Hope. That is what Shinkansen fans have. Hope. According to the BNN, the Shinkansen are projected to win 63 games this season. This would be a 22 game improvement from last years dreadful season. Following the season, Shinji Sogo hired Charlie Cooper to right the ship. Unfortunately Sogo passed away and was replaced by his son. Cooper said, “He was a good man. He gave me an opportunity no one else would have. He will be missed.”

First off, lets get something straight. Our Shinkansen will not win this season, we cannot expect a new GM to automatically make this team a championship contender. But, Cooper did promise one thing, change. This offseason we saw a lot of change and it all looks good at this point. Cooper said he wants to rebuild for the future around pitching, and every move so far fits that goal. He says ‘future’ but the future may be soon, very soon.

It all starts at the top, so thats where we will start. New owner Eijoro Sogo, Jr. is the son of the late Shinji Sogo. He is 44 years old and is said to be a very understanding man, who is also very generous. Next, we have new general manager Charlie Cooper. He is half of Sogo’s age at 22, by far the youngest GM in the LRS. Cooper grew up during the demise of major league baseball. When he was eleven he attended the first PEBA game in history. Following that he saw something most others didn’t at the time, potential. Potential to be great. Cooper then devoted all of his free time studying baseball statistics, scouting reports, anything related to baseball. When he turned fifteen he tried out for the Moody High School baseball team, but he was cut and quit playing the game then. At that point, he made the decision that if he wasn’t good enough to play the game, he would do the next best thing, run it. Upon graduating high school in 2015, Cooper enrolled at the University of Central Florida. There he majored in sports management. He graduated at the top of his class, but getting a job was a lot harder then he had imagined. He put an application in for every PEBA team, and was either rejected of just ignored. Except, the Gloucester organization took an interest in him, but had already hired a new GM. So they hooked him up with a gig to take over the worst team in professional baseball. This is exactly what Cooper wanted, a rebuilding project. There was one problem though, his new job was in Japan. After taking a few days to think about the offer, Cooper made up his mind. He then packed his bags and boarded the next plane. Destination: Hyakujuu. He arrived in Japan and was immediately escorted to the site of the soon to be winter meetings. The Cooper era has now begun.

The Shinkansen only have one way to go following a horrible season in which they finished 41-103, up. Everything was a mess last year, from attendence, ticket prices, and payroll to performance, morale, and management. Cooper has come in and pretty much cleaned house. His first objective was to dump players that didn’t fit into his plan for the future, so he released fan favorite Alonso González because he couldn’t throw a strike to save his life. Next up, he tried cleaning up the financial mess left by the previous GM. Ever since the LRS’s inception Hyakujuu has had the largest market and best fan base. But, the tickets weren’t at the right price. Going at half the rate of the rest of the league, $7.50 tickets were just destroying the Shinkansen’s chances and the fans knew it. To improve his budget and payroll, Cooper doubled the ticket prices to a respectable $15.oo a pop. Hopefully, the best fans in the league will still show up. If they do then the Shinkansen have hit the jackpot and will become a competitive team for next year. This is what has created the hope. Cooper’s relentless will to improve his team and build for the future.

The young GM’s first move was probably his most criticized. He traded away a premier power hitting outfielder in Ryozo Takeuchi. In the same trade he also dealt away key role players in 1B Kinji Hayakawa, SP Shoichi Ine, and CL Sojuro Nishimura. But, what he got in return was perhaps the most important part. He received 1B Jotaro Koike, LF Shihei Sakuma, and the 2nd and 9th overall picks in the upcoming 2019 first year player draft. These would prove very vital in the coming months. Over the next few months Cooper made 8 more trades. He got pieces that would help his team stay semi-competitive and sell tickets. But, his biggest trade yet was when he acquired the top two young SP in the LRS. Kensaku Gato and Yakamochi Suitani were both former number one picks. Cooper may have given up quite a bit, but also got quite a bit. He gave up good, solid players to get multiple good young players.

After all the moves the dust has settled and the 2019 Hyakujuu Shinkansen seem to have taken shape. The 2019 roster is as follows;

SP Juan Ávila (Age:25) Acquired: 4/6/19 from EDO via trade.

Avila looks to be the ace of the staff following a trade form Edo in the offseason. Avila is a lefty who will throw anywhere from the low 90’s and topping out at 95. Avila throws a fastball, change, and an unorthodox screwball. While none of these pitches are even above average, Avila mixes them well and gets groundballs.

SP Kensaku Gato (20) Acquired: 2/24/19 from KAW via trade

Gato is a former number pick and now two time #1 prospect in the LRS. Gato has ace potential and very well could be the ace right now. But, to keep the pressure off of him and his innings down he’s our number 2 for 2019. Gato is a sinkerballer, who also throws a change-up and fastball. In his cup of coffee last year the then 19 year old Gato went 3-1, with a 1.20 ERA in 5 starts.

SP Greg White (31) Acquired: 12/30/18 from KAW via waivers

White is a workhorse with PEBA experience. White throws an amazing 8 pitches and should mix them well enough to be a solid number 3.

SP Eisuke Sanu (28) Acquired: 7/19/14 from NT via trade

Sanu is slated to be the number 4 starter for the Shinkansen. Sanu though has a lot of upside compared to other starters in the rotation. Throwing in the mid-nineties, Sanu could be a weapon if he can harness his ‘iffy’ control. If the Shinkansen are going to have some success this year, Sanu will have to be good.

