NPB Preview 2019: Pacific League

The Pacific League has controlled the Japan Series since the 21st Century began, having won 13 of the 19 that have taken place.

In the minds of some spectators, the Japan Series championship goes through the Pacific League. Here is a look at each Pacific League team with predictions on the bottom:

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Chiba Lotte Marines

The Marines looked to compete as they were right in the hunt halfway through the season. However, everything fell apart with the worst record after the All-Star break. They'll need to put together a full season if they want to be in A-class for the first time since 2016.

Notable and import additions: IF Brandon Laird, IF Kennys Vargas, P Josh Ravin, P Brandon Mann

Notable departures: None

Core-Four: P Mike Bolsinger, P Ayumu Ishikawa, IF Shogo Nakamura, P Kota Futaki

Strengths: Front end rotation, Speed

Bolsinger and Futaki make a great 1-2 punch with the former being one of the most vital pitchers to the team last year. The Marines dynamic changed once Bolsinger was hurt and a putrid end to 2018 left a sour note on the season. If Ayumu Ishikawa can rebound for a full year and stay healthy, that's a Big 3 while Hideaki Wakui can continue to eat innings for rotation stability.

Shogo Nakamura and Takashi Ogino are solid as base runners while there are other depth players who can run. Ogino is likely to be injured at some point in the season, but there are plenty of options.

Question Marks: Bullpen, Offense

The bullpen collapsed throughout the second half of the year and was a big reason for their 19-44-1 record. Brandon Mann, who already has experience in NPB, rejoins the league in hopes to fix that hole.

Offensively, power hitting will improve with more terrace seats being added, bringing the home run fences a little closer. While they are top heavy when it comes to sluggers, they're going to need more balance from all parts of their lineup. Taiga Hirasawa, Kyota Fujiwara and Hisanori Yasuda are the future of this team.

Expectations: What team is this? The competitive group led by Bolsinger in the first half or the one that faltered in the second half? It's uncertain how the pitching holds up through a full season while the hitting for average needs to improve. They're going to need to pitch their way to make A-class, but it's possible. Power numbers are guaranteed to go up with Laird and possibly Vargas being big contributors.

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Rakuten Eagles

The Eagles looked like they were contenders after winning a playoff series in 2017. Things went south in 2018 with a poor start offensively and a unit that was adjusted to.

Notable and import additions: Manager Yosuke Hiraishi (no longer interim), OF Jabari Blash, P Alan Busenitz, 2B Hideto Asamura

Notable departures: OF Carlos Peguero, Manager Masataka Nashida

Core-Four: P Takayuki Kishi, P Takahiro Norimoto, 2B Hideto Asamura, SS Eigoro Mogi

Strengths: Starting pitching, star power

Kishi and Norimoto are already ace-caliber pitchers while Minabu Mima is solid in the rotation. With Asamura added, the team has legit offensive power to complement others like Toshiaki Imae, "Ginji" Akaminai and Zelous Wheeler.

Question marks: Hiraishi, bullpen, offensive uncertainty

Hiraishi was the interim manager in the middle of 2018 after Nashida stepped down. While the Eagles showed some fight after he took over, reality sunk in and the team was no where close to A-class. Yuki Matsui struggled as a closer while the rest of the bullpen remained vulnerable, an issue they had dating back to 2017.

Prospects for the Eagles haven't emerged as quickly, but Kazuki Tanaka was the player that stood out in a bad 2018 season. The outfield could be even better if Louis Okoye has a breakout year or 2018 first round pick Ryosuke Tatsumi makes an impact.

Expectations: On paper, the Eagles should compete, but how much? One signing could change the offensive dynamic, but can it cancel out their relief pitching weaknesses? This group is not a slam dunk for A-class and needs to earn it like anyone else. The real challenge will be how they handle Norimoto being out indefinitely.

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Orix Buffaloes

Orix has a new skipper in charge after several mediocre years of a previous manager and regime. While being a few years removed from their well-documented war upstairs, this team has not been going in the right direction since.

