Today was the last day of fifth block of spring camp.  The team has the day off tomorrow.

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Hiroki Kokubo closed out his workouts early on Monday because of tightness in his back.  He left practices early again today and was excused from the intra-squad game.  Kokubo told reporters he was feeling better today (he got a second round of acupuncture treatment on Monday).

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Kenji Akashi was called up to Ichi-gun camp today -- he was working out at Ni-gun camp because of right shoulder problems.

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Koji Akiyama advised Kenji Otonari to watch Kazuyuki Hoashi toss bullpen sessions to figure out things he needs to think about when he tosses his (like taking sessions more seriously instead of just tossing them for the sake of tossing them).

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Sadaharu Oh told Nobuhiko Matsunaka on Monday that he was taking his hands back too much before his swing, likely because he was thinking too much about hitting the ball hard.

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Ayatsugu Yamashita slept in and was late to practice on Monday.  His punishment: demotion to Ni-gun camp.

Wily Mo Pena and Brian Falkenborg were scheduled to arrive in Fukuoka today.  Their flight arrived at 8:30pm but only Falkenborg stepped off the plane.  Pena ended up arriving about two and a half hours later -- he missed his connecting flight to Fukuoka because his plane arrived at Narita (out of Chicago) about 50 minutes behind schedule.

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Training camp for the 2011 draft class at the Saitozaki training facilities ended today.

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Seiichi Uchikawa (29) made an appearance on FBS' Yumekukan Sports today and was asked if he wanted to play in the Majors.  His reply: "The moment I joined the Hawks, I decided I would finish things out here."

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Edison Barrios arrived at Fukuoka Airport today (Venezuela > Narita > Fukuoka) and told reporters that he has been tossing bullpen sessions on a regular basis after two months of winter ball in Venezuela.

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Rehab coach Kazumi Saito (34) will attend spring camp in Miyazaki for the first time in three years.

Saito extended his coaching contract with the team on Saturday.

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Nobuhiko Matsunaka (38) on his role with the team:

I used to think about winning a championship while batting clean-up, but my view of the game starting changing last year.  [Yuichi] Honda, [Nobuhiro] Matsuda, [Seiichi] Uchikawa.  I will let them take care of the team.  I just want to play well over the remaining time I have left [in my career].  I think that will help the team.  I will play [with the excitement] as if I were a kid.

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Bullpen sessions:

Sunday

Nagisa Arakaki threw about 40 pitches to a standing catcher.  He told reporters he plans to throw about 100 pitches a session during spring camp.

1st round draft pick Shota Takeda tossed a bullpen session with a squatting catcher.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka returned to Japan today from his training in Guam.  He also met the Hawks at Yahoo Dome and signed off on a deal worth 200M yen (no change).  Matsunaka is in the final year of a seven-year deal.

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1st round draft pick Shota Takeda tossed a bullpen session today (standing catcher), his third since moving into the player dorm.

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Ryuma Kidokoro and Kenji Akashi attended a fan event at Best Denki in Fukuoka today.

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There is a chance Alex Cabrera might not make it back to Japan in time for the start of spring camp because his winter ball team (Tiburones de La Guaira) is competing in the Venezuelan Winter League Championships.  The series is currently tied at two game a piece; if it goes to a game seven, the series will end on January 30.

Stats: 11 G, 18-for-39, 8 R, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 31 TB, 3 BB, 11 SO, .462/.500/.795

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The Hawks announced today that they extended their sponsorship deal with Show Construction -- a Showa patch will appear on the front right hip area of the team uniform (pant).

Seiichi Uchikawa also took part in a commercial shoot for Showa today.

The Hawks announced today that their team slogan for 2012 will be "VV."

The two V's stand for:

- the players and fans coming together as one to win
- two Pacific League championships (2010 and 2011)
- the hope for two straight Nippon Series rings (2011 and 2012)

They also announced that "otosan" dog will continue on as the team's oen leader.  The dog has been leader since 2009.

