For now, though, the Tigers are waiting on outfielder Osamu Hamanaka to get past various shoulder problems and become the slugger they think he can be. Hamanaka says his shoulder is fine now and, if that is really the case, Shinjiro Hiyama's days for Hanshin could be numbered. Aside from his age, 36, the Osaka ballclub wants more power and RBI production out of rightfield. Previous attempts, however, to unseat Hiyama with Mike Kinkade and Shane Spencer have failed miserably. Hamanaka's blooming would make the team a little younger and it would enable Hanshin to package Hiyama with another player or two to get some catching that might be able to replace aging warhorse Akihiro Yano somewhere down the line. 

Righthander Yuya Ando will be working out in Arizona with a personal trainer who also does the same for several unnamed MLB players. Ando is seeking to improve his balance and hopes to match his uniform number, 16, in wins this season.  

Yakult Centerfielder Norichika Aoki, who set the Central League hits record for a season last year with 202, told the press today that his goals for the coming campaign are a .330 average and to drastically reduce his strikeouts while doubling his walks. In 2005, Aoki, the Rookie of the Year and the CL batting champ, racked up 113 whiffs and walked just 37 times. 

Yokohama Shortstop Takuro Ishii is on the cusp of a berth in the Meikyukai, as he needs only 39 hits to attain 2000 for his career. Tuesday, he told the press that because it was the fans cheering him on that enabled him to get there, he wants to collect
the big knock at home at Yokohama Stadium. What's more, according to Hochi Sports, if Ishii reaches that number, he will be only the second man in NPB annals who has both won a game as a pitcher and clocked the double millenium in safeties. Ishii was originally signed as a hurler but was later converted into a position player after the 1992 season. The only other man to to do what Ishii is about to do was Japan's "God of Hitting," Tetsuharu Kawakami. 

At another personal appearance in the Yokohama area Tuesday, centerfielder Hitoshi Tamura promised to win the World Baseball Classic for Japan and stated that he wants to face Roger Clemens. "Because he can still throw like that at his age," Tamura revealed, "I want to see what I can do against him." Tamura is watching video in preparing for the international tourney, but also allowed that he isn't going to change his approach at the plate for it.

Yomiuri Koji Uehara is hoping to start Opening Day this coming season. If he does, that will make it seven straight years in which he has gotten that assignment, breaking the previous team record of six jointly held by Masaki Saito and Tsuneo Horiuchi. Moreover, it also appears that there is talk of having Uehara start in the WBC final should Japan get that far. That date would be one week before the regular schedule commences, so his involvement in the tourney shouldn't hinder his ability to be ready for his club's first game. Giants manager Tatsunori Hara has already tentatively indicated that Uehara will make the start. Uehara will start in Japan's WBC opener against China on March 3rd.

Hara further went on to say that he hopes to have the rotation settled fairly early on in the spring. 

Fireballing rookie Takanobu Tsujiuchi, followed by a gaggle of 15 reporters and photographers during his two hour workout today in Nara, then visisted a nearby shrine after he was through, buying a prayer plaque called an ema and inscribing on it, "I pray that I won't suffer any injuries and that I will win the Rookie of the Year award." He also told the media that he wants to hear lots of advice, after which he will determine which suits him and which doesn't. In the typically hyperbholic Japanese press fashion, they said that Tsujiuchi was following the example of Prince Shotoku, the sixth century emperor's son who was responsible for importing a lot of the Chinese learning that has marked Japan's culture and intellectual life. 

For those of you in the Phoenix area, you might want to keep an eye peeled for Giants southpaw Kimiyasu Kudoh, who is going to train there. He should be there as you read this, using the same facility that Randy Johnson does. Kudoh says that he is taking nothing for granted, seeing that Shigeki Noguchi, Hisanori Takahashi, Masanori Hayashi and Tetsuya Utsumi will also be competing for the lefty slots in the rotation. He will return to Japan on the 23rd. 

Miscellaneous Aoyama Gakuin might be able to so something it has never done before this coming fall, send five players to the pros. Back in 1996, Tadahito Iguchi (White Sox), Masauumi Shimizu (Chunichi), Toshikazu Sawazaki (Hiroshima) and Shinji Kurano (Softbank) were all taken in the NPB draft. Sawazaki won a Rookie of the Year title. The quintet that is drawing interest from pro scouts is comprised of ace righthander Shun Takaichi, who won 11 straight games at one point, caatcher Shoji Tanaka,
Tokyo Metropolitan University League batting champ and team captain Hidetoshi Tsubura, pint sized (5'7") outfielder Yutaro Osaki, who played on a Koshien Tournament winner at Joso Gakuin High School, and outfielder Fuminori Yokogawa, who was also part of that Jose Gakuin High Koshien champion. 

Another day, another Kazuo Matsui trade rumor. The lastest one has Kazuo going to Tampa Bay along with Jae Seo and 
$5 million for shortstop Julio Lugo and closer Danys Baez. The Rays would like to see that cash amount upped by another $500,000. And we're only 24 hours away from another whispered deal. Don't you just love baseball?

Former Hanshin third baseman Eduardo Perez is expected to be picked up by Cleveland for a two year deal with a team option worth $3.5 million. After he flopped with the Tigers, who would have expected him to last this long in MLB? 

Mariners rightfielder Ichiro Suzuki worked out today at his alma mater, Aikodai Meiden High School, where he met with the school's head coach, Mitsuo Kurano, where they discussed what is needed for a player to become a major leaguer. Ichiro then headed for the practice field, where he did some long tossing, concluding with some 300 foot bullets, and took some batting practice, the balls being flagged down by current Aikodai players, a few of of whom couldn't handle the hot shots Ichiro was 
sizzling through the infield. The school's team captain called the chance to play catch with the two time American League batting champ "something I will always remember"  and commented on his "amazing aura." Ichiro remarked that working out at his old stomping grounds made him feel nostalgic while also saying that no time was tougher for him than the practices he had there. He pronounced his throwing arm as already in midseason shape. You can see pics of Suzuki during the session  Here and  Here Such a visit would have been impossible in the past due to Japan High School Baseball Federation rules, but those regulations have been loosened significantly in the last year. To add to the festivities, the players' parents were there as well. Kurano enthused that Ichiro's appearance will provide a lot of encouragement to his charges to work hard to refine their skills. 

Hideki Matsui is back in his home town of Nomi, Ishikawa Prefecture and has gotten off the couch in a big way, putting in nine hours of workouts over the last two days at a local gym, according to Chunichi Sports. Matsui had the gym all to himself as its management has allowed him to come in during off hours in order to not be a distraction for the other customers and to ensure some privacy.