June 14th Andoh v Hiroyuki Kobayashi - Marines sweep

Mayumi Tigers lost their fifth straight game for the second time this season and to be honest looked like they weren't trying. Andoh pitched well - very well especially at the beginning. Kobayashi struggled in patches but generally had enough to contain the Tigers batters who seem to give up far too easily (with the exception of Hirano and Brazell). Still Marines needed a slice of luck to draw level. Williams continues to disappoint - his improvement earlier seems a distant memory.

Yano is scheduled to return to the top team around the 20th - please no! Kanoh is doing an excellent job and bringing Yano back would be a retrograde step based on last seasons performance but the hope is he can inspire the team. Doing something like finding a manager who knows about managing might be more appropriate. Brazell picked up an injury and so batted DH. Box scores

         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Tigers   0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0
Marines  0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 X 4 8 0

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Hirano (Second)
2. Akahoshi (Centre)
3. Arai (Third)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Brazell (DH)
6. Katsuragi (First)
7. Lin (Right)
8. Toritani (Short)
9. Kanoh (Catcher)

Pitcher was Andoh

Marines
1. Hayasaka (Short)
2. Fukuura (First)
3. Ohmatsu (Right)
4. Iguchi (Second)
5. Hashimoto (DH)
6. Satozaki (Catcher)
7. Saburo (Centre)
8. Benny (Left)
9. Imae (Third)

Pitcher was Hiroyuki Kobayashi

Kobayashi's problems wouldn't start until the third and in fact he was quite secure at first. Tigers batters fell in order in their first. Andoh was also secure doing exactly the same with the Marines batters. In Tigers second Kobayashi surprisingly walked Kanemoto as his control momentarily deserted him but recovered sufficiently to retire the next three batters. Andoh was smooth in Marines second and the batters fell meekly before him. Kobayashi's first real challenge occurred in the third. Hirano smartly bunted over Imae who was standing far to close - to reach base. Akahoshi walked to set up runners on first and second with two outs but Arai grounded out to short and nothing came of the chance. Marines third was quiet as Andoh retired the three batters.

Tigers fourth saw more of Kobayashi's problems - with one out Brazell picked up his inside slider and drove it superbly over the right fence for a solo home run 1-0 Tigers. The next batter, Katsuragi, hit to right, the ball just bouncing before the fence and then demonstrated a singular lack of speed to only reach second on what could have been a three base hit. Lin flew out to right and then Toritani hit setting up runners on first and third. Here Kobayashi had a bit of luck, as Kanoh swung his bat broke and the ball bounced weakly to short for a ground out and the end of the innings. Andoh pitched the Marine's fourth well, he did walk Ohmatsu with two out but then struck out Iguchi to end the innings. Tigers fifth was much better for Kobayashi who retired the batters in order. Marines fifth was a good innings for them. With one out Andoh faced Satozaki which proved to be quite a struggle. Satozaki took a swing at his eighth pitch and just got enough to lift it into right. In fact Lin thought it would be a fly but it just and only just drifted over the fence for a home run 1-1 scores tied. With another out Benny hit to right but nothing came of this and the innings was over. Kobayashi who had been struggling began to improve. He walked Kanemoto but then was able to get Katsuragi to ground into a double play to end the Tigers sixth. Andoh who had been cruising began to struggle. The first two outs fell nicely but then Ohmatsu hit. This brought up Iguchi who hit into centre the ball falling just in front of Akahoshi - runners on first and third. Hashimoto was induced to strike out and end the innings.

