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Fukuhara Starts at First Base?

Discussion in the Ask the Commish forum
Fukuhara Starts at First Base?
Could someone explain why Fukuhara started at first yesterday (Sept 9) before being quickly replaced by Katsuragi? I notice Andoh is starting at first tonight.

I'm sure it's for some kind of eligibility, but I couldn't understand the expression used by the commentator.
Comments
Re: Fukuhara Starts at First Base?
[ Author: Christopher | Posted: Sep 10, 2008 8:07 PM | HAN Fan ]

It's an Okada game - I am not sure why he does it. Maybe to conceal who will be his starting first baseman.
Re: Fukuhara Starts at First Base?
[ Author: Deanna | Posted: Sep 10, 2008 8:22 PM | NIP Fan ]

Central League teams aren't required to name their starting pitcher before the game, or well, even up until some guy takes the mound and starts throwing pitches. So basically Okada puts LHP Iwata and RHP Fukuhara in the lineup and decides at the last minute which one of them is actually pitching, based on the other team's lineup, how the pitchers are feeling that morning, and what he had for breakfast that morning.

Or, more likely, he could be waiting to decide who he wanted to play first base that evening, also based on the handedness of the opposing pitcher's starter. I saw Ohya do that a few weeks ago ("start" Sanada at shortstop as away team, see who the opposing pitcher is, replace him with either a lefty-batting Ishikawa or Ishii, or a righty-batting Furmaniak or Nonaka).
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