The Yomiuri Giants haven't won the Central League pennant since 2014, which might as well be 1914 in Yomiuri Land, and apparently are not going to sit idly by and watch another team take the flag in 2017.
The Giants have been busy this offseason, acquiring players with a zeal not seen since the Great Haul of the 2007 offseason, when the team picked up slugger Alex Ramirez and starter Seth Greisinger, both formerly of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and plucked closer Marc Kroon from the Yokohama BayStars. That was one year after reeling in former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters star Michihiro Ogasawara.
That quartet played a direct role in pennant wins in 2008 and 2009, the latter of which also resulted in a Japan Series title.