Champion Hawks Report

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> 2010 in review
> Interview with Brian Falkenborg /Pitcher
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Bird Watching – Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 2010

FUKUOKA – October 12, 2010
By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

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Here’s something to get excited about! The hometown Hawks are the Pacific League champions. One way to look at it is the Hawks are three wins away from advancing to the Japan Series and seven wins away from their 5th J.S. championship in franchise history! Over the next thirteen games they need to be just one game over .500 (winning percentage) and Fukuoka will be home to the 2010 Japanese Baseball champs. It’s close. I’ve never been in a city with this sort of prize within reach. (granted…Kansas City, Tampa Bay in the 90’s, San Diego, and rural Kentucky weren’t exactly hot beds for competitive professional sports…) The last time the Hawks finished in first place in the Pacific League was in 2003. They were still the Daiei Hawks, slugger Matsunaka Nobuhiko hit 30 home runs and led the league in RBI’s (all with a much thicker head of hair), and I was a freshman at KSU majoring in microbiology. That year they went all the way and it isn’t a stretch to see history repeating itself this year.

Ordo ab Chao (Latin. “order out of chaos”) – 2010 in review

The 2010 season for the Hawks was not the march of a championship caliber team on their way to the top and post season glory. The Hawk’s didn’t even lead the league in wins. But when the dust of a chaotic season settled, they had had less losses (an more tied games) than the powerful Lions and their winning percentage was two tenths of a percent better than the team from Saitama (.547 versus .545). This was a scrappy team that came together despite no real superstars usurping the headlines. There were no huge superstars this year. But the team was scrappy. The testament to their tenacity is the simple fact that they entered the season at a disadvantage on paper to the rest of the league, yet they battled and fought throughout the 144 game season. They pieced together enough to set themselves up to succeed and then at the end the scales tipped in their favor (finally). I’ve never seen a team that lost so much to injury over a season that was able to stay together and stay focused so well.

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The objective predictions for the Hawks at the beginning of the season were squalid at best. Other sports writers had the Hawks finishing in the bottom half of the league. I was more optimistic, but contended that in order for them to improve on their 3rd place finish in 2009, pretty much everything would have to go right for them. They were the least active organization on the free agent market, their only acquisition was Korean WBC third baseman Lee Bum Ho; a move that raised eyebrows because of incumbent Matsuda Nobuhiro. (Lee never looked comfortable, posting a pedestrian .226 BA and a OPS of .650)

So…essentially, the Hawks went into 2010 with the same team roster they had the year before (except a year older) hoping for different results. It sounded a lot like a political strategy and compared with the upgrades the Lions, Eagles, and Fighters made to bolster their rosters it looked like simply repeating their 3rd place finish from 2009 would talk some good luck at best.

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The age factor was most apparent with team captain Kokubo Hiroki (38) going down with injury and left fielder Matsunaka (36) who never fully regained his legs or his bat. The former “Home Run Artist” (Kokubo) and 2004 Triple Crown winner (Matsunaka) combined for only 26 home runs, 103 RBIs, and a .263 BA along with reduced mobility and reaction time on defense in left field and first base.

Injuries, which I believed to be the team’s Achilles heel, seemed as contagious as H1N1 this year. First baseman Kokubo, third baseman Matsuda, power hitting left fielder Jose Ortiz, and catcher Yamazaki Katsuki all had stints on the DL. The most looming losses though were to the starting pitching. The Hawks entered the season with question marks already for the 5th and 6th slots in the rotation. Otonari Kenji, who threw a gem in the second game of the season, and D.J. Houlten, who posted an 11-8 record last year with a 2.89 ERA, were both slowed down all season with nagging ailments. The pair combined for only 36 appearances and a 4.89 ERA spread out over 189.2 innings. The team was left scrambling for spare starters throughout the season, typically a recipe for disaster

The questions and struggles of the starting pitchers (pretty much everyone not named Wada Tsuyoshi or Sugiuchi Toshiya) should have been disastrous. But the Hawk’s bullpen, forced to overwork, was not just up to the task, they developed into innings eating machine that in a close game could shut down and shut out even the strongest offensive opponents.
In 2009, SBM trio of Settsu Tadashi, Brian Falkenborg, and Mahara Takahiro, essentially shortened games down to six innings with a 1.76 ERA, 30 saves, and 61 holds. They actually improved in 2010 with a 1.71 ERA, 34 saves, and 79 holds, while appearing in more games and throwing more innings. On top of that righty Katto Keisuke and lefty Morifuku Masahiko shouldered 124.2 innings with a 2.82 ERA and another 20 holds. They had to expand the SBM moniker to SBM48Cho this year to accommodate the addition of Katto and Morifuku. Katto’s jersey number is 48 and his entrance music is “Aitakatta” by AKB48. Morifuku’s clubhouse nickname is “Cho-me”, I don’t know why…

