In 1997, the Marines had the worst offense in the Pacific League. The addition of Major League all-star Julio Franco may make a difference, but it's unlikely he can turn the entire team around single-handily. After ace pitcher Hideki Irabu defected, two of the team's top hurlers, Satoru Komiyama and Tomohiro Kuroki, helped fill the gap. With relievers Yasuyuki Kawamoto and Toshihide Narimoto, Lotte has a great pair of closers.

Pitchers:

Satoru Komiyama: Lotte's top starting pitcher after the departure of Hideki Irabu, Satoru Komiyama virtually filled the gap left by their defector. Leading the Pacific League in 1997 with a 2.49 ERA, the right-handed hurler notched an 11-9 record with 130 strikeouts over 161 2/3 innings. Komiyama only surrendered 30 walks and eight home runs.

Because Lotte's poor offense provides little support for their pitchers, Komiyama may never have a winning career record. After eight seasons, he's produced 69 wins and 90 losses with a 3.49 ERA and 996 strikeouts. At thirty-two, he has a few more good seasons left in his arm. The only Japanese pitcher who wears futuristic amber-tinted eyewear, Komiyama is easy to pick out of a crowd.

Tomohiro Kuroki: Lotte's number two pitcher in 1997 and another victim of the team's poor offense, Tomohiro Kuroki earned an 12-15 record with a 2.99 ERA and 179 strikeouts. While pitching 240 2/3 innings, the right-handed workhorse led the Pacific League with thirteen complete games, three games without a walk, fifteen losses, thirteen wild pitches, and 24 home runs surrendered. At times very disciplined, the young right-hander is largely unpredictable.

In three seasons, the twenty-five year old thrower has compiled a 23-28 record with a lifetime 3.29 ERA with 327 strikeouts. With a bit more control and consistency, Kuroki may develop into one of the league's best pitchers.

Yasuhiko Yabuta: In his second full season, Yasuhiko Yabuta didn't improve much on his rookie year. Posting a 5-9 record and a 3.94 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 1997, his career numbers now stand at 9-15, 3.82 ERA and 132 strikeouts.

Toshihide Narimoto: With Lotte scoring so few runs, Toshihide Narimoto fills the crucial role of protecting the Marines' late-inning leads. One of Japan's most effective firemen in recent years, in 1997 the twenty-nine year old right-hander had surgery and was out for most of the season. From his 1993 rookie debut to 1996, Narimoto earned 63 saves, a 20-19 record and career 2.83 ERA.

Yasuyuki Kawamoto: The best Marines reliever in 1997, Yasuyuki Kawamoto easily filled the closer role when ace Toshihide Narimoto had surgery. With a 6-6 record and 1.96 ERA, the thirty year old southpaw saved 25 games for Lotte. After compiling 84 career saves, a 28-27 record, and lifetime 2.86 ERA, it will be interesting to see if Kawamoto keeps the closing role when Narimoto recovers.

Shane Dennis: One of two players coming to Lotte in a deal that gave the San Diego Padres negotiating rights to Hideki Irabu, Shane Dennis got off to a slow start in 1997. By the all-star break, he had compiled a 7.31 ERA though he improved marginally, finishing the season 0-3 with 36 strikeouts, 29 walks, and a 5.45 ERA. In one interview, he mentioned that he's usually a slow starter, and that may explain why Lotte put him in for 33 innings on the varsity squad. Despite the difficult situation, the 27-year old has a good attitude and a decent chance of improving.

Mark Holzemar: A 29 year old southpaw who appeared in 14 games with the Seattle Marines in in 1997, Mark Holzemar compiled an 0-0 record with a 6.00 ERA.

Joe Crawford: Playing for the New York Mets in 1997, 28 year old lefty Joe Crawford earned a 4-3 record while compiling a 3.30 ERA in 19 games.

Catchers:

Kenji Yoshitsuru: Of Lotte's three or four platoon catchers, Kenji Yoshitsuru was the most reliable--but not by much. Playing 98 games in 1997, he batted .229 with little power or speed. Since 1993, the 27-year old backstop has compiled a .225 career average with one home run, three doubles and five stolen bases. Lotte's two main backup catchers, are Masaumi Shimizu and Tasuku Hashimoto. Neither have shown much hitting ability.

