Archived Weblog Entry - 05/08/2006: "Japanese Baseball Weekly Report"

[Previous entry: "Phillies Journal - 2006"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Phillies Journal - 2006"]

05/08/2006 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball Weekly Report"

Japanese Baseball Weekly Report

Japanese Baseball News: The Monday Report By Glenn Davies,Tokyo Japan
Central League News
CLFLAG (2k image) The Yomiuri Giants maintained their good lead over the field in the Central league but were hittable over the last week going 5-5 in their last 10 games. Taking 2 of 3 from the Dragons helped a lot and their pitching continues to look the part with strong outings from Kudo(3-1) and Utsumi(4-0) this past week.The Dragons responded well with a sweep of the Baystars and Fukudome(.296 9 17), Woods(.292 7 20) and Alex (.307 7 18) have all started to hit with authority. The Tigers have won 4 of their last six but have had to come from behind in a number of games as they continue to struggle to score early in games. The Carp have been on the rise winning 4 of their last 6 and skipper Marty Brown managed to make the news by being ejected from the Carp game on Sunday after a controversial call, Brown went into a Pinella-esque rage and threw the the first base bag before been given his marching orders. The Bay Stars?...well...2-8 over their last 10 and fading fast, some good HR hitters and not much pitching.

Pacific League News
PLFLAG (2k image) Only 2.5 games separate first to fifth in the competitive Pacific League so far this season. The surprise for many has been the strong play of the Buffaloes and Fighters. Both teams looked unlikely to challenge for the playoffs but have put together strong pitching to keep themselves in the picture. The Lions are holding on to a one game lead over the Hawks and dropped 2 to Softbank over the weekend. Lions usually reliable pitching has been the main culprit getting outscored 23-13 in the 3 game series. Zuleta and Matsunaka have come alive for the Hawks and got their 7th and 8th HRs in an 11-3 rout of the Lions on Saturday.The Marines looked to be back on track until they were swept by the Buffaloes on the weekend. The Marines were outscored 25-5 in 3 games and seem unable to ignite their offense and added a pitcher in the shape of former major leaguer Jason Miller (RHP) from the DevilRays. Perhaps a decent hitter would have been better with Franco and Pasccuici struggling to get the ball out of the infield. The Eagles are out f this already and offer a feast of runs and easy wins to keep all the other teams in the hunt for the playoffs.
Batting Leaders
　
Central
Team Avg. AB HR RBI 　
Pacific
Team
Avg. AB HR RBI
1 Sheets Tigers .364 139 7 21 1 Fukuura Marines .389 138 1 16
2 Hamanaka Tigers .355 108 10 22 2 Omura Hawks .340 160 2 19
3 Abe Giants .346 119 2 17 3 Cabrera Lions .324 121 8 26
4 Murata Baystars .340 124 10 35 4 Nakajima Lions .320 148 4 17
5 Yano Giants .337 106 4 19 5 Ogasawara Fighters .315 150 4 18
Pitching Leaders
　
Central
Team ERA W L Sv 　
Pacific
Team ERA W L Sv
1 Kawakami Dragons 1.31 4 0 0 1 Hirano Buffaloes 1.56 4 1 0
2 Utsumi Giants 1.58 4 1 0 2 Matsuzaka Lions 1.91 4 1 0
3 Kuroda Carp 1.69 3 1 0 3 Davey Buffaloes 1.93 3 2 0
4 Powell Giants 1.76 4 0 0 4 Akakaki Hawks 2.08 5 0 0
5 Egusa Tigers 2.35 3 1 0 5 Yagi Fighters 2.14 3 2 0
　
Foreign Player Stats
Batting Team Avg. AB HR RBI
Cabrera Hawks .272 150 2 16
Zuleta Hawks .232 105 8 21
Cabrera Lions .324 121 8 26
Liefer Lions .211 23 1 1
Short Eagles .339 68 0 8
Fernandez Eagles .314 137 6 13
Pasccuici Marines .212 64 2 8

Franco Marines .268 110 2 6
Agbayani Marines .298 144 4 20
Marcias Fighters .256 137 2 14
Seguignol Fighters .224 141 5 14
Garcia Buffaloes .245 99 6 12

