October 3 2022, Toyama—The day after a rugged season drew to a close, Ron Collins took to the podium this morning to announce that this would be that last time that he would address the media as General Manager of the Lupin Cliff Hangers. He is not, however, standing down.

“Yes, we had a very difficult season this year, but I’m proud of the club and the fact that our ‘Misfit Boys’ managed to bring home an additional 16 wins more than last season. This may not sound good to some of our fans, but if someone had told us we were going to lose pretty much our entire starting lineup and half of our rotation to injury, I would have paid them cash money to finish 75-87.”

“What I hope will sound good to some of the fans, however, is that we are announcing today that effective at the beginning of 2023, the ballclub will no longer sport its Lupin surname. Instead, we will answer as Toyama.”

He went on to say that the club’s Cliff Hangers nickname will also be relegated to the past, but that the naming of the team will be done via a fan-inclusive process. “We’re asking all baseball fans in Toyama to put forward their voice. We want to hear what you’ve got. What would you like to see us wear on the front of our home jerseys?” He went on to announce the institution of a website where fans can put their ideas online. Any fan whose idea is either chosen, or influences the design of the team’s logo will be given a free ticket to the club’s home opener.

These changes come after a rocky season marred by contention across the fan base, a struggle led by the Toyama Baseball Fans (TBF), who have picketed, boycotted, and otherwise been a thorn in the side of the front office (and owner Paul Walker in specific) as they have navigated the PEBA waters this year. “We are pleased with the efforts the team is making to reach out to establish the team as Toyama’s ball club,” the TBF leader noted on Z-band, a new multi-D social media platform.

“We are terribly excited by these changes,” Collins said. “We think they will be a great way to help our guys move forward as we build a winning brand of PEBA baseball.