I'll keep this updated throughout the day.

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Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers are hoping to cut back on energy use at Koshien Stadium (night games between 7/1 - 9/22) by about 15%.  As part of that effort, they've started adjusting their light use:  prior to this month, they started games with all 6 of their light banks turned on and today, they started with just 2 banks of lights and turned on the remaining 4 at around 6:30pm.

Yomiuri Giants

The Giants announced that their peak energy use during last night's game against the Chunichi Dragons was 3,109kW.  That's down about 44% from last year.

Seibu Lions

The Lions announced yesterday that they'll try to turn off more lights (from 33% to up to 50%) during night games in an effort to save more energy.

I'll keep this updated throughout the day.

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Hanshin Tigers

GM Shoji Numasawa told reporters that the team will begin with energy conserving efforts at Koshien Stadium beginning on 7/2 (vs Yokohama).  Kansai Electric Company issued a release on the 10th asking that everyone cut back on their energy usage by about 15%.  The Tigers will also shoot for a 15% reduction -- they will be conducting a number of tests and will make an announcement of what they plan to do in the very near future.

UPDATE @ 11:56pm - The Tigers averaged about 3,600kW between 6pm and 7pm during home games at Koshien last season.  A 15% reduction would mean cutting back by about 540Kw.  Some of the things they're planning on doing: being flexible with their lighting system during night games; proactively cutting back on lighting billboards and the outside of the stadium; turning off a portion of the air conditioning system; raising the temperature on the thermostat for areas where team employees work.

Yomiuri Giants

The Giants announced that they'll be inviting earthquake / tsunami survivors living in Asahi, Chiba to their game against the Chiba Lotte Marines at Tokyo Dome tomorrow.  There will also be stands selling mini tomatoes and melons from Chiba.

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Aqua Timez will hold a mini live concert before the Giants - Yakult game on the 28th at Koriyama Kaiseizan Baseball Stadium and they'll be playing the song Niji (Rainbow) in support of relief efforts in northern Japan.

Koriyama Kaiseizan Baseball Stadium was used as an emergency headquarters for disaster control after the March 11 earthquakes and wasn't functioning as a stadium until 5/1.

I'll keep this updated throughout the day.

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Hanshin Tigers

Kansai Electric Power is asking all of its customers to cut back  energy use by about 15% between 7/1 and 9/22.  That means Koshien Stadium will also need to work on conserving energy during the summer months.  A stadium rep told reporters yesterday that while they still haven't decided on anything specific, they are planning on doing something to cut back on energy use.

Softbank Hawks

Munenori Kawasaki, Yuichi Honda, and Seiichi Uchikawa helped collect 1,022,980 yen in donations after the today's game.

It appears there's a good chance the Rakuten Eagles will open the season at Koshien Stadium (three game series against Orix).  There was also talk of the Eagles starting their year at Hotto Motto Field Kobe (university games are scheduled in the afternoon on the 16th and 17th) and Kyocera Dome (an AKB48 event is scheduled on the 16th), but neither will be available for all three games.  And while the Eagles could play night games at Hotto Motto on the 16th and 17th, the PL is making a concerted effort to play as many day games as possible.

Incidentally, for those wondering, the Hanshin Tigers will be on the road during the Eagles opening series (they'll be playing the Chunichi Dragons at Nagoya Dome).

The team also announced on Sunday that repairs to Kleenex Stadium will officially begin tomorrow.

UPDATE 3/22 @ 1:41am

It's official, the Rakuten Eagles will be playing their opening series against the Orix Buffaloes at Koshien Stadium.

There's also an update on Kleenex Stadium:  it appears owner Toru Shimada is hoping re-open the stadium on 4/29.

Said Shimada, "It doesn't matter what the [stadium] looks like.  As long as we can guarantee fan safety.  We want to life spirits by playing baseball in the best possible situation."

On Monday, the Eagles borrowed the Koshien indoor practice facilities for practices.

For the first time since undergoing surgery on his left knee, Kenji Jojima caught a bullpen session (Jason Standridge, 50 pitches) while squatting on Tuesday (3/1).  He later told reporters that he felt no discomfort and that he was satisfied with the session.  If he continues to improve without hitting any significant bumps in the road, he could play in his first exhibition game on 3/9.

Jojima was also slated to take BP outdoors on Tuesday, but couldn't due to the rain.

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Koshien Stadium unveiled their new balls-strikes-out counter on the score board to the media onTuesday.  Total construction cost 330M yen.  The updated counter will be used for the first time during an exhibition game on 3/9.

In an effort to help boost excitement amongst couples, the Tigers are currently thinking about the possibility of holding a wedding ceremony at Koshien Stadium sometime in June.  There are some issues that need to be ironed out, like how many couples they'll look, how many guests each couple will be able to invite, and what happens if it rains, but otherwise, it seems this is something they're interested in doing.

The team is also considering other things that involve young couples, like setting up first dates or lending a hand in wedding proposals.  They're also thinking about similar services for older couples as well.

The mound at Koshien Stadium is going to be rebuilt for the first time in 21 years.

The Koshien Bowl begins on the 19th at Koshien Stadium.  The football field is usually limited to the outfield area, but this year the area between home and center will be used.  And because of that, the mound will have to be flattened.

Said stadium official Yasuhiro Suzuki, "The American Football Association asked and we'll just remake [the mound] from scratch.  I hear we flattened the mound once during the 80's."

The last time the mound was actually flattened was back in 11/1989 and for the same exact reason (for football).

Koshien Stadium has been careful about maintaining the mound over the year and even made a point to save it during renovations last year.  For now, the stadium plans on rebuilding the mound two days after the end of the Koshien Bowl.  Since Koshien Stadium hasn't received any requests for changes to the mound from the Hanshin Tigers, they will likely rebuild it in the same way it was built before.

Hanshin Koshien Stadium announced that they will be holding special tours of the bullpen at Koshien Stadium on 2/5 and 2/6 next year.  The bullpens are usually closed off from regular tours but for two days, they'll be open to four tour groups (2 groups a day).

Interested people should check the link above for more information about how to apply for the tour group.

The details:

Tour group dates and times

February 5 and 6, 2011 (2 groups per day)
Group 1: 12:00 - 13:15pm
Group 2 13:30pm - 14:45

Available openings

60 people per day (if there are more applications than spaces available, names will be randomly selected)

Admission Fee

3,500 yen for adults and 2,000 yen for kids

Tour Details

Throw three pitches off a bullpen mound (bullpen located on the first base side) with speed gun readings.

Ride the Relief Car in the outfield area

Get their name announced over the PA system

Get to see parts of the field, locker rooms, dugouts, player interview areas, and more.

Certificate that also includes the velocity of the three pitches that were thrown.

Hanshin Electric Railway announced today that construction to change the order of strikes, balls, and outs to ball, strikes, and outs on the scoreboard in center will begin on 12/13 (the Backscreen View area will be closed off beginning on 12/19) and conclude sometime near the end of February 2011.

The Museum of Hanshin Koshien Stadium will be running a special Akihiro Yano retirement exhibit between 10/19 and 2/13.  Items like Yano's uniform, baseball glove, photographs, and film will be available for viewing.