Interleague play begins today! If you are like me, you may not know a whole lot about the teams the Tigers will be facing over the next three weeks. Here is a brief look at each of them, in schedule order:
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Joined NPB in: 2005
Also Known Simply As: Rakuten Eagles
Located in: Sendai, Miyagi
Won Championships in: 2013
Current Record (rank): 20-23-2 (5th)
Managed by: Hiromoto “Dave” Okubo
Top Hitter 2015 (avg): Ginji Akaminai (.318)
Top Pitcher 2015 (ERA): Takahiro Shiomi (2.19)
Other Notable Players (position): Kazuo Matsui (MLB returnee), Yuki Matsui (0.43 ERA, 10 saves), Kazuya Fujita (2014 Best 9)
Face Tigers on (where): May 26-28 (Koshien Stadium)
Saitama Seibu Lions
Joined NPB in: 1950
Previously Known as: Nishitetsu Clippers (1950), Nishitetsu Lions (1951-1972), Taiheiyo Club Lions (1973-1976), Crown Lighter Lions (1977-1978), Seibu Lions (1979-2007)
Located in: Tokorozawa, Saitama
Won Championships in: 1956, 1957, 1958, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2008
Current Record (rank): 24-20-2 (3rd)
Managed by: Norio Tanabe
Top Hitter 2015 (avg): Shogo Akiyama (.346)
Top Pitcher 2015 (ERA): Kazuhisa Makita (2.14)
Other Notable Players (position): Takeya Nakamura (11 HR, 42 RBI so far), Hideto Asamura (.325 avg), Ernesto Mejia (2014 Best 9), Tomomi Takahashi (0.95 ERA, 14 SV)
Face Tigers on (where): May 29-31 (Seibu Dome)
Chiba Lotte Marines
Joined NPB in: 1950
Previously Known as: Mainichi Orions (1950-1957), Mainichi Daiei Orions (1958-1963), Tokyo Orions (1964-1968), Lotte Orions (1969-1991)
Located in: Chiba City, Chiba
Won Championships in: 1950, 1974, 2005, 2010
Current Record (rank): 21-23-0 (4th)
Managed by: Tsutomu Itoh
Top Hitter 2015 (avg): Ikuhiro Kiyota (.355)
Top Pitcher 2015 (ERA): Hideaki Wakui (2.59)
Other Notable Players (reason): Tadahito Iguchi (MLB returnee), Luis Cruz (11 HR, 40 RBI so far)
Face Tigers on (where): June 2-4 (Koshien Stadium)
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
Joined NPB in: 1946
Previously Known as: Senators (1946), Tokyu Flyers (1947, 1949-1953), Tokuei Flyers (1948), Toei Flyers (1954-1972), Nittaku Home Flyers (1973), Nippon Ham Fighters (1974-2003)
Located in: Sapporo, Hokkaido
Won Championships in: 1962, 2006
Current Record (rank): 27-19-0 (1st)
Managed by: Hideki Kuriyama
Top Hitter 2015 (avg): Kensuke Kondoh (.323)
Top Pitcher 2015 (ERA): Shohei Ohtani (1.66)
Other Notable Players (position): Sho Nakata (16 home runs already), Kensuke Tanaka (MLB returnee), Mitsuo Yoshikawa (2012 PL MVP)
Face Tigers on (where): June 5-8 (Koshien Stadium)
Fukuoka Softbank Hawks
Joined NPB in: 1938
Previously Known as: Nankai (1938-1943), Kinki Nippon (1944), Kinki Great Ring (1945), Nankai Hawks (1946-1988), Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (1989-2004)
Located in: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Won Championships in: 1959, 1964, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2014
Current Record (rank): 24-18-3 (2nd)
Managed by: Kimiyasu Kudoh
Top Hitter 2015 (avg): Yuki Yanagita (.356)
Top Pitcher 2015 (ERA): Kenji Ohtonari (2.48)
Other Notable Players (reason): Akira Nakamura (top 5 hitter), Dae-Lee Ho (top 5 hitter), Seiichi Uchikawa (WBC team 2013), Kenta Imamiya (2014 Best 9), Tadashi Settsu (WBC team 2013), Nao Higashihama (my former student)
Face Tigers on (where): June 9-11 (Yafuoku Dome)
Orix Buffaloes
J
oined NPB in: 1936
Previously Known as: Hankyu (1936-1946), Hankyu Braves (1947-1988), Orix Braves (1989-1990), Orix Blue Wave (1991-2004)*
Located in: Osaka, Osaka
Won Championships in: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1996
* Merged with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2004.
Current Record (rank): 17-30-1 (6th)
Managed by: Hiroshi Moriwaki
Top Hitter 2015 (avg): Masahiro Nishino (.362)
Top Pitcher 2015 (ERA): Brandon Dickson (1.44)
Other Notable Players (reason): Yoshio Itoi (2014 PL batting champ), Hiroyuki Nakajima (MLB returnee), Chihiro Kaneko (2014 Sawamura Award winner)
Face Tigers on (where): June 12-14 (Kyocera Dome)