The Orix Buffaloes unveiled their 2012 Natsu-no Jin (Summer Campaign) uniforms today.  The uniforms will be worn during a three game series against Lotte (June 29 - July 1).

The Buffaloes will also be packaging free Natsu-no Jin uniforms with pre-advance ticket purchases: 7,000 uniforms for reserved infield, 2,000 for non-reserved infield, and 1,000 for non-reserved outfield for a total 10,000 per game during the series.

* photo taken from Buffaloes' website

According to the various reports (like Sponichi and Sports Hochi), Takahiro Okada may need about six week for a full recovery from his left hamstring injury.  That would put his return to the active roster some time in July.

For the next week or so, Okada will focus on rest and treatment.  He will be re-evaluated again on May 31.

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2012 Stats

Seibu Lions

When Hideaki Wakui returns to the active roster will apparently be decided by the parent company, not the front office.

Orix Buffaloes

The pitching staff walked ten batters and hit two during Wednesday's game against the Hanshin Tigers.  The last time the staff allowed double-digit walks/HBPs: thirteen on July 2, 2004.

Rakuten Eagles

Kazuo Matsui (right wrist sprain) worked out at Kleenex Stadium today.  Workouts included running and fielding/throwing practice.

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The Eagles announced that they sell a special a "Kakattekoi Bay Stars!" t-shirt during their two game series against Yokohama.  The shirt will only be available at the Kleenex Stadium team store.

Softbank Hawks

Sadaharu Oh told reporters today that Hiroki Kokubo was playing through some lower back pains.

Orix Buffaloes

Takahiro Okada will reportedly spend a week in a hospital in Kobe for his left hamstring.  He will also be re-evaluated on May 31.

Rakuten Eagles

The Eagles are offering discounts to all their tickets for Thursday night's make-up game against the Chunichi Dragons.

Nippon Ham Fighters

Terrmel Sledge hit a grand slam off Yokohama's Futoshi Kobayashi on Tuesday night.  That made his the thirteenth player in NPB history to record a homer off all twelve current NPB teams (twenty-third to hit homers against all twelve NPB teams, not including the current Rakuten Eagles).  Of those thirteen players, Sledge is the only one that hit a grand slam against the twelfth team.

Seibu Lions

Hideaki Wakui worked out for about four hours at the Seibu 2 Stadium facilities today.

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Yusei Kikuchi's final numbers from his Ni-gun start against Rakuten on Tuesday:

2 IP, 14 BF, 52 NP, 6 H, 1 HR, 1 SO, 1 BB, 6 R, 5 ER.

Orix Buffaloes

Kyocera Dome gives out 1M yen to players that hit grand slams at the stadium.  Takayoshi Kawabata got his on Tuesday night.

More on the grand slam: Kawabata is the second rookie in franchise history to hit a grand slam for his first Ichi-gun home run; he is the twelfth rookie in the NPB (ninth in the PL) to hit a grand slam for his first Ichi-gun home run; he is the first rookie to hit a grand slam during Inter-league play.

Rakuten Eagles

According to Sponichi, Masahiro Tanaka could re-join the active roster as early as Thursday (dependent on how he is feeling today and whether or not the coaches agree it is the best move).  Sanspo and Nikkan Sports add that Tanaka could get an Ichi-gun start as early as May 30 against the Yomiuri Giants.

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The Eagles are giving away free Inter-league home game tickets to people with Tohoku area last names: Miyagi-san, Iwate-san, Fukushima-san, Akita-san, Aomori-san, and Yamagata-san.

According to Nikkan Sports, thirteen people took advantage of the deal on Tuesday (game was eventually called due to rain): Miyagi-san x 6, Akita-san x 4, Fukushima-san x 2, Yamagata-san x 1.

