The Buffaloes closed out Miyakoji spring camp today.

Source: Sponichi 2/22/2013

===

The Buffaloes announced today that Mike Schultz passed his tryout with the team.

Source: Sponichi 2/22/2013

===

Yuki Nishi is scheduled to start an exhibition game against Yokohama on the 23rd.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/22/2013

===

Shun Tono threw 1,870 pitches during spring camp.

Source: Sponichi 2/22/2013

===

Mitsutaka Goto has spent time at second, third, and short during the spring.  So far, Hiroshi Moriwaki likes Goto at short.

Source: Sponichi 2/22/2013

===

Tatsuya Sato reached the "2,000 pitches in spring camp bullpen sessions" milestone today.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/21/2013

===

Takahiro Mahara has thrown about 800 pitches in the bullpen during spring camp this year.

"[I have thrown] close to twice as much as I usually do.  But I feel no strange pains or tightness," said Mahara.

Source: Sponichi 2/21/2013

===

Mitsutaka Goto worked out at third during infield drills today.  He was also the starting third baseman for an intra-squad game on Wednesday.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/21/2013

===

Mamoru Kishida was diagnosed with a minor strain in his left biceps femoris muscle during a hospital visit on Wednesday.  There is a good chance he will not be able to make the active roster until some time in April.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/21/2013

Orix plans to make a decision on Mike Schultz before the end of spring camp.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/20/2013

===

Mamoru Kishida skipped practices again on Tuesday because of discomfort in his left hamstring.  The media learned today that he has a minor tear.  The chief team trainer told reporters Kishida should be able to run at fifty to sixty percent after about two weeks.  He is a question mark for the opening day roster.

Source: Sponichi 2/20/2013, Sponichi 2/20/2013

========== Practice Games ==========

SK (KBO) vs Yokohama Bay Stars (Ni-gun)

• Shugo Fujii started the game and did not allow a run over two innings of work.  He gave up two hits, struck out three, and topped out at 138km/h.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/19/2013

===

Samsung (KBO) 2 - Yomiuri Giants 3

• Shoki Kasahara started the game and tossed three shutout innings.  He struck out four, topped out at 145km/h, and allowed just one hit, a lead-off double in the 1st.
• Daisuke Fujimura entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the 5th inning and hit a single to center.
• Taishi Ota entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the 5th and hit a single to center.  He also hit a sac fly to center in the 7th.  On defense, he allowed a runner on second to score by misplaying a ball hit to center in the 6th.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/19/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/19/2013, Sponichi 2/19/2013, Sanspo 2/19/2013, Sponichi 2/20/2013

========== Intra-squad Games ==========

Orix Buffaloes

• Whites beat the Reds, 3-2.
• Tomoya Yagi was a starter and gave up a run on one hit over three innings of work.  Yagi gave up a run in the 1st and retired the side in order in the 2nd and 3rd innings.
• Yuki Nishi tossed three shutout innings while allowing one hit.
• 1st round draft pick Torai Fushimi threw out three base-stealers at second in the 8th inning.
• Ryoichi Adachi started at short and batted eighth.  He went 2-for-2 with the HBP and a stolen base.
• Vinny Rottino started in left and batted third.  He hit a home run off Satoshi Komatsu in the 9th inning.
• Six runners were caught trying to steal a base.  Ryoichi Adachi and Takayoshi Kawabata were the only players that managed to succeed (one each).

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/19/2013, Sports Hochi 2/19/2013, Sponichi 2/20/2013, Sponichi 2/20/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/20/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/20/2013, Sports Hochi 2/20/2013, Sanspo 2/20/2013

Chihiro Kaneko was sent down to Ni-gun camp today because of right elbow inflammation.

Source: Sponichi 2/19/2013

===

Hiroshi Moriwaki would like Takahiro Okada to focus his efforts on becoming a first baseman.

That means the outfield will likely be Yoshio Ito and Tomotaka Sakaguchi, with players like Shunta, Takayoshi Kawabata, and Vinny Rottino competing for the third spot.