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Lead off man Kawasaki Munenori returned to form after an atypical 2009 campaign. He batted over .400 for most of the spring and .316 on the season with a .397 on base percentage while setting the franchise’s single season hit record (189). The number 2 batter Honda Yuichi also had a strong season setting a career high in batting average (.296). The table setters getting on base and running (89 stolen bases combined, Honda led the league with 59) helped this year’s team score 38 more runs than in ’09. Tamura Hitoshi for the first time in his career managed to play through a season without getting hurt. He batted .324 (5th in the P.L.) and led the Hawks with 27 home runs and 89 RBIs. Ortiz in 117 games mashed 24 home runs and mid-season acquisition Roberto Petagine injected some left-handed power and a few timely hits. Overall, the Hawks saw no players reach 30 home runs or 100 RBIs, but they managed to manufacture runs with little contributions from everyone.q

When they needed a two out hit to drive in a run or two they got it. When they lost their power hitters to injuries they shuffled the line-up around and kept on going. When they had no starters they got a few quality starts from Yamada Hiroki and pieced together what they could with relievers coming in to start a few games here and there. When they had the lead in games their bullpen came in and stifled the opponents’ offense. When their starters struggled the pen again came in, kept the games close, and gave their offenses opportunity to recapture the lead. Call it luck or clutch, the Hawks got it done when they needed in enough opportunities.

Towards the end it came down to a three game sweep of the Lions and a 1-0 win in a pitching duel between Darvish and Sugiuchi. The Hawks officially took first in the 3rd inning of their final game of the season against the Eagles. The Hawks actually lost 8-3 to the Eagles, but the Fighters downed the Lions in Sapporo Dome to drop the Lions into 2nd place for good. It was fortunate turn of events, but without the team effort throughout the entire season, they wouldn’t have been in any position to take advantage of the Lion’s fall.

I really love seasons like this because as much as I love statistics, some seasons come down to intangibles that are unpredictable and humanize the game. The Hawks defied the odds this year. Now, with a game-up advantage against the Marines in the 2nd stage of the Climax Series, the odds are actually tipping in favor of the team from Fukuoka. As most long time baseball fans and players will tell you, the post season is where ‘heart’ can be the biggest deciding factor. Judging from this season I believe the Hawks have that in spades.

More to come!

Soooo… The Climax Series kicks off soon. Come back here for more reports – and also follow us on FaceBook
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The Middle Man: an interview with Brian Falkenborg /
Pitcher, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

FUKUOKA – Wednesday, October 6, 2010
By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

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On Wed., Oct. 6 Fukuoka Now spoke with SoftBank’s star relief pitcher, Brain Falkenborg.

Sandwiched between Settsu and closer Mahara, Falkenborg owns the 8th inning. The top reliever in the Pacific League this year, he posted a 1.02 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP, and a 10:1 strikeout to walk ratio in 60 games.

What was the reaction of the team after the Lions lost and the Hawks officially became the P.L. champs?

“Great! When the news came into us on the bench in the third inning it was a huge weight off of our chests. It was a long season and a great way for it to wind down.”

Going into the game against Darvish, what was the atmosphere before the game?

“Some of the players might have had butterflies. You just got to try to relax. You need to be relaxed to play well.”

“Having if not the very best, maybe the two best pitchers in Japan to pitch a full game – if you truly love baseball, you’d have wished you had been there.”

One of the strengths this year for the Hawks was the relief pitching. Who really stepped it up this year?

“Katto. He didn’t pitch much last year, and he wasn’t on the team until just after spring training, but he covered so many games, and so many innings, his growth really stands out. He really helped give Settsu and I needed rest. Morifuku also contributed well and helped us out a lot. It really takes a whole team.”

As part of SBM48, what has your role been in helping the younger players?

“Language is tough for me, so I lead by example. It’s about finding out how your pitches will effect batters and figuring out how to strike them out.“

Who coined the term SBM?

Not sure, probably someone in marketing, and I think it started half way through last year.