Woods Dragons .292 112 7 20
Ochoa Dragons .307 110 7 18
Dillion Giants .444 10 1 2
Sheets Tigers .364 139 7 31
Spencer Tigers .333 9 0 0
Ramirez Swallows .289 124 3 12
Riggs Swallows .280 105 5 14
LaRocca Swallows .302 119 7 23
Pitching Team ERA W L Sv
Beirne Marines 7.01 2 2 0
Thomas Fighters 6.17 0 0 1
Diaz Fighters 3.00 0 1 0
Lee Fighters 4.13 3 3 0
Davey Buffaloes 1.93 3 2 0
Sefarini Buffaloes 8.24 0 3 0
Carrasco Hawks 17.18 0 2 0
Graman Lions 3.10 3 2 0
Martinez Dragons 3.45 2 3 0
Domingo Dragons 5.19 1 1 0
Guttormson Swallows 3.33 1 2 0
Bale Carp 0.73 0 0 5
Douglass Carp 3.43 3 3 0
Romano Carp 4.76 0 1 0
Sonia BayStars 5.73 1 0 1
Beverlin BayStars 9.68 0 1 0
Kroon BayStars 4.50 0 2 4
Glover Giants 5.91 3 1 0
Powell Giants 1.76 4 0 0
Oxspring Tigers 3.86 1 0 0
Darwin Tigers 0.75 0 0 0
2006 Standings
Central W L T Pct% GB
Pacific
W L T Pct% GB
Yomiuri Giants 21 9 2 .700 - Seibu Lions 20 14 0 .588 -
Chunichi Dragons 16 10 1 .615 3.0 Softbank Hawks 19 15 1 .559 1.0
Hanshin Tigers 17 12 1 .586 3.5 Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 19 16 0 .543 1.5
Hiroshima Carp 12 16 2 .429 8.0 Orix Buffaloes 18 16 1 .529 2.0
Yakult Swallows 11 18 0 .379 9.5 Chiba Lotte Marines 18 17 0 .514 2.5
Yokohama Bay Stars 8 20 2 .286 12.0 Rakuten Eagles 9 25 0 .265 11.0

Central League News
		The Yomiuri Giants maintained their good lead over the field in the Central league but were hittable over the last week going 5-5 in their last 10 games. Taking 2 of 3 from the Dragons helped a lot and their pitching continues to look the part with strong outings from Kudo(3-1) and Utsumi(4-0) this past week.The Dragons responded well with a sweep of the Baystars and Fukudome(.296 9 17), Woods(.292 7 20) and Alex (.307 7 18) have all started to hit with authority. The Tigers have won 4 of their last six but have had to come from behind in a number of games as they continue to struggle to score early in games. The Carp have been on the rise winning 4 of their last 6 and skipper Marty Brown managed to make the news by being ejected from the Carp game on Sunday after a controversial call, Brown went into a Pinella-esque rage and threw the the first base bag before been given his marching orders. The Bay Stars?...well...2-8 over their last 10 and fading fast, some good HR hitters and not much pitching.

Pacific League News
		Only 2.5 games separate first to fifth in the competitive Pacific League so far this season. The surprise for many has been the strong play of the Buffaloes and Fighters. Both teams looked unlikely to challenge for the playoffs but have put together strong pitching to keep themselves in the picture. The Lions are holding on to a one game lead over the Hawks and dropped 2 to Softbank over the weekend. Lions usually reliable pitching has been the main culprit getting outscored 23-13 in the 3 game series. Zuleta and Matsunaka have come alive for the Hawks and got their 7th and 8th HRs in an 11-3 rout of the Lions on Saturday.The Marines looked to be back on track until they were swept by the Buffaloes on the weekend. The Marines were outscored 25-5 in 3 games and seem unable to ignite their offense and added a pitcher in the shape of former major leaguer Jason Miller (RHP) from the DevilRays. Perhaps a decent hitter would have been better with Franco and Pasccuici struggling to get the ball out of the infield. The Eagles are out f this already and offer a feast of runs and easy wins to keep all the other teams in the hunt for the playoffs.

Batting Leaders
	Central	Team	Avg.	AB	HR	RBI		Pacific	Team	Avg.	AB	HR	RBI
1	Sheets	Tigers	.364	139	7	21	1	Fukuura	Marines	.389	138	1	16
2	Hamanaka	Tigers	.355	108	10	22	2	Omura	Hawks	.340	160	2	19
3	Abe	Giants	.346	119	2	17	3	Cabrera	Lions	.324	121	8	26
4	Murata	Baystars	.340	124	10	35	4	Nakajima	Lions	.320	148	4	17
5	Yano	Giants	.337	106	4	19	5	Ogasawara	Fighters	.315	150	4	18

Pitching Leaders
	Central	Team	ERA	W	L	Sv		Pacific	Team	ERA	W	L	Sv
1	Kawakami	Dragons	1.31	4	0	0	1	Hirano	Buffaloes	1.56	4	1	0
2	Utsumi	Giants	1.58	4	1	0	2	Matsuzaka	Lions	1.91	4	1	0
3	Kuroda	Carp	1.69	3	1	0	3	Davey	Buffaloes	1.93	3	2	0
4	Powell	Giants	1.76	4	0	0	4	Akakaki	Hawks	2.08	5	0	0
5	Egusa	Tigers	2.35	3	1	0	5	Yagi	Fighters	2.14	3	2	0

Central	W	L	T	Pct%	GB	Pacific	W	L	T	Pct%	GB
Yomiuri Giants	21	9	2	.700	-	Seibu Lions	20	14	0	.588	-
Chunichi Dragons	16	10	1	.615	3.0	Softbank Hawks	19	15	1	.559	1.0
Hanshin Tigers	17	12	1	.586	3.5	Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters	19	16	0	.543	1.5
Hiroshima Carp	12	16	2	.429	8.0	Orix Buffaloes	18	16	1	.529	2.0
Yakult Swallows	11	18	0	.379	9.5	Chiba Lotte Marines	18	17	0	.514	2.5
Yokohama Bay Stars	8	20	2	.286	12.0	Rakuten Eagles	9	25	0	.265	11.0