Ghost Town Special 2017 Season Preview

August 15, 2012

GHOST TOWN SPECIAL EDITION: 2017 SEASON PREVIEW

(Niihama City, May 8th, 2017) — Tonight brings the season opener for the 2017 edition of your beloved Ghosts with the start of a three-game series against the Evas in Shin Seiki The home opener comes Friday night against the Akira. So what do the experts of Ghost Town think about the team’s chances for the coming season in the always wild Shining Star Group Let’s take a look.

Additions:

OF Jason Guillen
Lured to Japan for about $8.5 million per year over three years (with a team option on year four) Guillen’s signing was overshadowed by another gaijen FA, Pat Lilly going to Neo Tokyo. We can’t wait to see these two former PEBA stars meet up for sushi when their new clubs play later this week.

CL Katsuhito Maeda
The team’s other big signing, Maeda is ancient (38) but still potent, with a 1.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 31 saves in 54 innings last season with the World Champion Kure Arsenal. Maeda hopefully solves the Ghosts’ recent revolving door of closers. He’s also a bit of bullpen insurance, with last year’s closer Kanko Hasegawa returning after suffering a torn labrum.

RF Koichi Nakagawa
The only big addition acquired via trade, Nakagawa arrived during the Winter Meetings from Edo in exchange for former second round pick Masashi Ekiguchi. With the deal, GM Mike Dunn is effectively swapping a guy who is two years out for one who’s ready now. We just hope in two seasons that he isn’t regretting it.

Subtractions:

1B Michizane Kouki
The angry juuki fled Niihama City in the off-season and apparently can’t find another team willing to hire him. António Coronado assumes first base full time.

Other departures were of players not worth mentioning. So viewed simply in the raw equation of the additions and subtractions, this is a stronger Ghosts squad than in ’16. As well, the young starting rotation — LRS Pitcher of the Year Kata Nakamura, Jun’ichi ‘Hobo’ Yoshino, Juan Quezada and Hiroyasu Hirano — has matured and, barring injuries, should be solid once again.

The fifth rotation spot, which Dunn struggled all last season to fill, is still very much a question mark. In Spring Training Tadahisa Sanu, a Rule 5 claim, was given a chance to show his stuff, and failed miserably, ending ST with a 7.98 ERA. For now he’ll be relegated to the bullpen with some spot starts.

Instead, with some trepidation, the fifth spot in the rotation goes to former first round draft pick (’14) Hoshi Ikarashi. He had a mostly solid spring, but most observers feel he could benefit with some more time in AAA. If the Ghosts contend in the first half, and if Hoshi falters, look for Dunn to attempt to trade for a reliable fifth starter. (If Ikarashi sticks, the team would have 4 former first rounders in the rotation).

Another question mark: will stud superstar third baseman Nobu Hasegawa shake off his anger from being slapped with the juuki designation? He’s normally an affable guy, but he is said to be furious that the Ghosts wouldn’t come close to the deal he was seeking (reportedly, upwards of $20 million per year for five years. That’s PEBA money, folks). Hasegawa hit .344 last season and had 103 RBI. But if his juuki anger causes that production to tail off, look for the Ghosts to struggle.

The final question mark is the constant issue when you live in the Shining Star Group: the tough competition. Perenial division winner Shin Seiki is already predictedto run away with the top spot. And then there’s Akira, now with stud Pat Lilly in the fold. And then there’s the Arsenal — all they did last year was win the world championship. Can Niihama-shi compete in this difficult environment? We here are Ghost Town remain ever skeptical. But it sure will be fun watching.