SP Yoichibei Kichida (28) Acquired: 6/21/12 via Draft

Kichida is the 5th starter, plain and simple. He was once a first round pick, but any potential he once had has fizzled away. Kichida is here to eat innings while the young guys in the minors develop.

Now onto the dreaded bullpen;

MR Naofumi Kumagai (30) Acquired: 12/27/18 via free agency

Kumagai was picked up this past offseason to shore up the bullpen. Kumagai offers veteran experience and leadership. He was once a starter but now has moved to the bullpen and the results have been just average. Kumagai hurls it in the low 90’s with a sinker, slider, and curveball. Kumagai will be a key piece to the Shinkansen this year.

MR Tetsunori Koike (35) Acquired: 12/27/18 via free agency

Koike is slated for middle relief work, but it looks like he’ll be primarily a mop up guy and occasional emergency starter. Koike is below average and old. Look for him to be the first to go if another move is made to shore up the relief corps.

MR Carlos Camacho (34) Acquired: 12/28/11 via free agency

Well, this is Carlos Camacho. Overrated. Overpaid. USELESS. He’s making $15 million this year and has a player option for next year. The move is simple here. Cooper is not going to release Camacho and eat his $15 million right now, rather his goal is just to piss Camacho off enough to decline the player option and seek employment elsewhere. Camacho has been a starter ever since he signed with the Shinkansen way back in 2011, so that’s what he expects to be. Instead, he’ll come out of the bullpen and try and bridge the innings from the starter to the set-up man.

LT Kensaku Fujita (29) Acquired: 1/3/19 via free agency

Fujita is in this role just because of the hand he throws with. He’ll be looked upon to come in and get one out a game, usually against a lefty. He throws three sub-par pitches, but throws them all for strikes. If needed he can soak up some middle innings too.

SU Kazuhiro Suzuki (35) Acquired: 1/3/19 via free agency

Suzuki is pretty much the right handed Fujita. Throws strikes and throws slow. He’ll be looked upon to lead some of the young guys in the clubhouse.

SU Shunsen Kokawa (24) Acquired: 4/28/19 from SS via trade

Kokawa was an underrated piece in the Suitani deal to SS. He’s young, throws strikes and can bring it. Unlike some of the other guys on this staff, Kokawa has a future. He could even close out some games this year if necessary.

CL Jo Kichida (25) Acquired: 4/28/19 from SS via trade

He’s the relief ace and will continue to be for the next few years, barring injury. He has true closer stuff and that rare instinct to forget about the night before and go out and do his job.

The opportunistic offense;

C Harumi Kawamura (30) Acquired: 4/9/19 via free agency

Kawamura is the starter because of his power. Other then that he really doesn’t have much to offer as a baseball player.

1B Nobuo Ota (28) Acquired: 12/18/18 from KUW via trade

Ota looks like he might break out this year and finally reach his potential as a premier power hitter in the LRS. He’ll be given the opportunity to play full time, no questions asked and should blossom.

2B Noburo Yamasaki (29) Acquired: 12/18/18 from SS via trade

Yamasaki has never really been given a chance and now on a rebuilding Shinkansen team he will have his shot to show his stuff. If his minor league numbers are a good trend of how he’ll do in the big leagues, then Cooper may have acquired a diamond in the rough.

3B Forrest O’Connor (30) Acquired: 3/22/17 from SEO via trade

O’Connor is the top Gaijin on the team. He’s efficient and works hard. Also his versatility is a plus and only improves his value. Look for him to lead the team in batting average this year.

SS Shoichi Koyama (26) Acquired: 2/24/19 from KAW via trade

Koyama was acquired to give the Shinkansen a building block to build their infield around. He plays some of the best defense in the LRS if not all of baseball. He’s one of the building blocks Cooper acquired this offseason.

LF Tamuramaro Fujii (26) Acquired: 7/6/14 from SS via trade

Fujii has been in Hyakujuu for the last 4 years and last year was his worst of them. He had career lows in BA, OBP, and HR’s. He also struck out the most in his career too. If he can turn it around for this year. Fujii will be here to stay for a while.

CF Ton Iwamoto (23) Acquired: 12/18/18 from SS via trade

Ton is the CF of the future and was the number target Cooper had when he took the reigns of the Shinkansen. He has speed, plays good defense, puts the ball in play, and does strike out.

RF Hidehira Sakamoto (25) Acquired: 12/6/14 via free agency

Hidehara is sort of like that fly you just can’t get rid of. He’s has been solid for a few years now and is still young. Look for him to be a key contributor this year.

DH Jotaro Koike (24) Acquired: 12/17/18 from KUW via trade

Koike is a very good young hitter. He has good contact skills and some very solid power. Koike has been a first basemen his whole career, but he isn’t as good as Ota is defensively.

Our defensively minded bench;

C Katsuhiko Kato (33) Acquired: 7/14/18 from SS via trade

Solid backup catcher. Good receiver and game caller.

1B Yoshinaka Ohayashi (27) Acquired: 6/21/13 via Draft

Won this job in spring training do to the fact that he wouldn’t stop hitting.

IF Kazuyoshi Sekine (27) Acquired: 8/9/15 via free agency

Promoted to the big league squad just yesterday following Ohayashi winning the backup 1B job and not the utility infielder spot.

OF Yoshikazu Nakano (24) Acquired: 7/24/16 from EDO via free agency

Former top prospect. Still young with some decent potential. He could make a serious a run at some playing time this year if he produces.

 

Overall, the 2019 Shinkansen are below average, but won’t be exactly the ‘easy’ win on the schedule. Cooper will do everything in his power to bring Shinkansen fans a championship.