June 17th Shimoyanagi v Yagi - Something is rotten in the state of Denmark

This is not a happy team. Tigers do not like Osaka Dome anyway but the malaise identified by Sakai-owner and Minami-president was on full display last night. Relief pitchers did not put in the effort required and Fighters has a nice easy romp adding 14 of their 21 hits against the relief pitchers. Coaching seems to have broken down pitching, fielding and batting are all poor and Mayumi Tigers are rapidly regressing to the 90's (which I didn't see but have heard stories of). Certainly the collision between Toritani and Kanemoto indicates a level of ineptness which is hard to beat. I can imagine the Tigers racing the BayStars for the bottom place at the moment. Certainly changes need to be made to the coaching and the team but whether they will happen is a moot point. Shareholders also expressed their anger in no uncertain terms about the current situation at the meeting on the 17th. It was not the sort of meeting that a board of directors wants. This result will not have helped assauge that anger.

Current speculation also surrounds Matsui. His Yankees contract is finishing this year and there is a possibility of him returning to Japan. If he does Tigers would be very high on his list of potential teams to play for as he has always liked the Tigers a lot and his boyhood dream was to play for the Tigers at Koshien. Giants would be bottom of his list of teams to play for. However, this is a big if because Matsui wants to remain in the Majors and then there are questions of salary. Would he be too expensive for example? Box scores

          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  R  H E
Fighters  2 0 1 0 1 2 3 0 1 10 21 0
Tigers    0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0  5 12 0

Starting lineups

Fighters
1. Tanaka (Second)
2. Morimoto (Right)
3. Itoi (Centre)
4. Takahashi (First)
5. Sledge (Left)
6. Koyanao (Third)
7. Kaneko (Short)
8. Tsuruoka (Catcher)
9. Yagi (Pitcher)

Tigers
1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Sekimoto (Second)
3. Arai (Third)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Brazell (First)
6. Sakurai (Right)
7. Toritani (Short)
8. Kanoh (Catcher)
9. Shimoyanagi (Pitcher)

Shimoyanagi's second poor start in a row raises questions marks about his pitching. Like the game against Lions he didn't last long - this time only 3.1 innings and to be honest didn't have much in the way of control. Fighters got exactly the same start as the night before (albeit with more effort needed) but behind a better pitcher were able to hold and build on it. Once again the game started with a Tanaka two base hit. This time a bunt took him to third and then Itoi hit a two base to right 1-0 Fighters runner on second. The next batter Takahashi hit another two base and Itoi was home 2-0 Fighters runner on second and you sensed this was going to be a long night (the game itself was played at a glacial pace and took over four hours). Shimoyanagi then shook himself out of his torpor and got the next two batters to fly out. Like the previous night, Tigers first innings didn't result in any run - Akahoshi did lead off with a hit and was then bunted to second by Sekimoto but Arai and Kanemoto combined to do nothing. Arai needs to stop thinking in terms of home runs and Kanemoto needs to do more to justify his position as No.4. Fighters second was nearly as event filled as the first. With one out Tsuruoka hit and then both Tanaka and Morimoto walked to load the bases - this was truely abysmal pitching (already Fighters had had six runners on). This time Itoi didn't convert and grounded out to first to end the innings. Once again we saw almost an exact repeat of the previous night's game in the second. With one out Sakurai hit a solo home run nicely to left 2-1 Fighters. The next two batters did nothing though and the innings ended. Here the game began to deviate - Fighters who had been contained by Kubo - could not be contained by Shimoyanagi. Takahashi led off with a hit followed by Sledge. The runners were bunted to second and third by Koyano and things looked ready for a sacrifice fly. Kaneko had other ideas and hit to left driving in a runner 3-1 Fighters runners on first and third. Tsuruoka hit into a double play and ended any further threat but the gap had widened. Tigers response was good. With two out in the third Sekimoto had a two base hit. Arai surprisingly eschewed the long ball and hit setting up runners on first and third. Kanemoto hit his first pitch to right driving in Sekimoto 3-2 Fighters runners on first and second. Brazell, in what was a quiet game for him wasn't able to convert but the game was tight.

