JUNE 2015

PACIFIC LEAGUE UPDATE

 

The Softbank Hawks (43-25-3) moved into first place in June on the back of a league best interleague winning record, sweeps of the Giants and Fighters during June, and 15 wins in their last 20. The Hawks are now 4.5 games ahead of the chasing pack and look to be the quality of the PL this season. The Seibu Lions(39-30-4) have moved into second ahead of early PL frontrunners the Nippon Ham Fighters (40-31-1). The Lions have surged lately going 12-6-2 in their last 20, while the Fighters have only managed .500 ball at 10-10.  The Chiba Lotte Marines (34-35) hold on to 4^th place in the PL, but with a league worst ERA of 4.27, and hitting just .267, they appear to be heading down rather than up at this point. The Rakuten Eagles (32-35-2) are in 5^th place, and the Orix Buffaloes (28-44-1) remain in last place; 17 games back from 1^st, and 12.5 out of the last playoff spot.

 

Noteworthy
·         Takeya Nakamura (SEI) is tied with Sho Nakata (NH) of the Fighters in the PL HR standings with 21HRS apiece. Nobuhiro Matsuda (SOF) of the Hawks sits in third with 20HRs.
·         Nakamura (SEI) also leads the RBI standings with 67 RBIs (5 ahead of Nakata on 61).
·         The PL continued their dominance of interleague this season going 61-44-3 against the CL.
·         Yuki Yanagita (SOF)  leads the PL in batting average, hitting .382 16 48 in 267ABs so far this year.
·         Two-way Fighters star Shohei Otani leads the PL in wins with 9 (9-1), and in ERA at 1.47. Otani lost his first game of the season on June 6^th during inter-league against the Tigers. His batting has been less than impressive this year, currently Otani is hitting .176 with 3HRS and 10RBIs in 85Abs. Last season Otani hit .274 10 31 in 212 ABs.

·         The Buffaloes poor start to the season resulted in Japan’s first managerial casualty of the season with Buffaloes  manager Moriwaki stepped down after almost 3 years at the club.

·         Former CL MVP and HR king Alex Ramirez is back in NPB as a roving instructor for the Orix Buffaloes.