Hanshin batting lineup

Totally agree. Until Imaoka starts hitting again, you cant leave him in the number 5 spot. the 2nd double play he into was just pitiful, he just had no idea about it

Maybe a spell for Imaoka in the farm team with Sekimoto taking over the fifth position? As it is he is really isolating Hamanaka and cutting the potential amount of runs being scored.

Maybe a spell for Imaoka in the farm team...

Well that could be a bit drastic - I wouldn't want to lose his services completely. But a spell on the bench probably wouldn't hurt.

Possibly, but he would at least get the chance to play matches in a less stressful environment. Still sitting on the bench might help too.

Yes, well either way he needs some of the pressure taken off. I agree with that.

The problem I see in sending him down to the farm is that the standard of play is not as good and he won't face the better pitchers, which won't really help him that much. And his absence would create a hole in the Tigers' defense, not to mention the confidence of the team as a whole. As he's an experienced player - team leader if I'm not mistaken - who would probably deserve more respect at this early stage in the season. You might do that with a rookie, but Imaoka deserves his place on the top team. if the slump continues into May, then I may consider it, but not yet. Putting him down the order or on the bench should relieve just enough of the pressure to enable him to work on whatever the problem is. With a minimum of disruption to the makeup of the team.

I see your point. My thought was to get him hitting again and against the level of pitchers he would face in the farm teams he should do well. That would boost his belief in himself again and he could return with renewed confidence.
However, you are right - it is too soon for any such action but defensively Sekimoto could easily fill the void with Kamisaka or Maeda acting as cover. Bringing Kataoka back might even be an option if defense is needed. But something does need to be done soon - yesterday he refused to talk to the press so things are getting to him.

hmm thats pretty good idea, my order goes
1. Akahoshi
2. Fujimoto / Sekimoto
3. Sheets
4. Kanemoto
5. Hamanaka
6. Toritani
7. Imaoka / Sekimoto / Kataoka
8. Yano
9. Pitcher

0 for 5 tonight!! 3 strikeouts! YUCK! Imaoka is really struggling! What will it take for Okada to make a move????

We can't be to hard on him for last night. The strike zone was really variable to the extent it changed from ball to ball. It was difficult enough for the pitchers and batters of both sides to figure. Woods and Yano in particular were recipients of appalling decisions and both Ibata and Fukudome benefited from strange calls in the final innings.

I expected Imaoka to drop somewhat after last season's amazing numbers, but he has looked quite horrible. Still, I would keep him where he is now and he will come around. He will never match last season's numbers, which he will come to understand.

Man! The Tigers are toothless of late. That's seven out of the last nine games lost. Still, when your nos. 4 & 5 aren't hitting - and they're two of the (usually) most reliable guys around so it's possible that they'll snap out of their torpor at any time and resume mass production - there's not a lot to be done, I s'pose.

Former Hanshin kantoku, Senichi Hoshino, was the comments man on NHK tonight, and he seemed unfazed by the skid: "We had funks like this before [back when he led Hanshin to the Ce League title]."

I never thought I'd say this, but thank god for Hamanaka!

- Former Hanshin kantoku, Senichi Hoshino, was the comments man on NHK tonight, and he seemed unfazed by the skid: "We had funks like this before [back when he led Hanshin to the Ce League title]."

Yes, but the difference is that back then the Tigers were miles of games ahead of the opposition before they suffered their first slump.

After Friday night I'm convinced the Giants are charmed. Did you see that Imaoka long ball go foul by inches? Then when he hit the next pitch to the opposite wall I could've sworn the right fielder had springs in his shoes - he just sailed up and pulled it down just like that. And then there was that strike three on Lee that the ump (an ex-Tigers player even) missed badly in the bottom of the ninth with the Tigers one ahead. What does Lee do? Hit the very next pitch for a sayonara homer. The baseball gods are certainly smiling on those guys this year. No doubt about it.

- ...the ump (an ex-Tigers player even)...

Are you sure about that? It's my understanding that former Tiger and current umpire Katsunori Tomari collapsed mid-game and was rushed to the hospital. He was replaced by up-to-then third base umpire Osamu Ino, who made the controversial call.

Still, I totally agree with your point: the Tigers' mojo isn't working, and nothing, nothing, is going right for them.

- It's my understanding that former Tiger and current umpire Katsunori Tomari collapsed mid-game [...]

Ah, I got that from a colleague. I thought he was referring the replacement ump. Crossed wires. Obviously he was talking about Tomari.

Anyway, things can only improve from here. (And in fact, as I write this, I see the Tigers are leading 3-0 in the second - from a three-run homer by... Imaoka!)

Lo! What happens when the clean-up batters actually start hitting the ball (and the bullpen performs well)? Hanshin thrashes the Giants 6-2, that's what.

Funks happen. And so do bad Aprils. Anyone remember some of those Oakland starts? Or how about the year the Angels won the World Series?

To me, April is just kind of the finishing school of spring training. You've faced a lot of kids who need more seasoning and teed off on them and now you have to face studs every day while the games count.

Also, considering the slumps that Kanemoto (0-25) and Toritani (0-19) had been in, are you going to move them, too?

Imaoka will get straightened out. Just be patient.

- Also, considering the slumps that Kanemoto (0-25) and Toritani (0-19) had been in, are you going to move them, too?

Of course - anything's possible. Tweaking the lineup is always an option. You've got Sekimoto, Hiyama, and Spencer on the bench. But Kanemoto's got that record streak going, so maybe it's not a good idea to take him out completely. Of course you've got to be patient, but you've always got to be prepared to move people around if necessary.

But you're definitely right about funks, and it's too early to get panicky. The problem with the Tigers is they tend to do well this time of year, leaving the real big funk until August - the shi no rodo. So they've got to get cracking. Can't let the Giants get too far ahead.

I may be wrong, but I seem to remember that Hanshin didn't really get going last year until the inter-league games.

So there's still plenty of time for them to find their stride this year.

- I seem to remember that Hanshin didn't really get going last year until the inter-league games.

No, as I recall, at this stage of the season they were second to the Dragons by only about two or three games. They did suffer a slump a little later, only to pull away from the field during the inter-league games.

Right. It wasn't quite the runaway form of 2003, but the Tigers looked pretty good from early on in 2005.

But man! Hamakana's on fire, isn't he? Sure, tonight's game was at Kusanagi Stadium, a rather small ground in Shizuoka, so it probably wasn't all that hard to reach the fences, but even so, that's the third time Hamanaka's hit multiple HRs this season, isn't it? And it's only April.

Speaking of "it's only April": when the Tigers gel, they look formidable. The Giants and Dragons look to be in good form, too. 2006 is shaping up to be a good season.

Hamanaka is the man for Tigers in 2006.

I wish he could be at 5, so that production would have been much higer. As I refer the stats, almost all leaders are Tigers, but still we could not win many games. The stats also shows the average of the Tigers is much better than any other team in the league.

So, I only hope for a GEL, and putting it all together will match any team anywhere.

It was more like 8 or 9 by the time of the Inter-League games as I recall.

- It was more like 8 or 9 by the time of the Inter-League games as I recall.

Yes I think it was, but it was only two or three at the 20-game mark, which is what I was referring to.

Check out the chart at Borisov's site.