Every Year is Golden Year in Chiba
The start of interleague could not be any better for Our Marines. The 4 game sweep of Yakult and Kyojin means Chiba has won 5 in a row. The pitching last series was great, and the bats have kept up the efficient production. Can everyone keep it up as the team hits the road?
Our Marines are 4-9 so far in May, as they head up north for a three game set in Sapporo. The roster changes and constant lineup tinkering have really ratcheted up this month, with the pre-game announcements accounting half the fun of following the team. It’s anyone’s guess which positions players will start this weekend, where they’ll be positioned, and in what spot they’ll bat in the lineup.
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.
Golden Week has arrived, and Our Marines sport a .500 record for the first time this year. Fresh off a series sweep in Sapporo, our Marines head south for a three game set in Sendai. We’ve now won 4 straight, while Rakuten comes home after being swept on the road at Orix. Let’s hope these trends continue.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
I ask you, Lotte fans – what do you want in a playoff game? Victory, yes, sure. Lots of offense? Great. Strong pitching? Uh huh. A close game? Well… Sorry, can’t help you with the last one.