Kentaro Nishimura recorded his first save since September 6, 2007 (vs Chunichi at Nagoya Dome).

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Hisayoshi Chono was named the team's third Red Cross Support Leader.  The Giants started the support program in 2008; the first two leaders were Shinnsouke Abe and Hayato Sakamoto.

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Shuichi Murata will donate 10,000 yen to his newborn baby healthcare support fund for every RBI he records this season.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi is 8-0 in his first starts of the year.  He also became just the second player in franchise history to stop a team losing streak with their first start (after arriving from another team).  The other player: Osamu Kubota in 1966.

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TV Ratings for the home opener (Nippon TV, Kanto Region, 19:00-20:43): 11.8%.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi is slated to start Sunday's game against the Chiba Lotte Marines (at QVC).

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Takanobu Tsujiuchi rejoined the Ichi-gun team today after missing time with a left ankle sprain.

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Nikkan Sports is reporting that Hiroki Sanada has decided to return to Japan after his efforts to land a contract with a team in the US failed.  The Yomiuri Giants could be the current front-runner.  A later Nikkan Sports report includes the following comment from team GM Atsushi Harasawa:

I can not really talk about specific players, but generally speaking, as everyone knows, we still have space on our 70-man roster.  It is my job to see if there are other players that can help this team.  If we feel we need him, we will talk to him.  But again, I can not say which player(s) we are talking to and can only promise to give you an update if we get to that point.  It is not like we are not doing anything.  It is not just about now, we have been [looking for ways to improve the team] and will continue to look for ways to improve the team until July 30.

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Ryosuke Miyaguni could get another exhibition game start on March 21 against the Yakult Swallows (at Tokyo Dome).

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Tatsunori Hara will likely try batting Hisayoshi Chono first, Tetsuya Matsumoto second, John Bowker third, Shuichi Murata fourth, Shinnosuke Abe fifth, and Hayato Sakamoto sixth for their exhibition game against the Seibu Lions on Saturday.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi and Hirokazu Sawamura are scheduled to pitch in an exhibition game against Seibu on Saturday.  Tetsuya Utsumi is slated to pitch against Seibu on Sunday.

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Takahiko Nomaguchi will be called up on Saturday; Norihito Kaneto will be sent down.

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According to Daily Sports, there are three candidates for the opening day start: Utsumi, Sugiuchi, and Sawamura.  Of the three, Utsumi is the front-runner.

Nikkan Sports notes that Tatsunori Hara already has a basic idea of how he will set his starting rotation.

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Sugiuchi plans to use Koji Kikkawa's Speed for his intro music (the same music he used last year).

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While a possible early (or on time) return by Yuya Kubo is part of the reason why the Giants are thinking about using Scott Mathieson as a starter, that he has struggled with his control is another: he has eight walks/HBPs in five innings of work (four games).  He also appears to be having a hard time pitching from the set position, likely because he is worried about getting called on a balk.

The Giants held full-squad workouts at Giants Stadium today.  Workouts took place indoors and the session was closed off to reporters after warm-ups.  Practices lasted about an hour and a half and included working on plays requiring signs.

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Yuya Kubo, currently with the Ni-gun team, worked out at Giants Stadium on his day off today.  Assuming no problems, he could pitch in game-like conditions some time within the next few days.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi will start Saturday's exhibition game against the Seibu Lions.  His next start will likely come against the Softbank Hawks on March 9.  After that, either March 17 against the Seibu Lions or March 18 against the Chiba Lotte Marines.  He will not be pitching against the Hanshin Tigers on March 11.

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Strategy coach Hideki Hashigami will be focusing on three things when scouting other CL teams:

1. check on left-handed pitchers that gave the team trouble last season,
2. check on new talent (foreign or members of the 2011 draft),
3. check on players that are playing new positions

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The Ni-gun Giants closed out spring camp on Wednesday.

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Giants Stadium in Kawasaki was covered in about eight centimeters of snow on Wednesday.

John Bowker will likely be given a shot to see if he can handle hitting in the middle of the order (from the third to fifth spot) during games in early March.  Bowker could get his first chance during an exhibition game against the Seibu Lions on March 3.

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The Giants are toying with the idea of using Scott Mathieson as a starter and are planning to have him pitch two or more innings an outing from here on out.

Much could also depend Yuya Kubo's status -- as of now, he is making good progress and might be ready by opening day.

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Ikusei pitcher Kyohei Odachi will likely remain with the Ichi-gun team at least until mid-March.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi is slated to start an exhibition game against the Seibu Lions on March 3.

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Hirokazu Sawamura suggested to Ryosuke Miyaguni that long distance throwing might be better for building up the arm than bullpen sessions.

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Shuichi Murata could get opportunities to bat clean-up this year in order to take some of the pressure/workload off Shinnosuke Abe.

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Some batting stats through Tuesday:

• Bowker is 7-for-18 with three homers over seven games.
• Murata is 7-for-16 with two homers and six RBI.

Shun Tono, Dicky Gonzalez, and Yasunari Takagi all worked out at Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha on their day off today.