You hear about position players, starters, and closers in the headlines all the time. Do the middle relievers get unfairly overlooked?

“The reliever is usually only interviewed if he screwed up – so naturally I don’t want to be the center of attention for that reason. But I’m happy to talk to reporters, but I think they should focus on the starting pitchers and position players.”

What’s it like waiting in the bullpen? What do you do to pass the time until you’re called to pitch?

“Well between the first and 3rd inning I’m usually with trainers stretching and maybe getting a massage. At the 6th inning I move into the bench, but still try to stay loose and settle down. Mental preparation starts from then.”

Between the Lions and Marines, do you have a preference to who you face in the 2nd stage?

“Neither team. Either team will be a challenge. Both have strong offense and strong closers. It really doesn’t matter.”

Looking over at the Central League, what do you think of the situation over there?

“Chunichi finished first, like us. So they are in a similar position and theoretically the greatest challenge. But Giants vs, the Tigers, two of Japan’s marquee teams – that’s going to be a wild series!”

Comment for Fukuoka Now readers?

“Please come on out if you can to a playoff game. I think it’s an exciting time for the city. Thanks for your support!”

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Game 1 Preview

FUKUOKA – October 14, 2010, By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

Over the weekend the Chiba Lotte “Miracle” Marines walked into the Lion’s den and swept the Saitama Lions in a best of 3 games series. The Lions were the smart pick to advance, but the relief pitching in the series for both teams was suspect, and though staked to early leads in both games the Lion’s bull pen crumbled opening a way for the M’s.

On paper this works out well for the Hawks. During the regular season they had a much better record against the Marines (15-9) than the Lions (10-14). All of the games will be played at Fukuoka Yahoo Dome and the Hawks are much better at home (43-27-2) than away (33-36-3). The Hawks are well rested and the Marines just finished an intense fight with the Lions who for most of the season were the strongest team in the Pacific League. To top it off the Hawks start with a one game advantage in a best of seven series.

The Hawks will send Sugiuchi to the mound in game 1. This season Sugiuchi is 4-1 in 5 games against the Marines, but has a bloated 5.13 ERA against them. Sugiuchi is the Hawk’s ace though and in any big game it’s hard to find a reason to not trust the lefty who out dueled Darvish in his first and last starts of the season.

Look for:
For the Marines to have a chance they will need to score early. Sugiuchi is like an old steam engine. He starts slow and builds up speed. The deeper he goes in a game the better he gets. He is vulnerable in the 1st and 2nd innings though so the Marines will be aggressive early.

The Hawk’s bullpen will likely not factor into this game unless Sugiuchi is forced into some long innings. (And he has had some command issues against the Marines.)

The Hawks have batted.288 against the Marines this season. Look for Kawasaki and Honda to manufacture a run or two early and the offense to pounce on any early relievers.

The Marines have proved that they are dangerous, but for me their victory over the Lions was no surprise. The Marines were 13-11 against the Lions this season and the Lions season went cold back in September. Right now the Marines have momentum, but the 9th inning rallies they managed against the Lions will be much more difficult against the Hawk’s SBM48Cho. On top of that the Marines’s starting pitcher, Naruse, will be pitching on short rest. The advantages are stacked in the Hawks favor. However, the Hawks will be the first to tell you that paper predictions don’t always pan out in baseball.

Game 1 Recap: Hawks 1 — Marines 3

Marines southpaw ace, Naruse Yoshihisa, threw a complete game gem. He struck out the side in the 6th inning and K’ed 9 Hawks overall. After giving up a run in the 5th he didn’t allow a base runner for the rest of the game.

Sugiuchi never hit his rhythm. He only surrendered 3 runs on a 3-run home run in the 2nd, but he had command issues all night. His pitch count was heavy on off speed pitches and nearly 50% of his pitches didn’t find the strike zone. It took him 45 pitches to make it trough the first two innings alone. He was lifted with one out in the 6th. Kanazawa, Morifuku, and Katto finished up the game for the Hawks giving up 1 hit, 1 walk (intentional) striking out three, and allowing no more runs.

At the plate the Hawks looked like a team whose timing was off. Naruse zipped 135kph fastballs past them and fooled them with plenty of off speed pitches. The heart of the order, Matsunaka, Kokubo, Tamura, and Petagine, was hitless in 12 at bats, striking out seven times. Right handed Jose Ortiz sat on the bench until he was called upon to pinch hit in the 9th. He skied a ball to deep left for the final out.

