Archived Weblog Entry - 06/12/2006: "Japanese Baseball News: Monday Report"

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06/12/2006 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Monday Report"

Japanese Baseball News: Monday Report

Japanese Baseball News: The Monday Report By Glenn Davies,Tokyo Japan
Central League News
CLFLAG (2k image) The Yomiuri Giants have fallen hard over the past two weeks and a strong 3-way race for the title has developed. The Giants were 11 games over .500 going into the last week of June only to lose 12 of 20 games and find themselves in third. The Giants were swept by the Hawks and Marines in their last two series and find themselves mired in a 6-game losing streak as we speak.Pitching has been brutal for the Giants and a series of injuries to stars such as Takahashi, Lee, Abe and Dillon have not helped.The Tigers find themselves in first and are 5-5 in their last 10. Former reliever Egusa continues to shine as a starter winning his 5th over the weekend.The Dragons have kept pace well and are 6-4 in their last 10(although the 3 games against Rakuten shouldnt really count).The Swallows are improved and Riggs and Ramirez already have 99RBIs between them. If only the CL had a playoff like the PL then things would be more interesting for them.

Pacific League News
PLFLAG (2k image) As with the CL the PL lead continues to change hands and the masters of inter-league and Japan series champions Chiba Lotte are back in the saddle.The Marines have won 20 of their last 26 and show no signs of stopping with a sweep of the Giants this past weekend. Newly acquired outfielder Matt Watson has helped to light things up for the Marines batting .304 2 6 in just 26ABs this season. The Hawks are 6-4 in their last 10 and have gotten their pitching going, not allowing more than 3runs against in all but one of those 10 games. Seibu continue to win and lose in bunches and Cabrera and Wada continue to go yard regularly with 20HRs between them at this stage.The Fighters are being gifted the run at third with the poor play of Orix taking them down to 5th. Shinjos farewell circus continued with him arriving at the Sapporo dome by Gondola the other night...Rakuten have one thing worth watching this season in Fernandez, hes hit a league leading 17HRs already this year and may threaten the HR record of 55 at this rate.
Batting Leaders
　
Central
Team Avg. AB HR RBI 　
Pacific
Team
Avg. AB HR RBI
1 Fukudome Dragons .344 250 13 43 1 Fukuura Marines .382 251 3 30
2 Sheets Tigers .338 261 10 40 2 Cabrera Lions .346 246 13 49
3 Nioka Giants .333 251 11 33 3 Matsunaga Hawks .344 276 13 45
4 Aoki Swallows .322 272 3 22 4 Fernandez Eagles .323 249 17 45
5 Abe Giants .342 133 3 19 5 Teppei Eagles .320 208 2 18
Pitching Leaders
　
Central
Team ERA W L Sv 　
Pacific
Team ERA W L Sv
1 Kawakami Dragons 1.37 7 1 0 1 Saitoh Hawks 1.80 7 3 0
2 Guttormson Swallows 2.35 4 3 0 2 Matsuzaka Lions 2.08 8 2 0
3 Utsumi Giants 2.74 5 5 0 3 Shimizu Marines 2.14 6 3 0
4 Kuroda Carp 2.77 4 5 0 4 Akakaki Hawks 2.14 6 1 0
5 Sasaoka Carp 2.95 6 3 0 5 Hirano Buffaloes 2.18 6 3 0
　
2006 Standings
Central W L T Pct% GB
Pacific
W L T Pct% GB
Hanshin Tigers 33 24 1 .579 - Chiba Lotte Marines 38 26 0 .594 -
Chunichi Dragons 32 24 1 .571 0.5 Softbank Hawks 36 28 1 .563 2.0
Yomiuri Giants 32 26 2 .552 1.5 Seibu Lions 35 28 0 .556 2.5
Yakult Swallows 30 28 0 .517 3.5 Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 33 31 0 .516 5.0
Hiroshima Carp 25 32 2 .439 8.0 Orix Buffaloes 26 36 1 .419 11.0
Yokohama Bay Stars 21 36 2 .368 12.0 Rakuten Eagles 20 42 0 .323 17.0

