July 14th Iwata v Gonzalez - One bad innings

Thanks Eric for the extra detail on the umpire's decision last game. It was interesting to compare the two managers this game. Hara despite his teams struggles looked engaged and interested. The camera though when it focused on Mayumi recorded a look of nothingness. Mayumi was staring into middle distance with no visible mental processes. The camera continued to hold and Mayumi continued to exhibit no activity.
Under Mayumi the team has gotten more and more mediocre and yesterday was probably the worst. Uemoto started in place of Sekimoto and added nothing. Fujii we know about but he was replaced by Okazaki late in the game. This is like deciding that things aren't mediocre enough. Shibata continues to pinch run though his vaunted speed is rarely used and he isn't much shake with a bat. Katoh made an appearance yesterday wearing tigers striped sunglasses while pitching. Kanemoto played the whole game which incidently the Giants won on cruise control. Gonzalez wasn't exactly great but didn't have to worry - Tigers batting didn't really threaten and no runner reached third. Scores

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

Starting lineups

Giants
1. Sakamoto (Short)
2. Kamei (First)
3. Ohmura (Right)
4. Chono (Centre)
5. Abe (Catcher)
6. Fields (Third)
7. Tani (Left)
8. Fujimura (Second)
9. Gonzalez (Pitcher)

Tigers
1. Hirano (Centre)
2. Uemoto (Second)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Murton (Right)
5. Brazell (First)
6. Arai (Third)
7. Kanemoto (Left)
8. Fujii (Catcher)
9. Iwata (Pitcher)

Iwata started by retiring Sakamoto and Kamei but then gave up a hit to Ohmura. Chono deputising for the injured Ramirez grounded out to end the innings. Tigers first was quiet with Uemoto striking out ineptly and making one wonder how he was an improvement on Sekimoto. One suspects he is in the side because he will bunt when told and not resist like Sekimoto did. Toritani flew out to right to end the innings. Giants second was also quiet and things looked very secure. In Tigers second Brazell hit to Fujimura who messed it up (he was a bit shaky at second throughout the game) and allowed the runner on base. Both Arai and Kanemoto struck out looking to end the innings. Iwata fell apart in the Giants third - just that. He struck out Fujimura but then gave up a hit to Gonzalez which really shouldn't have happened. Sakamoto hit to centre - runners on first and second. Then Kamei swung and made contact the ball flying off to right and landing in the corner. It looked a bit streaky but anytime the Iwata approached the zone Giants hit him. Anyway this brought both runners home 2-0 Giants, runner on third. Ohmura took three balls and then hit his second strike into left centre for a timely double 3-0 Giants. Chono hit over Kanemoto who showed a distinct lack of speed in chasing the ball, another two base 4-0 Giants. Abe flew out to centre which took Chono to third and then Fields launched one into right centre. It looked a good hit but Murton running round took the catch to end the innings. Iwata though would be finished, it was clear that he couldn't pitch another innings. Tigers third started with an encouraging response. Fujii led off with a hit to left - he is hitting better than he has for a long time. Nohara (pinch hitting for Iwata) struck out swinging but Hirano hit to right - runners on first and second. Uemoto was next and we were treated to another clueless strike out. This left it all down to Toritani who hit straight to second. Fujimura dropped the ball but recovered and made the throw for the final out and the Tigers third was over.

Watanabe pitched Giants fourth and certainly caused them visions of further runs. Tani led off with a hit to centre. Fujimura hit his first pitch to right for a two base hit - runners on second and third with two outs. Gonzalez flew out to short just beyond second - no run there. Next was Sakamoto who flew out to right where Murton took it and threw in to Fujii. Tani tagged up and started off but thought better of it and returned to third. A vital throw and nice piece of work. Then Kamei hit to first for the final out. Giants had wasted a really good chance and Tigers had escaped. Murton then led off with a hit to centre - a lead off batters hit. Brazell took a huge swing at his first pitch which just drifted past the left foul pole. Then he hit his second pitch into a double play making for an interesting at bat at least. Arai took a dead ball on his arm - Gonzalez was not exactly pitching well. A wild pitch took Arai to second and then Kanemoto walked. Fujii was next and he hit deep to left but it never had the legs on it and was taken safely by Tani to end the innings. Tigers had wasted a chance very badly. Watanabe was much better in Giants fifth and retired the batters in order with only Abe putting up any resistance. Tigers second saw Shibata pinch hit for Watanabe - he flew out. Another out followed and then Uemoto managed to hit to left. Uemoto stole second - Abe's throw being too high but Toritani hit a grounder straight to Kamei at first and the innings was over. Fukuhara took over for Giants sixth and struck out fields. Tani hit deep to left but Kanemoto was under it. Finally Fukuhara battled Fujimura before striking him out looking with a nice pitch down the middle. Tigers sixth was a disgrace and was over in four balls. Murton, Brazell and Arai all swinging too soon. This was abysmal batting.

Giants seventh and Fukuhara struck out Gonzalez. Sakamoto hit a single to left. Then he made second on Kamei's ground out. A pass ball took Sakamoto to third but Ohmura struck out swinging to end the innings. Tigers seventh saw two outs before Sekimoto (pinch hitter) hit into right. Next was Hirano who in an act of stupid suicide bunted and tried to beat the throw. For a brainless piece of baseball it will take some beating, he was thrown out at first. What a waste. Kubota made an appearance pitching to Okazaki for the Giants eighth. Okazaki is abysmal and not a first team catcher. He is not a threat to anyone which is why is allowed to continue whilst other more talented players are sidelined. Chono flew out to left but then Abe hit. Kubota then struck out Fields and Tani very nicely working up to around 150 kph at times. It was a nice outing from him. Kuboh replaced Gonzalez on the mound for the Giants. He gave up a one out hit to Toritani who honestly had batted very poorly. Toritani made second on a wild pitch but Brazell struck out swinging wildly to end the innings. Katoh then took the mound - probably because he's a left hander. He had a quiet innings - the Giants were not really trying hard but he didn't look particularly good and one wondered why we wasted money on him. Finally Tigers ninth and Tohno again. Arai grounded out and then Kanemoto flew out. Hiyama (pinch hitter) was next. Why Hiyama in this situation? It was just so clueless as to beggar belief, there was no need to put your star pinch hitter in at all. Anyone else would have done. Hiyama flew out to end the game. Giants victory.

Tigers had picked up their 10th shutout defeat and really had performed badly. There are too many players in the top team who are there because they are favoured by the manager not because of their ability. Tigers did lack application against a pitcher who wasn't very good - it was an absurdity that he actually got the hero interview as well. Changes do need to be made, Katoh, Okazaki, Uenmoto, Shibata and Kanemoto all need to be dropped to the second team. Asai should be regular left field and Lin brought up again. Murton should be restored to lead off and Arai to fourth.