Hiroshima Even though thewy are 14.5 games out of the Central League top spot, Carp owner Gen Matsuda gave manager Marty Brown the dreaded vote of confidence Monday. "If he understands Japanese players a little bit better good results will follow," Matsuda told the press. 

Yakult Ryo Kawashima, who has been out with a shoulder problem, will make a minor league rehab start Wednesday. If he throws well he could be elevated back up to the bigtime. 

Yomiuri About 400, including players and staff from the Giants, attended the funeral of pitcher Hisanori Takahashi's father Takao Monday. He expressed thanks for the support that his parents gave him for making his career possible and has vowed to win the Japan Series so that when he visits their graves this offseason he will have something good to report to them. 

Another Giants hurler, Geremi Gonzalez, made team coaches scratch their heads Monday during the team's workout at their practice facility in Kawasaki. Gonzalez, according to Hochi Sports, left for a couple of moments and then re-entered and threw a ball against the outfield fence and then, after throwing into a net for a few minutes, disappeared into a wooded area behind the facility. A couple of minutes later, he was back and then asked pitcher Tetsuya Utsumi if he had to engage in bunting practice. Utsumi said yes and that caused Gonzalez to unleash a stream of four letter words. Gonzalez was also apparently angry about having to do some running as well. 

Pitching coach Masaki Saito was asked about this and ansered that" what he is trying to do I have no idea, but we leave his preparation up to him." Gonzalez later rematerialized at his locker "muttering," the press said, saiko "this is the best!" Make of all that what you will. 

TV ratings for Giants games haven't improved with their increasingly good fortune in the standings, as Yomiuri flasgship NTV revealed that the average share during June was only 9.2%. 

Team chairman Tsuneo Watanabe told Sports Nippon that manager Tatsunori Hara will be back for 2008. 

Miscellaneous Seattle centerfielder Ichiro Suzuki's 19 game hit streak ended Monday against Boston in a 9-4 victory when he walked in five times up. His average is now .359. 

Catcher Kenji Johjima, though, slugged a two run homer and walked to force in another run as part of a 1-3 day.

By the way, Daisuke Matsuzaka will face the M's Wednesday. 

Cardinals outfielder So Taguchi, though, extended his hit strint to 17 with a double in five at bats during a 2-1 extra inning loss to the Mets. 

St. Louis farmhand Tomokazu Ohka was tagged for four runs on eight hits in eight innings in a minor league start Monday and was saddled with the loss. 

Texas reliever Akinori Otsuka tossed a perfect eighth Monday in am 8-3 victory over Detroit. 

Colorado shortstop Kazuo Matsui was 2-5 Monday Monday against the Cubs, but he made an error on a routine ground ball with two outs in the ninth and it lead to a 10-9 walkoff victory by the Chicago outfit. 

Tampa Bay third baseman Akinori Iwamura was 0-3 with a walk against the White Sox Monday in a 5-4 loss. Pale hose second baseman Tadahito Iguchi was 0-4 with a walk. 

The Yankees have concluded a sponsorship deal with a Chinese milk company. Let's hope that milk is of better quality than the contaminated dog food they have sold over here as well as the children's toys that were found to be covered with lead paint. 

I hate interleague play, but it continues t play well at the box office, as, according to MLB, they exceeded last year's attendance totals during those games by more than 15%. In all, more than 8.7 million fans turned out. 

It was also boffo for Ichiro, who lead all players in batting average (.486) and hits in games against the other league. He is on pace for 244 knocks on the season. His career average in interleague play is .329 and this was by far the best showing for them during that part of the schedule. He is hitting .411 for June. 

During the upcoming Japan-U.S. collegiate all star series in Durham next month, Waseda University pitcher Yuki Saito will wear number 20.