Is this truly the Year of the Tigers? Here we are, about 43 percent of the way through the 2003 Japan pro baseball season, and the Hanshin Tigers are in the driver's seat in their attempt to win their first Central League pennant in 18 years, and only their third since the two-league system was established in 1950. Hanshin last won in 1985, led by American Triple Crown batting winner Randy Bass.
Prior to that, the Tigers were CL champions in 1964, so it took 21 years to win their second title, and 18 years is an improvement, but fans supporting the black-and-yellow would like to see a championship more often. Through games of June 9, manager Senichi Hoshino's Tigers were sitting on an eight-game lead over the second place Yomiuri Giants, Hanshin's archrival.
American batting coach Tom O'Malley says this year's Hanshin club has been tremendously improved by the acquisition of three key players during the last off-season: starting pitcher Hideki Irabu, closer Jeff Williams and left-fielder Tomoaki Kanemoto.