News
Ohiro, Nakayama Named to Major League Rosters
Jiwon Bang
03/21/08
As the 2008 regular season for the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) kicks off on March 20th, two Hawaii Winter Baseball alumni from 2007—Honolulu Sharks infielder Shoji Ohiro (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles) and North Shore Honu pitcher Shinya Nakayama (Orix Buffaloes)—were reportedly selected to play for their respective major league squads.
Ohiro, who spent approximately 2 months in Hawaii to develop his skills, had an impressive preseason, including a home run on March 7 against the Hanshin Tigers, and a three-hit performance against the Yokohama Bay Stars on March 11. According to the team’s official website, he received a great deal of attention from the team’s skipper Katsuya Nomura, and is considered as one of the key position players this season. This is his second year in a row starting the regular season with the major league team.
Nakayama, who recorded a league-leading six wins in Hawaii, did not pitch well in the preseason, finishing 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in four outings. However, it is reported that his name was atop the pitching rotation since the beginning of Spring Training, and due to multiple injuries among other starters, he should earn a spot in the rotation.
Other players who were with the major league team until the very end of the preseason, and may be called up in the early part of this season, are Sharks’ outfielders Takumi Kobe (Chiba Lotte Marines) and Fuminori Yokogawa (Rakuten), as well as West Oahu CaneFires pitcher Ken Miyamoto (Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters).
The opening day for the Central League is scheduled for March 28. Three of the 2007 Waikiki BeachBoys’ hurlers—Yutaka Tamaki (Hanshin), HWB’s 2007 Pitcher of the Year, Kowhai Marinara and Kenichi Matsuoka (both Tokyo Yakult Swallows)—are considered as strong candidates to make their respective Major League rosters.
