Nomura Wins 1,300th - Finally

Hanshin's Nomura-kantoku won his 1,300th game last night (9/11) in the Tigers' 8-1 trouncing of his former team, the Yakult Swallows. Hanshin has been 1 game away for 13 days. And their first return to Koshien in as many days gave the head Tiger his memorial win.

While Nomura becomes the 7th manager to reach said milestone, his past three years of last place ball has cost him quite a bit in the winning percentage category as his career numbers are 1,300 and 1,250 (64 ties) for a .510 winning percentage over 20 seasons. Of those 20 season, he's let his teams to 5 championships which isn't all that bad.

It looks like he'll be returning to the Tiger Den next season, so perhaps his one championship per four year average will help after two (almost three) years in last. Hey, the Buffaloes are challenging for first after as many last place finishes.

But before Nomura-kantoku can lead the Tigers to a championship, he's going to have to find that fighting spirit he had while with Yakult. Ever since he signed with Hanshin, it just hasn't seemed to me that his heart has been in it. A friend says that he took the job just because he was offered more money than he could refuse, and that's the best explaination I've heard. (I'm open to other explainations!) Nomura-kantoku, even at his acceptance press conference three years ago, he didn't seem to have that much yaruki.

Nomura-kantoku. You've reached this landmark. Get your yaruki back and shoot for Nishimoto's 1,384 next year!