October 21, 2019: Toyama – Last year at playoff time, the Lupin front office hosted a “Crash the Castle” night, which was a fan appreciation event geared to grabbing attention.  The Cliff Hangers had finished the season 66-78, 22 games behind the pack, fifth place in the group.  A good time was had by all, though the only baseball played in the park that night was on the diamond vision.

Things were different this year, though, clearly.  The Cliff Hangers won 96 games and won their group by 9 games, going away.  It is the first time in BBG history that a team won the group from as far back as fifth. 

It is a remarkable result for a team that saw considerable turmoil in the front office entering the season, starting with the resignation of long-time GM Jim Konopka, and the installation of renegade and one-time Kawaguchi GM Ron Collins.  “Jim really set the table for us,” Collins said in a recent JESPN interview.  “You can see his touch on a lot of our roster.”  Which is true, but not complete.  While other teams made sparks in the papers for the wild trade frenzies and mega-buck free agent signings, Collins took a more understated route, combining wise signings with rule 5 draft picks with careful deals, and then relying on natural development of some outstanding talent to make up the alchemy that has become the Cliff Hangers.

Not convinced?

Look at second baseman Kazuma Yamada, acquired from Kawaguchi immediately after Collins took office.  Yamada is a bit of an eyesore in the field, but he tagged 12 homers and planted a .411 OBP on opposing pitchers from the #8 spot in the order.  That move was so quiet it was nearly non-existent when it occurred, yet it set the table for what was to come.  The team’s next moves were to sign free agent 3b Dan Stewart (22 HR, 82 RBI, .887 OPS), SP Yoshitora Koyama (13-4) to three season deals.  Both Stewart and Koyama were PEBA US cast-offs, Stewart never even making it to the majors and Koyama struggling his last two seasons in Kalamazoo.  Stewart won a pair of Rookie of the Month awards, and Koyama became a stabilizing factor in what was one of the league’s best rotations.

Then came the Rule 5 fiasco.

At least, that’s how it was advertised.  The team, as you’ll remember, had to draft two of their own players (Kikaku Ono and Hiroyuki Masuda) due to an administrative foul-up.  The move made the club the laughing stock of the city.  However, two things must now be said about the rule 5 draft.  First, the club’s front office was wise enough to redraft the two.  The 25-year-old Ono played 92 games as a utility fill-in, and registered a useful .295/.364/.396 slash line.  And Masuda (also 25) may have been even more valuable, filling in for 46 games and plastering opponent pitching for 7 homers, and a .315/.429/.521 slash.  But of equal value were the team’s two other Rule 5ers, Tokimasa Daisen (7-1, 1.38) drafted from Kure, and Yodo Yoshida who was drafted from Naha and registered a 2.50 ERA in (admittedly) limited action.

Bottom line: a large part of the Cliff Hanger bench came from the Rule 5 draft.

Of course, the final piece came via the trade market in late June when Collins sent the team’s #1 pick next year, and top prospect to the trade dervishes in Hyakujuu for closer Jo Kichida and infielder Soichi Koyama.  Kichida saved 23 games for the Cliff Hangers, dropping a 1.81 ERA in the process.  Koyama played every infield position while registering a .394 OBP.

And the kids?

Ah, the kids.

Shinobu Takeuchi (9-2, 24 years old) was the rotation leader until suffering a second season-ending injury.  That injury left rotation mate Akira Watanabe (12-11) in the driver’s seat, and drive he did.  After a terrible May and June, Watanabe was nearly untouchable, registering a final ERA of 3.25.  Centerfielder Sadatake Sato (27 years old, 26 HR, 111 RBI) had another sparkling season despite a series of minor injuries, and then suffering a bone bruise that will keep him out of post-season play.  Shortstop Shiro Adachi (26) registered career-best numbers in the field, scored 102 runs, and created a .371 OBP in the lead-off and #2 slots all season.  Outfielders Kuniyoshi Kato (25, 16 HR, 82 RBI, .340/.429/.499) and Keisuke Takahashi (24 yo, 12 HR, .276/.386/.464) were critical cogs throughout the year.  Switch-hitting Kevin Arnold (25 yo, .303/.426/.525) had been expected to spend the year at Yamauchi, but played key backfill roles, and will be on the playoff roster due to Sato’s injury.  Young relief ace Yasushi Yamasaki (just turned 26 yo, 6-0, 2.63) was brilliant in 41 innings.  And, finally, catcher Shigekazu Munakata (27 yo, 15 HR, 77 RBI) grew into his spot and dropped a career best 3.3 WAR.

We should not forget the vets, of course.  Gustavo “Old Man Wonder” Rivera, who at 33 just seems to always be around, pitched himself into and out of enough problems to register a 11-9 (3.83) record while eating up 170 innings.  Thirty-year-old Tsuyoshi Nishiyama filled the #4 hole and quietly went about posting a remarkable 17-7 record and a 3.82 ERA.  In the bullpen Tadao Harada (29 yo, 3.41 EAR, 9 saves) held down the closer role until Kichida’s arrival, and took the “demotion” to the set-up role like the pro he is, and after a pre-season kerfluffle, 29-yo reliever Katsumi Okano settled down to register a 5-2, 2.31 ERA performance in 58 innings.  And oft-injured 30-yo OF Mashashi Yano (19 HR, 73 RBI, .298/.367/.555) had what is essentially a career year in a back-up role.  Similarly, when first baseman Takechi Yoshida (10 HR, .734 OPS) went down with injury, the front office decided to stay with veteran Kichibei Kumagai (15 HR, .758 OPS).  The 31 year-old Kumagai had not played in two seasons due to injury, but turned in a September for the ages.  It will be interesting to see what the front office thinks of Kumagai’s future come this off-season.

Finally, fans will not long forget Yoshiteru Sato, a 29 year-old pitcher who has been nigh-on invisible since an injury in 2017, stepped into the starting role vacated by the Takeuchi injury and did nothing short of a miracle, registering a 7-3 record and being named the LRS pitcher of the Month of September (when he was 5-0, 2.38).

“Everyone was on us to make a big deal to backfill Shinobu,” Collins said of the decision to give Sato the ball.  “But the staff felt Yoshiteru could do the job.  Obviously, they were right.”

You could say that about nearly every move the Lupin front office made this year, really.  It was truly a magical season, every move worked out.  Every player traded for performed, every signee raised his game.  Every rookie matured.  Every veteran led, be it in the clubhouse or on the field.

And that mix hoisted a trophy.

That mix has caught the community on fire, and that community responded by hitting the turnstiles at a record 2.4 million pace, a pace that has the club’s front office considering expansion of the Castle in 2020.

Will they proceed to victory in the off-season?

Who knows?  Past history is not kind to Lupin, as they have lost in the Wasei Junkesshou each time they have won the group (yes, we know it’s ancient history).  Its best pitcher, best outfielder, and starting first baseman are out with injuries.  But the fans of Lupin have come to expect wondrous things of this group.  All you can say for sure is that come Tuesday night you can expect the Castle will be rocking.

And this time there will even be a game.