Atsushi Nomi's next start will likely be against the Yomiuri Giants (at Koshien) on April 6.

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Yutaka Wada on the Yakult Swallows: "They were the quickest team to get used to the new baseball.  They know how to score runs.  They also mix in a good running game, so we need to keep them off the base paths."

He continued, "[If runners get on base,] the pitcher will not be able to out 120% of his focus on the batter.  And while it is best not to put runners on, it also is not good to be too careful, otherwise the hitters will get to you."

Wada also said, "In fact, we need to do what they are doing.  The first two batters in the line-up are keep.  We can not give anything away on defense.  And we need to get on base."

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Wada plans to continue giving Tomoaki Kanemoto periodic days off this season to keep him fresh.

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Matt Murton will likely bat higher up in the batting order, but for the rest of this week, he will probably bat sixth.

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Pitching coach Keiichi Yabu told reporters on Tuesday that Kyuji Fujikawa, Shinobu Fukuhara, Daiki Enokida, and Kazuya Tsutsui were given the entire day off after the game was called.

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Team owner Shinya Sakai will have team president Nobuo Minami travel with the team on most road trips this season.

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The Tigers announced today that they will be giving away silicone wrist bands for every replica uniform they sell between April 6 and May 6.  They also announced that their lunch box competition will be taking place between April 6 and June 11.

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The Tigers will be giving away posters commemorating Wada's first victory between April 13 and April 15.

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A thirty-second video rally clip featuring former pro wrestler Antonio Inoki will be played after the top of the 5th inning during all home games at Koshien this season, beginning on April 6.

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A special Wada section will be set up at the Museum of Hanshin Koshien Stadium bewtween April 6 and July 22.

Matt Murton (HAN) participated in evening workouts at Jingu Stadium on Monday and will likely be back in the starting line-up tonight against the Yakult Swallows in right batting sixth.

Said Murton, "I was able to return today because all the trainers worked hard in taking care of me each day.  I am really grateful to them.  As a baseball player, it is difficult to be at 100% for every game, but I think I am good enough to play."

Incidentally, Murton has done extremely well against the Yakult Swallows:

2011: 34-for-85, 16 R, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .400/.433/.541

2010: 49-for-106, 26 R, 4 HR, 25 RBI, .462/.491/.651

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Alex Ramirez (YOK) is apparently good enough to return to the starting line-up tonight.  Daily Sports and Nikkan Sports mention he could start in left and bat clean-up.  Kiyoshi Nakahata also said to reporters yesterday that he still was not sure which players, other than Ramirez, to start in the outfield.

"This is a tough choice," said Nakahata.  "The three outfielders have all done a good job.  Rock, scissor, paper?  That would not be very nice for the players, but that is about how difficult this decision is."

Hichori Morimoto (LF): 7-for-11, 2 R, 3 RBI, .636/.667/1.000

Sho Aranami (CF): 5-for-19, 1 R, 0 RBI, .500/.500/.500

Tatsuhiko Kinjo (RF): 2-for-12, 2 R, 1 RBI, .167/.231/.417

Alex Ramirez (PH up to now): 2-for-3, 0 R, 2 RBI, .667/.667/.667

The Nikkan Sports report closes with the following (paraphrased): with a left-handed starter on the mound for Chunichi, do you start the right-handed hitting Morimoto and the switch-hitting Kinjo, or do you go with speed and use Aranami and Morimoto?

Tomoaki Kanemoto became the sixth player in NPB history to hit a homer in the year they turned forty-four.  Kanemoto turned forty-four on Tuesday.

He also became the sixteenth player in NPB history to hit at least one homer in twenty straight seasons.

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Takahiro Arai had a rough game on Sunday.  With runners on first and third and two out in the 4th inning, he committed an error on a grounder to third that allowed the Yokohama Bay Stars to score the first run of the game.  At the plate, he struck out looking with runners on second and third with two out in the 6th inning.

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Matt Murton during Sunday's Ikusei game against NTT Nishi Nippon: 2-for-2, one walk, one RBI, one stolen base.

Murton worked out with the Ichi-gun team today and is expected to play in the Yakult series that begins on Tuesday.

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The Tigers decided to demote Kai-Wen Cheng on Sunday.

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TV Ratings for the home opener (Kansai region, 19:00-20:54): 14.8%.

