Yomiuri Giants vs Rakuten Eagles @ Kleenex Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Houlton, Dennis (YOM) 4-1, 3.60 - Mima, Manabu (RAK) 4-2, 4.26

Former Nippon Ham Fighter Koji Namba (43) was arrested by Kobe Nishi police on the 21st for allegedly exposing himself at a bus stop in 2010.

According to the arrest report, Namba allegedly exposed himself (lower body) to a thirty-six-year-old woman at a Kobe Nishi bus stop at around 7:00am on August 16, 2010.  Namba is quoted as saying, "I have no recollection since it was over two years ago."

Namba was originally on trial for a trespassing case that took place in Hyogo Prefecture in October 2012.  The connection was made when DNA tests that were conducted as part of the investigation were matched against a sample that was left at the bus stop in 2010.

Namba was selected in the 5th round of the 1989 draft.  He spent four years in the Nippon Ham organization but never made the Ichi-gun roster.

Source: Daily Sports 5/22/2013, Sponichi 5/22/2013

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Authorities involved in an ongoing investigation of welfare fraud in Nakama, Fukuoka arrested former Yomiuri Giant Yasuhiko Fujisaki (44) on the 19th on suspicions of fraud.  Fujisaki was a welfare caseworker.  He was the third Nakama employee, seventh including welfare recipients, to be arrested.

According to the reports, between 2010 and 2011, three Nakama welfare caseworkers allegedly paid out a total 560,000 yen in benefits to at least two people that were not eligible for the support.  Fujisaki admitted to the charges and was quoted as saying, "I did not conduct the necessary checks and a false report was made."

Fujisaki was drafted by the Giants in the 3rd round in 1990 and  spent two years in the organization before retiring.  He never played in any Ichi-gun games.  He got a job with the Nakama government offices in 1994.

Source: Sponichi 5/20/2013, Daily Sports 5/22/2013

Yomiuri Giants

Tatsunori Hara worked with Shuichi Murata and Hisayoshi Chono on their hitting behind closed doors for about an hour on Tuesday.

Source: Sponichi 5/22/2013

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The players, coaches, and staff held a mini rally party at a yakiniku restaurant near Sendai on Tuesday night.  The team is trying to break out of a two-game slide.

Source: Sanspo 5/22/2013

Yakult Swallows

Chris Leroux topped out at 151km/h during his first Ni-gun outing on the 21st.  He is expected to pitch about five innings during his next start on the 26th against Ni-gun Seibu.  If things go well, he could be added to the active roster in time for a start against Seibu at Seibu Dome on the 31st.

Source: Sanspo 5/22/2013

Hanshin Tigers

Takahiro Arai is two away from 1,000 career RBI.

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1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami's complete line from Tuesday's Ikusei start against a mixed Shikoku Island League team: 3.0 IP, 59 NP, 14 BF, 5 H, 0 HR, 5 SO, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 3 R, 3 ER.  He also topped out at 151km/h.

Fujinami will most likely return to the active roster in time for a start against Nippon Ham at Koshien on the 26th.  He is scheduled to toss bullpen sessions on the 23rd and 25th.

Source: Sponichi 5/22/2013, Daily Sports 5/22/2013, Sports Hochi 5/22/2013

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2nd round draft pick Fumiya Hojo played in an Ikusei game against a mixed Kansai Independent League team today.  He started at short and batted third.  He recorded the first home run of his pro career in the 7th.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/22/2013

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Kosuke Fukudome's left knee is taking longer to heal than expected.  He started rehabbing the knee at Koshien on the 10th.  He began outdoor workouts (walking, playing catch) on the 19th but has yet to do any running.  There is a chance he may not be able to return to the active roster until late-June, at the earliest.

Source: Sponichi 5/22/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

Tony Blanco has moved closer to home plate to improve his coverage on outside pitches.

"I wanted to make it easier to hit the outside pitches, so I moved closer to the plate.  It was an adjustment I made.  Now [that I am closer to the plate], I only get strikes on the inside," explained Blanco to reporters.

Source: Sponichi 5/22/2013

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For the time being, the Bay Stars will likely go with Kentaro Takasaki in the 7th and 8th innings and Jorge Sosa in the 9th.

