There were high hopes for the Hiroshima Carp heading into the 2013 NPB season but, almost a third of the way into the schedule, the results so far might well be described as a still wait-and-see situation.
The Carp are in the middle of the Central League standings, treading water with hopes key players who suffered injuries will return in time to propel the team to more winning ways.
Following a fourth-place finish in 2012, manager Kenjiro Nomura's "Red Helmets" were expected to vie for a Climax Series berth this year. However, injuries and inconsistent play have so far held down the team.