The Hawks only run came in 5th. Matsuda Nobuhiro grounded up the middle for an infield base hit. Tanoe Hedinori sacrificed him over to 2nd and Kawasaki Munenori drove him home with his 2nd single of the game.

The series stands even at one game a piece with the Hawks’ loss.

Game 2 Preview

FUKUOKA – October 15, 2010, By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

The Hawks will send Wada Tsuyoshi to the mound for game 2. As good as Sugiuchi has been for the Hawks, Wada has arguably been the better of the southpaw duo this season. He’s totaled more wins and lower a ERA and WHIP than Sugiuchi. He definitely has figured out the Marines all season long. This season he’s 3-0 in four games with a 1.13 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP.

The Marines will also send another lefty to the mound. Bill Murphy started 20 games this season and appeared in 18 relief appearances with a 3.75 ERA overall.

The Hawks should be patient against Murphy who walked 84 batters this season. We’ll see if Akiyama revises his lineup in game 2. Ortiz had some powerful cuts in his only at bat last night including the Hawks’ hardest hit ball of the game. And it makes little sense to field two left handed hitters who combined batted all of .249 with 21 home runs this year when you have a right handed bat that batted .270 with 24 home runs.

With a few adjustments expect the Hawks to bounce back and score early and often, especially if Kawasaki and Honda can start wrecking havoc on the base paths.

The Marines might opt to go with young rightyHayden Penn to start the game, the 26 year old Californian who made his first start in Japan on August 8th and only has 8 regular season starts under his belt. The Hawks have seen Penn only once before. On August 29th, he went 6 2/3 innings giving up two runs in a losing effort to Otonari and SBM(Cho). He gave up 9 hits, but the Hawks just couldn’t capitalize to produce any big innings. If Penn pitches we can expect the Hawks lineup to have few changes from last night. Murphy would then be pushed back and start Saturday’s game.

Game 2 Recap: Hawks 3 — Marines 1

The Marines struck first again in game two, but the Hawks found an answer offensively today.

The top of the first was interesting for the Hawks. Wada Tsuyoshi gave up a home run to the second batter of the game, struck out the side, walked one, and threw 39 pitches. But, after giving up a single in the second inning, Wada didn’t allow a base runner for the rest of the game as he struck out 13 in a complete game victory.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 2nd, the 9th batter, catcher Yamazaki Katsuki, flipped a single into right scoring Tamura and Matsuda. Centerfielder Egawa Tomoaki was hung up between second and third base, but those two runs would prove to be all Wada would need. Second baseman Honda Yuichi created havoc on the base paths stealing second twice and inducing a throwing error by the catcher that allowed him to go to third in the 3rd inning. He would later score on a sac fly off the bat of Kokubo.

Marines starting pitcher Hayden Penn lasted only three innings giving up three hits and three runs. He struggled, falling behind batters often, but the Marines committed 3 errors, and his manger was perhaps a little quick to pull the plug.

Matsunaka and Kokubo continued to struggle combining to go 0 for 6. Kokubo did drive in a run on a sac fly though.

Hawks center fielder Hasegawa did not play today, still feeling ill effects from getting beaned in the head last week in the Phoenix League. He was replaced by Egawa who went 0 for 2 with a key walk in the 2nd.

Game 3 Preview

FUKUOKA – October 16, 2010, By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

The Hawks will send D.J. Houlton to the mound in game three. Houlton was brilliant in 2009, but hampered by injury in 2010, he spend most of his time rehabbing. He only threw one game against the Marines this season, but it was one of his better outings. If Houlton can pitch comfortably this game will be no contest. As always the key to a strong outing is first pitch strikes and staying on top of his pitches. Wada did that well in game two, Sugiuchi barely do it at all.

The Marines have been playing a game of musical starters for games two and three. They’ve flip-flopped on their game two and three starters up until game day of game two. They finally decided to go with the young righty Hayden Penn for game two and pushed southpaw Bill Murphy back to game three.

The Hawks got production out of the bottom of their line up in game two, but to take control of this series they need to get runs out the heart of the order. Akiyama’s loyalty to Matsunaka Nobuhiko is Shakespearean in quality, but so far has only aided in stalling run production. Matsunaka is hitless in the series so far and with left handed Murphy pitching he should at the very least be taken out of the 3-spot. The 3-4-5 batters for the Hawks are a combined 1 for 18 the last two games.

