Yataro Sakamoto threw 100+ pitches (fastballs and curves) to Takeya Nakamura during BP today.

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Hideaki Wakui showed up and worked out at Seibu 2 Stadium for the first time this year.  His workouts included running, playing catch, and strength training exercises.  Wakui also worked out with other players like Tatsuya Oishi.

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Oishi threw about 30 pitches (mostly fastballs) in the bullpen (half-bent catcher).  This was apparently his fourth bullpen session.  He also threw at about 60-70%.

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Hisanobu Watanabe watched the 2011 draft class working out at Seibu 2 Stadium on Sunday.  He later told reporters about how he might try playing Hiroyuki Nakajima at third, Hideto Asamura at short, and Takeya Nakamura at first.

Incidentally, Nakamura told reporters that while he would like to play third, he also understands the team has needs.

Sponichi is reporting that Hideaki Wakui will not have right elbow surgery during the off-season.  Wakui made his decision on Monday after looking over the evaluations he received from a number of different hospitals.

Takumi Kuriyama will likely have surgery to remove loose cartilage in his right elbow during the off-season.  Assuming no complications, he should be ready for the 2012 season.

Hideaki Wakui also has some loose cartilage in his right elbow but will be getting it re-examined within the next couple of days before deciding what steps to take next.

Nikkan Sports reports that 25-year-old Hideaki Wakui will most likely undergo surgery, sometime in the very near future, to clean out his right elbow.  Wakui had his elbow examined back in May and testing revealed some loose cartilage.  He is expected to be at 100% by the start of the 2012 season.

It should be mentioned that Sports Hochi is saying that while Wakui still has yet to decide on whether or not he'll have the surgery, chances are that he will so that he can approach the 2012 season fully healthy.

Chunichi Dragon Nelson Maximo finally snapped a personal 9-game losing streak on Sunday, but he certainly isn't the only unlucky pitcher in the NPB this season.  Here are a few others that have pitched well, yet don't have the record to show for it.

Toshiya Sugiuchi (SOF)

Hirokazu Sawamura (YOM)

Kentaro Takasaki (YOK)

Notes

Decisions in parentheses indicate how player's respective teams finished games in which the player did not get a decision.

Final scores are listed as Player's Team - Opponent and bolded final scores indicate games that the player won.

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Other players that should be included:

Masaru Takeda (HAM): 9-9, 20 G, 20 GS, 16 QS, 1.85 ERA, 0.93 WHIP

Hideaki Wakui (SEI): 6-11, 20 G, 20 GS, 14 QS, 2.88 ERA, 1.29 WHIP

Minoru Iwata (HAN): 7-11, 19 G, 19 GS, 16 QS,  2.44 ERA, 1.05 WHIP

Kenta Maeda (HIR): 8-9, 24 G, 24 GS, 19 QS, 2.62 ERA, 1.07 WHIP

Wei-Ying Chen (CHU): 6-7, 18 G, 18 GS, 14 QS, 2.63 ERA, 0.94 WHIP

The media learned on Saturday (7/2) that 25-year-old Hideaki Wakui is "seriously" dating 32-year-old freelance reporter Mika Sugisaki.

When questioned by Sponichi, Wakui said, "We are seeing each other and we're serious about each other.  Work is work and private is private.  I try to make sure to keep the two separate.  And I feel like working even harder than before."

Sugisaki's management company was also contacted and confirmed that the two were seeing each other.

According to another Sponichi article, the two started seeing each other in the spring and hit it off.

Sugisaki's is currently a reporter for a weekday morning news program on Fuji TV called Mezanyu (めざにゅ～).  And while both their schedules are fairly hectic, she was seen cheering for Wakui during a start on 6/1 at Seibu Dome.  The two were later seen driving off in a car.

Yakult Swallows

Kazuki Fukuchi injured his left shoulder while trying to steal second in the 7th inning.  He was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with a dislocated left shoulder.

Softbank Hawks

Alex Cabrera tweaked his hamstring while running out a single in the top of the 9th.  Cabrera iced the area down after being removed from the game and told reporters his status will depend on how he's feeling tomorrow.

Seibu Lions

Nikkan Sports mentions that Hideaki Wakui may have been removed from tonight's game because of an unspecified injury.

UPDATE @ 11:57pm - He apparently developed a cramp in his right calf.

Nippon Ham Fighters

Kensuke Tanaka sprained his left ankle while sliding into second base in the top of the 6th inning.  Tanaka had the area iced after being removed from the game.  The team will wait to see how he's feeling tomorrow before deciding on what to do next.

UPDATE @ 10:01pm - Testing apparently revealed no damage to the bones.  Tanaka could be taken off the active roster if the pain doesn't improve.

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Bobby Keppel was taken out of the game before the start of the bottom of the 7th because his back stiffened up after his at bat in the top of the 7th.  Keppel had his back iced and told reporters after the game that he was feeling fine.

Although it doesn't appear to be serious, Hideaki Wakui was taken off the active roster today with some discomfort in his right elbow.  Wakui's elbow apparently hasn't been feeling all that well since the start of the season and the Lions decided to play it safe and give Wakui some time to rest.

At this point, the Lions expect Wakui to return to the active roster after his 10 days are up.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

===== 2/17 @ 10:08pm

Takayuki Kishi threw 120 pitches in the bullpen today.

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Yasuyuki Kataoka celebrated his 28th birthday today -- the media presented him with a cake while the fans sang "Happy Birthday."  Wakui and Kazuyuki Hoashi stood on either side of Kataoka at one point and forced his head into the cake.

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Oishi threw 100+ pitches on back-to-back days for the first time this spring.

===== 2/17 @ 3:28pm

Hideaki Wakui threw 150 pitches in the bullpen yesterday.  It was not only his second bullpen session in as many days, but also the most number of pitches he has thrown this spring.  Wakui is currently scheduled to pitch in a practice game against the Doosan Bears on the 22nd.

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About 40% of the 103-pitches (40 pitches) Tatsuya Oishi (1st round) threw during his bullpen session yesterday were off-speed pitches.

Wakui - "I was able to throw decent off-speed pitches after throw a few of them consecutively, so I need to work on being able to throw a good off-speed pitch in one shot."

Oishi is slated to start an intra-squad game on the 20th and go at least 2 innings.  There's also a chance he could pitch in an exhibition game on the 27th (vs Yokohama).

Oishi also threw 134 pitches in the bullpen today.

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Yusei Kikuchi threw 35 pitches in the bullpen yesterday.

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Assistant batting coach Toru Kumazawa told reporters yesterday that he planned on holding a meeting with all the position players to talk about ways to approach all the pitchers that will be making appearances on the 20th.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

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The Lions' Ichi-gun roster has the day off today.

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Tatsuya Oishi (1st round) threw 122 pitches in the bullpen yesterday and told reporters that he focused on working on his balance instead of throwing with power.  He also added that he wanted to work on improving the accuracy of his off-speed pitches once he got tired.

Oishi is currently scheduled to start an intra-squad game on the 20th.

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Hideaki Wakui told reporters yesterday that he planned on trying to modify his training schedule to include fairly hard workouts, after days he pitches, on in order to improve his stamina.

Said Wakui, "I want to change my workouts to be more like the Majors.  I hear that over there, pitchers don't rest that much the day after they pitch."

He then added, "It was kind of like that back when I was in high school.  I'll give this a shot during the exhibition game season and see how things go.  If I find that I'm getting too tired, I can just go back to my old ways."

Wakui also threw 34 pitches during his situational BP outing yesterday.