Manager Hiromitsu Ochiai spent two hours today lecturing parents at a Nagoya area pre-school his now 18 year old son once attended, urging them to not try to live through their kids but to encourage them to realize whatever personal dreams they may have by recognizing their individuality. Ochiai also revealed that he has almost no hand in raising his son, leaving it totally to his wife Nobuko. The talk was reportedly very well received. Afterward, Ochiai chided reporters camped out in front of the school for bothering the folks who work there and the parents who use it. 

Hanshin Reliever Kyuji Fujikawa, who is part of Japan's WBC contingent, has had the words "World No. 1" sewn into his glove. 

Aussie pitchers Chris Oxpring and Jeff Williams have given notice that they will not be participating in the WBC for their country this year. Williams had offseason left knee surgery and is using that as his rationale for withdrawing. This is good news for Japan, as during the Athens olympics, they couldn't do a thing with either Oxspring or Williams, who helped Australia to a silver medal. Williams has also had Oxspring read You Gotta Have Wa, the by now classic Robert Whiting Japanese baseball tome that has been an introduction to the subject for so many. 

When Oxspring touched down in Japan today, he was dressed in a three piece suit, which elicited a lot of coments from the Japanese press. Nikkan Sports portrayed Oxspring as looking more like what the Japanese call an "elite businessman" than a foreign ballplayer, who tend to dress more casually on the long trip over. You can judge for yourself  Here . Oxspring was aware of the Japanese penchant for formality and wanted to appear professional. "Is that weird?" he asked reporters.

Outfielder Shane Spencer landed in Japan today and looked much bigger than he was during the 2005 regular season. Spencer disclosed that he is now at 242 pounds after doing serious weight work during the offseason. His first spring in Japan, the ex-Yankee reported overweight, but this time around, he said the added heft is all muscle. 

Pitcher Darwin Cubillan has also checked in and told the press that his younger brother Delwin has been picked up by Toronto and he has a cousin who is an outfielder with Oakland. He also dropped the afro he had last season in favor of a buzzcut, looking now more like a diplomat than a ballplayer ( pic ).. 

Centerfielder Norihiro Akahoshi said that he was suprised by the life on fellow outfielder Osamu Hamanaka's throws today in practice. Hamanaka made a few 250 foot pegs and his prognosis continues to be encouraging. 

Outfielder Go Kida slammed eight homers in 38 batting practice swings today, focusing on his weight transfer. 

Sankei Sports claims that shortstop Takashi Toritani is going to be dropped to sixth this season while first baseman Andy Sheets goes into the two hole. Given last year's stats for the pair (Sheets 145 strikeouts, .301 ARISP, Toritani 115 strikeouts, .251 ARISP), this is a curious decision by manager Akinobu Okada. Their OBP was about the same, but Sheets hasn't been asked to do the things a number two has to since he came to Japan with Hiroshima, and Toritani's stroke is more suited to that role plus it would have given the Tigers another set of legs at the top of the order. Toritani wants to increase his steals this season, but that is going to be tough that far down in the order. 

Former Hanshin hurler Shin Nakagomi has started a new club team called "Samurai Naha." He will be holding tryouts for the new squad on February 19th in Okinawa Prefecture. For now, he is aiming to participate in industrial league tournaments, but would eventually like to join an independent league. For those interested in auditioning, you can show your mettle at Okinawa Kokusai Ground in Ginowan. Be there by 10:00 a.m. to sign up for the tryout, which will then commence at 10:30 a.m. For more info in Japanese, call: 098-898-6501.

Hanshin players held a baseball clinic today for about 200 elementary school age players, lending them a hand on their batting and fielding techniques. 

Tom O'Malley has also entered the country and was asked about the arrest of Live Door president Takafumi Horie on securities fraud charges. "It was a shock, a big shock," uttered the former San Francisco Giant. O'Malley knows Horie because he would have been the manager for the Live Door Phoneix, Horie's new proposed ballclub, if his entry into NPB had been approved. "That somebody who worked so hard comes to this is sad," lamented O'Malley, who described Horie as "a friend."