Jose Ortiz went 0 for 3 starting in right field in game two, but he should still get the start in game three against the left handed Murphy.

The Hawks have yet to call upon their greatest weapon, SBM. If Houlton tires early and the game is close look for Settsu and company to descend in the 6th or 7th to stifle the Marines’s bats.

Game 3 Recap: Hawks 1 — Marines 0

The Hawks are one game away from advancing to the Japan Series with a 1-0 victory in game 3.

Kawasaki turned his lead off walk in the bottom of the 1st into the game’s only run when he advanced on an error by the pitcher off of Honda’s sac bunt attempt and then scored on a wild pitch.

Marines starting pitcher Bill Murphy was wild throughout the game bouncing fastballs and missing high with his off speed offerings. He only issued two walks, but he hit three batters (Yamazaki, Matsunaka 2x) and his error and wild pitch in the 1st wound up being the deciding factor of the game.

D.J. Houlton went 5 2/3 innings. He wasn’t dominant, but he had plenty of movement on his pitches and the Marines were underneath the ball all night flying out 10 times against the Hawks righty. Morifuku came in in the 6th with runners at first and second and got the Marines DH Fukuura to lift a harmless fly to end the threat. Morifuku ran into trouble the following inning when he hit the lead off batter and gave up a two out double to the 9th batter, but Settsu entered and as he has all season he ended the threat and preserved the lead. Settsu went on to work a perfect 8th inning against the 2-3-4 batters and Mahara worked a perfect 9th to seal the win.

The game was much closer than it had to be though. The Hawks put the lead off runner on base in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings, but they were never able to capitalize in clutch situations. Their best chance to add to the lead was in the 3rd when Tamura flied out to right with Honda on third and Matsunaka on second. Matsunaka, thinking there were two outs, ran on contact and was doubled up off second preventing Honda from scoring on the sac fly.

Kokubo ended his CS slump by nearly leaving the park in the bottom of the 8th. His drive hit off the top of the wall that wound up being only a very long single.

The Hawks have three more games left to try to finish the Climax Series.

(Fukuoka NOW attended game 3 in person. Oh Sadaharu passed us in the hall and it was awesome.)

Game 4 Preview

FUKUOKA – October 17, 2010, By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

The Hawks will send Yang Yao-Hsun to the mound for game 4. Yang came out of the bullpen to make 4 spot starts this season for the Hawks. He has a 2.20 ERA on the season. The Hawks biggest weakness is not having enough depth in their rotation. Yang is a solid reliever, but he lacks stamina and if he has to work too much too early he’ll not last past the 4th inning. Another problem Yang has had is suspect defense in games he’s started.

Watanabe Shunsuke will start for the Marines. He has an 8-8 record with a 4.49 ERA this season and against the Hawks he is 1-1 in two games with a 4.91 ERA.

If the Hawks bats are going to wake up this series then game four is the time to do so. An early lead for Yang will give him room to relax. Kawasaki and Honda are doing their jobs at the top of the line up by getting on base and and running. Number 9 hitter Yamazaki was still swinging the bat well in game 3 with a single and a hard hit fly out to deep center. Batters 3-6 for the Hawks have yet to make much noise though with only one hit combined in game 3.

Watanabe is a hittable pitcher, but Yang is vulnerable if he’s pitching without the lead. Game 4 should involve more scoring, but both offenses have been cold so far. The Hawks big bats showed some signs of life, but were unlucky in game 3. If the hits start dropping the Hawks will advance tomorrow.

Game 4 Recap: Hawks 2 — Marines 4

The Hawks made game 4 interesting in the 9th with three straight hits, two runs, and they put the go-ahead run on first, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their four run deficit.

The Hawks have lacked viable starters all season. For game 4 they called upon the young man from Taiwan,Yang Yao-Hsun. He appeared in fourteen games this season with four starts and a respectable 2.20 ERA, but his command and location typically falters if he pitches more than three innings. The Hawks hoped that he would be able to go through the line up once and they would piece the rest of the game together with their strong relief pitching. Yang wasn’t great, but he did fairly well going 3 2/3 innings giving up two runs on two hits. Kanazawa, Katto, and Fujioka finished the game, but they yielded two more runs that would prove costly.

Marines pitcher, Watanabe Shunsuke gave the Hawks difficulties all day. A WBC veteran, Watanabe is a sinkerball submarine pitcher. His velocity tops out around 122kph (76mph) and he mixes speeds sometimes dropping down to 95kph (59mph), but everything has lots of downward movement. In the first eight frames the Hawks managed just four hits and went down in order five times.