Hanshin Tigers vs Orix Buffaloes @ Kyocera Dome - 18:00
Announced Starters: Minoru Iwata (HAN) 2-5, 3.61 - Shinya Nakayama (ORI) 1-2, 3.95

Attendance: 29991 | Series tied, 1-1-0 | Time: 3:54

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Seibu Lions

Hideaki Wakui was taken off the active roster today in order to give him some time to think about his actions (woman troubles reported in tabloid).

Orix Buffaloes

Takahiro Okada will be taken off the active roster on Wednesday because his left hamstring has not shown much improvement since returning to the active roster on May 16.

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Takayoshi Kawabata became the first rookie in franchise history to hit a grand slam for his first Ichi-gun homer since Tetsuya Yoneda on April 11, 1956.

Chiba Lotte Marines

Takahiro Fujioka's start against the Yakult Swallows was rained out tonight.  He is now scheduled to start Thursday's make-up game.

Fujioka threw about forty pitches in the bullpen in preparation for his start on Thursday.

Seibu Lions

Yusei Kikuchi made a Ni-gun start against the Rakuten Eagles today and gave up six runs on seven hits over three innings of work.

Orix Buffaloes

The Buffaloes announced today that they promoted Ni-gun bullpen coach Nobuyuki Hoshino to Ichi-gun bench coach.  Ichi-gun bench coach Motoyuki Akahori was shifted to Ichi-gun bullpen coach and Ichi-gun bullpen coach Hiroshi Kobayashi was demoted to Ni-gun bullpen coach.

The changes were apparently just a way to put things back the way they are supposed to be.

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Bobby Scales arrived at Osaka International Airport on Monday.  The Buffaloes held a press conference for Scales at Kyocera Dome today.

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Shinji Takahashi will likely return to the starting line-up today as a DH batting fifth.

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Kei Igawa (right hamstring) may not make it back to the active roster until after Inter-league play.  Igawa did start playing some catch, but because his leg is still bothering him, he's only running at about seventy to eighty percent.  He also has not yet tossed a bullpen session.

Igawa will probably pitch in at least one Ni-gun rehab game before returning to the active roster.

Rakuten Eagles

Masahiro Tanaka made a Ni-gun rehab start against Seibu today and tossed four shutout innings while allowing three hits.  He also struck out six and walked one.  Tanaka threw a total forty-six pitches and topped out at 148km/h.

Hanshin Tigers vs Orix Buffaloes @ Kyocera Dome - 18:00
Announced Starters: Randy Messenger (HAN) 3-2, 1.34 - Chihiro Kaneko (ORI) 1-1, 3.32

Attendance: 27068 | Orix leads series, 1-0-0 | Time: 2:28

(continue reading...)

Softbank Hawks

Pitching coach Ikuo Takayama sat down with Hiroki Yamada, Nagisa Arakaki, Kenji Otonari, and Sho Iwasaki today and told them that they will be going with a five man starting rotation that includes Tadashi Settsu.  The others will be used to help fill in any gaps.

Nippon Ham Fighters

Keisuke Tanimoto recorded a victory on Saturday on just one pitch and became the thirty-third player in the NPB to accomplish the feat.

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The Fighters will be hosting Player Days on June 16 and 17 (vs Yakult at Sapporo Dome).

Seibu Lions

Voice actress Kaoru Fukuhara will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on June 24 (vs Orix).  She will also be in charge of stadium announcements that day.

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Seibu Recreation announced today that restaurant Shishi at Seibu Dome will be closed until further notice after a customer found a cigarette butt (about four centimeters long) in the curry at the buffet table on Sunday.  There have so far been no reports of customers getting sick.

Orix Buffaloes

Akinobu Okada recorded his ninety-ninth Inter-league managerial victory on Sunday.  That's tops in the NPB history.

Rakuten Eagles

Masahiro Tanaka is still on for his Ni-gun start against Seibu on Tuesday.

Said Tanaka, "I have no worries.  I have not pitched in a month so I do not expect to do well right out of the gate.  I just have to pitch my game. ... Things are improving.  I am no longer in that place where I can not see the end of the tunnel."