Source: Sponichi 5/22/2013, Daily Sports 5/22/2013

Yomiuri Giants vs Rakuten Eagles @ Kleenex Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Sawamura, Hirokazu (YOM) 2-2, 3.57 - Tanaka, Masahiro (RAK) 6-0, 2.08

Attendance: 21354 | Time: 2h54m | Rakuten leads series, 1-0-0

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Yomiuri Giants

The Giants suffered their 100th Inter-league loss on Monday.

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013

Chunichi Dragons

On Monday, at forty-years and eleven months, Kazuhiro Wada became the oldest player in franchise history to hit a grand slam.  The previous franchise record of thirty-eight years and five months was set by Hiromitsu Ochiai in 1992.

Source: Sponichi 5/20/2013, Sponichi 5/20/2013

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Hector Luna extended his hitting streak to twenty-one games on Monday.  The franchise record of twenty-five games was set by Michio Nishizawa in 1949.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/20/2013

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Jesus Colome joined the Ichi-gun team for practices at Hotto Motto Kobe on Tuesday.  He tossed a bullpen session in front of the coaches (Kohei Oda was the catcher).

"[Colome] was ok today.  He also throws pitches that are different from Japanese pitchers.  It will be more than fine if he can pitch one inning," said Morimichi Takagi.

The Dragons will make a final decision on Colome after they receive the results from his drug test later this month.

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013, Sponichi 5/21/2013

Yakult Swallows

Chris Leroux pitched in a Ni-gun game against Nippon Ham on Tuesday and gave up a run on five hits over three innings of work.  This was his first outing at Ni-gun since signing with the Swallows.  He is expected to pitch in as least one more Ni-gun game.

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013

Hiroshima Carp

Fred Lewis was issued a stern warning and a 100,000 yen fine by the commissioner's office on Tuesday.  Lewis was ejected from a game on Monday after vehemently arguing a strike call during his at bat in the 4th inning.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/21/2013

Hanshin Tigers

1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami started an Ikusei game against a mixed Shikoku Island League plus team on Tuesday at Naruohama.  He gave up three runs on five hits over three innings of work.  He struck out five and topped out at 151km/h.  This was his first outing since he started an Ichi-gun game on the 5th against Yakult at Koshien.  Assuming no problems, Fujinami will likely make his next start at Ichi-gun on the 26th against Nippon Ham at Koshien.

Source: Daily Sports 5/21/2013, Sanspo 5/21/2013

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5th round draft pick Kazuyuki Kaneda relieved Fujinami on Tuesday and tossed two shutout inning while allowing two hits.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/21/2013

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GM Katsuhiro Nakamura admitted the team was interested in Blaine Boyer and that they were close to finalizing a deal with him.  An announcement could be made soon.

Source: Daily Sports 5/21/2013, Sanspo 5/21/2013

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Tsuyoshi Nishioka may have tweaked his left calf while playing defense on Monday (either in the 4th or 6th inning).

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/21/2013

Nishioka ended workouts early on Tuesday as a precaution.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/21/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

The Bay Stars will likely start Kai-Wen Cheng and 3rd round draft pick Shoichi Ino against the Softbank Hawks at YafuOku Dome (May 22-23).

Yomiuri Giants

Yoshinobu Takahashi took outdoor batting practice on Sunday for the first time after hurting his left calf.  With Ni-gun pitching coach Kazuya Tabata on the mound, Takahashi took sixty-two swings and hit one over the fence.

Source: Sanspo 5/20/2013

Chunichi Dragons

Hector Luna extended his hitting streak to twenty games on Sunday.  This ties the franchise record for foreign players set by Alonzo Powell 1994 and 1995.  He is also the only player in franchise history that has managed to maintain a batting average above .400 after playing in forty-four games -- the previous franchise record of forty-three games was set by Powell in 1996 and Masahiko Morino in 2010.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/20/2013

Hanshin Tigers

Through Sunday, the Tigers are 9-0 when Takashi Toritani records at least one RBI in a game.

Source: Sponichi 5/20/2013

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Kohei Shibata was pulled from Sunday's game after he made a base-running mistake in the 7th inning -- with a runner on second and one out, Shibata hit a ball to center and rounded first thinking the throw would go home, but the runner on second stopped at third and the ball was cut-off and he was thrown out at second.

