Junji Ogawa thinks Kyohei Muranaka and Kazuhiro Hatakeyama will be key players in 2013.

Source: Nikkan Sports 3/25/2013

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Shinya Miyamoto will most likely be the opening day starting third baseman.

Source: Sanspo 3/25/2013

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Orlando Roman is scheduled to pitch in a Ni-gun game against Lotte on Tuesday.

Source: Sanspo 3/25/2013

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The Swallows will likely err on the side of caution with Wladimir Balentien because they do not want him to aggravate his left leg injury.

Source: Daily Sports 3/25/2013

Ogawa told reporters today that he is preparing for the season under the assumption that both Balentien and Shingo Kawabata (left ankle) will not be ready for opening day.

Source: Sports Hochi 3/25/2013

Ichi-gun camp had the day off today.

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Orlando Roman worked out on his day off today.  Roman is scheduled to pitch in a practice game against Nippon Ham on Wednesday.

Source: Sponichi 2/19/2013

According to Nikkan Sports, there is a good chance the Yakult Swallows will offer Akinori Iwamura (33) a contract after the twelve-team tryouts.

Yakult is also planning to bring Wladimir Balentien, Lastings Milledge, Tony Barnette, and Orlando Roman back next season.  Things do not look quite as good for Chang-Yong Lim (coming back from right elbow surgery in July).

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/16/2012

Since Masanori Ishikawa's start was rained out today, he will get to pitch in a Ni-gun game against Nippon Ham at Toda on Saturday.  Kyohei Muranaka will start Saturday's exhibition game against the Seibu Lions.

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Shohei Tateyama will likely get some work out of the bullpen on Saturday.

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Shingo Kawabata joined the Ichi-gun team today and is scheduled to play in Saturday's game against the Seibu Lions (Jingu).

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Junji Ogawa told reporters today that Chang-Yong Lim will be sent down to Ni-gun to continue his preparations for the season -- they do not want to rush him.  This also leaves open the possibility that Lim starts the season at Ni-gun, which could be good news for players like Wladimir Balentien and Orlando Roman, since the two were competing for the last remaining foreign player roster spot.

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The first three pitchers in the starting rotation will likely be: Ishikawa, Muranaka, and Katsuki Akagawa.

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The Swallows announced the start of the Shinya Miyamoto 2,000 Hit Support Project today.

And when Miyamoto records his 2,000th hit, the Swallows plan to celebrate by giving fans with the names "Miyamoto" or "Shinya" and fans in their forties or with the number six in their age a discount on tickets to the 2,000th Hit Commemorative Game -- 3,000 yen reserved seat A tickets on the first base side will be priced at 2,000 yen.

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Lastings Milledge and his girlfriend made the headlines today.

Shingo Kawabata is scheduled to rejoin the Ichi-gun team on Friday.

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The Swallows attended a pep rally at Meiji Kinenkan on Thursday.  About 500 people attended.

The new members of the cheer-leading group, Passion, in addition to their new uniforms, were also introduced and unveiled.

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Yakult held a general stockholder's meeting on Thursday and approved a number of personnel changes, which included both Tadashi Suzuki (advisor) and Katsutoshi Oki (executive director) stepping down from their posts.  Junsei Atarashi will take on Oki's position as chief of team operations.

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Orlando Roman has not allowed a run over his last sixteen innings of work.  Wladimir Balentien's bat is also beginning to show signs of life: in his last five games he is 8-for-18 with two homers and seven RBI.

And with both players doing well, Nikkan Sports mentions that the Swallows might actually opt to demote Chang-Yong Lim.  In either case, the three players have three more exhibition games to prove they belong on the active roster.

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Junji Ogawa told reporters on Tuesday that he will probably have Yoshinori Sato pitch in a Ni-gun game to work through his control problems.

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According to Sanspo, the rotation for the first six games of the regular season could be: Masanori Ishikawa, Katsuki Akagawa, Kyohei Muranaka, Yoshinori, Shohei Tateyama, and Ishikawa.

Sponichi figures the first three will be Ishikawa, Muranaka, and Akagawa.  They also mention Orlando Roman as another arm in the rotation.

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Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi could begin the year in the bullpen.

Orlando Roman started today's exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers and tossed seven shutout innings while giving up three hits.  Wladimir Balentien went 1-for-3 (infield single) with a strikeout.

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Junji Ogawa is having a hard time deciding on who his everyday players are and told reporters on Monday that he would like their feedback to help him decide.

Nikkan Sports notes that there are still question marks surrounding center field, right field, and short.

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Shinya Miyamoto has been struggling at the plate: he does not have a hit in twelve trips to the plate (span of seven practice/exhibition games).  He also did not travel with the team on their two-game road-trip against Hiroshima and instead spent time working out at the Toda training facilities.  He did play in today's exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers and went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

And Musashi Koyama Shotengai PALM is planning to hold a ceremony for Miyamoto when he records his 2,000th  career hit (needs twenty-five).

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Sponichi mentions that the Swallows will likely start Masanori Ishikawa, Shohei Tateyama, and Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi during their season opener (March 30 - April 1 vs Yomiuri).  Yoshinori Sato will likely start the home opener on April 3 (vs Hanshin).

The Swallows held full-squad practices at Koshien today.

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Yoshinori Sato was re-examined again today and once again diagnosed with a contusion near his right knee.  He is not expected to miss his next start.

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Chang-Yong Lim may not be ready in time for the regular season.  Lim started complaining of the tightness in his upper right arm early this month.  He has yet to pitch in any games and there is no timetable for when he will be ready.

Lim threw thirty pitches to a standing catcher in the bullpen at the Toda training facilities on Sunday and told reporters he wanted to do his best to make the opening day roster.  The coaches, however, do not want to rush him back.

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Wladimir Balentien apparently only has until March 14 to show that he belongs on the opening day roster over Orlando Roman.

The Swallows practice game against the Chunichi Dragons at Nagoya Stadium was canceled due to poor ground conditions.

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Kentaro Kyuko (coming back from surgery on his left hand to correct blood flow problems) could re-join the Ichi-gun roster some time around March 16.  But before that happens, he will need to show the coaches he is ready by pitching in two to three games at Ni-gun.

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Orlando Roman turned in a solid performance against the Orix Buffaloes on Tuesday: 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 SO, 1 BB.  Wladimir Balentien did not: 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.  As of now, these two players are basically battling it out for the fourth foreign player spot on the active roster.

And speaking of Roman, he is apparently hooked on basashi (raw horse meat) and has asked the club to prepare some for him before each of his starts.  The team is willing, so long as he pitches well.

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The Ichi-gun Swallows had the day of today.

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Kazuki Fukuchi worked out at Urasoe Stadium today and is set to fully rejoin the Ichi-gun Swallows tomorrow.

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Orlando Roman did some workouts (weight training) on his day off today.  Roman has worked out on every off day so far during spring camp.

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Through Monday, Tsuyoshi Ueda is 10-for-21 with five stolen bases over five practice games.

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Yoshinori Sato is scheduled to pitch in a practice game against KIA on February 27.

Atsuya Furuta observed Urasoe camp on Monday and said the following about Yoshinori:

• he is on the right track with the adjustments he is making to his delivery
• he needs to use off-speed pitches more effectively; even Yu Darvish does not throw every pitch at 100%
• wants to see him pitch a full season

Furuta was responsible for drawing the winning ticket during the 2007 player draft (five teams selected him in the first round).