May 18th Sugiyama v Masubuchi - Fukuchi's very nice hit

This game you expected the Swallows to take, Tigers having won the series. Even so they made surprisingly heavy going of it. They aren't going to win the pennant but a play off place is a distinct possibility. Line scores

         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Swallows 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 10 0
Tigers   0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 11 0

Starting lineups

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

Swallows
1. Fukuchi (Centre)
2. Tanaka (Second)
3. Yuichi (First)
4. Hatakeyama (Third)
5. Guiel (Right)
6. Miyamoto (Short)
7. Takeuchi (Left)
8. Kinugawa (Catcher)
9. Masabuchi (Pitcher)

Sugiyama's start was like the rest of his session, undistinguished. He gave up a hit to the leadoff batter Fukuchi. Tanaka then bunted Fukuchi to second but Yuichi grounded out. However, Sugiyama for want of anything better to do dead balled Hatakeyama. Then Guiel hit and Fukuchi was home 1-0 Swallows. Just to show how mundane his pitching was today Sugiyama walked Miyamoto and then woke up - he got Takeuchi to fly out to end the innings. Masabuchi was better he gave up a two base hit to Arai but then was able to ride a Kanemoto fly out to end the innings. In the second Sugiyama continued. The first batter fell but the next batter hit. This was Masabuchi, the pitcher! Fukuchi walked and Swallows had runners on first and second. Sugiyama then released a wild pitch just to make things interesting and the runners advanced to second and third. He walked Yuichi to load the bases (this was not deliberate) but finally got out of the innings without giving up a run as Hatakeyama grounded out to Toritani. Tigers second saw Toritani hit and Sekimoto hit but the final batter was Sugiyama who certainly wasn't going to repeat the hitting feat of Masabuchi.

Next was the third, Guiel struck out. Miyamoto walked and then Takeuchi hit. Next batter Kinugawa, he hit 2-0 Swallows. Masabuchi flew out to Sugiyama but importantly Takeuchi was caught off third base and thrown out - end of innings. The Tigers third saw a Hirano hit but nothing came of it. The Swallows fourth was? No not Sugiyama, Okada had had enough and Abe was summoned to pitch. He gave up a hit to Fukuchi who was bunted to second by Tanaka (Swallows bunting was good). Abe though got the next two batters without any trouble, end of innings. The Tigers fourth was quiet as was the Swallows fifth (which did see a Miyamoto hit but nothing came of it). The Tigers fifth saw the leadoff Sekimoto walk. He got to second on an Asai (pinch hitter) bunt. Akahoshi flew out and Masabuchi faced Hirano. The Swallows pitcher unleashed the wild pitch to end all wild pitches and Sekimoto advanced to third (it was about halfway between home and first). However, after a mound conference he recovered and got Hirano to ground out to first - end of innings and end of threat.

Egusa took the Swallows sixth and got the first two batters. He then walked Tanaka but the Swallows No 2 tried to steal second and was thrown out - end of innings. Masabuchi of course started the sixth and immediatley ran into trouble. Arai hit, then Kanemoto hammered out a two base. Runners on second and third with no outs. Next batter Hiyama. He hit a deep sacrifice fly to left. I think he was trying for a two base but Arai tagged up and was home 2-1 Swallows. Kanemoto also tagged up and beat the throw from left to reach third base. Masabuchi departed to be replaced by Satoh. Now I really like this guy as he demonstrates even fat guys with glasses can pitch at the highest levels. Today was not his best, he gave up a hit to Toritani and Kanemoto was home 2-2 scores level. Takada went to Matsuoka who got Yano to ground into a double play and end the innings. Egusa continued in the Swallows seventh and gave up a hit to Yuichi but nothing happened. Likewise the Tigers seventh, Sekimoto hit and was bunted to second but after that nothing.

The Swallows eighth was quiet but in the Tigers version Hiyama hit. Baldris pinch ran for him and Toritani also hit. Runners on first and second with two outs. Next batter Yano, he hit towards third but Hatakeyama was waiting and took the ball to ground out Baldris, end of innings. Williams pitched the ninth. He faced Fukuchi. His first two balls were strikes but then he left one in the zone which Fukuchi got a good swing with perfect timing on and it flew over the fence for a home run 3-2 Swallows. Williams gave up a lucky two base to Hatakeyama but got out of the innings without further damage. These things happen. The Tigers ninth was pitched by Lim, he has been good but wasn't at his best today. Even so he had enough. Sekimoto hit but Guiel's slide prevented it becoming a two base. Katsuragi (pinch hitter) launched a mighty blow but it fell just short into the glove of Kawashima (replacement centre) - one out. Next was Akahoshi who hit into a double play, end of innings and end of game Swallows victory.

This one had gone to the Swallows rather as expected but not with any conviction. Good work by the Swallows but they hadn't really convinced. Tigers had won the series comfortably and go into the Inter-league series with a 3.5 game lead over the Dragons. The Dragons have traditionally been poor in Inter-league and are expriencing problems at the moment. Things are looking good for the Tigers.

I was there today and it was a crushing loss. I also felt going in the Swallows would win after 2 bad defeats. But after we stormed back, it felt like we wouldn't be stopped. I'm wondering if Sugiyama has pitched his way out of the rotation. He was awful today and very lucky to give up only 2 runs. What's the status of Uezono and/or Kanemura? Are either of them ready to be given a shot in the rotation?

[Edited by: Christopher on May 19, 2008 6:40 PM]

Both Kanemura and Uezono are still not quite ready but may be brought up soon. Lin's return is also going to happen soon. It is scheduled for the end of the month.

[Edited by: Christopher on May 19, 2008 6:40 PM]

What are your thoughts on Sugiyama? He's good enough to last the year in the starting rotation?

[Edited by: Christopher on May 20, 2008 6:59 PM]

I don't think that Sugiyama is good enough to continue and he has been dropped to ni-gun and Taiyo called up. As Gary Garland mentioned if he finishes his career with a .500 record he will have done well. However, as soon as and if Uezono gets up to speed I expect him to be back.

[Edited by: Christopher on May 20, 2008 9:13 PM]

Who is Gary Garland? I've heard a fair amount about him on this forum, but never read his material. Where can I read his analysis?

[Edited by: Christopher on May 21, 2008 6:49 PM]

Gary Garland is a Japanese baseball expert who runs two websites 'Baseball Guru' and 'Japanese Baseball Daily'. Both are worth a visit. His comments on Tigers I was referring to are located on (currently) Page 6 of this blog in the thread 'Hanshin Tigers 2008 Preview'. They are near the bottom of the thread.