The Hanshin Tigers have a Shintaro Fujinami problem. They just don't seem to know what to do about it.
Fujinami, 24, is one of the most gifted pitchers in Japan, with a fastball among the fastest in NPB and good secondary pitches. The issue is, he just never seems to consistently have his arsenal under control.
For the Tigers and their fans, it's an adventure every time the lanky 197-cm right-hander winds up to deliver a pitch. Because it's anyone's guess whether his balls will hit the spot where the catcher is set up, or the batter, or just sail far outside the strike zone.