In an effort to pull their way out of second division, the Tigers splurged on several foreign players shortly after the 1997 season ended. While Hanshin's hitting will probably improve, their pitching appears in trouble. With only Keiichi Yabu the team's only reliable starter and Tetsuro Kawajiri sitting on the sidelines, the Tigers are going to have a tough time winning games, no matter how many runs they score.

Pitchers:

Keiichi Yabu: A generally solid pitcher since joining the offense-impoverished team in 1994, Keiichi Yabu has compiled a career 37-46 record with a 3.44 ERA and 484 strikeouts. In his best season, 1995, the Tigers hurler compiled a 2.98 ERA with 118 strikeouts in 196 innings yet still earned a miserable 7-13 record.

Though having reasonably good control, Yabu can still be wild. In 1997, the right-handed pitcher gave up 62 walks (a career high) while leading the Central League in "deadballs" (or hit batters: 10) and wild pitches (9). The same year, the four-year veteran earned a 10-12 record with 111 strikeouts and a 3.59 ERA.

Toshiro Yufune: The Tigers top southpaw starter, seven-year veteran Toshiro Yufune came off a bad 1996 outing (5-14, 4.84 ERA) and had a relatively good year in 1997. Pitching 136 2/3 innings, the lefty posted a 10-6 record with 76 strikeouts and a 3.56 ERA. Since 1991, the '90 first-round draft pick has earned a 53-66 record with 821 strikeouts and a 3.74 ERA.

Tetsuro Kawajiri: One of the finest young hurlers on the Tigers pitching staff, Tetsuro Kawajiri had a very odd (on any other team, perhaps) 1997 season. Switching between starting and reliever roles, the right-handed hurler earned a 3.92 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 124 innings.

However, Kawajiri posted the league's worst record in 1997 with five wins, fourteen losses and two saves (a .263 winning percentage) while only giving up ten home runs and 38 walks--virtually an exact repeat of teammate Toshiro Yufune's 1996 numbers. Though he didn't surrender many walks or home runs, Kawajiri allowed more hits per game (10.6 average) than any other CL pitcher.

Coming off a really good 1996 finish (13-9, 3.26 ERA, 127 K, 41 walks in 157 1/3 innings), his 1997 outing did not really show what the pitcher could do. A three-year veteran, twenty-nine year old Kawajiri has compiled a career 3.39 ERA with 321 strikeouts and a 26-34 record.

Because of his participation in a widespread tax evasion conspiracy, Kawajiri was given a five-month suspension by the Tigers which will keep him out of most of the 1998 season.

Minoru Kasai: One of the Tigers' best relievers in 1997, right-handed Minoru Kasai earned sixteen save points with a 6-3 record, 10 saves and a 1.51 ERA in 59 2/3 innings. In his eight year career, the 1989 first-round draft pick has earned a 25-28 record with eleven saves and a 3.54 ERA.

Atsunori Ito: Playing with Orix and Yokohama before joining the Tigers in 1997, Atsunori Ito has compiled a 39-44 career record with eleven saves. In his first year with Hanshin, the right-handed reliever posted an 8-5 record with eight saves and a 2.67 ERA.

Doug Creek: A 29-year old lefty, Doug Creek earned a 1-2 record with a 6.75 ERA, 14 strikeouts and 14 walks in 13 1/3 innings with the San Francisco Giants in 1997. Since his 1995 debut with the St. Louis Cardinals, he has compiled in 1-4 career record in 72 games.

Ben Rivers: Pitched in Taiwan in 1997.

Catchers:

Akihiro Yano: Traded from the Dragons after the 1997 season, twenty-nine year old Akiro Yano served as Chunichi's back-up catcher and occasional center fielder. It's unclear where the Tigers intend to play him. In 1996, Yano had a chance to play semi-regularly and hit well, batting .346 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs in 56 games (104 at bats). A year later, his numbers fell back to normal (.252, 3, 19 in 214 at bats). Since 1991, Yano has compiled a career .262 average with 14 home runs.

Infielders:

Yasauki Taiho: Traded from Chunichi after a disappointing 1997 season, first baseman Yasauki Taiho had little future with the Dragons. A public relations disaster, Taiho created an international incident when he pushed American umpire Mike DiMuro, prompting the foreign ump to leave Japan. A few weeks later, Taiho was suspended for throwing a bat (it hit the chain-link fence surrounding the playing field) at hecklers who were chanting, "Go back to Taiwan."

