The Chiba Lotte Marines have a 2-0 lead in the Japan Series, and with the way the Hanshin Tigers have played the first two games, the Marines could leave Osaka with the Japan Series title.
Hanshin pitcher Kei Igawa and his Tigers teammates are struggling to shake off the rust following a 2 1/2 week layoff. The Chiba Lotte Marines lead the Japan Series 2-0 after crushing the Tigers 10-1 Saturday and 10-0 Sunday.
If the Series is a sweep -- and the Tigers have shown no reason why it won't be -- the Central League will have some hard thinking to do in the offseason. Its champion is being embarrassed in front of a national audience, and a large part of the reason is not having a postseason.