Notable and import additions: P Daichi Takeyasu, Manager Norifumi Nishimura, IF Joey Meneses, P Tyler Eppler

Notable departures: P Chihiro Kaneko, Manager Junichi Fukura, P Yuki Nishi, IF Hiroyuki Nakajima

Notable retirement: IF Eiichi Koyano

Core-Four: OF Masataka Yoshida, OF Takahiro Okada, P Andrew Albers, P Taisuke Yamaoka

Strengths: Bullpen, pitching depth

Orix may have lost their ace and former ace in Nishi and Kaneko, but they have been ready for it with others who can step in which includes 2017 first round pick Daiki Tajima. Their bullpen was rock solid with Hirotoshi Masui closing it out and the middle relief had plenty of options from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Keisuke Sawada and Motoki Higa. There is also a chance that Yuta Kuroki can have a rebound season while others can play up.

Question marks: Manager, Clutch hitting, Starting pitching, Focus

Nishimura returns to managing for the first time since 2012 and while he won the Japan Series with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2010, that was his only career A-class season. Previously he was the Head coach for Orix as this was a promotion from within.

Offensively, the Buffaloes are dependent on Okada and Yoshida leading the way while others have been average to mediocre as a whole. They're going to need Stefen Romero to rebound from a rough sophomore season if they want to have a potent offense.

The losses of Nishi and Kaneko prove to be harsh with no proven ace as they only have guys like Brandon Dickson who can eat innings. There are options to improve the rotation, but with no front end starter, it's uncertain.

Lastly, Orix has been known to come up short due to a lack of coaching and focus on the game. Mental mistakes have plagued them going back to the days of Hiroshi Moriwaki as there was no attention to detail. Basic fundamentals need to be practiced on defense and elsewhere if they want to compete, but it's classic Orix to play into their identity of finding ways to lose.

Expectations: While Orix doesn't have Nishi anymore, they have enough talent to compete for A-class. Their problems have been from within as some of the raw player have not been developed or coached properly over the last few years. If they can fix their attention to detail and the rotation shows some life from pitchers like Daiki Tomei and Takahiro Matsuba, A-class is not impossible.

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Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

The Fighters came off a surprise season where they came in A-class despite losing Shohei Ohtani to MLB. They're looking to build off a decent year where they competed and nearly won a playoff series.

Notable and import additions: P Chihiro Kaneko, P Justin Hancock, OF Po-Jung Wang, P Johnny Barbato

Notable departures: IF Brandon Laird

Core-Four: P Kohei Arihara, IF Sho Nakata, OF Haruki Nishikawa, OF Kensuke Kondo

Note: This Core-Four has Arihara because of the team's emphasis on wanting him to be the ace. They've had the goal for him to be the first starting pitcher in a given playoff series. 

Strengths: Youth, defense and speed

The Fighters will never had a group of aging veterans on their last legs given their financial situation. Manager Hideki Kuriyama does a great job at making sure the team has good defense in the field and it shows with their staff. Takuya Nakashima and Nishikawa do a great job at covering the range needed in the infield and outfield.

Question marks: Bullpen, lack of power hitting

The Fighters struggled to have a solidified closer as the season progressed. A revolving door took place and everything became questionable outside of Katsuhiko Kumon. Starters are adequate, but they can't pitch all nine innings every game.

With Laird gone, only Sho Nakata had more than 20 home runs for the team in 2018. Right now, they'll need to get three hits or a stolen base to get a run in and there could be a lot of manufactured scoring.

Expectations: Naoyuki Uwasawa needs to show last year was no fluke to be a solidified Core-Four member while Nick Martinez proved to be a decent import pickup to take innings. Their rotation is underrated and could be even better in 2019 with the help of their defense in the field.

Last year saw a strong first half before the team fell to third place by default. They weren't great, but good enough for A-class because of their early overachieving. Hitting and bullpen will determine if this team can make the postseason again or not.

In the long term, watching the development of IF Kotaro Kiyomiya and P Kosei Yoshida should be fun. The Fighters will be waiting for their new stadium to open in Kitahiroshima with all the logistics still being worked out on the construction.

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Fukuoka Softbank Hawks

The Softbank Hawks are coming off their fourth Japan Series championship in the last five years. This team currently looks like no opposition will stop them anytime soon as we're in the midst of their dynasty.