Source: Sanspo 5/20/2013

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1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami threw thirty-five pitches in the bullpen at Naruohama today.  This was his third session since he was removed from the active roster with tightness in his lower back.  He threw all his pitches (fastball, curve, slider, fork, change, cutter, two-seamer) and also threw from the set and slid-step.

Source: Daily Sports 5/20/2013

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Kosuke Fukduome practiced outdoors on Sunday for the first time since he injured his left knee.  He should be able to start taking indoor batting practice (soft-toss, off a tee) soon.

Source: Sanspo 5/20/2013

Yomiuri Giants vs Nippon Ham Fighters @ Sapporo Dome - 18:00
Starters: Sugiuchi, Toshiya (YOM) 3-1, 2.68 - Kisanuki, Hiroshi (HAM) 3-2, 3.92

Attendance: 27231 | Time: 2h41m | Nippon Ham leads series, 2-0-0

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Yomiuri Giants

Shinnosuke Abe hit a home run off pitcher number 184 on Saturday night and moved into sole possession of first on the franchise list.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/19/2013

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1st round draft pick Tomoyuku Sugano struck out twelve hitters on Saturday.  He is the second pitcher -- behind Hirokazu Sawamura and his eleven strikeouts against Orix on May 23, 2011 -- to record double-digit strikeouts in an Inter-league game in his first year.  He became the sixth pitcher in franchise history -- behind Eiji Sawamura, Suguru Egawa, Koji Uehara, Hiroshi Kisanuki, and Yuya Kubo -- to record two or more double-digit strikeouts in their rookie season.  He also joined E. Sawamura (fourteen strikeouts on November 19, 1936), Egawa (twelve strikeouts on August 26, 1979), and Kisanuki (fifteen strikeouts on July 6, 2003 and twelve strikeouts on July 21, 2003) as the only pitchers in franchise history to record twelve or more strikeouts in a game during their first year.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/19/2013, Sponichi 5/19/2013

Chunichi Dragons

The Dragons decided to hold off on making a decision on Jesus Colome after watching him toss a bullpen session at Nagoya Dome on Saturday.

"[Colome] threw the ball well, but he has not pitched in any games.  We will give him two or three more days to prepare and then make a final decision," said Morimichi Takagi.

Colome is also scheduled to take a drug exam at a Nagoya hospital on the 20th.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/19/2013, Daily Sports 5/19/2013

Yakult Swallows

Shinya Miyamoto recorded his 2,097th hit on Saturday and is now tied with Atsuya Furuta for second most hits by a Swallows player.

Source: Sanspo 5/19/2013

Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers stole five bases (Yamato two, Takashi Toritani one, Takahiro Arai one, Shunsuke one) during a game against Softbank at Koshien on Saturday for the first time since June 14, 2006 (at Fullcast Miyagi; Norihiro Akahoshi three, Masato Akamatsu one, Makoto Imaoka one) and September 23, 2001 (at Koshien; Taichiro Kamisaka three, Akahoshi two).

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/19/2013

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1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami threw thirty-eight pitches in the bullpen on Saturday.  He will pitch in an Ikusei rehab game on the 21st before making a return to the active roster in time for a start against Nippon Ham on either the 25th or 26th.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013, Sponichi 5/18/2013

Pitching coach Kiyooki Nakanishi is planning to travel to Naruohama after the Ichi-gun game at Seibu Dome on the 20th to watch Fujinami pitch on the 21st.  He will then rejoin the Ichi-gun team for the Lotte series at QVC Marine on the 22nd.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013

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Tsuyoshi Nishioka is using a lighter bat right now: from 920 grams to 880-890 grams.

Source: Sanspo 5/19/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

Shun Yamaguchi was taken off the active roster today.

Source: Sponichi 5/19/2013

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Tony Blanco knocked out his twentieth homer of the season on Saturday.  The shot came in his forty-second game, which is tied for third quickest in NPB history with Shigeo Nagashima (1968) and is behind Shinnosuke Abe's thirty-three games in 2004 and Alex Cabrera's thirty-eight games in 2001.