Today's Ni-gun game against NTT Nishi Nippon: Matt Murton started in right and batted third.  He went 2-for-2 with an RBI: single to right in the 1st inning, RBI single to left in the 3rd inning, walk in the 5th inning (replaced by pinch-runner). [Daily Sports, Nikkan Sports] ... Shinta Hifumi entered the game as a defensive replacement at first in the 6th inning.  He collected an infield single in the 7th inning. [Nikkan Sports]

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Yutaka Wada also told reporters today that Matt Murton is expected to join the Ichi-gun team for workouts on Monday.

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The Tigers decided today that they will send 1st round draft pick Hayata Ito to Ni-gun after starting the season out 0-for-5 with three strikeouts:

March 30: 0-for-2: strikeout swinging, strikeout swinging

April 1: 0-for-3: strikeout looking, fly out to center, fouls out to third, walk

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Craig Brazell participated in pre-game practices at Kyocera Dome today after leaving Saturday's game early because he was not feeling well.  And while Brazell was not in the starting line-up, he did make it in as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the 9th (strikeout swinging).

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Yamoto decided to revert his intro back to the theme song for Senkan Yamato.

1st round draft pick Hayata Ito became the first first-year outfielder in franchise history to make the starting line-up on opening day since Mitsuru Mochizuki in 1972.

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Matt Murton went 3-for-6 during situational batting practice at Naruohama on Friday.  He also took sixty-four swings during regular batting practice and collected thirty-two could-be hits (four of which went over the fence).

Murton is scheduled to play in an Ikusei game against Seino Unyu at Naruohama on Saturday and might be able to make his way to the active roster as early as April 3.

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Nikkan Sports feels Hiroyuki Kobayashi has a shot at getting the start on April 5.

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Kenji Jojima shaved down his hair for the start of the season.

Wednesday's Ni-gun game against Orix at Kobe 2 Stadium: Yuya Ando started the game and did not allow a run over seven innings of work.  He did give up six hits.  Ando is slated to make his first regular season start on April 4 (Yakult at Jingu). [Sanspo]

Tuesday's Ni-gun game against Orix at Kobe 2 Stadium (Orix 5 - Hanshin 0): Tatsuya Kojima started the game and allowed two runs on four hits over six innings of work. [Sanspo] ... Kazuya Tsutsui entered the game in the 7th inning and did not allow a run over an inning of work.  He also struck out two. [Sanspo]

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The Tigers held a kick-off party at a hotel in Hyogo after workouts at Kyocera Dome on Wednesday.

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Yasutomo Kubo will be starting a Ni-gun game against Orix on Thursday.  If he does not have any problems during/after the start, he might be able to make first regular season start as planned on April 5 (Yakult Swallows).

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Shinji Komiyama was excused from practices at Kyocera Dome on Wednesday because he was not feeling well.  He is considered day-to-day.

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Matt Murton is currently scheduled to play in an Ikusei game against Seino Unyu (Industrial League) on March 31 at Naruohama.  But before that, he will have to show that he is capable of making strong throws after fielding balls hit to either side; and capable of running the base paths.

On Tuesday, Murton took fifty-one swings during outdoor batting practice and hit three over the fence.  He also started running and took fielding practice in the outfield with his cleats on.

"Batting, no problem.  Fielding, I am fine.  Running, no problem.  No problems at all," said Murton.

On Wednesday, he started running the base paths and took fielding practice in the outfield.

Assuming no setbacks, Murton might be able to rejoin the Ichi-gun team as early as April 6 (vs Yomiuri at Koshien).

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The Tigers decided to send Tomoyuki Kubota down to Ni-gun on Tuesday -- seems they will not have any space for him on the opening day roster.

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Robert Zarate cut his workouts short on Tuesday after complaining of dizziness.  An examination at a hospital revealed no specific conditions.

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The Amagasaki Chuo Shop District put up their Hanshin Tigers 2012 Magic Number display board today (now at 144 games).  The Shop District refrained from displaying the board last year because of the Tohoku Earthquake.

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Yoshinoya, Sanspo, and Murton will be working together again this season to bring Sanspo readers free gyudon meals whenever Murton has a multi-hit game (five winners, ten vouchers each).