Shimoyanagi returned for Fighters fourth but didn't show any sign of improvement and with one out gave up a hit. This was enough for Mayumi who decided that pulling him was the safest option. He had pitched 3.1 undistinguished innings and had not looked good at all. Watanabe took the mound and got the next two batters to end the innings scoreless. Tigers fourth started with a Sakurai hit. He then tried to steal second but was thrown out. The next two batters fell easily and the innings was over. For Fighters fifth Watanabe returned - this was a mistake. Certainly, he is capable of pitching two innings but not in this sort of situation. The innings was a disaster as far as the Tigers were concerned as it opened up clear daylight between the two teams. Takahashi walked and then Sledge hit setting up runners on first and third. Next was Koyano who hit a sacrifice fly to left 4-2 Fighters, runner on first. Kaneko also hit but then Watanabe struck out the next two batters (something he should have done earlier) to end the innings. Baldris led off the Tigers fifth. Why he is in the side at the moment is puzzling as he is a waste of space. He has no talent as a pinch hitter and isn't a particularly good fielder yet either. Maybe his face fits but he should be down in the second team for a long period. Anyway he managed to draw a walk - his first of the season but you felt the need for a better pinch hitter. Akahoshi hit to left and this set up runners on first and second. Baldris could have tried for third but didn't. Sekimoto bunted the runners to second and third and then Arai flew out to left. Baldris remained rooted to third. OK it wasn't as far as it could be but once again it was an opportunity that needed to be taken. Baldris is young and should be taking these opportunities - one can't help contrasting the Fighters approach to base running and their aggression. Yagi then deliberately walked Kanemoto to load the bases. Brazell was next and he grounded out to second and the chance had been wasted. Still one has to admit, good pitching by Yagi to get out of the pinch. Egusa pitched the Fighters sixth and here encountered the most unfortunate luck. Tanaka flew out to left and both Toritani and Kanemoto both went for the ball. It was Kanemoto's and what Toritani was doing there escapes me but the two fielders collided in a farcical display, Toritani dropping the ball and allowing Tanaka to escape with what was ruled a three base hit. How it escaped being called an error I cannot understand because that is what it was - a stunning display of incompetence which should never have happened. Both fielders were OK but after this Egusa just gave up. Morimoto was next and he slammed a three base to right cerntre 5-2 Fighters, runner on third. Itoi grounded out to short but the run wasn't on but then Takahashi hit a two base as Fighters relaxed and enjoyed a feast of hits 6-2 Fighters runner on second. Sledge struck out and then Koyano grounded out to end the innings. In Tigers sixth Yagi walked Toritani and then gave up a hit to Kanoh. With runners on first and second Nashida decided that he had done enough and summoned Ejiri. Yagi had done well and had prevented the Tigers from getting any momentum. Ejiri got Takahashi (pinch hitter) to fly out to him but then walked Akahoshi to load the bases. Here Tigers really needed Sekimoto to do something but the spirit wasn't there and he struck out looking - end of the Tigers sixth and another chance missed.

With the advent of Fighters lucky seventh, a new pitcher was needed and this would be Abe. Normally a reliable pitcher he was not at his best and pitched one of his worst innings for the Tigers. With one out Tsuruoka hit to centre. Tsuboi (pinch hitter) hit to left, followed by Tanaka to load the bases. A double play was possible but Morimoto didn't oblige and hit to centre driving in two runs 8-2 Fighters, runners on first and second. Itoi flew out but then Takahashi hit to left and drove in another run 9-2 Fighters runners on first and second. Finally Murata (replacement right) grounded out but the game was out of sight. Tigers seventh was pitched by Miyanishi and was anything but lucky - the batters being out in order. Surprisingly Abe returned for the Fighters eighth and had more success retiring the batters in order. Maybe Mayumi felt he had no one else. Tigers eighth saw some consolation runs for the home team but with no real chance of overhauling the Fighters. Miyanishi was replaced by Yamamoto who wasn't good. He started with a home run to Sakurai (his second of the night) 9-3 Fighters. Then Toritani hit a two base and Kanoh grounded out but it was time for a new pitcher. This was Kikuchi who didn't have much more success. With two out he gave up a hit to Akahoshi which set up runners on first and third. Sekimoto then hit a two base into right centre which brought home both runners Akahoshi using his speed to get the extra run 9-5 Fighters, runner on second and looking a bit better than 9-2. Arai struck out though to end the rally. Fighters ninth just emphasised their dominance. Tsutsui was the pitcher and didn't make any difference in Fighters ability to score. In fact his pitching was also sub-standard. He gave up a lead off hit to Iiyama (replacement third) and then followed this with another hit to Tanaka. Morimoto bunted and it was good enough to avoid the out loading the bases, all with no outs. Tsutsui then managed to dead ball Itoi - an oshidashi 10-5 Fighters, bases loaded. The next three batters then fell without another run being scored showing what might have been if the Tigers pitchers had played better. After all the excitement Hisashi Takeda then had no problems in the Tigers ninth - he retired the batters in order as the Tigers faded ignominiously into the background. Fighters victory.

A comprehensive defeat and just desserts for playing so poorly. Tigers might hate Osaka Dome as a venue but they still have a responsibility to their fans to play well. The relief had been appalling and Nippon Ham had taken full advantage. The only thing to take from this game for Tigers is Sakurai's home runs. However, even those were solo and not with runners on. Failure to convert chances, to hit with runners on, to pitch well and to field well were all contributory factors. This was an embarrassing game for the Tigers and for Mayumi.