Pitchers Shintaro Fujinami and Randy Messenger have been about the only two things the Hanshin Tigers have really been able to count on over the last several weeks.
The two pitchers have looked like aces in their last few starts and their recent surge makes it at least somewhat harder to dismiss the Tigers, who are probably fortunate just to be 38-37-1 this year, in the weak Central League.
Wins have come at a premium in the CL, where the Tigers are in first place and stand as the only team with a winning record, and having a pair of hurlers who can go out and deliver has to be a big boost to the team's confidence.