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Yoshinobu Takahashi worked out on his day off today.  Takahashi has been taking things slow ever since he started feeling discomfort in his right leg during a game against the Rakuten Eagles on February 21 (he fouled a ball off his right shin).  Workouts today included running and playing catch.  Said Takahashi, "I just wanted to check on things and I am ready to return [to regular practices]."

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Hisayoshi Chono and Tetsuya Yamaguchi visited DFS Galleria Okinawa for a talk session with fans on their day off today.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi's next outing will likely come in an exhibition game against the Seibu Lions on March 3.

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Through Thursday, Scott Mathieson has not allowed a hit or a run over four innings of work (three games) but has walked/hit eight batters.

Shigeo Nagashima visited both Ichi-gun and Ni-gun camp today.

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The Giants plan to field their best possible line-up on Saturday against Hiroshima.  That could mean John Bowker second, Hisayoshi Chono third, Shinnosuke Abe fourth, and Shuichi Murata fifth.  Players like Michihiro Ogasawara, Taishi Ota, and Daisuke Fujimura will likely fill out the bottom of the order.

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Ryuichi Kajimae was examined at a hospital in Miyazaki after he was hit by a pitch in the head during Thursday's intra-squad game and was diagnosed with a contusion.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi's next outing could come on either February 22 (vs LG at Okinawa Cellular) or February 23 (vs Hanwha at Okinawa Cellular).  After that, he will likely get a start on March 3 (vs Seibu at Tokyo Dome).

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Shuichi Murata stayed back after general workouts for extra fielding practice today -- he took his spot at third base while others took extra batting practice.

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The NPB held a lecture on doping at the Ni-gun player hotel before practices today.

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Norihito Kaneto and Hideki Sunaga worked out at Konohana Dome on Friday.  Their workouts included running and stretching.

Kaneto is expected to start Sunday's intra-squad game (three innings).  He also plans to test the curve he has been working on.

Sunaga has been working out at Ni-gun and was told by Yuya Kubo that he was opening up too quickly when pitching.

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Michihiro Ogasawara is expected to play in Sunday's intrad-squad game.  Yoshinobu Takahashi, Yoshinobu Tani, Shinnosuke Abe, and Murata will also most likely play in Sunday's game.

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Scott Mathieson told reporters on Friday that he might climb Mt. Fuji with his wife during the All-Star break.

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Former Rakuten Eagles' manager Katsuya Nomura is expected to visit spring camp on Sunday.

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Today was the last day of the second block of spring camp for the Ichi-gun Giants.  The team has the day off tomorrow.

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Team owner Kojiro Shiraishi and team president Tsunekazu Momoi observed Ichi-gun camp in Miyazaki today.

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The Giants had players work on bunts during situational BP today.  Both Shinnosuke Abe and Shuichi Murata were also asked to drop down bunts.

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Toshiya Sugiuchi was originally planing to throw about 120 pitches during his bullpen session today but stopped at seventy because he was feeling tired.

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Taishi Ota stayed back for extra hitting and extra fielding practice (center field) after general workouts today (about an hour each).

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The Giants worked on the following play during infield drills on Wednesday (battery coach Shinji Hata's suggestion): runners on second and third, two outs; batter hits a grounder to short or second and makes a bad throw to first; catcher backs-up the play, third baseman or pitcher moves over to home plate.  The runner on third will likely score, but this play is more about making sure the second runner does not cross the plate.

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According to Sanspo, Tatsunori Hara could be planning to pick his opening day starter some time around March 4.

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The Ni-gun Giants had the day off today.

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For the fourth time during spring camp, the Giants decided to start practices indoors today because of the cold weather.

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Tetsuya Yamaguchi faced Hisayoshi Chono and Hayato Sakamoto during batting practice today and threw forty-seven pitches.

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Taishi Ota stayed back after general workouts for about an hour of extra fielding practice in the outfield today.

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Kentaro Nishimura is scheduled to start an intra-squad practice game on February 12.

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Sanspo reports that the first six spots in the line-up could go: Hayato Sakamoto, Daisuke Fujimura, Hisayoshi Chono, Shinnosuke Abe, Shuichi Murata, Michihiro Ogasawara.

Nikkan Sports mentions that Tatsunori Hara could try something a one thru five of: Chono, Sakamoto, John Bowker, Abe, Murata.  It is also possible that Ryosuke Miyaguni gets a shot at being the sixth starter in the rotation.

Regardless, it seems Hara will reserve the four and five spots for Abe and Murata.

====== UPDATE 2/9 @ 1:54am

Fujimura will be using lighter cleats this year, from 330 grams to about 300 grams.

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Shun Tono is working on a new delivery where he does not raise his arms above his head when he lifts his left leg.

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Sponichi reports that Hara wants his base line-up to be Sakamoto batting first, Chono batting third, Murata batting fourth, and Abe batting fifth.  From there, players can be moved around.  For example: if someone different were to bat third, then Chono could move to batting lead-off with Sakamoto dropping down to the seven hole.

Regarding the outfield spots, Sponichi mentions, in a separate article, that Chono will be treated as the everyday right fielder.  Bowker and Yoshinobu Takahashi will battle it out for left, and Tetsuya Matsumoto and Ota will compete for the CF job.