The Hiroshima Carp announced today that Kenta Kurihara was diagnosed with a injuries in his right rectus femoris and sartorius muscles.  There is a good chance he will miss the start of the regular season because he requires about a week of medical treatment.

The Carp also announced that:

• Akihiro Higashide had surgery on his left knee (ACL reconstruction and meniscectomy).  He will remain in the hospital for about three weeks.
• 4th round draft pick Ko Shimozuru will miss about six weeks with a right adductor longus muscle injury.

Source: Sponichi 3/18/2013

Kenta Kurihara did not play in today's exhibition game against Rakuten because of pain in his right hip joint.

Kurihara reportedly felt some discomfort in his right leg when he fouled ball off during his second at bat in the 4th inning of Saturday's exhibition game against Rakuten.  The hip did not feel any better today and he was given the day off today.  He is expected to get a full examination at some point within the next couple of days.

"[Kurihara] said he felt more pain today.  It does not look too good," said Kenjiro Nomura.

Source: Daily Sports 3/17/2013, Nikkan Sports 3/17/2013, Sports Hochi 3/17/2013

Kenta Kurihara took a baseball off his face during fielding practice before today's exhibition game against Yokohama at Mazda Stadium.  He skipped the game and was examined at a Hiroshima hospital and diagnosed with a fractured nose.  He will require about two weeks for a full recovery.  While there is no set timetable for his return, he is expected to be ready for opening day.

Source: jiji 3/9/2013, Sponichi 3/9/2013

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Kenta Kurihara will likely sit out Sunday's game because of his back.  He is scheduled to travel with the team on a road trip to Okinawa that begins on the 21st.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013

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Fred Lewis is scheduled to play in Sunday's practice game against Samurai Japan.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/16/2013

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Valentine's Day: Shota Dobayashi received about 100 chocolates.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/14/2013

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Kenta Kurihara felt tightness in his lower back during warm-ups today and ended his day early.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/14/2013

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Jun Hirose was re-assigned to San-gun camp because of tightness in his back.  Hirose first started feeling the soreness during practices on Wednesday and ended his day a little early.  He will return to Ichi-gun camp once he can participate in regular workouts.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/14/2013

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Takeru Imamura had a fever on Tuesday and still managed to throw two bullpen sessions on Wednesday.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/14/2013

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Shota Dobayashi will begin using a longer and heavier bat after batting coach Hiromasa Arai suggested the change.  Current bat: 33.5 inches, 890 grams.  New bat: 34 inches, 910 grams.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/14/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/14/2013

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Takeru Imamura is scheduled to pitch in Saturday's intra-squad game.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/8/2013

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Kenta Kurihara spent about two hours taking batting practice against pitching machines after general workouts today.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/8/2013

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Yuya Fukui turned twenty-five today.

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4th round draft pick Ko Shimozuru has apparently won the right to stick around at Ichi-gun camp for a bit longer.

Source: Sanspo 2/8/2013

Kenta Kurihara informed the Hiroshima Carp that he will not exercise his international FA option and will remain with the team.

Ryuji Yokoyama and Akihiro Higashide, both coming off multi-year deals, have also reportedly informed the Carp of their intent to stay.

Source: Sanspo 11/2/2012, Nikkan Sports 11/2/2012, Sponichi 11/2/2012 (all of these are basically the same syndicated report)

Kenta Kurihara visited Mazda Stadium on Tuesday and met team director Kiyoaki Suzuki for about thirty minutes.  He informed Suzuki that he does not plan on exercising his international FA option and will make up for his lost year by working hard next season.  After his meeting, he spoke to reporters and said, "Things are going well.  I will prepare my body so that I will be able to throw and hit by spring camp next year."   Source: Sanspo 10/31/2012

Kurihara is thinking about heading to the US for workouts in early January.

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/31/2012

Orix Buffalo Hayato Terahara officially earned his domestic FA option today and will most likely exercise it.  The Softbank Hawks are said to be interested, although it does appear as though they do have some concerns about his right elbow -- if he needs surgery, they may skip over Terahara.

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/24/2012

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The Hiroshima Carp want Kenta Kurihara to return next season.

Said team director Kiyoaki Suzuki, "We will talk to [Kurihara] before the FA declaration deadline.  He is not the type of player to leave a situation like this.  He may have dreams of playing in the Majors, but I think he only think about it after he puts together a good season."

Kurihara missed most of the season because of right elbow problems (he also had surgery in May).  When speaking to reporters early in the month, he could not even think about exercising the option after the year he had.

Source: Sponichi 10/24/2012

According to Sponichi, Kenta Kurihara (30) is not planning to exercise his FA option and will remain with the Hiroshima Carp for at least one more year.  He is also expected to earn his international FA option once the Carp files the paperwork for injury exception.

Said Kurihara, "The option, it is not something I am even thinking about.  I caused problems for the team and the only thing in my mind right now is making a complete come back next year. ... [Playing in the majors] is still a dream, but it is not something I can think about right now."

Kurihara made the opening day roster this year, but struggled with pain in his right elbow.  He was taken off the active roster on April 26 and later diagnosed with elbow osteoarthritis (変形性肘関節症).  On May 9, he had the elbow cleaned out.

After months of rehab, Kurihara finally started taking batting practice against pitching machines in September.  He is still rehabbing the elbow and has also picked up Pilates to help strengthen his body.

Kurihara is not planning to attend fall camp and will instead focus on getting himself ready for spring camp next year.  He signed a one-year deal worth 160M yen last winter and will most likely sign a similar one-year extension for less money this winter.

Source: Sponichi 10/11/2012