Notable additions: None

Notable departures: None

Notable retirement: 2B Yuichi Honda

Core-Four: OF Yuki Yanagita, P Kodai Senga, 3B Nobuhiro Matsuda, OF Seiji Uebayashi

Strengths: Depth, pitching

The Softbank Hawks can put a pitcher on every other NPB team and still be competitive. Former ikusei pick Kotaro Otake looks to be a real sleeper while midseason import Ariel Miranda was solid. They have an embarrassment of riches in their pitching staff and can reload at any time if someone struggles.

Question marks: Championship hangover, Manager

The Hawks were offensively below average to start 2018, but they picked it up in the final two months of the year. Like any championship team, a hangover is possible with 2019 being the new season ahead. Kimiyasu Kudo is still an average manager despite winning three of the last four Japan Series Championships as he has a loaded roster to play with.

Expectations: Based on roster talent, the Hawks are expected to contend for another Pacific League pennant and Japan Series. While they have repeated as Japan Series champions twice, they have never three-peated. Their last Three-peat for a Pacific League Pennant was from 1964-1966 as Nankai Hawks.

The core is another year older, but there are plenty of younger options if the team needs to reload. Expect another former ikusei to come out of nowhere.

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Saitama Seibu Lions

The Lions won their first Pacific League pennant in 10 years, but failed to make the Japan Series after losing in the Climax Series. There were quite a few changes to the roster and staff for 2019.

Key and import additions: P Tetsuya Utsumi, P Zach Neal, P Ryuya Ogawa (2018 in-season pickup)

Notable losses: 2B Hideto Asamura, C Ginjiro Sumitani, P Yusei Kikuchi

Notable retirement: Kazuo Matsui (now a farm manager)

Core-Four: P Shinsaburo Tawata, OF Shogo Akiyama, SS Sosuke Genda, 1B Hotaka Yamakawa

Strengths: Speed, hitting for average

Despite losing Asamura, the Lions could be a faster team with who takes 3B or 2B. Takeya "Okawari-kun" Nakamura will likely have less time in the field and the team, who already led the league in stolen bases, could have even more. Last year was also a strong season from Shuta Tonosaki and Yamakawa put a full season together, winning the Pacific League MVP Award.

Question Marks: Rotation, bullpen

Health has become a short term issue with Utsumi and Daiki Enokida hurt. Tawata hasn't proven to be ace-caliber as a pitcher, but he is the best option entering the 2019 season. The best case scenario happened last season where the offense hid most of the issues in the bullpen, as they were lit up in mop up duty. However, it's uncertain what happens to both the rotation and bullpen outside of Deunte Heath, who proved to be a solid closer after being picked up midseason.

It would help if first round draft pick Wataru Matsumoto can contribute right away in the rotation while shakaijin draft pick Ryosuke Moriwaki can be in the bullpen.

Expectations: The Lions are expected to take a step backwards based on who they lost in Kikuchi with the Seattle Mariners and Asamura to the Eagles. There is plenty of rebuilding on the fly with their pitching as well as a few positions in the field. This season is more of an opportunity to play the youth while also compete at the same time.

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Predictions: 

1. Softbank Hawks: Hawks have some hangover, but the team still plays its best baseball as a whole to reclaim the pennant.

2. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters: Youth takes another step forward and puts a full season together to solidify themselves in A-class.

3. Saitama Seibu Lions: Growing pains take place for some, but the offense can take them into A-class with a feared lineup and more speed.

4. Rakuten Eagles: Eagles bullpen takes a larger toll than thought and holds them back another year.

5. Chiba Lotte Marines: Pitching only takes them so far, offense has progress, but not enough to make it to the postseason. Tadahito Iguchi's future uncertain.

6. Orix Buffaloes: No longer in peril, but Orix finds a way to be Orix despite the talent on the roster. Pitching collapses.

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Overall: 

The Softbank Hawks are expected to be at the top, but the rest of the Pacific League will be competitive from top to bottom. Last year after interleague play, everyone was within five games of the pennant outside of the Eagles. No team can be written off and any results from 2-6 wouldn't be shocking, except maybe Orix in second place.

Talent is there on every roster to do damage, but someone has to emerge through 143 games. Only question is who?

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