Central League News
		The Yomiuri Giants have fallen hard over the past two weeks and a strong 3-way race for the title has developed. The Giants were 11 games over .500 going into the last week of June only to lose 12 of 20 games and find themselves in third. The Giants were swept by the Hawks and Marines in their last two series and find themselves mired in a 6-game losing streak as we speak.Pitching has been brutal for the Giants and a series of injuries to stars such as Takahashi, Lee, Abe and Dillon have not helped.The Tigers find themselves in first and are 5-5 in their last 10. Former reliever Egusa continues to shine as a starter winning his 5th over the weekend.The Dragons have kept pace well and are 6-4 in their last 10(although the 3 games against Rakuten shouldnt really count).The Swallows are improved and Riggs and Ramirez already have 99RBIs between them. If only the CL had a playoff like the PL then things would be more interesting for them.

Pacific League News
		As with the CL the PL lead continues to change hands and the masters of inter-league and Japan series champions Chiba Lotte are back in the saddle.The Marines have won 20 of their last 26 and show no signs of stopping with a sweep of the Giants this past weekend. Newly acquired outfielder Matt Watson has helped to light things up for the Marines batting .304 2 6 in just 26ABs this season. The Hawks are 6-4 in their last 10 and have gotten their pitching going, not allowing more than 3runs against in all but one of those 10 games. Seibu continue to win and lose in bunches and Cabrera and Wada continue to go yard regularly with 20HRs between them at this stage.The Fighters are being gifted the run at third with the poor play of Orix taking them down to 5th. Shinjos farewell circus continued with him arriving at the Sapporo dome by Gondola the other night...Rakuten have one thing worth watching this season in Fernandez, hes hit a league leading 17HRs already this year and may threaten the HR record of 55 at this rate.

Batting Leaders
	Central	Team	Avg.	AB	HR	RBI		Pacific	Team	Avg.	AB	HR	RBI
1	Fukudome	Dragons	.344	250	13	43	1	Fukuura	Marines	.382	251	3	30
2	Sheets	Tigers	.338	261	10	40	2	Cabrera	Lions	.346	246	13	49
3	Nioka	Giants	.333	251	11	33	3	Matsunaga	Hawks	.344	276	13	45
4	Aoki	Swallows	.322	272	3	22	4	Fernandez	Eagles	.323	249	17	45
5	Abe	Giants	.342	133	3	19	5	Teppei	Eagles	.320	208	2	18

Pitching Leaders
	Central	Team	ERA	W	L	Sv		Pacific	Team	ERA	W	L	Sv
1	Kawakami	Dragons	1.37	7	1	0	1	Saitoh	Hawks	1.80	7	3	0
2	Guttormson	Swallows	2.35	4	3	0	2	Matsuzaka	Lions	2.08	8	2	0
3	Utsumi	Giants	2.74	5	5	0	3	Shimizu	Marines	2.14	6	3	0
4	Kuroda	Carp	2.77	4	5	0	4	Akakaki	Hawks	2.14	6	1	0
5	Sasaoka	Carp	2.95	6	3	0	5	Hirano	Buffaloes	2.18	6	3	0

Central	W	L	T	Pct%	GB	Pacific	W	L	T	Pct%	GB
Hanshin Tigers	33	24	1	.579	-	Chiba Lotte Marines	38	26	0	.594	-
Chunichi Dragons	32	24	1	.571	0.5	Softbank Hawks	36	28	1	.563	2.0
Yomiuri Giants	32	26	2	.552	1.5	Seibu Lions	35	28	0	.556	2.5
Yakult Swallows	30	28	0	.517	3.5	Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters	33	31	0	.516	5.0
Hiroshima Carp	25	32	2	.439	8.0	Orix Buffaloes	26	36	1	.419	11.0
Yokohama Bay Stars	21	36	2	.368	12.0	Rakuten Eagles	20	42	0	.323	17.0