In the 9th Honda Yuichi doubled off the center field wall for the Hawks first extra base hit of the series. Matsunaka Nobuhiko followed with a shallow fly to left that fell for a hit when Marines shortstop Nishioka Tsuyoshi and left fielder Kiyota Ikuhiro collided. Kiyota stayed down for quite some time, but remained in the game. Team captain Kokubo singled to bring home Honda and finally knock Watanabe out of the game. The Marines closer Kobayashi Hiroyuki was tasked with preserving the lead. He induced Tamura to pop up on the infield grass for an infield fly rule. The Marines seemed unsure who was supposed to catch the ball, 2nd baseman Iguchi came in to make a running catch on the ball. Jose Ortiz pinch hit for third baseman Matsuda who was 0 for 3 with 2 K’s on the day. Ortiz drew a six pitch walk. Petagine followed with a shallow fly to left which nearly resulted in another collision between Nishioka and Kiyota, but Kiyota broke away at the last moment and Nishoka squeezed it for the second out. Kobayashi hit the next batter Shibahara on the leg to force in the second run of the game for the Hawks. With two outs, bases loaded, and the game on the line the Hawks let number 9 batter Yamazaki bat. Yamazaki had a clutch bases loaded single back in game 2 that drove in two, but Kobayashi got the catcher to foul out behind home plate to save the game.

The series is now 3-2 still in the Hawks favor. A win or a tie in games 5 or 6 will send the Marines home and the Hawks to face the winner of the Central League Climax Series.

Notes:
Honda was picked off first in the 1st, his first base-running miscue this series, but the second potentially costly mistake by the Hawks on the base paths in the last 2 games. Yesterday, they still managed to win, but today things didn’t go their way… The Marines stranded eight base runners. Their lead off batters reached in the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 9th innings and of those 3 of them scored. The two runs Katto and Fujioka gave up are the 1st time the Marines have managed to score against the Hawks relief pitchers, (1.46 ERA, 12.1IP).

Game 5 Preview

FUKUOKA – October 18, 2010, By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

Otonari Kenji (Hawks) vs Omine Yuta (Marines)

At the beginning of the season, Otonari was tapped to to start the second game of the season. He rewarded the Hawks by going 7 1/3 innings giving up one run in a game the Hawks would eventually win in the 11th.
Hampered by injury for parts of the 2010 season, Otonari didn’t have the breakout year the Hawks were hoping for, but they’ll turn to him for game 5 as they try to clinch the series once again. Otonari relies on pitch location and trickery. This season Otonari faced the Marines three times going 1-2 with a 3.50 ERA. He’ll need to be better than that, but the Marines have been a little over aggressive early in the games which is not how you approach a pitcher like Otonari.

Omine Yuta will pitch for the Marines. He’s 2-1 in four games against the Hawks this year, but the Hawks hitters have history of trouble hitting the young twenty-two year old.

The big question for the Hawks in game 5 is if the offense can come together. So far the Hawks have mostly been relying on the Marines defensive issues to score their runs. The Marines have 4 errors in the two games they lost and no errors in the games they won. In order to take control of game 5 the Hawks need to carry their momentum from the 9th inning of game 4 and get on the board early without

Offensive Outlook

3 Spot
It looks like Akiyama will not move Matsunaka from his 3 spot in the lineup. Matsunaka collected his first hit of the Climax Season in game 4, but it was hardly a convincing single only falling because of miscommunication by the Marines players. Matsunaka is likely going to continue to hamper the heart of the order and be a liability on defense. Is the one home run he might hit this series worth his 1 for 12 performance so far? Maybe…

Clean up
Kokubo, for the second game in a row, had an impressive 9th inning hit. In game 3 he nearly left the yard, in game 4 he singled home Honda for the Hawks first run of the game. Kokubo is 2 for 13 so far, but is showing signs of life and has a career of clutch performances on his resume.

No. 5
Tamura was the most dangerous weapon for the Hawks this season, but has been relatively quiet so far in the Climax Series. He had 2 hits in game 4 though and his timing is looking better. He’s 3 for 13, but has no RBI’s.