At the start of the Tigers seventh, Lin battled Kobayashi for 11 pitches before grounding out to first. This didn't seem to affect Kobayashi who retired the next two batters. For Marines seventh Andoh started by striking out Satozaki but then allowed a hit to Saburo. Benny struck out and it looked encouraging. However, Imae hit to set up runners on first and second with a visibly tiring Andoh. Brown went with Hori (pinch hitter) and he put his first pitch past the diving Toritani into left field. Kanemoto picked the ball up and fired it to Kanoh as Saburo passed third. Kanoh made sure he blocked the plate and prevented Saburo's slide and tagged him out to end the innings. A superb piece of fielding. Kobayashi returned for the Tigers eighth and immediately gave up a hit to Hirano (Kobayashi too looked tired). As the ball flew past Kobayashi he got his glove on it and deflected it into the path of Iguchi at second who fired the ball to first. Hirano, though, dived and was safe. Akahoshi shaped to bunt but all he succeeded in doing was putting it nicely in the air for Kobayashi to take. If you're going to bunt do it properly. Kobayashi fired the ball to first catching Hirano off base and there were two outs. Arai grounded out and that was that. Recognising that Andoh was too tired to pitch another innings Mayumi summoned Williams. He was terrible, slow and unsure. He walked Tanaka (pinch hitter) and then with one out walked Iguchi. His pitching was all over the place and quite easy to judge. Mayumi decided to replace Williams with Atchison and he faced Takehara (pinch hitter) who is rather successful in the role. Takehara hit nicely to right for a three base hit driving in both runners 3-1 Marines, runner on first. Next batter was Satozaki who decided to try a squeeze bunt along the third baseline. This worked perfectly, Takehara was home 4-1 Marines. Finally, Saburo grounded out but the Marines had seized the lead at the psychologically perfect moment. Sikorski took the mound for the Tigers ninth. He has a double leg kick which looks suspect but seems to be OK. He got the first two outs easily but then gave up a hit to Katsuragi. A wild pitch took Katsuragi to second but Lin struck out to end the match. Marines victory.

It is difficult to know what to say about Tigers. Certainly finding managers who know something about management instead of using ex-players might be a better course of action. One has to hope that Mayumi improves next season as he learns the ropes because it is looking like even a third place finish is out of reach this season. The batting is in need of a good batting coach as well. One hopes that Valentine can get the Marines into the playoffs as it would make the Lotte front office look even stupider than they already do (and that would be a considerable achievement). Marines did everything right in this game but there was very little good news for Tigers.

Nice report, Christopher!

I'm not sure why Hanshin is doing as poorly as they are this year. It seems like a mix that could perform well but in the 4.5 games I watched vs Lotte they really seemed to under perform. Is it mental? Coaching? Psychic fallout from last year?

The manager, his choices, attitudes and strategies play a big part in the performance of the team. Japanese baseball is not based on individuality and doing your own thing but following the manager and the coaches. If the manager is still feeling his way this has a direct impact on how the team performs. You're right that the team has a very high potential but it is being stymied by poor management decisions.

well, Christopher, you have come to the fire Mayumi party a little late but anyway you have finally arrived. You could not have it both ways attributing so much to Okada-san last year but giving Mayumi-san a pass for his horrible management this year.

Clearly Mayumi-san needs to be fired for the Tigers to have a chance next year. Again, maybe Bobby can coach the team if he does not jump to the Majors.

I'm not actually advocating firing Mayumi - I just think that Tigers policy hasn't worked and that when the next manager is appointed, first consideration is given to someone who has considerable management experience and succcess. I am doubtful that Mayumi will be fired at all - Okada delivered fourth place in his first season and then a penant in his second.

Mayumi may be pretty clueless but the focus is currently on the players - see my post re Nippon Ham on June 16th. Bobby Valentine would not work at Tigers - the Tigers fans loathe him for his remark about Marines fans being the best in the world.

Would Valentine stay in Japan and take a pay cut if some other team offered him a contract? Valentine makes 5-oku a year. In contrast Brown-Kantoku only makes 4000-man a year. Most managers make some where around 1-Oku a year. Lotte is currently in 5th just like Hanshin so that is a reason to why other teams might be reluctant to sing him together with Valentine's price tag.

In defense of Mayumi, the players have been miserable. Arai, Akahoshi, Toritani. All these players should be hitting some where around 300. Then you have Williams who also has been rather weak. If Hanshin is thinking about being a contender they need these players to deliver.

Woods is interested in playing in Japan but wants somewhere around his previous salary. No takers - so far. I figure Valentine has a chance at Yokohama provided he takes a pay cut. No other team will pay him five oku but the reason Lotte are fifth is the front office management which is affecting the situation.

Agreed the players have been miserable but Mayumi and his team of coaches seem to have no solution. Partially it is the players but also it is the management which is causing the players to perform in such a poor fashion. Williams I think is fading - he's not the force he was and is probably on borrowed time now.