Honda fit and ready for Brazil friendly test

WROCLAW, Poland — Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda is ready to roll against Brazil after the CSKA Moscow man finally took part in full-blown training on Sunday.

Honda remained rooted to the bench in Friday's 1-0 victory over France, nursing a bruised right calf that he picked up while playing for CSKA just before the international week.

But Honda, arguably coach Alberto Zaccheroni's most trusted and tried player, and who has served as the focal point of the Japanese attack, trained with the team during a closed session upon arriving in Poland for Tuesday's friendly versus the five-time World Cup winner.

"We couldn't have had a worse first half," Honda said. "The result was too good to be true."

"Our performance was just acceptable, nothing more. I was watching and I thought we were intimidated by them in the first half. If all we want to do is reach the quarterfinals at the next World Cup, then yesterday's game will do.

"But this Japan team, we're capable of a lot more."

While Japan recorded its first-ever win over Les Bleus through a very late goal by Shinji Kagawa, the Asian champions could surely use Honda against Brazil, after failing to click for large phases of the game.

Had it not been for goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima's man-of-the-match caliber performance, there was a chance Japan could have been embarrassed by France — just like 11 years ago when it was humbled 5-0 at the Stade de France under Philippe Troussier.

Japan was without Honda as well as first-choice attacking players Ryoichi Maeda and Shinji Okazaki, and had to cope with an out-of-shape captain Makoto Hasebe, whose lack of playing time for his club (zero appearances this season for Wolfsburg) must be a growing concern for Zaccheroni.

But the consensus among the team is that Japan still should have performed better.

"What we have been saying amongst us players is that we should have seen way more time on the ball," Manchester United playmaker Kagawa said. "We're capable of doing more from a technical, tactical standpoint.

"We should have shown what we can do right from the first half. When you stop to think about it, we didn't accomplish a great deal on the pitch apart from the result."

Japan has never beaten Brazil in eight previous meetings, and the most recent one did not end well. The Brazilians at that time hammered Zico's Japan 4-1 in the last group game of the 2006 World Cup.

"I think you have to look at how far we've come as a team," said Zaccheroni, who took over for Takeshi Okada after the 2010 World Cup and led Japan to a record fourth continental title in January 2011.

"We haven't had too many games where we didn't score so I think we're improving on that front. And we also don't concede that often, either. We've become a very balanced team.

"Up until now, most of our matches were against Asian sides. But the purpose of this trip is to see how we stack up against the world's best teams and we will play another one on Tuesday."

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Niigata doesn't appear ready for pro baseball franchise

Two years ago, I wrote a column about how I thought the city of Niigata appeared ready to support a Japanese baseball franchise team, should there ever be another expansion (as in the case of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2004) or if an existing Central or Pacific League club decided to move. Now, I am not so sure.

I went there again earlier this month to watch the Tokyo Yakult Swallows host (they were the "home" team) the Yomiuri Giants and found the atmosphere a little disappointing. It was Sunday, Sept. 9, game time was 3 p.m., the weather was good, and I was expecting a crowd of at least 30,000 at Hard-Off Eco Stadium.

However, the paid attendance was later reported as only 17,966 for that important CL contest between the two Climax Series contenders, and it appeared as if there were not even that many spectators. The upper deck of the beautiful ballpark that opened three years ago was almost empty, and it seemed somewhat sad.

The attractions of the city and access to the stadium as reported in 2010, are still OK. There are lots of nice hotels, and it is just a little more than a two-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo to Niigata Station where convenient shuttle buses take fans to the game in 10 minutes.

However, there were fewer selections of food on sale at Hard-Off; no pizza, for example, as they had last time I was there. I somehow am getting the impression that perhaps Niigata was hoping to lure the Yokohama franchise which then-owner TBS Broadcasting had been trying to unload for several years before selling to Mobage-DeNA in 2011.