More damning, however, the thirty-four year old Taiwanese slugger demonstrated that his batting (38 home runs with a .294 average in 1996) depended on the short outfield walls at old Nagoya Stadium. In the newly opened Nagoya Dome, Taiho's batting average plummeted to .240 with 12 home runs. In his nine years with the Dragons, the left-handed first baseman hit 208 home runs and batted .271 with 550 RBIs.

Yutaka Wada: A quiet player who consistently leads his team (if only they would follow...), Yutaka Wada helped the Tigers compete for the league's top spot during the opening months of the 1997 season. Setting a new record by opening the season with a 24-game hitting streak, the second baseman earned the April Central League MVP. Finishing the season with a .300 average, the thirty-five year old infielder hit two home runs with five triples and 26 RBIs.

Never showing much power during his thirteen-season career, Wada has compiled a .295 lifetime batting average, collected 326 RBIs, while hitting 21 home runs and 37 triples.

Katsuhiro Hiratsuka: Despite second baseman Wada's hitting streak and .301 season average, Katsuhiro Hiratsuka was the Tigers' top offensive threat in 1997. Batting .293 with seventeen home runs, the converted first baseman (used to play right field) led the team in on-base percentage (.361), slugging (.444), hits (142), doubles (22), and total bases (215).

Usually a right fielder, Hiratsuka was converted to first base for much of the 1997 season. Before joining the Tigers in 1996, the right-handed batter served as a utility outfielder and minor league player in the Yokohama and Orix organizations. Though seeing little action until joining Hanshin, Hiratsuka has compiled a career .256 average with 35 home runs and 143 RBIs.

Osamu Hoshino: A utility player that bounced all around the Hanshin infield in 1997, twenty-seven year old Osamu Hoshino batted .252 with twenty doubles, three triples, and five steals in 117 games. There must be something unmanly about wearing glasses in Osaka because Hoshino struck out 70 times while only earning twenty walks (Tigers outfielders Tsuyoshi Shinjo and Shinjiro Hiyama have the same problem). A career .264 batter with virtually no power, the myopic platoon infielder has clubbed four home runs since 1993.

Desi Wilson: A twenty-eight year old first baseman and outfielder in the San Francisco Giants' AAA Phoenix affiliate, Desi Wilson played 41 games in 1996, batting .271 with two home runs and 12 RBIs. Signed by the Tigers in October 1997, it's not yet clear what defensive role Wilson will play with Hanshin in 1998.

Dave Hansen: An eight-season veteran infielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, 28-year old Dave Hansen batted .311 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 1997. In 584 Major League games, he has compiled a career .267 average with 15 homers, and 104 RBIs. Hansen signed a one-year contract with Hanshin estimated at $800,000.

Outfielders:

Alonzo Powell: Winner of three straight Central League batting titles (1994-96), Alonzo Powell played for the Dragons from 1992-97. Chunichi's regular right fielder those six years, the San Francisco native belted 107 home runs with 369 RBIs while batting .318. After batting just .253 in 1997, the Dragons released the six year veteran. Taking a chance that his 1997 season was just an off-year, the Tigers signed Powell to play for Hanshin in '98.

Tsuyoshi Shinjo: Probably few members of the Central League all-star squad have been less deserving of the honor than Tsuyoshi Shinjo. A career .246 batter, the twenty-six year old center fielder has compiled 77 home runs with 280 RBIs in the last seven years. A generally decent fielder, Shinjo only committed six errors last year.

In 1997, the center fielder belted twenty home runs with 68 RBIs and three triples. However, he batted .232 while striking out 122 times and only earning 44 walks (the worst ratio in the CL). Apparently, the only folks with worse eyesight are those Hanshin fans who continually vote Shinjo to the all-star team. Since he's young and handsome, his popularity probably has more to do with beefcake than batting.

Shinjiro Hiyama: A six year Tigers veteran, outfielder Shinjiro Hiyama earned a permanent place in the Hanshin line-up by clubbing 22 home runs with 73 RBIs in 1996. Belting 23 homers with 82 RBIs in 1997, the right-handed slugger batted a disappointing .227.

Considering his low batting average and his poor discipline at the plate (150 strikeouts against 68 walks), one gains the impression that Hiyama steps up into the batter's box, closes his eyes, and swings with all his might. Since 1992, the six-year veteran has compiled a .249 average with 57 home runs, 205 RBIs, 371 strikeouts and 168 walks.