Dae-Ho Lee will probably become a full-time DH.

Source: Sponichi 2/19/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/19/2013

===

The media learned on Monday that Shohei Tsukahara (20) filed marriage papers with a thirty-three-year-old woman from Hyogo on November 30, 2012.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/19/2013

Ichi-gun and Ni-gun camp had the day off today.

===

Shun Tono and Tomoya Yagi worked out for about an hour on their day off today.  Both pitchers are scheduled to pitch in Tuesday's intra-squad game.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/18/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/18/2013

===

Takahiro Okada got tips on how to use the lower half of his body when swinging the bat from Futoshi Nakanishi during practices on Sunday.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/18/2013

===

Mamoru Kishida ended workouts early on Sunday because of discomfort in his left hamstring.  He may have tweaked the hamstring while running dashes.

Source: Sponichi 2/18/2013

===

Takuya Shimada took fielding practice at first base today.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013

===

Takahiro Mahara made an appearance in an intra-squad game on Saturday.  It was the first time he took the mound in a game since November 19, 2011.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/17/2013

Mike Schultz (tryout) is scheduled to pitch in an intra-squad game on the 20th.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013

===

Tomoya Yagi forgot his uniform on Saturday and borrowed one from Shun Tono.

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013

===

Mamoru Kishida is moving to the starting rotation.  In preparation for the increased workload, he has been averaging about 100 pitches in the bullpen during spring camp.  His goal is to reach 2,000 total pitches before the end of spring camp.

Kishida's last regular season start came on May 3, 2010 vs Softbank.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/16/2013

========== Practice Games ==========

Yokohama Bay Stars 8 - Nippon Ham Fighters 9

Yokohama

• 2nd round draft pick Kazuki Mishima started the game and tossed two shutout innings.  He did not allow a hit, walked two (both came in the 1st), struck out one, and topped out at 149km/h.
• 5th round draft pick Tateki Abe allowed the tying run to score in the 6th inning.  He gave up six runs over two innings of work.
• 3rd round draft pick Shoichi Ino gave up the go-ahead run in the 8th inning.
• 4th round draft pick Daichi Akahori started in left and batted fifth.  He went 2-for-4 with an HBP and one RBI: solo homer off Yodai Enoshita in the 4th inning, reached base on an HBP in the 6th inning, and hit a single to left in the 8th.  In the 8th inning, he came around to score from first base on a double to right by Masayuki Kuwahara.
• Takehiro Ishikawa started a short and batted first.  He collected three hits and walked once.
• Shuto Takajo threw out two base-stealers in the 1st inning.  With the bases loaded and two out in the 1st, Takajo hit a two-run single to left.

Nippon Ham

• Masaru Nakamura started the game and allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits over three innings of work.  He gave up four runs in the 1st inning, including a home run to lead-off hitter Takehiro Ishikawa.
• Michel Abreu (tryout) went 2-for-4 with an RBI: a home run off 5th round draft pick Tateki Abe in the 6th inning and a double to center in the 7th inning.
• Atsushi Kita started at first and batted sixth.  He was taken out of the game after he hurt his left shoulder will diving for the ball on defense.

Source: Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013. Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Sanspo 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013, Daily Sports 2/17/2013