When it became apparent last December that team would remain in its home south of Tokyo, Niigata may have lost heart — and hope. The city, with its population of around 800,000, would still be a great place to put a pro baseball team, but the authorities should step up their efforts a bit.

Only five games were scheduled in Niigata this season, and the city's sports council would be wise to first of all get more teams to go there and play more games. It should also beef up the ballpark facilities, showcase the stadium and strive to promote pro baseball so as to increase attendance and interest.

Diamond Dust: There were at least nine scouts from six major league teams in attendance at the Sept. 14-16 series between the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers at Tokyo Dome. All were there to check out Hanshin closer Kyuji Fujikawa, about to become a free agent and said to be looking to jump to an American or National League team in 2013.

They also kept an eye on Tigers shortstop Takashi Toritani, another who can declare free agency following the season.

Seen were representatives from the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers. They got to see Fujikawa come in to save the middle game of the series, but he was not all that impressive.

Fujikawa retired in order the three batters he faced on a routine outfield fly ball and two infield grounders, but he did not come close to striking out any hitters, his classic forkball was just so-so, and his fastball, clocked consistently at better than 150 kph five years ago, registered at a maximum speed of 144 kph that night.

What's worse, Fujikawa was de-registered three days later with what was described as a sore right adductor. He is likely done for the year, and this all points to the fact the guy's major league appeal has obviously gone way down.

From the (e-) mail bag: In response to last week's column about the Yokohama BayStars, Yokosuka fan Mike O'Donnell wrote: "What Yokohama needs are ballplayers who can catch. Our pitching staff is not bad. Our batting order could use some shuffling around to support our two decent power hitters. (Alex) Ramirez is a definite upgrade over (Shuichi) Murata, (who left as a free agent and signed with the Giants).

"But the reason we are in last place is our fielding. How many singles have our fielders allowed to become doubles, and how many ground balls have made it through our infield that should have been caught?"

Mike, it is obvious the BayStars, like the Hanshin Tigers, need a complete overhaul for 2013. Yokohama must solve its foreign player, hitting and pitching problems and, as you mention, the defense must also be tightened up.

Ron Scronce, a fan of Japanese baseball in North Carolina, wrote, "As you know, the Little League championships are a big deal for viewers of ESPN in the U.S. but, according to my wife, who is Japanese, there was virtually no news in Japan about the (Kitasuna) team's victory. How could that be?"

Ron, it seems as if the popularity of Japanese baseball ranges from high to not-so-high on alternating levels. The pros and high school teams are the most followed, whereas interest in the college, corporate teams and the Little Leaguers is not that hot.

However, the channels on Japan's J-SPORTS TV network have been showing Little League World Series games, including those (of course) played by the Japanese champion Kitasuna team.

Finally this week, an update on Alex Ramirez's pursuit of the career 2,000-hit mark this season. Through games of Thursday, the Yokohama outfielder and 12-year Japanese baseball veteran had 132 hits in 128 games played to that date. He needs 150 base knocks to reach 2,000, and his current pace is for 148.5 by the end of the season on Oct. 7.

Contact Wayne Graczyk at Wayne@JapanBall.com

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Vonn ready to defend latest World Cup title

NEW YORK — Lindsey Vonn is in a good place heading into the World Cup season — a "really happy place" as she's fond of calling it.

Collecting hardware: Lindsey Vonn hopes to add more World Cup trophies to her collection this season. AP

Just a year ago, her personal life was turned upside down when she separated from her husband of four years.

Since then, the U.S. skier has put the split behind her and rekindled relationships with teammates. She's also feeling as strong as ever after taking a different training approach this offseason to save wear and tear on her balky left knee.

And sure, defending her overall title this season remains at the top of her to-do list. So is this: eclipsing the 2,000-point plateau after finishing just 20 away last season. She would like nothing more than to join Austrian great Hermann Maier as the only skiers to attain that lofty mark.

"I want to try to improve on what I did last year," Vonn said in an interview from Portillo, Chile, where she's training with the U.S. squad. "That may not be possible. But that's what I'm going to try and do."