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Nikkan Sports reports that Sadaharu Oh wants Angel Castro to learn on how to throw a change-up.  Sports Hochi has posted a slightly different report that has Oh calling for Castro to learn how to throw a curve

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Yuichi Honda returned from his training session in Saipan today.

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Hiroki Kokubo returned from his training session in Arizona today.  He also told reporters his rehab was going well (necks surgery in December) and that he started taking soft-toss BP on January 18.

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Nobuhiko Matsunaka is scheduled to return to Japan from his training in Guam on January 28.  According to a Nikkan Sports interview, he is prepared to call it quits whenever he feels he is no longer able to play well.  He also does have an interest in reaching the 2,000-hit mark (he is 269 hits away).

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1st round draft pick Shota Takeda threw 29 pitches (including off-speed pitches) in the bullpen (standing catcher) after practices on Thursday.  Takeda also threw 30 pitches in the bullpen the night before -- Ikusei 1st round draft pick Go Kamamoto "caught" him.

The Hawks announced today that they [re]signed Edison Barrios to an Ikusei deal and assigned him the number 142.

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Hiroki Yamada worked out for about two hours with group of players in Miyazaki on today. The group included players like Shota Oba and Ayatsugu Yamashita.

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Nobuhiko Matsunaka has been running four to five kilometers every day since beginning his workouts in Guam on 1/6.  He also plans to add dashes to his workouts, beginning on 1/20.  He told reporters he is aiming to be at around 80% for the start of spring camp.

Matsunaka is scheduled to return to Japan on 1/28.

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2nd round draft pick Shoji Yoshimoto has gained one kilogram since moving to the player dorm and currently weighs 82 kilograms.  He hopes to push that to 88kg some time this year.

According to Sponichi: Tsuyoshi Wada and Toshiya Sugiuchi probably won't be going to the Asia Series -- Wada wants rest and Sugiuchi is still recovering from some left shoulder pains.  D.J. Houlton is scheduled to return to the US today.  That leaves Tadashi Settsu and Hiroki Yamada as the only Nippon Series starters that will probably be available for the Asia Series.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka (right knee) and Hiroki Kokubo (back, neck) will be missing the Asia Series because of injuries.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka was hit by a pitch on his right knee during last night's game against the Seibu Lions.  He had the knee checked out today and was diagnosed with fracture in his right knee cap.  Matsunaka will require about 4 weeks for a full recovery.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka collected his 3,000th total base with a single off Alfredo Figaro in the 2nd inning of tonight's game against the Orix Buffaloes.  Matsunaka becomes the 48th player in NPB history to reach the milestone.

The Softbank Hawks held workouts at Yahoo Dome today in preparation for an exhibition game they scheduled tomorrow against the Chunichi Dragons.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka reportedly felt tightness in his back and was excused from practice.

UPDATE @ 10:19pm - Dennis Houlton is scheduled to start tomorrow's game.

Alex Cabrera's 2-year deal is apparently worth 360M yen plus incentives.

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Toru Hosokawa took off for Guam today.  While in Guam, he'll take a day off after three days of workouts and will return to Japan on the 19th.

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Tsuyoshi Wada wants to help Shota Oba get back on track.

"Everyone has their own pace, so this isn't about being strict or anything," said Wada.  "I think Oba has what it takes.  More than what he does on the field, I think maybe he needs some help with the stuff off the field.  If he can get that sorted, maybe he can focus more [when he's on the field]."

The two took off for Miyazaki today for their training.

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Nobuhiko Matsunaka plans to do eye exercises while in Guam (for .  He even purchased a book to help.

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The Softbank Hawks are thinking about increasing the number of seats at Yahoo Dome.  The Hawks already expanded seating capacity from 36,723 to 37,000 this season and will ultimately try to push that to 41,000 - 42,000 next season.  If they make it over 42,002, they'll overtake Sapporo Dome as the largest capacity stadium in the PL.

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Munenori Kawasaki was officially named an Aira Furusato Ambassador today by the city of Aira, Kagoshima (Kawasaki's hometown).