The 6-7-8 spots in the order need to relax and go to the plate with a solid plan. Petagine had a base hit in game 4, but he, Matsuda, and Ortiz look like they’re trying to knock the ball out of the park with each swing. Matsuda was pulling off the ball with nearly every swing last game. Hasegawa is perhaps still feeling concussion-like effects from his beaning in the Phoenix League and he’s been platooning in center with Egawa and Shibahara. None of them have done much at the plate.

Yamazaki is getting the most quality swings per at bat on the team right now. In game 2 they were able to ride his clutch performance for a win. He fell short when it mattered in game 4, but as of right now he’s leading the Hawks in batting this series. (4 for 9 in 3 games)

Game 5 Recap: Hawks 2 –- Marines 5

So… the good:
Otonari was brilliant. He went 5 strong innings, faced 17 batters, struck out 7 and allowed only two singles. He was perfect the first time through the order and the Marines batters were chasing pitches and swinging behind fastballs the entire time he was on the mound. The Hawks couldn’t have hoped for a better outing from the lefty.

Honda was on the bases again stirring up trouble and scoring runs. He collected another stolen base in the 1st inning and later scored on Kokubo’s double and then scored from 1st on Ortiz’s first hit of the series in the 8th.

Akiyama finally dropped the struggling Matsunaka down to 6th in the line up and inserted Ortiz into the 3 spot. Matsunaka responded by going 2 for 3 with a pair of singles before getting lifted for a pinch runner in the 6th. Ortiz hit an 8th inning double that made it a 1 run game at the time.

Extra base hits! The Hawks managed just one extra base hit in games 1 to 4. In game 5 they had 2! And Kokubo once again almost went deep, his double hit off the top of the wall in center and bounced back onto the field.

The not so good:
The Hawks still couldn’t hit when it counted. The Hawks were 1 for 10 in game 5 with runners in scoring position. They stranded seven runners including runners on third-base twice and on second-base three times. The worst was in the 8th when Ortiz doubled with no outs. The Hawks were just a run down, but Kokubo, Tamura, and pinch hitter Petagine all couldn’t bring him in and tie the game.

For the second night in a row the Hawks bullpen coughed up more runs. For a team whose biggest strength is its relief pitching, having a bullpen meltdown now is likely fatal.

Could of, should of, would of…
Akiyama pulled Otonari too early. Otonari got yanked after finishing the 5th by striking out Omatsu. He was at 69 pitches thrown; 25 balls, 45 quality pitches (strikes, 2 strike foul balls, and balls put in play for outs). He looked a little fatigued, but with the 9th batter coming up in the 6th followed by a struggling Nishioka and Kiyoto (who had K’ed in his two previous at bats), Otonari should have gotten the ball in the 6th. That would hav eset up the relief pitching perfectly.

Akiyama left two relievers in too long. Falkenborg entered in the 6th and needed just 7 pitches to get through the inning. He got cold sitting on the bench, giving up a lead off double to Iguchi in the next frame followed by double by Saburo that tied the game at 1 all. Morifuku pitched a scoreless 8th, but struggled needing 24 pitches to get around a walk and single that put runners at the corners with only 1 out. He came out again the 9th and after need 12 pitches to get the first two outs he surrendered a double to Nishioka. At that point his pitch count was just too high, but Akiyama kept him in and Kiyoto hit a a two run homer to ice the game.

In the end, the Hawks diverged from their season routine. A combination of Katto, Kanazawa, and Morifuku should have handled the 6th. Settsu should’ve pitch the 7th, Falkenborg the 8th, and Mahara the 9th. When it comes to pitchers, more often than not, you should only stray from a proven routine if things are dire. They weren’t really “dire” in game 5, but they will be in game 6.

Game 6 Preview – Let’s see your cards…

FUKUOKA – October 19, 2010, By Matt Schuellein for Fukuoka Now

Sugiuch Toshiya versus Naruse Yoshihisa

It’s a rematch of game 1 where the Marines took the opener of the series 3-1. All of the things I said about the match up then still apply, but the positions of the two teams have reversed. The Hawks now find themselves one poorly played game from heading home for the season. The Marines came in confident from their sweep of the Lions and quickly took game 1 from the Hawks’ ace. But that elation quickly turned for them. Miscues on the field and sold pitching by the Hawks let the Hawks take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead in the series. But the Marines have been error free for the last two games and now it’s the Hawks with their backs to the wall.

