This year’s team slogan, announced last November at the team’s annual Fan Appreciation Day, is 執念 Tigers Change 2018. 執念 (shuunen) means “tenacity” and manager Tomoaki Kanemoto was hoping the slogan would give his team that extra push to be tenacious at the plate, on defense, on the mound, in all situations. But the fact…
The Tigers came back to Koshien on Tuesday and laid an egg against the Chunichi Dragons on Tuesday. The weather was gloomy after that, too, and it looked as though the rest of the series would be rained out… but somehow they squeezed in the game on Wednesday. Speaking of squeezes, everyone’s favorite catcher came…
I hated Wadaball. So did most of you. And when his time at the helm ended in October 2015, and Tomoaki Kanemoto took over the reins, there was a lot of excitement in Tigerland. Things were going to be different, at last! Aniki’s team would be faster and (much) stronger than the yawn-inducing lineup Yutaka…
As always, I feel like I need to preface my criticisms with a clarification: I am not a baseball player, coach, manager, front office person. Never have been. Probably never will be. As such, my words do not hold a whole lot of weight. Let me also say that I was excited about Tomoaki Kanemoto‘s…
It had been four years since the Tigers swept a 3-game series against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien Stadium. Bringing in a 19-year old rookie against a pitcher who was undefeated against the Tigers this season did not seem like a recipe for ending that streak. Then again, you can’t predict baseball. Starting Pitchers: Hiroto Saiki (0-1, 7.50…
I have to admit, it’s a special atmosphere at these games against the Yomiuri Giants. But in the seven that I have seen at Koshien, the home team has won just one (against five losses and a tie). And this one twice looked like it would end in a loss or tie. But it didn’t. Starting…
When you’re playing on a field with smaller dimensions, against a team that’s not know for its pitching (the Yakult Swallows), you have to take advantage. And that’s exactly what the Tigers did. A couple of bombs and their first 10+ hit game in two weeks, and you’ve no longer got a losing streak on your…
When wins are not coming easy, you don’t take any of your opponents for granted. Even if they are the Chunichi Dragons. Even if they’re putting a developing pitcher on the mound. And especially when your own starter is unproven. But the team pushed runs across when they needed them, and the pitching was rock-solid in…
With a huge win on Tuesday and our best pitcher due up on the mound today, it looked like the Tigers might be well on their way to avenging a sweep at Koshien by these same Yomiuri Giants just a few weeks back. But a couple of judgment lapses by the sophomoric third baseman might…
Let me start by saying that was one of the worst games I have ever attended. At least ones in which the team I was cheering for won. Our starting pitcher worked PAINFULLY slowly. I mean, he put 10 guys on base in his six innings of work, and he always works extra slowly when…