September 14th Kanemura v Takahiro Aoki - Kanemura fails again

The thing about this game was that the Carp were not good - they were just mediocre. Pitching, batting and management all failed to rise above this level. Tigers though once again were worse and don't deserve a pennant on this kind of performance. A failure to take chances and the incomprehensible inclusion of Kanemura combined to wreck the chances of an easy victory. Kanemura needs to drop down to ni-gun and not reappear for the rest of the season - he was that bad. He is keeping Uezono out of the side and has yet to win a game in the Central League. Joining him should be Wada (third base coach) who once again held up runners and Kanemoto who is failing to perform. Certainly, the latter did hit a sacrifice fly but for a cleanup batter that is not enough. How long do Tigers fans have to tolerate a clean up hitter who is under-peforming badly?

Tigers batters also need to hit with runners on base especially with mediocre pitchers. The last four victories have been sayonara victories which suggests desperation not good performances. Okada has bumbled along since August and has failed to take control of the side and drive it forward. His side cannot expect to win every game or every series but it should not be losing in this fashion to this level of opposition and the fact that it is indicates that he is not instilling his philosophy in the players. The games between the Tigers and Giants are now down to four and the Magic Number once again is switched off. Line scores

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

Starting lineups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Imaoka (Third)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Toritani (Short)
6. Fukuhara (First)
7. Yano (Catcher)
8. Asai (Right)
9. Kanemura (Pitcher)

Carp
1. Higashide (Second)
2. Amaya (Centre)
3. Alex (Right)
4. Kurihara (First)
5. Shima (Left)
6. Ishihara (Catcher)
7. Kida (Third)
8. Soyogi (Short)
9. Takahiro Aoki (Pitcher)

Takahashi actually started at first - I wonder if these exercises actually fool anyone or if they have any effect on opposition pitcher choices. I suspect not and they strike me as pointless. Anyway Kanemura's only good innings was his first he retired the batters in order. Akahoshi led off with a hit and was bunted to second by Hirano. Then Imaoka hit to left but Akahoshi was held up on third. Once again he is the fastest runner on the Tigers - if he is not allowed to go for home how do they expect to score? If you do not take risks you do not reap the rewards. Against the Swallows, the running was much more aggressive and it worked. This should have continued in this series. Kanemoto then hit a sacrifice fly 1-0 Tigers but he should have done more. He is the number four batter and as such should be looking to hit. A waste of a chance but indicative of his current form. In Carp's second Kanemura walked Shima but nothing came of this. Tigers second and Takahashi led off with a hit but nothing happened. With a pitcher this ordinary batters need to do more. Both Yano and Asai were too quick to swing and both flew out. Carp's third started with a Soyogi ground out but Toritani messed it up and Soyogi was safe on first. He was bunted to second by Aoki and then Higashide hit. Soyogi was home 1-1 scores level and this is how it should be done. Once again Kanemura had been unable to hold a lead. The next two batters fell easily and the innings was over.

In the bottome Akahoshi hit again. He was bunted to second by Hirano and then moved to third on an Imaoka ground out. Kanemoto needed to drive him in. His third pitch was dispatched high into foul ground for third to take and the innings was over. Another failure and really Kanemoto should be doing better. He has a responsibility which he is not exercising. Kanemura's fourth was abysmal. Kurihara hit and then he dead balled Shima (can't Tigers pitchers keep the ball away from batters' bodies? The level of dead balls is totally unacceptable). Anyway, runners on first and second with no outs which became bases loaded when Kida hit. Then Soyogi hit 2-1 Carp bases loaded, one out. Kanemura struck out Maeda (pinch hitter) but then let fly a wild pitch 3-1 Carp and runners on second and third, two outs. He walked Higashide to load the bases again and finally got Amaya to fly out - end of innings but an object lesson to Tigers how to score from an ordinary side. Aoki departed at the end of the third - he hadn't pitched well but had managed to survive with only one run damage. He was replaced by Ueno who gave up a two out two base hit to Yano but then Asai (I am not even sure why he has been brought back up - he is a totally ineffective batter) flew out and that chance went begging. Watanabe took the mound for Carp's fifth, Kanemura taking a well earned early shower. He gave up a hit to Alex and then one out later walked Shima. The runners advanced to second and third on a ground out but then the final batter was Kida and he flew out. Ueno continued with the Tigers fifth and gave up a hit to Akahoshi. The next two batters failed to convert him though.

Carp's sixth was quiet with Watanabe retiring the batters in order. Tigers sixth was pitched by Brower who is currently out of his depth and this innings was no exception. He started with a hit to Kanemoto, then one to Toritani and with a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Lin (replacement right) walked to load the bases with no outs. Then the Tigers blew it - Yano struck out swinging. What was he thinking? He should have been focused on getting the run in with a sacrifice fly against a pitcher who was in trouble. Hiyama (pinch hitter) was next. He has been hitting well recently but a bit of care would have probably not gone amiss. His third pitch was pushed back to Brower for a ground out. Two feeble at bats and the worst was to follow. Katsuragi (replacement first) flew out and the innings was over. Carp had been on the ropes and had been let off them in no uncertain fashion. Abe pitched the Carp seventh - a sign that he is maturing. He gave up a one out hit to Alex and then another one to Kurihara - runners on first and second. He didn't let up and challenged Shima getting him to fly out and then struck Ishihara out looking.

Unfortunately, the Tigers batting had given up. Umetsu pitched the Tigers seventh and got all the batters to strike out. Abe returned for the Carp eighth and was dominant - no one getting on base. Schultz pitched the Tigers eighth and was also dominant. Williams took the Carp ninth and wobbled slightly. With two outs he gave up a hit to Alex and then a two base to Kurihara - runners on second and third. He got Ogata (pinch hitter) to fly out to end the innings. Finally, it was time to end this sorry affair. Like Friday's game you really didn't expect Tigers to do anything and they didn't Katsuragi reached first on an error but the final batter Akahoshi struck out and the innings was over. Carp victory.

Carp took the series but really hadn't been spectacular or even good. They hadn't denied the Tigers the chance to play - the Tigers hadn't taken the chance and hadn't made the effort. As I have said this is short changing the fans who deserve better from players of the Tigers talent. It's not as if they are in bottom place (and incidently the BayStars are playing with more spirit than the Tigers). They are at the top but don't seem to care. The fans though do and Tigers players need to remember this.