Chunichi Dragons vs Seibu Lions @ Seibu Dome - 18:00
Starters: Bradley Bergesen (CHU) 2-1, 3.25 - Kikuchi, Yusei (SEI) 6-2, 1.60

Attendance: 15993 | Time: 2h49m | Seibu leads series, 2-1-0

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Nippon Ham Fighters

Yuki Saito is scheduled to toss batting practice on the 13th.  He will face two hitters and throw thirty to forty pitches.

Source: Sanspo 6/11/2013

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The PL started using the DH rule in 1975.  Since then, Nippon Ham designated hitters have slugged 989 home runs.  Only nine players have hit forty or more home runs as a DH -- seven in the 1980s and one each in the 1990s and 2000s.  Charlie Manuel set the NPB high for home runs in a season by a DH with forty-eight in 1980.  Highs from the last three years: nineteen by Takeshi Yamasaki in 2010, twelve by Jose Fernandez in 2011, and eighteen by Wily Mo Pena in 2012.  The last player to hit forty or more was Nobuhiko Matsunaka with forty in 2005.

At fourteen home runs as a DH so far this year, Michel Abreu has a shot at becoming the first DH to hit forty or more since Matsunaka.

Source: Sponichi 6/11/2013

Seibu Lions

Tatsuya Oishi was taken off the active roster today because he has not been pitching well.

Source: Sponichi 6/11/2013

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The Lions decided to promote 1st round draft pick Tatsushi Masuda after Hisanobu Watanabe had a chance to watch him toss thirty-four pitches in the bullpen today.

Source: Sponichi 6/11/2013, Nikkan Sports 6/11/2013

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Ikusei player Abner Abreu is a candidate to join the seventy-man roster.  The Lions currently have sixty-four players on the seventy-man roster and need to bump that to sixty-five before the end of July.

Source: Daily Sports 6/11/2013

Softbank Hawks

Wily Mo Pena joined the Ichi-gun team for workouts today.  He took forty swings during batting practice and hit eight over the fence.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/11/2013

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Sho Iwasaki was fined 200,000 yen for arriving about twenty minutes late to workouts today.

Source: Sanspo 6/11/2013

Orix Buffaloes

Kei Igawa worked out at Hotto Motto Kobe using pitching coach Nobuyuki Hoshino's first baseman's mitt and a pair of Dae-Ho Lee shoes.  When reporters asked what happened, he jokingly replied, "I might have to play some first.  I could always lose my job as a pitcher.  These shoes?  They are special."

What really happened: the team has been on the road and before returning, he had his equipment shipped to Kyocera Dome and forgot to prepare for practices at Hotto Motto.

Source: Daily Sports 6/11/2013, Sports Hochi 6/11/2013

Nippon Ham Fighters

1st round draft pick Shohei Otani is scheduled to throw about 110 pitches during his Ni-gum start against Yomiuri on the 11th.

Source: Sponichi 6/10/2013

Otani is the first player in the NPB to record ten or more doubles in his rookie season since Kazuyoshi Tatsunami hit fifteen in 1988 and the first in the PL since Kazuhiro Kiyohara hit eighteen in 1986.  The NPB record of twenty-four was set by Kihachi Enomoto in 1955.

Source: Sports Hochi 6/10/2013, Daily Sports 6/10/2013

Seibu Lions

Yusei Kikuchi threw fifty-two pitches in the bullpen today in preparation for his next start on the 12th against Chunichi.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/10/2013

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1st round draft pick Tatsushi Masuda worked out with Ichi-gun pitchers today and threw thirty-seven pitches in the bullpen.  He will practice with the Ichi-gun team again on Tuesday and could be added to the active roster depending on how well things go.

Source: Sanspo 6/10/2013

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Voice actresses Kaori Fukuhara and Emiri Kato are scheduled to participate in the ceremonial first pitch on June 23 (vs Orix at Seibu Dome).

Source: official announcement, Nikkan Sports 6/10/2013

Softbank Hawks

According to the New York Times, the Hawks were interested in Alex Rodriguez last winter.

Source: NY Times 6/9/2013

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Masahiko Morifuku was taken off the active roster today because he has not been pitching well.  Brian Falkenborg will most likely be called up.

Source: Sponichi 6/10/2013

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The Hawks might consider giving another pitcher a look at closer after Sho Iwasaki gave up two runs over an inning of work on the 8th.  Iwasaki did follow up that outing with a shutout inning on the 9th.

If the Hawks decide to make a change, candidates could include Kodai Senga and Ryota Igarashi.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/10/2013

Rakuten Eagles

Masahiro Tanaka set a new franchise record on Sunday by starting the season with an eight-game winning streak.  The previous record of seven was set by Tanaka and Kazuo Fukumori in 2009.  Tanaka also tied the franchise record for winning streaks at any point during the season, set twice by Hisashi Iwakuma in 2008.

