Myth: The BayStars have a terrible pitching staff and a dynamite hitting order. The opposite has been true more often than not this season so far. Though the Tigers entered this one 6-2 against the last place team so far, they would need their best pitching and hitting just to stay competitive in this one. Game…
The Tigers were looking for just their second three-game winning streak of the year, and needed a strong series to distance themselves from the defending Central League champions, who have shown signs of waking out of their early spring slumber. Game 35 – Friday, 5/6: The last time the Tigers’ starting nine’s average age was…
After the embarrassment fed to them earlier in the week against the Giants, Hanshin had something to prove in this series. Could they make their week look respectable by taking their frustrations out on the last place BayStars? Game 29 – Friday, 4/29: K, I have to admit that I am not sure how many times…
Unable to get on a good roll and heading to a park that seldom helped them last year, the Tigers needed good pitching from their starters – something that has been their downfall most of the past week. Could the team use Thursday’s rainout to straighten out some of their problems? The tale of the tape…
Nagoya Dome has almost never been kind to the Hanshin Tigers. Since its opening in 1997, the Tigers’ record in Nagoya is 77-145-5. But this is a team of ultra reform (cho-henkaku) right? Let’s look at how the Tigers’ record would change after this three-game set. Game 18 – Friday, 4/15: Veteran Atsushi Nohmi had brought…
At long last, the Hanshin Tigers would make their 2016 Koshien Stadium debut. The season was off to a decent start, all without having played on their true home turf yet. Could they take the momentum from their successful road trip – and dominant win against the Giants Thursday – back to their “Sacred Ground”? Game…
Though the high school baseball tournament has been over for a few days already, the Tigers continue to play ball away from Koshien to start the season. They split their series at Jingu against the Swallows evenly (1-1-1) despite giving up 14 runs in the last two games. They would continue the road trip in Yokohama…
The Hanshin Tigers looked to continue their dominance against Chunichi under the dome in Osaka as the 2016 season raised its veil. Could they extend the 11-game win streak at Kyocera against the rebuilding Dragons? Game 1, Friday 3/25: As reported earlier this weekend (click here for recap), the series started on a rough note…
It was great to see many of the players up closely during the first week of spring training down in Okinawa last week. After terrible bouts with illness, I am finally ready to start processing what I saw and share it with you all. Part 1 was about the fielders (catchers excluded), this one will…
Here’s a brief look at some of the bullpen pitching I watched over the first couple of days at spring training. Apparently Kyuji Fujikawa was the first man in the pen on Day 1, and then on Day 2 it was Akifumi Takahashi. But once again, Atsushi Nohmi blows everyone away with his work ethic….