Infielders:

Julio Franco: Making his second appearance with the Marines, 37 year old Julio Franco may be able to give Lotte some much needed offense. In 1995, he hit .306 with 10 home runs for the Marines, but reportedly returned to the Major Leagues because he was unhappy with the team's decision to release successful manager Bobby Valentine. Spending the last two seasons with the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers, the Dominican DH batted .270 with seven homers and 44 RBIs in 1997

Koichi Hori: One of the team's best hitters in recent years, third and second baseman Koichi Hori had a disappointing 1997 season. In the two previous years, the right-handed lead-off hitter batted .309 and .312, but his average fell to .272 last year.

Maybe being shifted around the infield had something to do with it. Previously a shortstop, Hori was moved to second, but spent much of the season substituting for sidelined Kiyoshi Hatsushiba at third.

A career .279 hitter, the twenty-eight year old infielder has moderate power (eleven homers in 1995, sixteen in '96, but only nine in '97) and can steal bases if so directed (fifteen last year). If Hori can't improve in 1997, it could mean another year in the cellar for the Marines.

Kiyoshi Hatsushiba: Under manager Bobby Valentine in 1995, third baseman Kiyoshi Hatsushiba had his best season, batting .301 with 25 home runs and leading the league with 80 RBIs. Ever since, however, the thirty-one year old clean-up hitter hasn't been able to pull things together.

Batting .264 in 1996, Hatsushiba spent a large part of the following season sidelined, hitting only .220 with seven homers, and 35 RBIs in 75 games. Whatever the struggling infielder did in 1995, he needs to find again. Another season like 1997 could relegate Hatsushiba to platoon status. Since 1989, the 31-year old infielder has compiled a lifetime .264 batting average with 118 home runs.

Makoto Kosaka: One of the most exciting players to burst onto the Japanese professional baseball scene in 1997, little Makoto Kosaka (168 cm, five-foot-six) swiped the record for most stolen bases by a rookie (45) and replaced it with his own mark of 56.

In the first month of the season, the speedy shortstop batted .352, earning him the Pacific League MVP title for April. Twenty-four year old Kosaka was only the fourth Rookie to ever be so honored in PL history. By June, his image was on all of the Marines' advertisements. In July, Orix Manager Akira Ogi picked Kosaka to join the Pacific League all-star team.

Although he packs little power (one home run), the fall 1996 fifth-round draft-pick got seven triples (tied for second highest in the league) while batting .261. Though he committed fourteen errors, his defense is amazing given his ability to reach balls that would fly past other infielders.

Soft-spoken and intensely shy, Kosaka suffered through his first televised interviews staring at his shoes, unable to look the camera in the lens. With such speed, energy, and a great attitude, watching Kosaka play is well worth buying a ticket to Chiba Marine Stadium.

Outfielders:

Takashi Tachikawa: Though only hitting .172 in his first year at the varsity level (1996), reserve outfielder Takashi Tachikawa played semi-regularly last year, batting .274 with seven home runs in 76 games. If he keeps the same pace next season, the twenty-two year old center fielder might be headed for a regular role on the team.

Kenji Morozumi: Playing at times in all the outfield positions and occasionally entering games as a pinch runner and hitter, Kenji Morozumi worked most of the 1997 season. A lifetime .272 hitter, the twenty-eight year old batted .258 last year. Reasonably fast, Morozumi can steal bases, but with one career home run, he has little power.

Mitsuchika Hirai: Despite leading the Pacific League with a .314 average in 1991, thirty-one year old Mitsuchika Hirai has grown less impressive with age. Sidelined most of the 1997 season, the left-handed outfielder batted .245 with five home runs in 93 games. Since 1989, Hirai has compiled a career .265 batting average with 24 home runs. In 1994, he led the PL with six triples.

Iwao Omura: A career .264 hitter who still strikes out a lot, Iwao Omura played most of the 1997 season in right field. At the plate, he had a bit of trouble, batting .233 with three home runs in 73 games. At twenty-eight, Omura can expect a few more good seasons like the one he had in 1996--eight home runs and a .312 average. If the Marines pick up a few decent foreign outfielders, Omura could have a hard time playing semi-regularly.

Mark Carreon: Practically daring Lotte to dump him after the first season of his two year contract, Mark Carreon batted .279 with fourteen home runs in 1997. Determined not to let him off the hook, the Marines will apparently keep him around until his contract expires or he flounders. Often it's a rule of thumb to give foreign players the benefit of the doubt--they have a tough job in difficult circumstances.

But the way Carreon carried himself in 1997 proves he's just another bum going through the motions to get his paycheck. It's because of half-ass players like Carreon that hardworking and successful foreigners like Yokohama's Bobby Rose have a tough time getting multi-year deals from their clubs.