CHIBA LOTTE MARINES -- Manager Bobby Valentine's club won it all last season and will no doubt be a contender for the Pacific League again. The lineup is solid with veterans Kazuya Fukuura (6 home runs, 72 RBIs, .300 average in 2005) at first base and Koichi Hori (7, 46, .305) at second, National Team members Tsuyoshi Nishioka (4, 48, .268 with 41 steals) at shortstop and Toshiaki Imae (8, 71, .310 and the 2005 Japan Series MVP) at third.
In the outfield are Americans Benny Agbayani (13, 71, .271), Matt Franco (21, 78, .300) and Val Pascucci (8, 20, .284 in limited action), along with Saburo Omura (14, 50, .313), to man the three positions and the DH slot in the batting order. Valentine can also call on Akira Otsuka (8, 32, .293) to fill in. Behind the plate is the best pair of platoon catchers in the country, righthand-hitting Tomoya Satozaki (10, 52, .303 and another WBC member) and lefty-swinging Tasuku Hashimoto (7, 31, .257).
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| Hawks manager Sadaharu oh congratulates closer Takahiro Mahara after their Opening Day win over the Marines. Softbank has had the best record in the Pa League for the last three seasons and is off to a good start in 2006. |
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