楽(Raku)Report

@ Seibu Lions, Series Loss 3-0

Game 1 - 4/29

I've been impressed with the way that manager Hajime Miki has handled the club so far this year, giving chances to players who had previously been stuck on the farm team, taking established players out of the lineup for lacking focus, etc., but what happened in the top of the 2nd inning today (1:11 into the highlight video below) really had me scratching my head. In a move that was like something out of a high school baseball game, the Eagles manager called for what was apparently a hit and run with a runner on third, one out, and the batter, catcher Kengo Horiuchi, in a 2-2 count. It was just so bizarre to watch. The runner on third in this scenario was Toshiki Abe, who had doubled to start the inning and moved to 3rd on a groundout by Rui Muneyama. Horiuchi came to the plate and, from my memory, quickly got down 0-2 in the count before working it back to 2-2, laying off some breaking balls out of the zone. It's really the setup here that made what happened next so strange.

First of all, Horiuchi is not what I would consider a good contact hitter. He's a pretty good hitting catcher who has shown some power and is surprisingly fleet of foot given his size, but he's not the batter I would think you'd want in a situation where they need to make contact. Abe is also not the kind of speedy guy I would think you'd want at third in a hit-and-run or squeeze situation. So when Horiuchi lunged across the plate on the 2-2 pitch and made a desperate attempt to hit the breaking ball that was about 3 feet off the outside corner of the plate I wondered what on earth was going on. He had just laid off two pitches much closer to the zone so I was shocked that he chased such a bad pitch. Then I realized that Abe was off and running toward home on the pitch after the Lions calmly threw to third and tagged him out in a rundown. It was just so puzzling to me. Maybe there was a breakdown in signs somewhere, but it seemed like Horiuchi knew the play was on or I doubt he would have swung. It's a shame if this gets blamed on the Eagles catcher, I think he's been doing a great job in the absence of the injured Yuma Yasuda and in replacement of Hikaru Ohta who has provided zero offensive upside.

That play did not determine the outcome of the game given Koja's rough outing on the mound, giving up 7 runs on 9 hits and 4 walks in 5 and 2/3 innings, but it did set the tone for another quiet offensive day for the Eagles who managed only one run in the 8th on a bases loaded walk. As a side note, Yoshiaki Watanabe looked lost out in right field today, he had a couple of balls that he completely misplayed and cost the teams runs. I think it's time to bring Ogoh back up from the farm team, he's served his sentence.

Game 2 - 4/30

Ugh, this game felt like a rerun from the first few weeks of the season. Fujii had a fairly solid outing giving up 3 runs in 6 and 2/3 innings of work (just one strikeout though), the Eagles offense failed to put together any meaningful innings offensively, and the Lions cashed in on their opportunities for a 3-1 victory. Rakuten's sole run came on a home run by Daisuke Nakashima in the 3rd. Not much more to say beyond that, although I may want to be careful what I wish for as Yuya Ogoh was recalled from the farm following my request yesterday and he went 0-4 with two strikeouts today. Yikes!

Game 3 - 5/1

The only thing more frustrating than watching this game as a supporter of the Rakuten Eagles must have been watching it as a Seibu Lions fan. The Eagles were no-hit through 4 and 2/3 innings (no-hit through 6 in reality if you don't count the clear error by Nevin in the 5th inning that was scored a hit) and the Lions seemingly had multiple runners on base every inning. Rakuten's starter, Takinaka was pulled after just two innings, throwing 49 pitches with no strikeouts. And yet, after burning through 5 relievers, the Eagles entered the top of the 9th down just one run. With one out, Kohtaro Komori doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch, and Yoshiaki Watanabe drove him in on a groundout to tie the game! In the bottom of the 9th Komori, the Red Hulk, came up big again with runners on 1st and 2nd for the Lions as he gunned down the would-be winning run at home on a ground ball that trickled into left field. It honestly felt like Komori was the only player who wanted to be out there today, he put the team on his back. Unfortunately, the Lions were able to break through in the 10th and walked it off on a base hit by Hiranuma that turned into the game winner when no one fielded Ogoh's throw from the outfield. The ball went all the way to the backstop as pitcher Shoma Fujihira walked behind the plate with his back to the play, rather than backing up the catcher, allowing the winning run to stroll in from 3rd. So ends this three game road series sweep in Saitama, where the Eagles scored just one run in each game. 