In the midst of her personal strife last season, Vonn found solace in the one place that's always been her sanctuary — the slopes. Once she clicked into her skis, Vonn was all business as she captured 12 World Cup races, putting her within striking distance of becoming the all-time winningest female skier. She has 53 career victories, trailing only Annemarie Moser-Proell of Austria (62) and Vreni Schneider of Switzerland (55).

"She has raised the bar as to what is capable for a female ski racer," women's speed coach Chip White said. "The scary thing now is she is showing no signs of slowing down."

What helped last season was having family and friends constantly around, taking her mind off any problems away from the race course. This year, her younger sister, Laura, will take a year off from school and travel around the circuit with her.

"Life is very, very different for me right now," said Vonn, a four-time World Cup overall winner from Vail, Colo. "But I am in a really happy place. This is a new chapter. I'm ready for it."

She wasn't ready for this — intense tabloid speculation.

Vonn is used to making headlines for wins, not over whom she may be dating. It's been a difficult adjustment, especially since most of the rumors have been way off the mark. None more than reports linking her with quarterback Tim Tebow after "Tebowing" following her super-G win in Beaver Creek last December.

"I guess that's a new part of my life, too," she said. "It seems like whoever I'm friends with, people start to think I'm dating them. It's all crazy to me. I'm just happy being single."

By Vonn's standards, this summer was a low-key break from the snow. There were no trips down the red carpet or guest appearances on "Law & Order."

Instead, she traipsed through Europe with her sisters, culminating with a visit to the luxurious beaches in the southern French resort town of Saint Tropez, attended a Rascal Flatts concert in North Carolina and ventured over to London for the Olympics.

While there, she watched Gabby Douglas win the gymnastics all-around, saw Missy Franklin and Michael Phelps capture gold in the pool, caught a few Team USA men's basketball games and was in the stands when her favorite tennis player, Roger Federer, fell in the Olympic final to Andy Murray.

"It's so different when you're actually there to watch — you get to see more emotion," Vonn said. "I actually knew the stories behind all the athletes, instead of just being in my own bubble and focusing on my own competition."

Being there, though, made her antsy for the 2014 Sochi Games.

"I was wondering why I wasn't competing," said Vonn, who captured the Olympic downhill gold medal in Vancouver. "I'm ready to race."

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Cyclists ready for Tour de Hokkaido

ASAHIKAWA, Hokkaido — One of the largest road cycling racing events in Japan, the Tour de Hokkaido, opened Saturday, with nearly 100 people from around the world participating to conquer the 516-km course.

The race, marking its 26th year, starts with a 159-km first stage from Asahikawa city to Toma town.

During the three-day event through Monday, participants will pedal through routes across the northern and central parts of Hokkaido.

Riders will pass more than 20 cities and towns, including rough terrain near Mt. Tokachi, spreading hillsides in the town of Biei, and the city of Ishikari on the Sea of Japan coast, as they aim to reach the goal in Sapporo.

The race's 95 participants, including those from the United States, Switzerland and other countries, will compete in individual and team categories. There are a total of 19 teams.

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Germany, United States ready to clash for Under-20 Women's World Cup title

Defending champion Germany and the United States have both lived up to their pre-tournament heavyweight billings and go toe-to-toe for top honors on Saturday in the final of the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Tokyo.

The showcase match at National Stadium features the undisputed giants at this level, with both teams having won the title twice, but it is the Germans that have the psychological edge after coasting past the Americans 3-0 in the group phase behind a double from hotshot Lena Lotzen.

Germany has yet to allow a goal on Japanese soil and the European starlets have not conceded for six games at this level, a run stretching back to the final in 2010. They have also scored 15 times in their five outings so far, with Lotzen, the second top scorer in the tournament, bagging six goals.

Yet despite those impressive stats, Germany coach, Maren Meinert, whose team broke Japanese hearts with a 3-0 defeat of Young Nadeshiko in the semis, was eager to play down her team's status as favorites to take the title.