Today's Ni-gun game against Orix at Kobe 2 Stadium (Orix 5 - Hanshin 0): 3rd round draft pick Naoto Nishida started at short and batted eighth.  He led off the 6th inning with a single to center off Satoshi Komatsu. [Nikkan Sports, Daily Sports]

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Yasutomo Kubo is scheduled to pitch in a Ni-gun game on either Wednesday or Thursday.  Where he makes his next outing, at Ichi-gun or Ni-gun, will depend on how well he does.

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Hiroyuki Kobayashi rejoined the Ichi-gun team today while Fumiya Araki was sent down to Ni-gun.

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Jason Standridge will most likely make his first regular season start on April 3 against the Yakult Swallows at Jingu.

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Matt Murton had the day off on Monday.

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Sponichi reports that Kenji Jojima will not make the opening day starting line-up for the first time since 1996.

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The Tigers announced on Monday that they will be handing out Glico candy to the first 5,000 kids (elementary school and under) that attend home games at Koshien Stadium on Sunday's or during their Summer vacations (a total nine games).

They also announced that they will be hosting Dream Link Festivals one weekend every month.  The first festival will take place on April 7 and 8 when the team takes on the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien.

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Actress Mari Natsuki is slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on March 30 (vs Yokohama at Kyocera Dome).  Masafumi Akikawa will sing the national anthem.

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According to Nikkan Sports, If 1st round draft pick Hayata Ito makes the opening day starting line-up, he will become the first rookie outfielder to do so since Mitsuru Mochizuki started in left and batted third on April 9, 1972.  The last rookie in franchise history, position player, to make the opening day starting line-up was Takashi Toritani, who started at short and batted seventh on April 2, 2004.  And the last rookie outfielder to play on opening day (not start): Shunsuke Fujikawa on March 26, 2010.

Jason Standridge will likely start the second game of the season on March 31 (Yokohama at Kyocera Dome).

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The Tigers are still not quite sure when Yasutomo Kubo will make his first start of the regular season because he missed some time with the flu.  The coaches have asked Kubo to let them know he is ready to go.

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Matt Murton took batting practice against a pitching machine on Saturday for the first time since his hamstring injury -- about eight minutes, curveballs.

On Sunday, Murton ran at about eighty to ninety percent.

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Craig Brazell took a called strike three in the 4th inning of Saturday's exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes.  Upon returning to the field on defense, Brazell headed toward the home plate ump, causing Hanshin coaches to jump out of the dugout thinking he might start an argument.  Reporters later found out that Brazell simply wanted to ask the home plate ump a question, most likely about the called strike.

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Yasutomo Kubo (returning from the flu) joined the Ni-gun team for workouts at Naruohama today.

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Like Alex Ramirez (YOK), Matt Murton might be able to start the season off the bench as a pinch-hitter. One team official also told reporters that Murton had recovered to the point where if this were the middle of the season, he would be playing.

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With Kubo recovering from the flu, the Tigers may turn to Hiroyuki Kobayashi to temporarily pick up some of the slack in the starting rotation.

Kobayashi is scheduled to start a Ni-gun game against Softbank at Naruohama on Sunday.

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Kazuya Tsutsui (returning from the flu) worked out with the Ni-gun team at Koshien on Friday.  He also managed to throw in the bullpen.

Matt Murton started outdoor workouts at Naruohama today -- he ran eight fifty-meters at about sixty to seventy percent and played catch for about ten minutes at a max distance of around sixty meters.

"I am of course not at one-hundred percent on running, but [I am ok at about what I did today].  I am close to one-hundred percent on hitting and throwing," said Murton.

On Thursday, Murton worked out for about six hours -- twenty practice swings, twenty swings off a tee, twenty soft-toss, catch for about ten minutes at a distance of about eighteen meters.

If everything goes well, Murton could be ready for the Koshien home opener on April 6 (vs Yomiuri).

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Shinjiro Hiyama's workouts on Thursday included playing catch, taking fielding practice in the outfield, and batting practice (twenty swings each against left-handed and right-handed pitchers).

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Both Takahiro Arai and Takashi Toritani ran back and forth in the outfield (seven round-trips, so seven from left to right and seven from right to left) while shagging fly balls on Thursday.

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Two Yutaka Wada lunch boxes were unveiled at Kyocera Dome on Thursday.