The Hawks are going to have to win this themselves. If the Marines had made no errors the Hawks might have still won games 2 and 3, but it’s not a sure thing… The Hawks will have to figure out how to bring runners home. This means being a little unorthodoxed perhaps, but nothing matters except winning game 6 any way they can. I’m not a big advocate for sacrifice bunting typically, but with no outs in game 5 and the tying run on second, Kokubo struck out on four pitches instead of moving the runner over. The Hawks can’t hope for a big inning, the way they’re batting that’s not likely to happen. They need to manufacture runs and work pitch counts.

It will be tough to beat Sugiuch in consecutive starts, but the ace southpaw has now lost four starts in a row in Climax Season play dating back to 2007. Sugiuchi is a true big game pitcher and the man you want in marque match-ups, however, the Marines have had their success against him and are swinging hot bats. Sugiuch has added pressure now that the bullpen is suspect. It’s a lot to carry, but he’s a competitor that wants the ball in this situation every time.

Naruse’s victory in game 1 was the first time he beat the Hawks all season. Will he be able to repeat his game 1 brilliance or will he fall back on old trends?

Do the “Miracle” Marines have enough fairy dust to keep up with their magical run?

Will the Hawks bats ever wake up?

Will SBM and company redeem themselves?

Will the 2010 season keep going for the Hawks or will they fly south early this season?

Who will get to carry the Pacific League pennant into the Japan Series?

Will my jeans from high school ever fit me again???

The answers are out there in game 6 of the Climax Series 2nd stage (most of them). This is it, it comes down to a single winner-take-all game. The rest of the season is all old news, as is everything that happened in games 1 through 5. This is why people love sports. Sure I wish the Hawks had won 3 and out, but baseball, like life, rarely works out exactly how you want, but we still all root for a happy ending.

GO HAWKS!!!!

Game 6 Recap: Hawks 0 — Marines 7

The Climax Series is a relative new thing. It was put into play in the 2007 season. That year the Marines knocked the Hawks out in the 1st round and with today’s loss the Hawks have yet to win a post season series with the current format.

The Marines deserve credit. They were a team that barely slid into 3rd in the regular season and then had to go into the Lions’ den and face what was considered the strongest team in the P.L. They swept the Saitama Lions and flew down to Fukuoka where they started down a game to a team that had a .614 winning percentage at home.

I was at the final game sitting out in the right field bleachers with the drums, rows of chanting fans, trumpets, flags… Sugiuchi was good, then bad. Falkenborg had a rough outing. The Hawks never got close to scoring a run. Yet you could never tell things weren’t going well with racket the fans around me were making. They were true fans standing in support of their team even when the worst was upon them, past them. When it was all over they stuck around and applauded the other team for their effort and the Hawks for what was certainly a memorable season.

I could talk about how the Hawks only had 4 hits this game. How maybe Wada should have started instead of Sugiuchi, both game 1 and game 6. How Akiyama stuck with a hitless Hasegawa in center field. How letting Matsunaka play the field has cost them several runs this series with balls a better defender could have caught. But, now that it’s over none of that matters. Hopefully this was a learning experience for Akiyama and the younger players. Absorb it, gain some distance, learn from it, and move on.

2011 looks to have quite a few changes for the Hawks. Rumors are that Kawasaki, and Wada will ask to be posted this off season and take their game to America. Tamura will also depart to the U.S., but via free agency. Petagine will likely retire. Kokubo will turn 40 next year. Settsu might try to move to the starting rotation.

In the chute (aka ni-gun) are:
Egawa Tomoaki batted .333 in ni-gun this season and led the team in home runs.
Kosai Yusuke hit .307 in 98 games with 12 dingers.
Former top prospect Oba Shota had a solid year with a 2.99 ERA.

The Hawks need to either trade off position players with value to stock their farm system, or open their wallets and land some big free agents. The Hawks have deep pockets and more money than most PL teams, so even though things look uncertain now they have the resources to revamp for the 2011 campaign. The exodus of some of their core players could be a good thing that forces management to reevaluate and remember that championship teams don’t build themselves and don’t last forever. The end of this season marks the end of the Matsunaka, Kokubo era. (It probably ended back in ’07.) It’s time to move on.

As sad as it is when a season ends with out a championship parade the off season is an exciting time as teams retool, rebuild, and make moves to either strengthen their current roster or build for the future (that’s the theory at least).

Thank you for checking in. Hopefully, Fukuoka Now will be able to cover the SoftBank Hawks 2011 Climax Series. If you have any questions, comments, or complaints I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to email me at superscheu@yahoo.com, I am a baseball junkie.

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