"I am not sure whether the win over the U.S. in the group stage gives us an advantage," she said. "In the final there are just two teams and for us it doesn't matter who we are playing tomorrow. We start again at zero. How we got to the final is irrelevant."

"I don't think there will be any need to motivate the players, but I don't want to think we have peaked too early as if we make mistakes now it will all be in vain. We are not champions yet but we are in good shape for tomorrow's final."

U.S. coach Steve Swanson admitted he is still figuring out how to try and break down the Germans but said he was pleased with the improvement his players have shown in the knockout phase of the competition, and that being in the final was all the motivation his team need.

"Although we didn't score against Germany in our group play I think we created enough quality chances to get something out of it. We are focusing on that and I think we have the kind of team and the kind of players that can be dangerous," said Swanson.

"It's a World Cup final so there is enough motivation for the players. They are very excited to play against Germany again. For us there were a lot of positives in that first game and we have kind of fixated on those during the course of the time we have been preparing for this game. I think there are a lot of things that we have shown we can do better in the quarterfinal and semifinals so I think we are a team that has improved throughout this tournament."

Before the final, Japan will meet Nigeria in the match for third place with both sides looking to bounce back from disappointment and end their campaigns on a high.

Japan's youngsters failed to match the feats of the country's senior side at the 2011 Women's World Cup and were left shell-shocked after their defeat to Germany.

Nonetheless they have made history by advancing to the semis for the first time and will be eager to put smiles back on the faces of their supporters by taking bronze.

"Losing is sometimes a positive thing because the issues you have are identified," said Japan coach Hiroshi Yoshida.

"I don't want the players to forget about the loss (against Germany) as it will serve as a good experience for them in the future. Tomorrow will be our last game and I just hope that we can put on a good performance."

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Reysol ready to take on world after shock title

It would have taken a brave person to tip Kashiwa Reysol for the 2011 J. League title before the season had begun. But as the newly crowned champions prepare to take on Auckland City in the Club World Cup on Thursday, it would take an even braver person to deny they deserved it.

Kashiwa captured its first-ever championship with a nerveless 3-1 victory over Urawa Reds last Saturday, pulling off the extraordinary feat of winning the second- and first-division titles in successive seasons. The Chiba side began the campaign as many people's dark horse to make an impact after a year away from the top flight, but what we got instead was a thoroughbred that charged out the gate and never let up until it had crossed the finish line ahead of the rest.

Reysol served notice of their intent with a 3-0 thrashing of Shimizu S-Pulse on the first day of the season, and went on to drop only five points from their opening nine fixtures. That strong start was soon proven to be founded on genuine quality rather than simple promotion momentum, but to make it stick until the end of the campaign must go down as one of the most remarkable achievements in J. League history.

Kashiwa's strength was its organization, with attack and defense working in perfect synch and the team slipping effortlessly between playing styles as the ebb and flow of each game dictated. No team in the country looked as well-drilled as Reysol, and manager Nelsinho deserves enormous credit for the work he has done since taking over midseason in 2009.

The Brazilian's appointment came too late to arrest the club's slide toward the second division that year, but with the less-demanding environment of J2 providing ideal conditions for his methods to take root, Kashiwa's relegation turned out to be something of a blessing in disguise.

Don't stop: Jorge Wagner and Kashiwa Reysol head into the Club World Cup on Thursday as surprise J. League champions. KYODO

Nelsinho rebuilt a team that had been overly reliant on the gifted but ponderous Franca, shifting the emphasis to a more dynamic style and bringing in playmaker Leandro Domingues to run the midfield. The success this season of Leandro — named J. League Player of the Year on Monday — and fellow Brazilian Jorge Wagner proved how important it is to choose one's foreign players wisely, and their effort was backed up by a similarly outstanding contribution from their teammates.

