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03/22/2008 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball Team Preview 2008: Orix Buffaloes"
Japanese Baseball Team Preview 2008: Orix Buffaloes
Glenn Davies, Tokyo Japan
ORIX BUFFALOES TEAM PREVIEW 2008 SEASON |
Manager Terry Collins returns for his second season at the helm of the Buffaloes with a team that has more power but the same pitching woes as 2007.None of the five starting pitchers offer more than 8-9 wins and give up enough runs to keep the Buffaloes chasing leads in games. The lineup is fearsome with the addition of Cabrera behind Rhodes and LaRocca.
PREDICTION: 6th in the Pacific League
PROBABLE LINEUP |
Avg | HR | RBI | ||
| CF | Muramatsu | .289 | 0 | 28 |
SS | Obiki | .274 | 2 | 24 |
| 3B | LaRocca | .286 | 27 | 79 |
LF | Rhodes | .291 | 42 | 96 |
| DH | Cabrera | .295 | 27 | 81 |
| 1B | Kitagawa | .280 | 9 | 61 |
| RF | Hamanaka | .193 | 6 | 14 |
C | Nihei | .202 | 5 | 22 |
| 2B | Abe | .259 | 0 | 18 |
Muramatsu is solid at the top of the order but has lost a step with only 9 stolen bases in 07. Obiki played well in his first year and offers a solid glove at short. LaRocca, Rose and Cabrera are the Buffaloes 'Murderers Row' with and average of 100HRs a season or more between them. LaRocca avoided injuries that plagued his last two seasons and hit well in 07. Rose proved he had not lost a step with a year off then coming back with 42HRs and looks strong in pre-season. Cabrera remains a huge offensive threat and most teams remember the 50HRs he hit in 2003, he just needs to stay healthy. Hamanaka comes over form the Tigers after a disastrous season, when healthy he hits .300 with 20HRs. Nihei still cant hit and struggles with accuracy on the throw to 2nd.
PITCHING |
|
|
| W | L | ERA | SV |
SP | Hirano | 8 | 13 | 3.72 | |
| SP | Davey | 8 | 11 | 3.21 |
|
| SP | Yuki | 4 | 4 | 3.79 | |
SP | Kawagoe | 4 | 7 | 5.22 | |
SP | Kobayashi | - | - | - | |
CL | Kato | 3 | 4 | 3.43 | 26 |
Fourth in ERA and Saves in 2007 and little has changed about a rotation that just doesn't get it done. Hirano went from 7-11 to 8-13 in his second year but did lower his ERA a touch, he will need to be far more consistent if the Buffaloes are to compete in 08. Davey is now 32-31 3.21 after 5 years in Japan, he doesn't have dominating stuff and gets knocked out most of his losses by the 2nd inning. The Buffaloes search for starters continues with 2nd year trialist Yuki and rookie Kobayashi (1st round draft out of University). Kato pitched well in his first year as closer and was the one highlight of 2007, probably 2008 too.
