Predictions for Pacific League 2007

1. Softbank Hawks
2. Nippon Ham Fighters
3. Chiba Lotte Marines
4. Seibu Lions
5. Rakuten Eagles
6. Orix Buffaloes

So far I like all of the off-season moves by both Softbank (Kokubo, Nitkowski, Hyzdu, Tamura) and of Nippon Ham (Green, Glynn, and Sweeney). Plus Nippon Ham's rotation as well as Softbank's both remain strong.

The questions for Nippon Ham are: how much will the loss of Michihiro Ogasawara to Yomiuri, the release of pitching coach Mike Brown, the loss of Okajima to the majors, and yes the retirement of Shinjo hurt Nippon Ham? Though Nippon Ham with Inaba, Green, and Seguignol still are a good hitting lineup. Also their rotation remains strong with Darvish, Yagi, Glynn, and Kanemura.

Can Softbank get over their playoff struggle? Despite the loss of Zuleta, Softbank's lineup remains strong and the young combo of Saitoh, Wada, Sugiuchi (who I believe will rebound), and Arakaki. Hopefully Matsunaka will also rebound, being healthy should help that. Hopefully he doesn't get pitched around too much and Kobubo and Hyzdu help (which I believe they will).

As for Chiba Lotte, I believe Zuleta will help strenghten their lineup, and that Benny will also do better in 2007. I believe their starters will improve, as they don't have the wear and tear of the WBC. Plus, I believe Satozaki and Imae should rebound. Also, I believe that Nishioka and Fukuura can only get better.

Seibu, what they do with the $51.1 million is key. Though I'm concerned in how much the loss of Matsuzaka will hurt Seibu and their rotation.

Rakuten, who I'm rooting for, I'm just afraid got worse with the loss of Glynn. Though I hope Iwakuma can rebound from injury to his days with Kintetsu. Also, Ichiba looked great in 2006 and should only get better. I also like the fact that Rakuten is investing a lot of time into signing players out of Taiwan and the signing of Witt. Along with Fernandez and Short they make a good tandem. Also others like Takasu, Teppei, and Fukumori hopefully will continue to improve. Finally, I feel with Nomura (who some here dislike) that they did improve and mature as a team from their initial year and will only get better.

As for Orix, I like the hiring of Terry Collins as manager, but still they have tons of work before they become contenders. I like the signings of Allen and Carter and the trade that got rid of Tani, but I'm still afraid they have way too much work cut out for them.

I'd like to know where it has been written that Orix signed Allen and Carter. I know that Allen was invited to camp, but there has been no mention that he was signed.

As for Carter, Carter who? I have seen nothing about Orix signing him. What papers where these signings reported in?

Norihiro Nakamura won't be back. I read the Orix owner expects Collins to get them into the playoffs.

Good luck!

Has Orix signed any other pitchers? They need some help.

Funny, you have the same ordering I was thinking, and for about the same reasons, though my 2-4 are somewhat mutable. I don't expect the Fighters to repeat their championship, though I expect them to be a strong team and make the playoffs. I think the loss of Ogasawara both in hitting and fielding is going to be a huge hit, and the same for Shinjo. Has Seguignol actually been re-signed, too? I haven't seen anything about it, and I'm pretty sure the team didn't agree to a deal with him before the FA deadline in December. Ogasawara and Seguignol out of the lineup would be deadly, though I expect to see Naoto Inada making a decent contribution to the lineup this year, and the Takeda tandem will probably be the bullpen aces.

Softbank's rotation just plain frightens me. Saitoh - Arakaki - Wada - Sugiuchi was good before adding Rick Guttormson to the mix. Terahara's trade should work out well for them if Tamura stays intact, and if Kokubo and Matsunaka provide big bats, that's one frightening team. Their only offensive hole is still going to be at catcher unless one of the younger recruits steps up. It's really a shame Naoki Matoba can't hit a baseball with a bat, because he seems like such a good catcher otherwise.

Lotte suffered lots of slumps and injuries in 2006, and some of those players should be rebounding this year. Zuleta's bat should help them, and they had a crazy good farm team these last few years, so if some of those kids like Nemoto break out, they could be pretty scary. Not sure what you mean by a rebound for Satozaki since he was one of their best players this past year. If he just repeated this year's performance he'd still probably be the best catcher in the PL.

