team official has already issued an apology to Yamamoto over the phone.

Source: Sanspo 3/8/2013

UPDATE 3/9 @ 2:49pm -

The Lions issued their warning when Wakui called them on Friday.  Source: Nikkan Sports 3/9/2013

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Yusei Kikuchi will likely pitch in a practice game against Lotte (KBO) on the 14th.

Source: Sanspo 2/6/2013

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Hideaki Wakui tossed another bullpen session today.  He has now tossed five over the last six days.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/6/2013

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The Lions are scheduled to meet 2nd round draft pick Makoto Aiuchi on the 9th.  This is expected to be just the first in a series of discussions with the youngster -- the team wants to make sure he is ready to become a professional athlete after he was caught speeding and driving without an appropriate license.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/6/2013

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Shogo Akiyama could be a back-up outfielder for Samurai Japan.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/6/2013

The Seibu Lions signed Takumi Kuriyama to a two-year deal today.  His salary for 2013 will be 200 million yen (no change over this past season) plus incentives.  Source: Daily Sports 12/5/2012

Nikkan Sports is reporting that the two-year deal is worth a total 400 million yen.  Source: Nikkan Sports 12/5/2012

They also reportedly offered Hideaki Wakui a two-year deal worth around 500 million yen, but he turned it down and signed a one-year deal worth an estimated 220 million yen (up ten million yen) because he did not want any guarantees.  Source: Daily Sports 12/5/2012, Sponichi 12/5/2012

The coaches held a post-game meeting with relievers after today's 11-4 loss to the Hiroshima Carp.  The meeting lasted about an hour and twenty minutes.  Hisanobu Watanabe took himself out of the meeting to make it easier for everyone to speak freely.  Source: Nikkan Sports 6/17/2012

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Hideaki Wakui will likely get to pitch during an upcoming Ni-gun three game series against Yokohama that begins on June 19.  Depending on how he does, he could rejoin the Ichi-gun roster as early as June 22.  Source: Sanspo 6/17/2012

Watanabe said that he will likely use Wakui as the closer once he returns.  Source: Nikkan Sports 6/17/2012

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Takeya Nakamura told reporters on Saturday that his left shoulder was feeling no better than the previous day -- there was pain whenever he moved the shoulder.  Nakamura will not be able to start a full rehab program until the pain subsides.  Source: Sanspo 6/17/2012

His update to reporters today was not too different from Saturday.  Source: Nikkan Sports 6/17/2012

Hideaki Wakui held a press conference at Seibu Dome today to apologize for the distractions he caused when a past sexual encounter, with photo, was published by Friday back on May 18.

Wakui was demoted to Ni-gun on May 22 and has not been allowed to pitch in any games.  After a number of meetings, the Lions announced today that he will be allowed to pitch in games again and that the coaches/manager have permission to set his pitching timetable.

Said Wakui, "I want to apologize to the team, the league, and the fans for the extremely unpleasant distraction I caused.  I would like to regain everyone's trust as soon as possible.  I will always strive to become the kind of player that can be an inspiration to kids.  And in my personal life, I will remind myself that I am the Seibu Lions' ace and need to act accordingly."

Souce: Nikkan Sports 6/16/2012, Daily Sports 6/16/2012, Sponichi 6/16/2012

Gossip mag Friday published a story in their May 18 edition about a woman that spilled details on her relationship with Hideaki Wakui.

According to reports, the two exchanged contact information when Wakui met her at a high class Fukuoka hostess club.  In December 2011, the two took a trip to Hokkaido, where the woman slipped and had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.  The woman's boyfriend found out and tried to contact both Wakui and the Seibu Lions on a number of different occasions.

Both the team and Wakui ignored the boyfriend's calls and Friday picked up the story, in addition to the private photos the woman took.

On Saturday, Seibu Lions' managing director Noriaki Iida held a press conference at Nagoya Dome and said, "Fans pay attention to pro yakyu so we are in a position where we set the examples.  We take this recent event very seriously.  We will do our best to ensure something similar does not happen again in the future."

The team also released the following prepared statement from Wakui: "I feel awful for worrying the fans, the team, and my team mates with regards to this latest report.  I am currently talking to the team about the incident."

Note: I have not read the actual Friday article.  The information I got was pieced together from a number of different sources.

Hideaki Wakui will get the opening day start.

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The Seibu Lions visited Sayama Fudosen in Tokorozawa, Saitama on Wednesday and prayed for a successful season.

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Tuesday's Ni-gun game against the Yomiuri Giants at Yomiuri Stadium (Giants 6 - Lions 5): Yusei Kikuchi relief Fumiya Nishiguchi and gave up a run on two hits over two innings of work. [Sponichi]

Today's Ni-gun game against the Rakuten Eagles: Hideaki Wakui tossed three shutout innings while allowing four hits. ... Yasuyuki Kataoka started at second, played second, and went 0-for-3.  He was replaced on defense in the 6th inning.  This was Kataoka's first game since he had left shoulder surgery last year.

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The Lions decided to leave 1st round draft pick Ken Togame out of the starting rotation after two straight bad outings:

3/24 vs Yakult - 3 IP, 4 H, 0 SO, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 5 R, 3 ER
3/18 vs Hanshin - 4 IP, 8 H, 4 SO, 1 BB, 0 HBP, 6 R, 6 ER 

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The Lions announced today that, as part of their All-Time Baseball Project, they will be hosting Monday Pa-League on April 16.  Former Lion Yoshiaki Kanemura will be on hand as a guest and fans will have a chance to taking fielding practice with him after the game (he will hit one grounder to each fan that participates).

Hideaki Wakui start (vs Yakult at Jingu) was rained out today.  With rain in the forecast again tomorrow, the coaches decided to have Wakui pitch in a Ni-gun game at Seibu Dome against the Rakuten Eagles on Saturday.  He is expected to pitch around three innings.

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Kazuhisa Ishii could be used in a set-up role until he is needed back in the starting rotation -- the rotation will most likely be expanded back to six pitchers some time in mid-April.