Blanco also joined Noboru Aota (1956), Takeshi Kuwata (1959), Glenn Braggs (1994), and Shuichi Murata (2006) as the only players in franchise history to be the first in either league to hit twenty home runs in a season.

Source: Sanspo 5/19/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/19/2013

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Norihiro Nakamura was left out of the starting line-up on Saturday because of discomfort in his hip joint -- he does not have any problems swinging the bat but does have problems on defense.

Source: Sponichi 5/18/2013

Yomiuri Giants vs Nippon Ham Fighters @ Sapporo Dome - 18:00
Starters: Utsumi, Tetsuya (YOM) 4-0, 1.46 - Takeda, Masaru (HAM) 1-2, 2.31

Attendance: 37688 | Time: 2h44m | Nippon Ham leads series, 1-0-0

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Yomiuri Giants

There is a good chance Michihiro Ogasawara will be added to the active roster on Sunday for the Nippon Ham series at Sapporo Dome (DH rule).

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013

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Shinnosuke Abe spoke to Hisayoshi Chono about his "stolen base" (was ruled defensive indifference) in the 8th inning with two out.

"The second baseman and short stop were not even bothering [on that play].  With the kind of lead we had, [Chono] should not have been running," said Abe.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013

Abe has hit a home run off 183 different pitchers.  That ties Sadaharu Oh's franchise record and is tenth all the NPB All-time list.  Tuffy Rhodes sits in first place with 228.

Source: Sponichi 5/18/2013

Chunichi Dragons

At forty-four years and six months, Takeshi Yamasaki set a new CL record and tied an NPB record on Friday for oldest player to record a walk-off hit.

At forty-two years and two months, George Altman established the previous CL record on June 14, 1975.  The previous NPB record of forty-four years and six months was set by Yoshiyuki Iwamoto on September 30, 1956 and again on October 4, 1956.

Yamasaki also set a new NPB record for oldest player to hit a come-from-behind walk-off hit.  The previous record of forty-two years and six months was set by Hiromitsu Kadota on September 9, 1990.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/18/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

Sponichi has slightly more detailed numbers: At forty-four years, six months, and ten days, Yamasaki is the third oldest player to record a walk-off hit in NPB history.  Iwamoto holds the top two records: forty-four years, six months, and twenty-eight days on October 4, 1956 and forty-four year, six months, and nineteen days on September 30, 1956.

Source: Sponichi 5/18/2013

Yakult Swallows

Kazuhiro Hatakeyama recorded the franchise's first come-from-behind walk-off grand slam on Friday.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013

Seventy-seven walk-off grand slams have now been hit in NPB history, of which thirty have been come-from-behind walk-off grand slams.  Only fifteen have been hit with the team trailing by three runs.

Four walk-off grand slams have been hit in franchise history: Lou Jackson on September 16, 1968 (tie game); Masaaki Iwashita on April 6, 1982 (tie game); Atsunori Inaba on May 31, 2001 (tie game); and Hatakeyama on May 17, 2013 (down 5-2).

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

Hanshin Tigers

1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami is scheduled to pitch anywhere from one to three innings in a rehab game on the 21st (Ikusei game vs Island League mixed team at Naruohama).  He will also toss a bullpen session today.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013, Sports Hochi 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013

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Brooks Conrad joined the Ichi-gun team for workouts today.  Conrad went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in a Ni-gun game against Hiroshima on Friday.  He could be added to active roster on Sunday for the Seibu series at Seibu Dome (DH rule).

Conrad is 7-for-19 over his last five Ni-gun games.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013, Daily Sports 5/18/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

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Scouts from the Yankees and A's were at Friday's game.  They may have been checking on Randy Messenger.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/18/2013

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Yamato likes to hit on Fridays: 19-for-35 with six RBI.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

Yota Kosugi left Friday's game early with pain in his right shoulder.  The team is uncertain how severe the injury is.

Source: Sanspo 5/18/2013

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There were apparently some concerns about Shun Yamaguchi's adductor muscle, but he told Kiyoshi Nakahata before Friday's game that he would be more than ok to pitch one inning.  Whether or not the adductor muscle affected the way he pitched, Nakahata ended up losing confidence in Yamaguchi.

Jorge Sosa could take over as the new closer.

Source: Daily Sports 5/18/2013, Sponichi 5/18/2013