Last weekend I thought Rakuten might be heading into this next home series against Orix with a chance to battle it out for first place in the Pacific League. Now it seems like the team is once again in need of some soul searching.

vs. Orix Buffaloes, Series Tie 1-1

Game 1 - 5/2

Rainout. 🌧️

Game 2 - 5/3

Oooopf. Another tough one to watch, I fell asleep in around the 7th inning, but I clearly didn't miss anything as Orix rolled to a 7-0 win over the Eagles. The Buffaloes scored in the first, as all of the Eagles' opponents seem to do this season, and never looked back from there. Takahisa Hayakawa didn't have a great outing, but he kept his team in the game, pitching through 5 and 2/3 innings giving up just 2 runs (4 K, 4 BB). Things didn't truly unravel until the 8th and 9th when Konno and Miyamori gave up 5 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks combined. Again none of the pitching stats make a difference when the team can't score a single run. You can't ask for much more from your pitching staff than 2 runs through 7 innings in a game. It's hard to see solutions moving forward from here other than player starting to hit, everyone who has hit on the farm team is currently starting so there's no one to call up. We have seen how good this team can be when they do hit, it just feels like right now they are in a spot where everyone is pressing and no one is producing.

Note before today's game Shoma Fujihira was sent down to the farm team, I'm waiting to see who they will bring up in his place. Fujihira has struggled in his last several relief appearances this season with just one strikeout in the last 3 1/3 innings he's pitched. I can understand the move here, especially after the game on May 1st in Seibu where Fujihira had his back to the play and failed to back up the catcher on what turned out to be the game winning base-hit. The Eagles will need him to figure things out and get back as soon as possible because he is an integral part of the backend of the team's bullpen.

Game 3 - 5/4

After a week when the Rakuten Eagles offense scored just 3 runs in 4 games, they finally exorcised their offensive demons on Sunday with a 14-3 drubbing of the Orix Buffaloes! The bottom of the Eagles batting order in particular really drove the team's success today. Daisuke Nakashima, Kengo Horiuchi, and Yoshiaki Watanabe went a combined 9/12 with 8 RBI! Really the only bats who were quiet in this one were Hideto Asamura and Maikel Franco which shows how the Eagles can win even when the middle of their order is struggling. The game started off on an inauspicious note with Kishi giving up a run to the visiting Buffaloes as he labored through the first inning. Kishi did not have a great day on the mound although he was able to hold Orix to just 3 runs over his 5 innings of work. Seiryu Uchi pitched a scoreless 3 innings of relief, most likely an indication that he will skip his next start in the rotation. This game was an absolute joy to watch and it was great to see the excitement and relief on the players' faces as they delivered timely hits one after another. You know things are going well when Yuya Ogoh gets in on the action, he had a pinch hit double in the 6th inning. Let's keep things rolling down to Chiba for tomorrow's game against the Marines!

Notes

(5/4/25) Called up: P #26 Haruto Nakagomi 中込陽翔

Sent to the farm: P #72 Satoshi Miyamori 宮森 智志

(5/2/25) Sent to the farm: P #46 Shoma Fujihira 藤平 尚真

(4/30/25) Called up: P #72 Satoshi Miyamori 宮森 智志, OF #51 Yuya Ogoh 小郷 裕哉

Sent to the farm: P #40 Masahiro Ehara 江原 雅裕, OF #50 Atsuki Mutoh 武藤 敦貴

Box Score Source: NPB English