The Dragons announced today that Kazuki Yoshimi will have reconstructive surgery on his right ulnar collateral ligament (elbow) on June 4.  This will be the third time he has had surgery on his right elbow.  There is no timetable for his return, but based on past cases, he may require about a year for a full recovery.

Source: Sponichi 5/21/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/21/2013

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UPDATE 5/22 @ 5:00pm -

To clarify: Yoshimi will undergo Tommy John surgery.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/22/2013, Daily Sports 5/22/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/22/2013

The Orix Buffaloes announced today that Yoshio Itoi was diagnosed with a minor tibial collateral ligament injury in his right knee.

"It is a grade one injury, the most minor in a three tier system.  [Itoi] can hit.  We will have to wait to see on the running and bring that up accordingly.  The doctor did not throw up a red light," said chief trainer Takuya Noma (野間 卓也).

Itoi will not be taken off the active roster for the time being.  His treatment will include icing and electrotherapy.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/8/2013

UPDATE @ 5:31pm - It could take about two weeks for a full recovery.  Source: Sponichi 5/8/2013

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Kosuke Fukudome (Hanshin) was taken off the active roster today with pain in his left knee.  Fukduome tweaked the knee while getting out of te batter's box during an at bat in a game against Yakult on the 3rd.

"We were thinking about how to get [Fukudome] back in the shortest amount of time.  He is swinging the bat well during batting practice, but in terms of running, he says he is at about fifty percent.  In watching him over the last couple of days, it does not seem like things are improving very quickly.  If we were looking to get one at bat out of him, then it might not take ten days, but we want him back in the starting line-up and do not want this to drag out.  He is not a pinch-hitter.  He is a starter.  We want him back as soon as possible," said Yutaka Wada.

Fukudome will return to Osaka today, rest on Thursday, and begin rehab at Koshien on Friday.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/8/2013, Daily Sports 5/8/2013

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Kazuki Yoshimi (Chunichi) was taken off the active roster today, most likely because of tightness in his right elbow.  The tightness is reportedly in the same area he had problems with back in April.

Source: Daily Sports 5/8/2013

Kazuki Yoshimi (Chunichi) was taken off the active roster today with tightness in his right elbow.

Source: Sponichi 4/6/2013

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Ryota Arai (Hanshin) hurt his left leg while running to first in the 11th inning of Friday's game against Hiroshima.  He was examined at a hospital in Hiroshima after the game and was diagnosed with a minor hamstring strain.  Arai was taken off the active roster today.

Source: Sponichi 4/6/2013

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Shohei Tateyama (Yakult) had his right elbow examined at a hospital in Tatebayashi, Gunma today and a problem was found in the right elbow he previously had surgery on.  There is a chance he may need another surgery.

Source: Sports Hochi 4/6/2013

Masahiro Yamamoto could make his first regular season start during the second series of the year (vs Chuichi at Kyocera Dome, April 2-4).

Source: Daily Sports 3/21/2013

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Morimichi Takagi is thinking about batting Hirokazu Ibata fifth.

Source: Nikkan Sports 3/21/2013

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Takagi wants a little more power out of the clean-up spot and could bat Hector Luna three and Kazuhiro Wada four.

Source: Sports Hochi 3/21/2013

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Kazuki Yoshimi is scheduled to throw about 100 pitches in his last tune-up start before the regular season (Friday against Lotte at Nagoya Dome).

Source: Nikkan Sports 3/21/2013

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Takehiro Donoue and Kohei Oda joined the Ichi-gun team for practices on Thursday.

Source: Nikkan Sports 3/21/2013

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The Dragons and Nagoya will be working closer together this year.

• The Nagoya Dome-mae Yada Station will begin playing the Chunichi cheer song on days Ichi-gun home games are scheduled.  Nagoy, Sakae, and Kanayama Stations will make announcements on days there are games.
• The team will visit more elementary schools this year.

Source: Nikkan Sports 3/21/2013

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The Dragons announced that they will play a Ni-gun game against the SK Wyverns (KBO) on the 22nd (Yomitan at 1:00pm).  The Ichi-gun team is slated to play the KIA Tigers on the same day (Chatan at 1:00pm).

