May 16th Andoh v Muranaka - Okada almost throws away an easy victory

In this game Andoh was superb. But even the best pitchers get tired and by the ninth Andoh was tired. Okada should have taken him out after the eighth - he'd done enough but instead kept him in too long. This kind of stupidity has to stop - the lead was too big this time but next time might not be so lucky. Line scores

         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Swallows 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 5 11 0
Tigers   1 0 2 4 0 1 0 0 X 8 15 0

Starting lineups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Sekimoto (Second)
3. Arai (First)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Sakurai (Right)
6. Toritani (Short)
7. Yano (Catcher)
8. Baldris (Third)
9. Andoh (Pitcher)

Swallows
1. Kawashima (Third)
2. Fukuchi (Centre)
3. Tanaka (Second)
4. Guiel (Right)
5. Miyamoto (Short)
6. Yuichi (First)
7. Takeuchi (Left)
8. Fukukawa (Catcher)
9. Muranaka (Pitcher)

Andoh started well retiring the Swallows in order. His inside pitch was devastating and he would strike out nine, one coming to end the first innings. Muranaka was not so good and walked Akahoshi who was bunted to second by Sekimoto. Then Arai hit a two base to right and Akahoshi was home 1-0 Tigers. Next batter Kanemoto hit and Tigers had runners on first and third with one out. Sakurai took the fifth position and was dismal - in this innings he hit to the pitcher. Muranaka dropped the ball but managed to pick it up and catch Arai off base. He was eventually tagged out by the catcher with no score. If it had been Sekimoto he would have tried to charge the pitcher but Arai is not that kind of batter. The final batter in the innings, Toritani flew out. In the second Swallows once again fell in order and once again Andoh's inside pitches were wicked. The Tigers got a Yano hit in their second and he was bunted to second by Andoh but nothing came of this. So to the third and the Swallows first hit. Andoh though had no problems getting the next three batters and the innings ended scoreless. The Tigers third involved an Arai walk. Then Kanemoto hit - a two base to right, runners on second and third with one out. Next batter Sakurai flew out but Toritani who hit to right - just the spot which guarantees a three base. Both Arai and Kanemoto were home 3-0 Tigers and Toritani was safe on third. The final batter, Yano flew out to end the innings but Tigers were on their way.

The Swallows fourth saw a Tanaka hit, once again without result and so to the innings which finished Muranaka. He really hadn't pitched well or looked comfortable. In his previous at bat Baldris had struck out but this time hammered out a two base. Next batter was Andoh who tried to bunt but after two failures decided to hit. He was successful and Tigers had runners on first and third with no outs. Akahoshi hit - bisecting short and second to score Baldris 4-0 Tigers. Next batter Sekimoto hit to load the bases with the next batter being Arai. How would he respond? Very well - he chose exactly the same spot as Toritani in the previous innings for three base, base clearing hit 7-0 Tigers. At this point Takada replaced Muranaka who really hadn't been in control at all. He had lacked control and penetration and had used 80 pitches in his short stint. The next pitcher Hagiwara got the next three batters with strike outs stranding Arai on third. Swallows third saw a Takeuchi hit and then in a bizzare decision an Andoh strike was ruled a balk and Takeuchi advanced to second. It made no difference as Andoh successfully retired the side.

The Tigers fifth was quiet with the side being retired in order but the Swallows sixth was slightly more exciting. Fukuchi managed a two base hit and then Yano failed to take an Andoh pitch (which was ruled a wild pitch). The set up a runner on third with two outs but Guiel grounded out to end the threat. For the Tigers version Akahoshi led off with a hit and Sekimoto followed - runners on first and second with no outs. Arai struck out and next was Kanemoto. He guided (and by this I mean he did choose his place) a hit past third for a two base hit 8-0 Tigers, runners on second and third. Sakurai failed again and Toritani also did nothing to end the innings. Andoh retired the Swallows in order in the seventh where Baldris showed how to deal with a hit along the third baseline. Yano hit in the Tigers version and Baldris walked. Runners on first and second with no outs. The next three batters couldn't convert and the score remained 8-0.

Perhaps surprisingly Andoh started the eighth - he got Kinugawa (replacement catcher) with a ground out but then gave up a hit to Hatakeyama (replacement first). Next batter Kawashima had a two base to left - runners on second and third with one out. Andoh struck out Fukuchi for the second out but then Tanaka hit 8-2 Tigers. The final batter, Guiel flew out to right. Tigers eigth involved a Sakurai hit but nothing happened. Really his performance had been almost as abject as Saka's. The ninth was pitched by Andoh and this was surely a innings too far. Andoh had thrown 136 pitches and had done enough. He had given up 2 runs in the eighth and it was time to shutter up and bring on another pitcher. Okada though was brain dead and thought that Andoh would get a complete game. The innings started well enough with a strike out but Andoh was really finished. He gave up a hit to Yuichi and then Takeuchi - runners on first and second with one out. Next batter Kinugawa. He hit his first home run of the season (sure proof that Andoh was tired) a three run shot 8-5 Tigers. The penny dropped for Okada and Egusa was finally summoned (he should have started the ninth). Egusa started by giving up a hit to Hatakeyama but got the next two batters to end the game - Tigers victory.

This was a dominating performance. The scoreline flattered the Swallows who on the night had been completely outplayed. If Okada had not tried to overpitch Andoh the score would have reflected the true situation. Okada - try and remember how many pitches your pitchers actually pitch and stop chasing pointless records.

After a string of relatively close games, it was good to have a game like this to give the bullpen a rest. But I agree that Andoh went an inning too long. I think Okada just wanted to give him the complete game, but it backfired.

Yes I think you're right about that but he needs to think about whether the pitcher can make it. The count was high at the end of the eighth and Andoh had given up two runs. Sometimes Okada does this.

It's an irony about Japanese ball. In the west, we have the stereotype of the stringent, emotionless Japanese. But in fact I find Japanese ball to be often more sentimental and MLB more systematic. To wit, Okada trying to let Andoh get the complete game even when his pitch count was way too high and he clearly had nothing left.

The Japanese are very sentimental (so are we British), they just hide it well. It is all too often missed.

Yeah, NPB is indeed very sentimental and loyal. Consider a player like Hiyama. If he played in MLB, he would be a journeyman who would probably join a different team each year. But the Tigers fans love him and I'm sure he will wear the same uniform until he retires.

Hiyama will retire with honour and will have a plum coaching post if he wishes. At the moment though he is hitting well and actually forcing his way back into contention as a right fielder and No 5 batter.

I'm not a big fan of Hiyama, but he is in surprisingly good form this year. A big sacrifice fly today as well. With the lack of production, at this time I can't blame Okada for giving him some starts in right.