Month: April 2021

Game 21 @ Giants: Okamoto’ed

Game 21 @ Giants: Okamoto’ed

Riding an eight-game winning streak, the Tigers looked to continue the romp as two players (Koji Chikamoto and Jefry Marte) went yard in the first inning of this one… but that was pretty much all the action we got. Three more hits the rest of the way but nary a runner crossing home. Meanwhile, starter…

Game 20 @ Giants: Clean-Up Great; Streak at 8!

Game 20 @ Giants: Clean-Up Great; Streak at 8!

Though the Tigers were riding a 7-game winning streak heading into this one, the Giants were also on a 6-game tear of their own. Without some of their recovering Covid-infected players (Maru, Nakajima, Wheeler, Wakabayashi). Plus, there were rumors that Eric Thames and Justin Smoak could be activated for this series. No worries, though. Our…

Game 19: Undefeated in the Uglies!

Game 19: Undefeated in the Uglies!

You’ve no doubt seen the uniforms that Hanshin has revealed they will wear for the Ultra Summer week just before the Olympic (?) break. If not, highlights from the game are viewable below the scorecard… just brace yourself accordingly. This game got ugly in some ways, as the relievers nearly blew an 8-run lead… but…

Game 18 vs. Swallows: One-Man Gang!

Game 18 vs. Swallows: One-Man Gang!

The summer uniforms came out in all their glory tonight. You know the ones. They would look great on Osakan old ladies, but what are they doing on your favorite ballplayers? Never mind that. Shintaro Fujinami went 5+ innings of shutout ball, fanning six and getting key outs when he needed them, and he also…

Game 17 vs. Carp: Two Bombs and a Shutout!

Game 17 vs. Carp: Two Bombs and a Shutout!

These Hanshin Tigers starting pitchers keep getting the job done. Entering tonight’s game, Takumi Akiyama was the “worst” of the rotation with a 2.75 ERA. All he did was go out and pitch 7 shutout innings to lower that number to 1.80 (which is still just 4th best on the staff). And as for the…

Game 16 vs. Carp: Almost Perfect Game

Game 16 vs. Carp: Almost Perfect Game

Because of persistent rain on Tuesday night, Hanshin Tigers fans had to wait an extra evening to see a rematch between ace pitchers Masato Morishita and Yuki Nishi. Last time, the sophomore in red did just enough to get the win, as the Tigers dropped a 1-0 decision in Hiroshima. This time, things would be…

Game 15 @ Baystars: Sweeping Out of Kanto Again!

Game 15 @ Baystars: Sweeping Out of Kanto Again!

Two weekends ago, when the 2021 season began, Hanshin Tigers fans across the globe were elated when the team left the Tokyo region with three straight wins. They were facing the defending cellar-dwellers at that time. This time, they faced the current basement residents in the Yokohama DeNA Baystars. Different team, same result: one tight…

Game 14 @ Baystars: First Team to 10 Wins!

Game 14 @ Baystars: First Team to 10 Wins!

This game was a well-fought battle through eight innings. Koyo Aoyagi was his usual (?) steady (?) self, throwing 7 shutout innings and allowing just 5 base runners. When the Tigers got the chance in the ninth inning, they put this one out of reach with a huge Jerry Sands home run and a bunch…

Game 13 @ Baystars: Big-Bodied Bullies

Game 13 @ Baystars: Big-Bodied Bullies

Anyone who has been a Hanshin Tigers fan in recent years knows that Yokohama Stadium is like our home away from home. (In the past five seasons, the Baystars were 170W 110L = .607 at home against the other 10 NPB teams, but just 18W 39L = .315 against Hanshin.) The trend continued on Friday…

Episode 125: First Impressions of 2021

Episode 125: First Impressions of 2021

Hosts T-Ray and Sanjay go over the first 10 games of the Tigers’ 2021 regular season, and then give their first impressions of the way the team has been managed, as well as the starters, rotation and bullpen. Who’s overperforming? Who’s underperforming? Who needs to be swapped out, and for whom? Find out here! Also,…