I don’t wish to dwell much more on my bitter ranting from the end of the last series, but it’s certainly time for the team to step up and start winning games. The offense disappears for 10 inning stretches and the pitching alternates between brilliant and execrable. The ingredients that made this season such an exciting prospect are still there – they’re just mostly in ni-gun.
Author: Steve Novosel
I've gotta write, usually my voice is shot from yelling too much during Lotte games!
Lotte @ Orix, 5-7 May 2014
The last series started with a no-hitter and ended in a true heartbreaker. After a nice winning streak for Our Marines, the ship has started to list a bit, with 3 losses in the last 4 games.
So it’s on to Osaka and Orix, and time to face the best pitching team in Japan. Orix has had its issues as well as of late, just getting swept by Hamu.
Orix @ Lotte, 22-23 April 2014
Going 1-1-1 vs Daiei over the weekend is a damn sight better than the first series of the season, but it’s hardly ideal. Small steps. Now it’s Orix’s turn to come to frigid QVC, this time for a 2 game set.
Wakui gets the nod in game 1, fresh off his nice work in Omiya last week. It’ll be Furuya and Igawa in game 2.
Lotte @ Seibu, 15-17 April 2014
After a wonderful start to the previous series, things did not go so well for Our Marines in the Rakuten series, and the wheels are spinning a bit. There seems to be the vague scent of panic in the air for some reason (I say ‘for some reason’ as it’s just 10% of the way into the season) as players have been swapped en masse between ichi-gun and ni-gun.
Lotte @ Orix, 8-10 April 2014
So since the REAL start of the season Our Marines are a solid 3-0. Ignore what the official standings say, we’re a forward looking bunch at We Love Marines. This week the guys are heading west to Osaka, putting on their fancy black and red duds, and challenging the blazing hot Buffaloes to a 3 game set.
The REAL Start of the Season: 4-6 April 2014, Hamu @ Lotte
The first home series? Yeah, not so good. But that’s OK, the rotation is reset, we get a do-over. It’s time for the first weekend home series, and I don’t know about you but to us at We Love Marines, that’s the REAL start of the season.
139 wins in a row starts now.
Picture Post: Lotte Ni-Gun vs Yakult Ni-Gun
Since today was an off day for Our Marines, I thought I would share some picture from last Saturday’s ni-gun game at Yakult Toda Stadium.
Opening Series: 28-30 March 2014, Lotte vs Softbank
So it has begun. Our Marines are off and running this 2014 NPB season – a season filled with high hopes of a PL flag, if not an NPB title – and they are getting it started in the home of arguably our biggest rival, Softbank. A good start would be a very welcome sight.
2014 Season Preview: Position Players
We just took a look yesterday at the pitchers for the 2014 version of Our Marines. The pitching situation is pretty straightforward with a lot of depth both in the rotation and in the pen. The situation for position players is a bit different, though, with lots more variables to consider.
2014 Season Preview: The Pitchers
The preaseason is over, the 2014 NPB regular season kicks off this Friday! Let’s take a look at the players who will be starting the season at ichi-gun for Our Marines. First, the pitchers.