By Chiba Yumi, Niihama-shi Intelligencer

September 1, 2013: Niihama City, Japan – The hapless Ghosts, now tied for last place in the Shining Star Group, have decided to honor their latest desperate roster promotion – a career minor leaguer – with his first-ever baseball card.

The team has announced that fans who plan to attend the September 3 game against the equally last-place Kawaguchi Transmitters will receive a baseball card featuring 31-year-old infielder Joji Takeuchi.

Takeuchi was recalled from the Single-A Gakidou Onryou on August 25 and immediately became the team’s starting first baseman.  It marked the first time in his journeyman career that Takeuchi was a regular starter on the big league squad.  He immediately proved popular among the dwindling number of Ghosts faithful, and many have taken to chanting, “Jo-Ji!  Jo-Ji!” during his every at bat.

The card uses a design created by the Fhomess Baseball Card Company, popular in the United States.  “We spared no expense in the creation of this card,” said team spokesman Choiba Nakamura.  “Joji deserves it.”  In addition to the card giveaway, fans who dress as Joji on Sept. 3 are also eligible for special prizes.

The Sept. 3 game is the first of three crucial games for the Ghosts at their home park, as they take on the Transmitters in the increasingly tight Battle to Avoid Last Place.  Kawaguchi, with new GM Ron Collins at the helm, has rebounded of late, and the Ghosts front office is clearly anxious about the series.

Signed originally in 2007 by the PEBA Coal Sox organization, Takeuchi has certainly bounced around between the PEBA and the LRS.  Here are teams that have owned him before his current stint, in order: West Virginia Coal Sox, Shin Seiki Evas, Aurora Borealis, Kure Arsenal, Neo-Tokyo Akira, Niihama-shi Ghosts (1^st go-round), Fushigi Yugi Celestial Warriors and Hyakujuu Shinkansen.

Joji apparently never made much of an impression during those many stops.  “I have no memory of signing Joji Takeuchi,” said current PEBA Commissioner and former Aurora GM John Rodriguez, Jr.  “I hope the 24 at bats he amassed at AA Gatineau helped prepared him for this latest major league gig.”

Recalls Tyler Babcock, owner of the Coal Sox, “I remember when Takeuchi was with the Coal Sox.  The only reason he ever appeared in the big leagues was due to a horrible rash of injuries that left most of the AAA infield in the bigs for about two weeks, and not enough players to fill in the gaps.  Rather than promoting a prospect too early, Takeuchi got his (very brief) PEBA career underway.”

In the LRS, even Kure GM, Aaron Tassano thought Joji might eventually have some value.  “I’ve been keeping tabs on the Joji merry-go-round since I released him and was worried he might do well as a member of the Akira.  He’s well-traveled, but I’m glad to see him get another cup of coffee.  If the Transmitters pick him up this off-season, he’ll have the full SSG taken care of.”

Now with his own baseball card, Joji told the Intelligencer that he’s enjoying what will likely be fifteen prolonged minutes of LRS fame.  “In all these years of bouncing around, I never expected to have my own card,” he said, choking up a bit.  “No matter what happens, no matter how quick this cup of coffee is, I will always have this card.”

Joji might have time for a full breakfast, not just a cup of coffee.  He replaced the much-ballyhooed Baden Tamburrino, who was placed on the disabled list after just 14 games when he suffered a bruised thigh.  Tamburrino, who had batted around .400 in half a season with the AAA Namuko Puckmen, was hitting only .220 in 14 games with the Ghosts.  This has prompted voracious skepticism in the clubhouse.  “Bruised thigh?” wondered one teammate.  “More likely, a bruised ego.”