The Seibu Lions are getting back to the basics.
The Lions had Japan's top pitcher last season but faded to a fourth-place finish. This year they're looking to slug their way back to the top, one run at a time.
"We need to be able to score runs," outfielder Takumi Kuriyama said of the Lions' key to success. "That's really simple, but that's what we really need to focus on. We need to score runs."