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02/24/2008 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball Team Preview 2008: Hanshin Tigers"

Japanese Baseball Team Preview 2008: Hanshin Tigers
Glenn Davies, Tokyo Japan

HANSHIN TIGERS TEAM PREVIEW 2008 SEASON

Can the Hanshin Tigers keep pace with the Giants and Dragons? The landed one of the bigger free agent fish in the form of Takahiro Arai from the Hiroshima Carp this off season. He will certainly provide the power that Andy Sheets (released) couldn't from the hot corner at 1st. The Tigers appear to have a competitive lineup and success in 2008 will likely depend upon the pitching staff...where things look less rosy. However the other teams in the CL have not made great strides and the Tigers will be favourites to finish 3rd again and reach the playoffs.

PREDICTION:3rd in Central League

Toritani is solid at short and Akahoshi should bounce back from a sub par 07 with his usual 40-50 SBs. Kanemoto turns 41 in 2008 and is only 6HRs away from 400. His average dropped last season  by 38points but with more protection in the lineup thanks to the addition of Arai he should be good for another 30HR 100RBI season. Arai and Kanemoto were teammates in Hiroshima and provide solid middle order power for the Tigers. Imaoka will be the health and performance concern and many believe the foreign player recruitment should have targeted 3B. Imaoka's power has disappeared over the last 2 years with a total of 11 HRs in 2 seasons vs. 29 and 28 in 04 and 05. Lew Ford was added from the Twins but with the outfield all but set with the addition of Arai and last years breakout season for Lin, its hard to see where he fits in. Yano turns 40 at catcher and wore down last year, look for talented backup Keisuke Kano to get more work (.274 3 11 in 95 ABs in 2007).

No real ace to the staff as was the case in 2007. Shimonoyagi is a wily 40 and 10 wins is the best you could hope for from him as he doesn't really pitch pas the 5th. Sophomore pitcher Uezono surprised all with his 8 wins in 07 but only pitched 85 innings and more will be asked for this year. Kanemura comes over from the Fighters along with public bustups with then manager Hillman, Kanemura is likely to throw his toys out of the pram again if things don't go well for him. Andoh was limited to 8 starts last year and hasn't had great success as a reliever turned starter. Fukuhara was a mess last year and seems to only perform every second year to tease as to possible talent; 10 wins in 2004 and 2006, hard to tell what you will get. Look for spot starts from the 2 foreign pitchers in the form of Ryan Vogelsong (7-6 4.13) and Scott Atchison (Acquired from San Francisco in the off season).