I'd like to see Rakuten move out of the cellar, and I think they can do it, which means Orix probably ends up there, because I just don't see their team improving all that much.

Not sure what I think of Seibu either, which is why my 2-4 is mutable. I could see Seibu ending up anywhere in there.

Yeah, Seguignol remains unsigned, but I can't envision Nippon Ham letting him go after already losing Ogasawara and Shinjo, or the reaction if they did allow him to go.

As for Satozaki, even if he hits like he did last year he will be the best catcher in the PL. But if he returned to his 2005 form of .303/.361/.481 compared to .264/.351/.463 in 2006 they would be sick. Also with their great farm like you mentioned, and Imae who I expect to rebound also, they look very good.

As for Seibu, I have no clue also what could happen, though I must say I don't like the Jason Johnson signing if it means possibly losing Alex Cabrera like a Daily Sports report mentioned.

As for Orix, I'm just not sure. I like Collins, but their front office has a ton of work to do to make them compete. I just don't see it happening in 2007.

Rakuten, I think, has matured as a team and I want to see them get out of the cellar.

Unless Orix signs a lot of players, Orix will finish in last. They have no left fielder, right fielder, third basemen, or second basemen. Add to that what they do have can't hit.

I think that you have to look at the pitching and there is going to be a head to head battle for best pitching between Nippon Ham and Softbank.

1. Yagi (HNHF) vs. Saitoh (FSH) - Advantage: Hawks
Saitoh has proven himself much longer in this league and edges out Yagi in experience and stuff. But Yagi has the edge in Mental confidence

2. Darvish (HNHF) vs. Wada (FSH) - Even
These two guys are even in my book.

3. Glynn (HNHF) vs. Arakaki (FSH) - Advantage: Fighters
Any pitcher that can win 7 games in 4 months on a team that was 45 games below .500 has my vote on head to head. He won when he did not have the luxury of run support and defense. He just knows how to win.

4. Kanemura (HNHF) vs. Guttormson (FSH) - Even
Kanemura had a down year and will want to rebound after all the controversy at the end of the season. Guttormson has to adjust to a new league and could be tough at first.

5. Sweeney (HNHF) vs. Suguichi (FSH) - Even
Sweeney is a new face and Suguichi is a guy who you never know is going to show up. This one is even only because of the inability to predict.

To me, these two teams seem like the two front runners to win the division. The starting staffs are an even match up so the season really is going to be decided on how Green, Seguinol, and Inaba can drive in runs. If they are successful then Fighters will repeat.

My personnel opinion is that the Fighters will repeat due to their team spirit and commitment to each other. They play as a team better than any team in the league that wins championships.

1. Fighters
2. Hawks
3. Marines
4. Eagles
5. Lions
6. Buffaloes

Rakuten above Lions because I foresee a huge meltdown and finger pointing for the Lions early in the year about team losing and the whole team falling apart.

I don't know the other teams (besides Nippon Ham) as well as some of you do, but I'll give it a shot for what it's worth. Slot my top three in any of the those positions and you'll probably come close.

1. Chiba Lotte Marines
2. Nippon Ham Fighters
3. Softbank Hawks
4. Seibu Lions
5. Orix Buffaloes
6. Rakuten Eagles

I also like the Fighters' off season moves. But Ogasawara is a big loss as well as Okajima. I think pitching will be a strength for Nippon Ham, but I think it's tough for any team to repeat in today's environment of player movement. And I agree with the others who talked about Shinjo - his absence will be felt. So I'd love to say they will repeat - I don't think they will. But they will be strong again - and I think it's the rotation (baring injury) that will keep them up front.

I picked the Marines for no particular reason - it could have easily been Softbank as Jbroks86 and others have. But Zuleta is a good pickup and they have fairly strong starters IMO. If Satozaki and Agbayani have strong seasons then they will be a tough side.

Again not much to add on Softbank - it was really a flip of the coin for me. They could easily be first or second and drop Nippon Ham to third. Zuleta's loss will hurt.

I see Seibu as the fourth place finisher. If Jason Johnson is their solution then fourth is the best they can hope for. It could end up being be a lot worse with Orix and Rakuten passing them.