September 29th Messenger v Yamai - Sorry September

One would think that with the Climax Series coming up the need to keep your main pitchers fresh and on form would be the over-riding concern. Thus unnecessary complete games should be avoided and the relief should be used more often. This is not the case in Wadaland where once again Messenger was over-pitched without any rhyme or reason. The inevitable happened and his control went in the eighth allowing Dragons to score and take the game. Tigers sorry September came to an end (6-16-2) with an ignominious defeat and failure by Wada yet again. The batting is now adrift without a clue and the use of Imanari in the No. 5 slot was more desperation than anything else. Whatever else can be said about Mizutani the word failure looms the largest. It should also be applied to Wada and Nakanishi and all the other members of his incompetent coaching team. Scores

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

Starting Lineups

Tigers
1. Nishioka (Second)
2. Shunsuke (Centre)
3. Murton (Left)
4. Toritani (Short)
5. Imanari (Right)
6. Takahiro Arai (First)
7. Saka (Third)
8. Shimizu (Catcher)
9. Messenger (Pitcher)

Dragons
1. Fujii (Centre)
2. Araki (Second)
3. Morino (First)
4. Hirata (Right)
5. Takahashi (Third)
6. Takehiro Donue (Left)
7. Naomichi Donue (Short)
8. Matsui (Catcher)
9. Yamai (Pitcher)

Tigers started quietly - when Dragons were strong Yamai was an occasional starter to be feared. As they declined he was less of a worry but as Tigers have declined the wheel has come full circle. All the Tigers batters grounded out in the first with Murton breaking his bat into the bargain. Messenger started in similar vein getting the three Dragons batters to ground out as well. Toritani led off Tigers second with a single to second. Imanari then hit into a double play - he did the same the last game as well and it seems fairly clear that there are issues to work on here. Arai worked a walk but then Saka flew out trying to hit deep. Hirata led Dragons second off with a single into centre. Takahashi swung and singled into left which put runners onto first and third. Takehiro Donue hit straight to Nishioka who went for the tempting double play but this allowed the runner on third to score 1-0 Dragons. Naomichi Donue singled and then Matsui flew out to left. Shimizu struck out on a foul tip to start Tigers third but with Messenger out, Nishioka walked. Shunsuke grounded out to second though ending that chance. Tigers were getting the runners suggesting that Yamai hadn't improved but that Tigers were the problem. Dragons couldn't do anything in their third and the batters fell in order.

Tigers fourth started with a bang as Murton got hold of a straight and drove it into the left stand for a solo lead off home run 1-1 scores tied. Neither Toritani nor Imanari troubled the scorer but Arai singled to centre. Once again Saka failed, this time striking out swinging. Tigers were level though. Messenger held the situation well in the Dragons fourth with Hirata bouncing the ball high for the second out but still being out. Then with one out in Tigers fifth Messenger singled to centre. This windfall should have produced a huge effort from Tigers batters but instead Nishioka hit into an innings ending double play. Then in Dragons fifth Takehiro Donue got a straight ball down the middle. It is indicative of Messenger's fading powers that these can be hit and Donue did just that putting it into the Dragons oendan for a solo home run 2-1 Dragons. Naomichi Donue grounded out but then Matsui singled to centre. Fukuda (pinch hitter) was next and he also singled to centre, runners on first and third - Dragons were going for blood. They failed as Fujii hit into an innings ending double play and all the Dragons had to show was a slender lead. It wouldn't last long. Yachi took over the pitching for Tigers sixth and gave up a lead off single to Shunsuke. He then balked a useful bonus which took Shunsuke to second. Murton hit into right field but only put runners on the corners. It was left to Toritani to equalise the score with a deep sacrifice fly to right 2-2 scores tied, runner on first. Imanari flew out to short but then a wild pitch took Murton to second. Arai though ended the innings by flying out to left. Messenger struck out the first two batters in Dragons sixth but then gave up a single to Hirata. Next Takahashi singled to put runners on first and third. Takehiro Donue took a dead ball to load the bases and the warning signs were all in place. However, Naomichi Donue grounded out to third sparing Tigers blushes and ending the innings scoreless.

Perhaps surprisingly Yachi returned for Tigers seventh and actually this time did much better. His second attempt was much better and he struck out all three batters he faced though this was the bottom of the order. Messenger continued for Dragons seventh and what should have been his last innings. He retired all three batters and finished the innings on 98 pitches. Enough one would have thought especially as the complete game wasn't really relevant. Ohguma took over for Tigers eighth innings and dealt effectively with the top of Tigers order. No one got on base. So to Wada's next folly - as Messenger had not yet reached 100 pitches he could pitch another innings. Never mind that he had been lucky in the seventh and the sixth was a true indicator of his condition. Iwasaki led off the Dragons eighth with a walk. He then stole second and then was stupid bunted to third by Morino. Next Messenger walked Hirata in the hope of setting up a double play. Takahashi though flew out to left but not far enough for the sacrifice and Tigers had two outs. Takehiro Donue also walked to load the bases and here Wada should have switched pitchers. Instead he left the tired angry Messenger (who felt that the umpires should have been calling strikes) in facing Ohshima. Ohshima hit to second where Nishioka fielded - he couldn't prevent one run but the runner on second also made home by some very good base running 4-2 Dragons, runners on first and second. Finally, Matsui struck out swinging to end the innings which had been devastating for Tigers. Ohguma also pitched Tigers ninth and with one out walked Imanari (one wonders how he had stayed on the field given his performance). Just to cap a terrible day Arai hit into a double play to end the game. Dragons victory.

Tigers had come into this game with a winning record against a sorry side but had ended up looking the more sorry. They were pretty poor - there was an ability to draw level but no ability to take the lead or to support their pitcher. Messenger had eventually run out of steam and really it was poor management that was responsible for this. The abysmal record for September is also an indicator of just how terrible Wada is and takes the team back to the days of the 1990s. Wada should go as soon as possible.