A look back at 1997: The Tigers had a great 1997 season, meaning they avoided the cellar for the first time in three years.

Hanshin did get a small jump at the beginning of the season, winning three of their first four games. But in the next two weeks, the team dropped nine out of ten games. Then, after winning seven games and losing one, the team finished April with an amazing (for the Tigers) 11-11 record. By the end of June, attendance at Koshien Stadium was way up partly because the Tigers were still 33-34, and with a little luck might stay in the pennant race.

By the all-star break in late July, the team had dropped to fifth place, where they would stay most of the next two months. At the end of the season, the Tigers had compiled a 62-73 record, three games above sixth-place Chunichi. Though the Hanshin batted .244 (second worst of all twelve pro teams), Tigers pitchers compiled a 3.69 team ERA, third in the league and fifth over all. The team's hitting essentially remained the same as the previous two years, though Hanshin's ERA improved dramatically over their 4.12 posting in 1996.

Pitching: Because of Koshien Stadium's reputation as a hitter's nightmare, the team's pitching may not be as good as statistics indicate. Still, Hanshin's pitching improved in 1997, as their team ERA dropped to 3.69 from 4.12 the year before.

Three of the Tigers' starting pitchers, Keichi Yabu (3.59 ERA, 10-12), Toshiro Yufune (3.56, 10-6), and Yoshiya Takeuchi all improved over their previous outings. And all are young enough to have potential for next season. In contrast, Hanshin's best hurler in 1996, Tetsuro Kawajiri turned in his worst performance a year later. Though compiling a 3.92 ERA in 124 innings, the twenty-eight year old pitcher earned a 5-14 record with two saves.

Offense: At a pitcher's park like Koshien, Hanshin's team batting average probably understates their actual abilities. For the last three years, Tiger's batters have hit .244, .245 and .244 respectively. Even weighed against the team's home park, those numbers are pretty miserable.

Only two of Hanshin's batters hit over .260, second baseman Yutaka Wada (.300) and outfielder Katsuhiro Hiratsuka (.293). Of the two, Hiratsuka clearly had a better season, compiling a .361 on-base percentage (to Wada's .346) while slugging .444 (versus .385) with seventeen home runs (two), 68 RBIs (26) and 22 doubles (17).

Neither of Hanshin's top two power hitters batted well. Though clubbing twenty and twenty-three home runs, Tsuyoshi Shinjo hit .232 with a .306 on base percentage while Shinjiro Hiyama batted .227 with a .333 OBP.

With their pitching improved, the Tigers set out after the 1997 season to build an offense that will go in the same direction. Picking up Yasuaki Taiho and Akihiro Yano in a trade with Chunichi, as well as Alonzo Powell after the Dragons released him, it appears Hanshin is getting serious (if not wise) in their attempt to build a contender. Both Powell and Taiho hit poorly with Chunichi in 1997 and are going to have a tough time resurrecting their careers at Koshien.

Top Player: Yutaka Wada. One Hanshin's most consistent batters, Wada has compiled a .295 career average since 1985. Though not as flashy as others, Wada quietly does his job without much fanfare. In 1997, the thirty-five year old second baseman began the season with a twenty-four game hitting streak, helping Hanshin get off to a rare good start. Never showing much power, Wada hit two home runs during the remainder of the season while finishing with a .300 average.

Surprise Player: Yoshiya Takeuchi. In his first four years, Takeuchi's best outing came in 1995 with a 10-9 record and a 4.02 ERA. In 1997, the right-handed twenty-six year old earned an 8-6 record in 140 1/3 innings and a 3.01 ERA. Assuming he doesn't follow the example of other young Hanshin pitchers, Takeuchi should do well in 1998.

Biggest Disappointment: Mike Greenwell. The highly touted American slugger came to Japan a month late, played for one week, broke a bone in his foot and retired. Tsuyoshi Shinjo might have been a big disappointment (batting .232), but he was never a very good player so he didn't have far to fall. It's hard to be disappointed when a mediocre player fulfills his potential. Pitcher Tetsuro Kawajiri might also deserve the honor after posting a 5-14 record.

Most over-rated: Tsuyoshi Shinjo may be a decent defensive center fielder with a powerful bat, but he strikes out far too often. So starved are Hanshin fans for a genuine star that Shinjo, who batted .232 with a .301 on base percentage in 1997, got voted onto the Central League all-star squad. Perhaps there's a lot of lead in Osaka drinking water.

New Faces: First baseman Yasuaki Taiho and catcher/outfielder Akihiro Yano joined Hanshin in a trade that sent Koichi Sekikawa and Teruyoshi Kuji to Hanshin. The Tigers also signed Alonzo Powell, after the Dragons released him, and minor leaguer Desi Wilson. Both players will presumably work in the Hanshin outfield while Dave Hansen, an eight year veteran with the Dodgers and Cubs who batted .311 in 1997, will likely join the Tigers' infield. A 29-year old lefty, Doug Creek and Ben Rivers, who spent 1997 in Taiwan, should help out Hanshin's weak pitching staff.

Strongest area: With a questionable pitching staff and lackluster offense, Hanshin's defense is probably the team's strongest area by default. With the addition of Alonzo Powell, Yasuaki Taiho, Akihiro Yano and Desi Wilson, the Tigers' offense could radically improve.

Weakest area: Virtually everything that happens between the foul lines. Currently offense appears to be the team's greatest challenge. Unless Akihiro Yano becomes Hanshin's regular catcher, the Tigers will also have big backstop problems. While Tetsuharu Kawajiri pitched rather ineffectively in 1997, he was given a five month suspension by the Tigers for his part in a tax evasion scam that will leave him sidelined for much of 1998. Keiichi Yabu may be a fine pitcher, but he can't carry the team alone.

Biggest question mark: Alonzo Powell and Yasuaki Taiho. With one of the worst offenses in Japan, the Tigers desperately need to insert some punch in their line-up. Powell and Taiho both come off of terrible seasons with Chunichi. If their poor results had more to do with moving to the Nagoya Dome, they may succeed in lifting Hanshin out of bottom half of the CL standings. However, both are aging (Powell 33, Taiho 34), and it's unclear if they can rebound. Desi Wilson's potential also remains a large mystery.

Secret weapon: Closers Atsunori Ito and Minoru Kasai together gathered 32 save points in 1997. Kasai, a thirty-three year old right-hander who's never been terribly successful, earned a 6-3 record with ten saves and a 1.51 ERA. At thirty-five, Ito finished the 1997 season with an 8-5 record, eight saves and a 2.67 ERA. Both are aging, so it's unclear if the two-man relief team will perform as well in 1998.

Fading star: Yasuaki Taiho had a lot of trouble getting hits and clubbing home runs at the Nagoya Dome in 1997. Since he's thirty-four and slowing down, Koshien Stadium's deep power alleys probably won't help the aging slugger resurrect his career. Alonzo Powell, likewise, was given a second chance by the Tigers, but it's unlikely he'll win another batting title at Koshien Stadium. Nagoya Stadium was a great hitters park with a small foul territory. Powell will be doing very well if he hits over .300 in 1998.