===

Hanshin Tigers 15 - Chunichi Dragons 11

Hanshin

• The offense scored fifteen runs on twenty-three hits.  Every position player in the starting line-up collected at least one hit.
• Daiki Enokida started the game and gave up three runs on five hits over two innings of work.  He gave up one in the 1st inning, then with runners on second and third and no out in the 2nd, he surrendered a home run to Daisuke Tanaka.  He topped out at 138km/h.
• Jason Standridge followed Daiki Enokida and gave up a run (unearned) on four hits over two innings of work.  He topped out at 147km/h.
• Kazuo Ito entered the game in the 7th and gave up a three-run home run to Yusuke Matsui.  He also gave up a two-run home run to Naomichi Donoue in the 8th.  He ultimately allowed seven runs on seven hits over 1.2 innings of work.
• Hayata Ito started in right and batted third.  He collected four hits and five RBI, including a two-out double to left-center off Yudai Kawai in his first at bat in the 1st inning and a three-run home run to right off Takehiko Tsuji in his second at bat in the 4th.  He was a triple away from the cycle.  Ito also shifted to left partway through the game.
• Hiroki Uemoto had two hits and three RBI.  He hit a two-run double in the 3rd inning.
• Brooks Conrad was the starting DH and batted fifth.  He tied the game at three with a home run off Takehiko Tsuji to lead off the 4th inning.
• Shinji Komiyama was the starting catcher and went 3-for-3: single to left in the 3rd, single to right in the 4th, single to left in the 5th.
• Takeshi Hidaka entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Brooks Conrad in the 5th inning and hit a solo home to right.
• Ryota Arai started at third and batted clean-up.  He went 3-for-6 with two RBI.
• Masashi Nohara had three hits.
• Yamato threw out a runner at home plate from center in the 8th inning.  He collected two hits.
• 4th round draft pick Shinya Azuhata entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the 7th inning and hit a single to right.  He later came around to score.
• Shunsuke failed to lay down a bunt in the 4th with runners on first and second and no out.

Chunichi

• The offense scored eleven runs on nineteen hits.
• Takehiko Tsuji gave up eight runs on nine hits.
• Kento Yachi allowed five runs on ten hits.
• Shuhei Takahashi started at third and batted third.  He went 5-for-5 with an RBI: single to center, single to left, single to left, single to left, single to center.

Source: Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Sanspo 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013, Sports Hochi 2/17/2013, Daily Sports 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013, Sanspo 2/17/2013

===

Hanwha (KBO) vs Chunichi Dragons (carried over from Friday)

• Ryuya Ogawa started the game and tossed four shutout innings and allowed just one hit.

Source: official report

===

KIA (KBO) 5 - Yakult Swallows 9

• Katsuki Akagawa started the game and gave up two runs on three hits and three walks over three innings of work.  He struck out three.
• Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi relieved Akagawa and gave up three runs on four hits over two innings.  He struck out two.
• Kentaro Kyuko did not allow any hits or runs over two innings of work, but did walk two.
• Taiyo Fujita tossed two shutout innings.  He allowed two hits and struck out one.
• The offense banged out twelve hits.
• Down 5-0, the Swallows sent eleven batters to the plate in the 5th inning and scored seven runs.
• Yuhei Nakamura was the starting catcher and batted eighth.  He went 2-for-3 with two RBI: two doubles in the 5th inning -- he led off the inning with a double to left and later in the same inning, he hit a two-run double to left.
• Akinori Iwamura entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the 5th and hit a single to left.
• Yasushi Iihara went 3-for-3 (all doubles) with four RBI.
• Yuhei went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Source: official report, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Sports Hochi 2/16/2013, Sanspo 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013

===

Doosan (KBO) 2 - Seibu Lions 2

• Brian Sikorski started the game and tossed two shutout innings while allowing two hits and two walks.  He also topped out at 143km/h.
• Toshihiro Iwao followed Sikorski and gave up a run over three innings of work.
• Tatsuya Oishi tossed a scoreless 9th.
• With runners on first and second with no out in the 6th inning, Ryan Spilborghs cleared the bases with a triple to right-center.
• Shogo Akiyama collected two hits.
• 3rd round draft pick Yuji Kaneko started at third and went 2-for-3: single to right in the 3rd and a single to left in he 6th.  He also made a bad throw to second while trying to turn a double play in the 7th inning.

