September 3rd Sugiyama v Miura - BayStars present

BayStars won again and now the Tigers do need to hit the panic button. It wasn't that Miura is a bad pitcher - he is a very fine pitcher. It was more that the Tigers surrendered so abjectly to him. Their body language said it all - they just didn't care and didn't try. No one took a lead and they just wallowed along without any fire or intent to win. Of course, Miura has a reputation (and record) of pitching well against the Tigers but this is all the more reason to try harder. Rather than let the image become a self-fulfilling prophecy sides need to fight against it. Nakata also had a similar record but the Tigers batters worked him out and changed that. They need to do this against Miura. If they can't beat him they should make him work for every out so he has to retire and they can attack the relief. If Miura had had to retire after six or seven innings then the Tigers would have generated a chance. Instead by surrendering lamely, they let the initiative go to the other side and doomed themselves. As others have mentioned players tend to work to patterns and if they decide they have a pattern of losing to a particular pitcher they continue that way even if it is not necessary.

The pitching was also poor - its amazing that Sugiyama was considered ready for the first team - nothing since he returned has indicated any sign that he had such ability. Hashimoto too was depressingly poor and why he is still in the side escapes me. Tigers have a young pitcher (Abe) with a lot of potential who should still be in the top team. Okada really needs to get this side going as now the lead has shrunk to 5 games over the Giants who are motivated and working hard. The Magic Number is still 24 (CM is 17) but will switch off again if the Tigers lose and the Giants win. If the Tigers blow this pennant then Okada does need to go and a new manager be found as dealing with this sort of situation is a management responsibility. Line scores

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

Starting lineups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Lin (Right)
6. Sekimoto (Third)
7. Katsuragi (First)
8. Yano (Catcher)
9. Sugiyama (Pitcher)

BayStars
1. Ishikawa (Short)
2. Nishi (Second)
3. Uchikawa (First)
4. Murata (Third)
5. Yoshimura (Right)
6. Saeki (Left)
7. Kinjoh (Centre)
8. Aikawa (Catcher)
9. Miura (Pitcher)

Tigers started with a hit to Akahoshi. He stayed on first though as the next three batters failed to produce anything. In BayStars first and possibly with a sign of what was to come Uchikawa hit. Murata followed with a hit to drive him round to third but the final batter, Yoshimura was out. Tigers second saw a two out two base hit by Katsuragi which is the furthest any Tigers batter would get until the ninth. Yano though grounded out and nothing came of this. BayStars second saw Sugiyama disintergrate. He walked Saeki and then Kinjoh got hold of a straightball. This kept low and was lucky to stay inside the foul pole and make it over the wall but it was a 2 run home run 2-0 BayStars. Next batter Aikawa also hit a solo home run 3-0 BayStars. Miura struck out but Ishikawa walked. He stole second and made third on a ground out but a final ground out from Uchikawa terminated the innings. Tigers third was quiet with the batters falling in order. The BayStars version saw Murata walk but nothing came of this as Saeki grounded into a double play. Tigers fourth was also quiet as Miura got into his stride. BayStars fourth saw Aikawa walk only to be knocked out in a Miura double play.

Yano had a hit in Tigers fifth but the pinch hitter, Takahashi made a mess of his at bat and flew out to short. Sugiyama had been pulled at the end of the fourth to make way for the pinch hitter - he is now on his way to the second team again. Hashimoto was the replacement though it is debatable that this produced any improvement. He looked distinctly ordinary and unaware where the strike zone was. He walked Uchikawa with one out and then gave up a hit to Murata which put Uchikawa onto third. The next batter, Yoshimura put a two base hit to left and Uchikawa was home 4-0 BayStars. Saeki was next with runners on second and third and hit a sacrifice fly 5-0 BayStars. The final batter was Kinjoh who flew out to end the innings. Tigers sixth saw Hirano get his first hit of the game but nothing came of this. In the bottom (with Hashimoto surprisingly still pitching) Miura had a hit but was caught up in an Ishikawa ground out. Ishikawa stole second but nothing came of this either.

Tigers seventh produced a Sekimoto hit but as was the form - nothing happened from this. Hashimoto though continued to wreak havoc. He gave up a hit to Uchikawa and then Murata slammed another home run 7-0 BayStars. The second back to back of the night followed shortly after as Yoshimura hit a home run to left 8-0 BayStars. Hashimoto then struck out Saeki, walked Kinjoh and struck out Aikawa and Miura - why didn't these strikeouts come at the start of the innings? This was really the end of the contest and the question was would Miura get his shut out. Hirano hit in the Tigers eighth but Toritani in a lazy and ill considered shot struck out to end the innings. Egusa took the BayStars eighth - Hashimoto having pitched too long and ineffectively. He started with a hit to Ishikawa but Nishi grounded into a double play and then Uchikawa flew out - end of innings. So would Miura get his shut out. He started by walking Kanemoto - so what? Kanemoto was useless this game and really needs to bat like we know he can. These continual slumps are too much for someone who is paid as much as him. Lin grounded out but Sekimoto walked. A deep fly to right put Kanemoto onto third but Sekimoto stayed on first - he should have gone for second. Once again pathetic base running by Tigers runners. Finally, with two out Sakurai (pinch hitter) faced Miura. He struck out ineffectively to end the dreadful show by the Tigers. BayStars victory and Miura complete game shut out. He had thrown 138 pitches and walked only two. A fine performance but Tigers had made it easy for him.

There are no pluses from this game for the Tigers. They were outplayed and they allowed themselves to be outplayed. Everything about the performance was inept and lazy. They need to start working hard if they are to win the pennant. If the Giants can crush the BayStars so can the Tigers and so should they. They have now lost six in a row against the bottom team of the Central League.