Forward Junya Tanaka, who chipped in with 13 goals, and force-of-nature right back Hiroki Sakai both caught the eye, but it was the unflashy, cast-iron reliability of players like defender Naoya Kondo, captain Hidekazu Otani and spiritual leader Hideaki Kitajima who laid the foundations. Kitajima's tears at Saitama Stadium showed just how much it meant to a player who almost took the club to the title in 2000, and in recent weeks there has been a quiet determination about Reysol that this opportunity would not go to waste.

With this season's championship also bringing qualification for the Club World Cup, Kashiwa's story is not finished yet. Nelsinho has experience of the tournament in its previous Toyota Cup incarnation, losing to Borussia Dortmund as manager of Cruzeiro in 1997, and the lack of a pause in action means Kashiwa goes into Thursday's match against the Oceania representatives still bubbling with title-winning intensity.

The prospect of meeting Santos in a semifinal and Barcelona in the final is surely not one that anyone at the club seriously entertained at the start of the year, but with success comes belief and Reysol now know that anything is possible.

Other teams at the Club World Cup may underestimate the surprise J. League champions, but they will do so at their peril.

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Kawashima ready to lock horns with master Cech

YOKOHAMA — Eiji Kawashima is relishing the prospect of going up against Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech when Japan meets the Czech Republic in the final game of the Kirin Cup in Yokohama on Tuesday.

Czech mate: Eiji Kawashima is looking forward to facing Petr Cech and the Czech Republic on Tuesday. KYODO

Kawashima was chiefly responsible for preserving Alberto Zaccheroni's unbeaten record as Japan coach with a string of fine stops in Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Peru in the opening game of the three-team tournament in Niigata.

Cech was also on form against Peru in Nagano Prefecture on Saturday, keeping a clean sheet as that game also finished goalless, setting up a winner-take-all climax against the Blue Samurai at Nissan Stadium.

Belgium-based Kawashima modestly played down his performance against the South Americans, but admitted the chance to play against one of the world's best goalkeepers in Cech has fired him up to deliver another top-drawer performance.

"As a goalkeeper it is a real pleasure to be playing against great goalkeepers and I am really looking forward to playing against him. It lifts my motivation," Kawashima said after training Sunday.

"I was just doing my job against Peru. That is what I am there for," said the 28-year-old, who admitted his teammates had struggled to adjust to an unfamiliar 3-4-3 shape that Zaccheroni looks set to stick with against the Czechs.

"The system is not easy so we have to try to make it better game by game."

Kawashima has been linked with a move to English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion from Lierse, whom he joined after a series of eye-catching performances at the World Cup in South Africa last summer.

The former Nagoya Grampus and Kawasaki Frontale keeper is also reportedly being targeted by VVV Venlo, which already has two Japanese players in Maya Yoshida and Bobby Cullen on its books, but Kawashima said nothing was decided yet for next season.

"Talks are still going on (with West Brom) and we are waiting for people to start moving. I am talking with my agent but I am not in a rush. I will wait until the middle of June or something," Kawashima said. "I am talking with a few clubs but I have to look at the conditions, whether I can play or not and what the club are thinking. Then I will take my direction for next season."

Cech has advised Kawashima to study up hard on the unique style of soccer he says is played in England if he ends up joining the Baggies or another Premier League team.

"I think it takes the understanding of the game over here (in England) because it is completely different to other countries," Cech said.

"It is more physical and I think that a goalkeeper needs to learn a lot about the game. Observation of the games and to understand the mentality and language, which helps; This is the main advice because you need to learn fast that this game is different.

"By watching the games and learning about the way the opponents play, this is the best way to get ready for the games even though you have never played against the teams before.

"When I came to England I was watching closely all of our opponents all week. I needed to know what kind of style they play to help me to get ready for the games. I had a very good season in my first season and followed that since but I think the key was the preparation for each game," said Chelsea's player of the year.

Cech, by his own admission, knows little about the current Japanese team, but said he is expecting a tough test on Tuesday.

"I haven't had much chance of watching how everybody is doing at the moment," Cech said.

