Tigers, Hawks, Marines, Lions - Which?

We have three teams in the PL that are contenders for the title. The Lions should be considered contenders; remember that they won it all last year. And the Tigers, oh-so obviously, are going to win the Central League.

I hate to say this, but I now have a hard time picking my beloved Hawks to win it all. If you asked me last week, I would've said that they would make it to at least the Series. Their chances depend on how they handle life without Johjima, the team's default captain. They've also had a lot of problems in the bullpen lately, another factor that might go against them.

If they don't solve those problems in time, the Marines will surely take the pennant, then the Series. They'll be able to celebrate their first title in over 30 years.

Marines beat the Lions in three tough games. Marines beat the Hawks in 5 tough games. Marines beat the Tigers in 4 or 5 easy games.

I think the Lions have a chance to get to the PL final, if both Matsuzaka and Nishiguchi pitch as expected. Seibu's in the position the Fighters were in last year, right around .500. They may not be deserving, but it should still be darn entertaining. :P

Interesting question.

Lions - Tigers would be an easy victory for the Tigers. Softbank - Tigers more difficult, but once you're past the starters, Softbank has a weak relief staff. Marines are the ones I would really like to see as this would be a close series, possibly going to seven matches.

I'd love to see a Tigers - Marines series. That way, a team that hasn't won the series in a long time becomes the champion. With the Tigers not having won it all since 1985, 20 years, and the Marines since 1974, 31 years. If the Marines make it, I'm looking for an exciting series with very loud and active crowds at both stadiums.

I've been waiting for the Tigers vs. Marines in the Series all year long. I really don't want the see the Hawks or Lions there again. They've had the past two decades, and now it's the Marines' turn. I want our rotation to be:

1. Watanabe Shunsuke
2. Dan Serafini
3. Kobayashi Hiroyuki

I know Valentine will have to start Shimizu, but he's been just awful these days. I read a rumor earlier in the year that he wanted to play for the White Sox next season. Good luck with that when you give up almost 10 hits a game and get double digit losses every year. He is no longer our ace.

The lack of good outings lately from Kobahiro and Kubo have scared me. We need those two to bring their top stuff in the post-season. I really hope Johnny Kuroki regains his all star form next season. We need another really good starter in the rotation.

I wouldn't discount the Lions so easily. They looked awful all year but the managed to find a way to stay alive. They always manage to find a way to win the crucial games historically.

Hanshin, much like Chunichi, hasn't had an easy time in the Series in 20 years. I made that mistake about them last year.

Of the three, I'd pick the Marines as the ones most likely to pick off, just because their team hasn't been there and you could get them down before they knew what hit them.

It's going to be hard for the Tigers as well because they have a lot of dead time while the other teams are staying in form playing competitive games. You will have the tradeoff of rest though.

If the Lions get past Chiba and Softbank on the road, I wouldn't be that excited. You will be able to get good seats at Tokorozawa, though. I picked up Series tickets the day before game 5.

The Hawks have the advantage of having arguably the best hitter (Matsunaka) and pitcher (Sugiuchi) in the PL, if not in Japan. While that doesn't guarantee anything, it's definitely an edge for us.

I don't, and won't, expect the Marines to fall victim to an upset, but then again, the wild card teams have a way of surprising people.

I think the Marines are the difficult bet for Tigers, not the Hawks nor Lions. As I had observed from CL-PL games, Hawks' aces Sugiuchi, Saitoh, and Wada had been nurtured for singles by Hanshin batters!

Please do remember that this is not the same team that won in 2003. This is much better team, won on the road for the first time in ?? years. This team scores runs in any attack.

So the Marines with Tigers a good bet.

Lotte's rotation will be messed up from having to play Seibu, though. The first round is Oct 8-10, and the second round against the Hawks is Oct 12-17. And with all(?) the games taking place in Fukuoka, with the Hawks having fresh pitchers, the odds will be stacked against Lotte or Seibu (though the Lions did become the champs from a second place finish last year).

I'm hoping that my Hawks won't fall without Johjima. Though I believe that Softbank is strong enough without him with Matsunaka, Zuleta, J.Cabrera, Batista, and Ohmura.

The Hawks have plenty of pitching with Suiguchi (18-4 2.11 ERA, 26 G/26 GS, 8 CG, 43BB/218K's), Saitoh (16-1 2.92 ERA, 22G/22GS, 4 CG, 41BB/129K's), and Wada (11-8 3.31 ERA, 24G/24GS, 4CG, 54BB/162K's). [Hawk Stats - Borisov's Pro Yakyu]

Chiba Lotte will be a tough team, led by Bobby Valentine. They have 6 pitchers with 10 wins or more: Shingo Ono (10-4), Shunsuke Watanabe (15-4), Dan Serafini (11-4), Hiroyuki Kobayashi (12-6), Naoyuki Shimizu (10-11), and Yasutomi Kubo (10-3). Overall they're a combined 68-32, and Chiba Lotte's pitching staff has a 3.25 ERA this year. [See also this thread] [Marine Stats - Borisov's]

Also, the defending champion Seibu Lions are a great team with good pitching; Matsuzaka and Nishiguchi (who is way underated in my opinion). They also have a decent offense in Alex Cabrera, Kazuhiro Wada, and Jose Fernandez. [Lion Stats - Borisov's]

Hanshin will be a great team in my opinion, the only question is will Andy Sheets be back for the Nippon Series or not? Hanshin has been superb thanks to the management of Okada this year. Hanshin pitching and hitting is fine as of right now, as there's no problem I can see with Hanshin's lineup, except for maybe Sheets?

Andy Sheets is due back on the 28th of this month.

I think there was a good question thown up in this thread, rest vs. competitive games.

Seibu went through the maximum 15 post season games last year and looked sharper for it, with Hanshin realistically playing for nothing until the Series, personally I think the PL team benefits.

As a Hanshin fan, I'm delighted to say I think we have a good chance.

One factor that is important in the Pa-League is the fact that if Seibu gets by Marines, they forfeit a game to the Hawks, that is to say, that they are already one down.

I'd like to see the Marines and Hanshin - as another poster said, great fans and atmosphere, as well as a change of scenery. The Marines are capable of beating the Hawks but will they?

Because of the drawn out Pa-League playoffs, Hanshin may have an advantage in rest. Therefore, I predict Hanshin wins it all, though I could see Chiba winning, too.