Jun 1, 2019: Kyoto
By Saruwatari Tsuyoshi, Kyoto Shimbun News  

“Top of the list, Head of the heap, King of the hill“ Ol’ Blue Eyes famously crooned. There’s no better view than that from the top. Astonishingly that’s exactly where the Battousai find themselves as the sun wanders within the constellation Taurus.

Bullish describes exactly how the fans feel about their local nine these days. Home game attendance is up 40% over the past season. The club completed it’s financial rebuild 2 years ahead of schedule and haven’t looked back.

Newly acquired backstop Felix Lima has led the way posting a .430 AVG and 1.078 OPS while batting cleanup for the new look Battousai. His club mates have rewarded his efforts, granting him the moniker ‘Super Power’. Turns out the nickname came about when the club was visiting former catcher Kenko Nakamura’s buffalo ranch in Wyoming, USA.

The ranch features a number of western attractions including an old steam locomotive. A builder’s plate on the old engine identified it as having been made at the Lima Locomotive Works. It was a Class 1 Berkshire locomotive, a 2-8-4 steam locomotive first built in 1925 by the Lima Locomotive Works. This model was one of the advanced steam locomotive types that came to exemplify the “Super Power” concept developed by Lima. A nickname was born. 

True to his new nickname Lima has been the central engine of the resurgent club. His efforts and recent contract extension have inspired fan favorite  3B Takeshi Hayashi (.344 AVG, 20 RBI ) as well. “Felix is such a great guy. I know some have questioned his work effort over the years but frankly that guy busts his tail. I love coming to the ball park every day just to watch him play. His pitch calling has been outstanding. He really works well with ‘Decoy’ (Murata).”

Hayashi recently signed an 3 year extension with the club. His loyalty and dedication to the club adorned in the famous “October Orange” uniform is no secret and he was happy to re-up, giving the club a hometown discount. At the press conference after the signing he said, “The organization put together a very forward-thinking offer and have tried to accommodate me. This deal was a pleasure to finalize, and it will really be great getting our minds on baseball and nailing down a pennant.”