"In my experience when I was in the youth team in the Under-20 World Cup (in 2001 in Argentina) we played Japan and lost 3-0 and we played the (senior) national team in our preparation in 2004 for the European Championship and lost 1-0 at home and they had lots of chances.

"Japan are a very good team and I think it will be a great test for us."

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Tigers ready to make run at title

The following is the second of a two-part preview for the upcoming NPB season. Team-by-team previews of the six Central League clubs are in order of predicted finish.

Hanshin Tigers

Manager: Akinobu Mayumi

Last season: 78-63-3 (2nd)

Hanshin lit up the scoreboard to the tune of an NPB-high 733 runs last year and came within a game of winning the pennant.

The Tigers will probably take a step back at the plate, but just approaching their 2010 totals will make this a lineup to be reckoned with.

Takashi Toritani and Keiichi Hirano played well above what their career numbers would've suggested last year, both catching lightning in a bottle. Toritani's improvement wasn't as drastic as Hirano's and he very well could hover around his 2010 production (.301, 104 RBIs).

The core of the lineup, Matt Murton, Craig Brazell and Takahiro Arai all return intact and should produce.

Injuries to Kenji Johjima and Tomoaki Kanemoto looked serious when spring camp broke, but the nearly monthlong delay in starting the season has given both time to get much farther down the road to recovery.

On the mound, Yasutomo Kubo won a career-high 14 games last year, but he also threw 208 1/3 innings, including the postseason, after never before topping 151 1/3. So the Tigers will have to monitor his condition while hoping 2010 was a sign of things to come.

Atsushi Nomi is healthy again and will head the rotation after a good, but brief, 2010 season. Jason Standridge has proven he could be a solid piece of the puzzle, while manager Akinobu Mayumi will hope Randy Messenger and Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi produce at the back end.

The bullpen was upgraded with the addition of free-agent Hiroyuki Kobyashi, who will form a nice tandem with Tomoyuki Kubota with Kyuji Fujikawa closing things out.

Chunichi Dragons

Manager: Hiromitsu Ochiai

Last season: 79-62-3 (1st)

Both of manager Hiromitsu Ochiai's previous pennant-winning squads (2004 and 2006) finished in the runnerup spot the season following their triumph.

So the newly minted Hall of Famer is sure to be hungry to finally break through and win back-to-back titles.

Despite nearly winning the Japan Series, the Dragons fielded one of the worst offenses in Japan (only the Yokohama BayStars were worse) owing the majority of their success to being the best at preventing runs.

That offense will be mostly unchanged, with the notable exceptions of new addition Joel Guzman and second-year player Yohei Oshima, who follows up an impressive Japan Series with a spot on the Opening Day roster.

So Chunichi will again depend on Masahiko Morino, Tony Blanco and reigning CL MVP Kazuhiro Wada for the bulk of their run production.

On the mound, no group of NPB starters had a lower ERA than Chunichi's 3.42 and only the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks' bullpen ERA (2.84) was lower than the 3.02 Dragons relievers recorded.

Chunichi's top two hurlers, Chen Wei-yin and Kazuki Yoshimi, may miss time early on with injuries, but the Dragons have a capable supporting cast.

Kenichi Nakata and Maximo Nelson put together decent spring performances, while a rebound by Kenta Asakura would go a long way. Daisuke Yamai and Yudai Kawai offer another pair of decent arms.

Closer Hitoki Iwase should become the NPB's all-time saves leader during the season and has a stingy setup duo ahead of him in Takuya Asao and Akifumi Takahashi.

Yomiuri Giants

Manager: Tatsunori Hara

Last season: 79-64-1 (3rd)

For the first time in three seasons the Giants enter a season as something other than the defending Central League champions.

As usual, they're loaded on offense and will be the class of the league as long as Alex Ramirez and Michihiro Ogasawara continue to defy the aging process.

The grizzled veterans will be joined in the lineup by youngsters Hayato Sakamoto and Hisayoshi Chono.

