Here are five questions heading into the first stage of the Central League Climax Series between the Hanshin Tigers and Chunichi Dragons:
Which Hanshin team will show up?
The Tigers have had a roller-coaster year filled with extreme highs and lows in rapid succession. In September alone, Hanshin started the month with a eight-game winning streak and climbed into first place in the CL and ended it by losing nine of 10 (a string that began with an eight-game losing streak) and falling to third in the league.