Tanaka improved to 20-6 during Inter-league play.

Source: Sponichi 6/10/2013

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Toshiya Nakashima hit the ninth home run of his career off Tetsuya Utsumi on Sunday.  He also hit his first career home run off Utsumi on May 28, 2008.

Source: Sponichi 6/10/2013

Chiba Lotte Marines

Orion Beer girl Emi Nashiro is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on the 15th (vs Chunichi).  Former pro boxer Yoko Gushiken will stand in the batter's box.

Source: Daily Sports 6/10/2013

Seibu Lions vs Hiroshima Carp @ Mazda Stadium - 13:30
Starters: Togame, Ken (SEI) 5-2, 2.84 - Nomura, Yusuke (HIR) 2-3, 3.38

Attendance: 28065 | Time: 2h49m | Hiroshima leads series, 4-0-0

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Nippon Ham Fighters

Hisashi Takeda threw forty-seven pitches to a squatting catcher in the bullpen at Kamagaya on Friday.  It was his first session since he started feeling tightness in his right elbow.  Takeda is hoping to make it back to the active roster in the minimum amount of time.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/8/2013

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After throwing eighty-two pitches in the bullpen on Friday, 1st round draft pick Shohei Otani took fifty-four swings during batting practice and hit five over the fence.

Source: Sports Hochi 6/8/2013

Seibu Lions

Hisanobu Watanabe told reporters on Friday that he plans to move Hideaki Wakui back to the starting rotation after Inter-league play ends.

Source: Sponichi 6/8/2013

Softbank Hawks

Tadashi Settsu could return to the active roster in time for one last Inter-league start on the 13th against Yakult at YafuOku Dome.  The Hawks were thinking about getting through the remaining games on the IL schedule without the help of Settsu, but may allow him to pitch depending on how he is feeling.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/8/2013

Orix Buffaloes

Hiroshi Moriwaki is not satisfied with how the catchers are handling the pitching staff and may issue signs from the dugout in key situations.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/8/2013

Seibu Lions vs Hiroshima Carp @ Mazda Stadium - 13:30
Starters: Kishi, Takayuki (SEI) 2-4, 3.84 - Nakazaki, Shota (HIR) 1-3, 6.63

Attendance: 28421 | Time: 2h42m | Hiroshima leads series, 3-0-0

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Yasuyuki Kataoka earned his domestic FA option today with eight years of service time on the active roster.

"The team needs to win right now.  I do not want to think about personal goals and would like to do what I can to help the team win," said Kataoka to reporters today.

Source: Sponichi 6/7/2013, Nikkan Sports 6/7/2013

Seibu Lions vs Hanshin Tigers @ Koshien Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Makita, Kazuhisa (SEI) 4-2, 1.66 - Messenger, Randy (HAN) 6-2, 3.57

Attendance: 38903 | Time: 2h32m | Hanshin leads series, 3-1-0

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Seibu Lions vs Hanshin Tigers @ Kurashiki "Muscat" Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Nogami, Ryoma (SEI) 3-2, 2.58 - Enokida, Daiki (HAN) 2-5, 2.31

Attendance: 29103 | Time: 3h15m | Hanshin leads series, 2-1-0

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Nippon Ham Fighters

Haruki Nishikawa hurt his left heal while running the bases in the 6th inning of Monday's game against Yokohama and was removed from the game on defense in the 7th.  According to reports, he suffered what appears to be a minor bruise.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/4/2013

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Hokkaido Police and stadium officials performed an anti-terror drill at Sapporo Dome on Monday.

Source: Sponichi 6/4/2013

Seibu Lions

Yosuke Okamoto will be sent to Ni-gun for more work.  Yusuke Kawasaki will be called up to take Okamoto's spot on the active roster.

Source: Sanspo 6/4/2013

Softbank Hawks

The Hawks connected for four consecutive doubles in the 5th inning of Monday's game against Hanshin (Nobuhiro Matsuda, Yuya Hasegawa, Bryan LaHair, and Yuki Yanagita).  This tied a PL record set on eight other occasions, the last by Nippon Ham on July 29, 2009.  The Nankai Hawks also recorded four consecutive doubles on September 20, 1984 (not consecutive hitters since one batter hit a sac bunt and a second walked).

The NPB record of five consecutive doubles was set by Hiroshima in 1983 and 1986.

Source: Sponichi 6/4/2013

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In three games against the Hanshin Tigers, Hiroki Yamada has allowed just one run (unearned) over twenty-four innings of work.

Source: Sponichi 6/4/2013

Orix Buffaloes

Takahiro Okada (coming back from a left hamstring injury) played in a Ni-gun game against Hiroshima today.  He started in left, batted fourth, and went 0-for-4.

Source: Nikkan Sports 6/4/2013