Sakamoto went from 18 homers in 2009 to 31 last season to become a full-fledged offensive star and Chono may not be far behind.

Catcher Shinnosuke Abe probably hit his career ceiling in 2010 (hitting .281 with a .976 OPS, 44 homers and 92 RBIs) but should be effective once he returns from a calf injury suffered near the close of spring training.

The Giants have the horses to cover for Abe's bat, but his presence will be missed behind the plate.

Second generation foreign player Rusty Ryal joins the fold this year, his arrival at third base paving the way for Ogasawara to make a body-conserving move across the diamond to first.

Tetsuya Utsumi and Shun Tono are the top returning pitchers, but both will have to be more consistent.

Dicky Gonzalez is coming off a horrible year and Seth Greisinger is working his way back into form.

Touted rookie Hirokazu Sawamura squeezed his way into the rotation — partly due to talent, partly due to necessity — while Hideki Asai is a steady option.

Lefty Tetsuya Yamaguchi slides into the closer's role with Marc Kroon not retained by the team.

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

Manager: Junji Ogawa

Last year: 72-68-4 (4th)

Ogawa took over for Shigeru Takada on May 26 and hit the ground running, guiding the Swallows to a 59-36-3 mark. The hardest thing for a manager who finds success after taking over midseason, however, is carrying that momentum into a new campaign.

One thing the Swallows did under Ogawa was hit, batting .283 in his 98 games at the helm. The Yakult offense as a whole wasn't too bad last year, finishing third in the league with 619 runs.

A major positive for the Swallows is getting a full season from Josh Whitesell, who was acquired during the 2010 season. Whitesell, like Ogawa, paid immediate dividends, hitting .309 with 15 homers and 53 RBis in 68 games.

Norichika Aoki should also again put up big numbers, but someone else in the Yakult lineup will have to step up among a supporting cast that can be offensively challenged.

Shortstop Shingo Kawabata has the makings of a good player at the plate and in the field and may surprise some this year while Wladimir Balentien joins the team this season and could add a bit more pop to the lineup.

The Yakult pitching staff is solid starting at the top with Masanori Ishikawa and Shohei Tateyama.

Yoshinori Sato has gotten better as his young career has progressed and the 21-year-old could be in line for a breakout season.

Kyohei Muranaka is another who could make an impact and Tony Barnette, Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi and Masato Nakazawa will compete for time in the rotation.

Lim Chang Yong returns despite attracting a number of suitors and will close out games for the 2011 season.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp

Manager: Kenjiro Nomura

Last season: 58-84-2 (5th)

In his first season as a manager, Kenjiro Nomura saw firsthand how much work it's going to take to return the Aka Heru (Red Helmets) to the success the franchise enjoyed during his playing days.

Kenta Kurihara was the only Carp player to reach 60 RBIs (just two others got past 50) and he'll again be asked to do the bulk of the heavy lifting.

Jun Hirose returns after a solid season and Eishin Soyogi is another good player, having driven in 56 runs and recorded a career-high 50 extra-base hits last year.

Speedster Masato Akamatsu can also help manufacture runs.

Nomura will be looking for more out of Akihiro Higashide this year while Soichiro Amaya earns his keep in the field but needs to be more potent at the plate.

The team shed ineffective foreign hitters Justin Huber and Jeff Fiorentino, replacing them with MLB veteran Chad Tracy, who they hope can break the cycle and be productive.

Hiroshima was statistically among Japan's top defensive teams but a pitching staff that was among Japan's worst largely negated their efforts.

If not for a brilliant season from Kenta Maeda, who went 15-8 with a 2.21 ERA and won the Sawamura Award, the Carp may have fielded the worst rotation in Japan.

Maeda may enjoy another good year, but the rest of the rotation has to do its part. Giancarlo Alvarado pitched better than his 8-8 record and with a heavier workload could improve while Yuki Saito is young with potential.

Among the new players, Yuya Fukui and Bryan Bullington will be pressed to contribute.