Source: official report, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Daily Sports 2/17/2013

========== Intra-squad Games ==========

Yomiuri Giants

• Whites beat the Reds, 4-3.
• 1st round draft pick Tomoyuki Sugano started the game for the Reds and tossed two shutout innings while allowing one hit and one walk.  He threw forty pitches (nine in the 1st and thirty-one in the 2nd) and topped out at 145km/h.  He retired the side in order in the 1st inning.  He got into some trouble in the second by putting runners on first and second -- he gave up a single to Jose Lopez and walked Ken Kato -- but managed to get out unscathed.
• Ryosuke Miyaguni started for the Whites and tossed two shutout innings.  He faced nine batters, gave up a hit, walked one, and struck out one.  He topped out at 147km/h.
• Kyosuke Takagi threw three shutout innings while allowing three hits.  He also struck out two.
• Manny Acosta gave up two runs on one hit over one inning of work for the Whites.
• Jose Lopez started at second and batted clean-up for the Whites.  He collected a single to left in the 2nd and hit a two-out RBI double in the 8th.  He also committed an error in the 2nd inning.
• Shigeyuki Furuki went 2-for-3 for the Whites.  He struck out in his first at bat in the 2nd inning.
• With a runner on first and two out in the 2nd inning, Fuminori Yokogawa hit a home run off Manny Acosta.
• Ken Kato managed to work out a twelve-pitch walk against Tomoyuki Sugano.

Source: Daily Sports 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Sanspo 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Sponichi 2/17/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013, Daily Sports 2/17/2013

===

Orix Buffaloes

• Reds blanked the Whites, 1-0.
• Takahiro Mahara started for the Reds and tossed a shutout inning.  He allowed a walk and topped out at 147km/h.
• Mike Schultz (tryout) tossed a shutout inning in relief.  He topped out at 144km/h.
• Masafumi Hirai tossed a perfect inning in relief.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013, Sports Hochi 2/17/2013

===

Chiba Lotte Marines

• Whites beat the Reds, 3-0.
• Kazunari Abe gave up a run on two hits over two innings of work.  He also issued three walks/HBPs.
• 4th round draft pick Shohei Kato started in center and batted lead-off for the Reds.  He went 2-for-4: batting from the right side, single to center off Yuta Kimura in the 1st inning; batting from the left side, a single to center off Taiki Nakago in the 3rd inning.  On defense, he threw out Shota Ishime at home plate in the 4th inning.
• Yoshifumi Okada started in right and batted lead-off for the Whites.  He hit a single to center in the 5th and was thrown out trying to steal a base.

Source: official report, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/17/2013, Sports Hochi 2/17/2013

===

Softbank Hawks

• The Whites beat the Reds, 5-2 (six innings).
• Hayato Terahara, Ryota Igarashi, Shogo Yamamoto, and Shitaro Ejiri for the Whites.
• Hayato Terahara started for the Whites and tossed two shutout inning.  He threw seventeen pitches, topped out at 145km/h and faced six batters.
• Ryota Igarashi tossed a shutout inning relief while allowing two hits and a walk.  Base-runners also stole two bases while he was on the mound.  He threw twenty-eight pitches.
• Kodai Senga started the game for the Reds and tossed two shutout innings.  He topped out at 150km/h and fanned Bryan LaHair and Atsushi Fukumoto.
• Yuya Hasegawa batted third for the Whites and collected two hits.
• Ryuma Kidokoro stole two bases for the Reds.
• Nobuhiko Matsunaka drove in two runs for the Reds in the top of the 6th.

Source: official report, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Sponichi 2/16/2013, Sports Hochi 2/17/2013

========== Practice Games ==========

Hanwha (KBO) vs Chunichi Dragons (Ni-gun) -- Canceled due to rain

• The game was postponed to Saturday

Source: Nikkan Sports 2/15/2013

========== Intra-squad Games ==========

Orix Buffaloes -- Called in the middle of the 2nd inning due to rain

• Mamoru Kishida was one of the starters and gave up a run (unearned) on one hit over two innings of work.  He also struck out three.
• Vinny Rottino started in left and batted fourth for the Reds.  With a runner on second and two out in the 1st inning, he hit an RBI single to left off Mamoru Kishida.
• Takuya Hara started at short and batted fifth.  He collected a single to right off Alessandro Maestri in the 2nd inning.

Source: Sports Hochi 2/15/2013, Nikkan Sports 2/15/2013, Sports Hochi 2/16/2013