The Seibu Lions "sugoi dasen" (spectacular hitting lineup) is getting most of the ink and most of the credit for the team's surge from an also-ran "B Class" standing in 2007 to compiling the best record in the Pacific League, as we approach the halfway point in the 2008 Japan pro baseball season.

However, the Saitama pitching staff also deserves its share of the recognition and, among them, reliever Alex Graman has made a significant contribution to the Lions' success.

In fact, the southpaw from Indiana is the leading closer in the Pacific League with 13 saves through games of June 12.

Graman has allowed only one earned run in 24 2/3 innings of work and posted a minuscule 0.36 ERA. Sugoi, indeed.

Now in his third year with Seibu, Graman hardly imagined when he joined the club he would even be a reliever, let alone the man called upon to work the pressure-packed ninth inning, protecting a slim lead in clutch situations with the game on the line — for a league-leading team, no less.

He was a starter throughout his career in the North American minor leagues, although he played a limited closer role in Triple-A prior to his call-up by the New York Yankees in 2004.

Graman got his first taste of Japanese baseball four years ago when he made the trip with the Yankees, who came to open the season against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tokyo Dome. Though not registered to play in the official games, Graman got to pitch in an exhibition contest against the Hanshin Tigers.

After appearing in only five games for the Yanks in 2004-05, he made the move to the Far East in 2006, and he posted a less-than-spectacular 4-6 record with a 4.26 ERA as a starter that season.

He began the 2007 season in the rotation as well, but was only so-so again and was sent to the bullpen in June.

He worked "one-point" (brought in to pitch to a lefty batter in certain situations) duty, middle relief and as a setup man. But a mid-summer injury to closer Chikara Onodera caused an opening in that job, and Graman got the call to fill it.

He responded with 17 saves while posting a 2.08 ERA, much better than his overall figure of 4.08 as a starter and reliever.

"I really like being the closer," he said prior to a recent interleague game against the Yomiuri Giants.

Asked if he thought the Lions would be as good as they are this season, Graman replied directly, "To be honest, no."

He is not the only one. After all, Seibu lost ace pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka following the 2006 season and, over the past winter, slugging first baseman and cleanup hitter Alex Cabrera left for the PL rival Orix Buffaloes.

Also, No. 5 batter and Tokorozawa fan favorite Kazuhiro Wada filed for free agency and jumped to the Central League and the defending Japan Series champion Chunichi Dragons.

How do you improve when you lose players such as them?

"A lot of younger players got the chance to play and stepped up," said Graman. "Also, getting (Kazuhisa) Ishii was huge," he added, referring to the offseason acquisition from the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the veteran lefty starter and former major leaguer who is 7-3 with a 2.41 ERA in his first Pa League campaign.

Others in the Lions' rotation churning out the victories and for whom Graman has saved games are southpaw Kazuyuki Hoashi (6-0 with a Japan-best 1.55 ERA) and right-handers Takayuki Kishi (6-2, 3.61) and Hideaki Wakui (6-5, 3.07).

All are on course to post double figures in victories for the season. It is the mark of a championship-contending team when all its starters and its closer are listed among league leaders. It shows consistency and good luck in avoiding injury.

Seven of the position players from that spectacular hitting lineup also have enough at bats to qualify for listing in the statistics tables.

Right fielder G.G. Sato is a Triple Crown threat with 16 homers, 45 RBIs and a .325 average.

First baseman/DH Craig Brazell is tops with 17 home runs, while batting .250 with 43 RBIs.

Shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima is No. 1 in the PL in batting with a .331 average to go along with 13 homers and 46 RBIs.

Second baseman Yasuyuki Kataoka was hitting .273, and his 24 stolen bases is tops in both leagues.

Center fielder Takumi Kuriyama was batting .278 with 12 steals.

Also in double figures in the long-ball department are third baseman Takeya Nakamura with 13 homers and left fielder Hiram Bocachica with 12.

Catcher Toru Hosokawa has chipped in with nine and done an excellent job of handling the pitchers.

The mood on the Seibu bench is totally different from last season, as you might expect. First-year manager Hisanobu Watanabe has the guys loose and smiling, relaxed and confident, and it all could not have come at a better time for a franchise in desperate need of resurgence.

Following a series of scandals in the parent company and loss of sponsorship of stadium and farm team naming rights, the Lions are back and happy days are here again at Seibu Dome.

Crowds exceeding 32,000 and 28,000 showed up at Tokorozawa on June 11-12, respectively, marking a hefty increase from 2007 when the listless Leos often failed to attract a five-figure attendance count for weekday games at home.

True, the opponent was the ever-popular Central League front-running Hanshin Tigers but, if the Lions keep playing as they have, the fans will continue to come, regardless of the opponent, and the next time Hanshin and Seibu get together could be Nov. 1 for Game 1 of the 2008 Japan Series.

Sugoi, for sure.

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Contact Wayne Graczyk at: [email protected]