Yokohama BayStars

Manager: Takao Obana

Last year: 48-95-1 (6th)

Conventional wisdom says when you hit rock bottom, there's nowhere left to go but up. Well the BayStars put up one heck of a challenge to that theory in 2010 — finishing last in the NPB regular season, interleague, and open-sen standings — and the outlook for 2011 isn't exactly rosy either.

A full season with Brett Harper in the lineup should help with run production for a lineup that scored an NPB-low 521 runs last season.

Still, Harper's impact is somewhat dependent upon someone getting on base ahead of him and potent sluggers Termel Sledge and Shuichi Murata.

Seiichi Uchikawa bolted for greener pastures, but he was quickly replaced by colorful free agent Hichori Morimoto.

The former Hokkaido Nippon Ham outfielder has been slowed by injuries in recent years, but he's a solid addition if he can stay healthy. Tatsuya Shimozono broke his fibula in a spring game on March 11 and will miss significant time, a setback for a lineup that could get a lot of solo homers from spots 3-5 in the lineup but may struggle to score enough. As bad as the Yokohama batters were, its pitchers were worse.

BayStars starters had a jaw-dropping 5.27 ERA with opponents hitting .303 against them. The bullpen was better, but not by much, with a 4.28 ERA and .272 opponents' batting average.

Manager Takao Obana, somewhat of a pitching guru, got a new charge in Shogo Yamamoto, but had to trade away Hayato Terahara to do it.

Still, what he really needs is for the incumbents in the rotation to step up.

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Japanese baseball finally ready to get season under way

A patch with those words will be worn on the sleeve of every member of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles this year while the rest of the NPB will wear a patch that reads, "Gambaro Nippon," subtle reminders of the important things in life.

Professional baseball returns Tuesday, poised to follow the example set by the high schoolers at the National High School Invitational Tournament at Koshien Stadium last month and provide a distraction while restoring a small bit of normalcy to the nation.

NPB teams have been mostly out of sight recently, playing practice games in empty stadiums and venturing into the public eye only for 12 charity games April 2-3.

Tuesday marks an Opening Day that was supposed to have happened 18 days ago, before real life intervened.

The devastation of March 11 won't soon be forgotten, but the Eagles are hoping to give their battered region something to feel good about.

They'll likely be the sentimental choice of many as they try to follow in the footsteps of the 1995 Orix BlueWave.

The BlueWave that season were led by a sweet-swinging star named Ichiro Suzuki and helped galvanize the Kansai region after the Great Hanshin Earthquake with a triumphant march to the Pacific League pennant.

Eagles manager Senichi Hoshino has a pair of aces in his hand in Hisashi Iwakuma and Masahiro Tanaka. His lineup got an injection of fresh blood over the winter in Kazuo Matsui and Akinori Iwamura, who return to Japan after lengthy MLB sojourns that saw both play in the World Series.

The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks look more equipped to win the PL title, having beefed up their lineup with Seiichi Uchikawa and Alex Cabrera to match a pitching staff led by reigning PL MVP Tsuyoshi Wada and Toshiya Sugiuchi.

Yu Darvish and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters should also make their presence felt while the defending Japan Series champion Chiba Lotte Marines will try to work their way into the mix.

In the Central League, the triumvirate of the Chunichi Dragons, Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants are expected to battle it out for supremacy.

All three have question marks, however, and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows will be waiting to take advantage of any missteps to claim a spot in the Climax Series, if not the outright pennant, for themselves.

The NPB made the right call in delaying the season, but it's important the game returns.

Baseball is ingrained into the fabric of Japan and touches many parts of the nation's culture and psyche.

Still, compared to relief efforts, determining the Japan Series winner isn't really that important.

The important thing is going to be the journey to that point, during which the sport can do its part to help the country heal through fundraising or just by giving people something to smile about.

Because in the end, a small patch on every sleeve, will signify more than the banner the eventual Japan Series champions unfurl in November.

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