itoi

Gone in 2022, New in 2023

Gone in 2022, New in 2023

Happy New Year to everyone out there. We are slowly but surely creeping closer to the start of spring training, which means it is time to catch everyone up to speed on roster movements that have taken place between the last playoff game of 2022 and the beginning of official team workouts in 2023! Here…

Top 10 Tigers Stories of 2022

Top 10 Tigers Stories of 2022

2022 was the Year of the Tiger, and was supposed to be our year to win the pennant. As you surely know by now, that did not happen. But that does not mean it was not a year to remember! There was a lot to rejoice (and lament) over during the past 365 days. Here’s…

Pretty Cool Couple o’ Days

Pretty Cool Couple o’ Days

The last couple of days have really blown the summer heat out of Japan. But that’s not the “cool” I’m talking about here. It’s the experiences I’ve been a part of. First of all, dearly departing Yoshio Itoi put out a “contest” of sorts on his Twitter account and was giving away signed retirement towels….

Itoi Announces Retirement

Itoi Announces Retirement

Source: Tigers Official Outfielder Yoshio Itoi announced his retirement on Tuesday morning after 19 seasons of professional baseball. Originally drafted as a pitcher by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2003, Itoi won multiple Golden Gloves, a batting title, a stolen base title, and played in many all-star games as well. He spent four seasons with…

Games 7-9 @ Giants: Bombed Out of the Dome

Games 7-9 @ Giants: Bombed Out of the Dome

All I’ve got to say is that the Tigers have now set the Central League record for most consecutive losses to start a season. When you give up seven home runs combined in the first three innings of games, you won’t win too often. Either the pitching needs work or the game-calling does. Or there…

Game 1 vs. Swallows: It’s Not How You Start…

Game 1 vs. Swallows: It’s Not How You Start…

The 2022 season started with a ton of uncertainty for Hanshin Tigers fans. Can we trust Shintaro Fujinami to start the year well? Is he worthy of the Opening Day starter role? Is Teruaki Sato ready to hit cleanup after a disastrous second half last season? Why is Kento Itohara batting 5th? Can 40-year-old Yoshio…