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013

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Kazuki Yoshimi is preparing himself under the assumption that he will be the opening day starter.

Source: Sponichi 2/17/2013

The Chunichi Dragons announced today that Kazuki Yoshimi will not be participating in the WBC min-camp next month because of the condition of his right elbow.

The Dragons have posted the following statement from Yoshimi:

I have been preparing myself for the WBC, but concerns about the right elbow I hurt last year have not gone away and I felt that I would only become a distraction if I participated in the mini-camp.  I sat down with the team and after talking it over, decided to withdraw.  I offer my apologies, to [Koji] Yamamoto, the coaches, players, and the fans.  I hope that you can understand.  I will pray that the national team will be successful in capturing its third straight title.

Source: official announcement, Sanspo 1/7/2013, Sports Hochi 1/7/2013, Sponichi 1/7/2013

Sports Hochi is reporting that Kazuki Yoshimi underwent an MRI today and was diagnosed with factured olecranon spur in his right elbow (肘頭骨棘骨折 ?).  He will require about four weeks of rest.

According to the team, the swelling in Yoshimi's elbow is not going away due to pressure on the nerves.

Said Yoshimi, "It is worse than the last time [I had right elbow surgery].  I feel awful about the timing of this [injury]."

Morimichi Takagi told reporters he does not expect a return in time for the Climax Series.

Source: Sports Hochi 9/18/2012

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UPDATE 9/19 @ 3:21pm - Yoshimi will be re-evaluated again next week to check on his progress.  He most likely will not be able to do any real throwing until mid-October.  Source: Sponichi 9/19/2012

UPDATE 9/19 @ 3:57pm - Yoshimi will get ice treatments over the next three or so day.  After that, he will begin rehab and treatments at Nagoya Stadium.  Source: Daily Sports 9/19/2012

Kazuki Yoshimi left tonight's game against the Yomiuri Giants after throwing one pitch to the fourth batter he faced in the top of the 4th inning because of discomfort in his right elbow.

Yoshimi gave up a lead-off single to Hisayoshi Chono before retiring the next two batters.  After throwing one pitch to Shinnosuke Abe, he motioned over to the dugout that he could not continue.

The team's PR department informed reporters that Yoshimi was removed from the game because of discomfort in his right elbow.  The PR department also said he felt something in his elbow before facing Abe.

Yoshimi received treatment for the elbow (ice) after being removed and will have it evaluated at a hospital on Tuesday.

Source: Sponichi 9/17/2012, Daily Sports 9/17/2012

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UPDATE 9/18 @ 11:20am - Pitching coach Hiroshi Gondo told reporters on Monday that this might not be the type of injury that goes away after ten days.  Depending on how Yoshimi's evaluation goes, the team may opt to take him off the active roster today.

Said Yoshimi about the discomfort, "It is discomfort.  I felt it while playing catch [before the game].  I felt I should take myself out of the game before I caused a scene.  But as you can see, I was able to throw up until I left the game."

Source: Sponichi 9/17/2012, Nikkan Sports 9/17/2012

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.

The Dragons announced today that Kazuki Yoshimi will donate 10,000 yen for every inning he pitches this season to a foundation that helps kids that lost parents during the Tohoku Earthquake.  He also plans to raise money by holding a charity auction, via his official blog.

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Kenshin Kawakami will likely make his first regular season start on March 31 against the Hiroshima Carp (Nagoya Dome).

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Sanspo wonders what kind of car Takeshi Yamasaki might buy during the next off-season.  They also list out his past off-season purchases:

2006 - Ferrari 512M (~23M yen)
2007 - Lamborghini Murcielago (~35M yen)
2011 - Lamborghini Aventador (30M~40M yen)

And Sponichi notes that if Yamasaki finishes exhibition play leading the league in homers, he will be the first forty or over player to do so since Katsuya Nomura led the league with with five in 1975 at the age of forty.

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Daola successfully turned a back-flip, with a twist, after the 7th inning today.