Yakult There was an earlier report that indicated what manager Atsuya Furuta's lineup this season was likely to be, but now Furuta, who just left for the team's spring training site in Okinawa, has said that all slots are up for grabs. 

Southpaw Kazuhisa Ishii said today that he will return to the windup he used before he left Japan to join the Dodgers because he believes it helps his rhythm. 

Yokohama Closer Mark Kroon showed up at a team facility in the suburb of Yokosuka and, after greeting everyone in Japanese, went into the bullpen and unleashed 28 fastballs. Kroon has revised his form to conform to new pitching regulations and it appears that he will have no problems with them judging by what hne displayed Sunday ( pic ). Perhaps most intimidating for opposing hitters is that he will have his back partially turned to them before bringing his arm up. 

Kroon may also be part of a Japanese all star team that will play Japan's WBC squad in an exhibitio tuneup. They figure that facing Kroon will be good practice for squaring off against some of the harder throwing American and Dominican moundsmen. Kroon, though, hasn't heard anything about this, but said he would be honored to do so provided that he is physically ready for it. 

Yomiuri Rightfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi has married NTV announcer Mai Onodera, according to Hochi Sports ( pic ). The pair met six years ago during the offseason through mutual friends and, after talking for a while, Takahashi says that "I saw things in her I didn't see in myself." They often met to eat before becoming a couple in earnest four years ago. They decided to get hitched this past December and, after informing manager Tatsunori Hara and team executive Shigeo Nagashima shortly after New Year's, they chose Sunday to inform the press that they submitted their marriage certificate.No word on when they will hold the actual ceremony and reception. Most players, though, will wait until the end of the season. 

Onodera works on two morning shows and lived in the U.S. for ten years, including stops in San Francisco, Houston and Chicago. She became an announcer in 2000. 

New additions Gary Glover and Joe Dillon experienced something different from the usual introductory press conference Sunday. Manager Tatsunori Hara, in hopes of getting more fans involved with the team, held the event at an ampitheater inside the Yomiuri Land amusement park, so Dillon and Glover not only had to deal with the press being there, but also 5600 fans. Some members of the audience expressed displeasure that Dillon was given the departed Kazuhiro Kiyohara's number 5. That didn't stop other fans, though, from lining up for autographs from the Giants new player. 

Both Dillon and Glover worked out today and impressed Giants coaches, with Dillon even doing some bunting and saying that if Hara asks him to do it in a game he will lay it down for him. Dillon had been taking about 200-300 swings a day during the offseason off of a machine five days a week. One Giants coach compared Dillon to former Yokohama second baseman Bobby Rose and onetime Hiroshima Carp infielder Greg LaRocca (currently with Yakult). And Glover's mechanics elicited admiring comments as well. Hiroshima reliever John Bale reportedly told Glover to relax and concentrate like he would in MLB and he will be fine. 

Clearly, though, Dillon has been doing some reading up on what he is likely to see in Japan and is getting some respect for it. 

Ace Koji Uehara said today that he wants to contribute more with the bat this season and even hopes to belt a homer. He has one career roundtripper, which he hit in 2003. 

Hara verbally lashed out at shortstop Tomohiro Nioka for Nioka's pulling a hamstring the other day and having to start spring training in the minor league camp. For you newbies, injuries are more regarded as evidence that one hasn't trained properly by Japanese teams than what can happen when you make constant physical demands on your body as athleets do. However, he didn't go after closer Kiyoshi Toyoda, who will also begin the spring on the second team roster due to a bad foot. 

Pitcher Jeremy Powell arrived in Japan today. See hilarious pic Here .

Former Yomiuri and Yokohama first baseman Norihiro Komada will be a special instructor atthe Giants camp from February 1-9.

Miscellaneous Former Seibu outfielder Susumu Otomo headlined a gaggle of players who tried out today for a club team in Saitama Prefecture. Otomo passed the audition, as did 35 year old ex-Lions utilityman Shinji Ando.