No matter how suspect the Yomiuri Giants' starting pitching has been in the past, a powerhouse offense has always been there to bail them out.
So far this year, be it the new ball or early-season jitters, that advantage is being nullified. Which has left manager Tatsunori Hara scrambling for answers.
In past years the Giants' squad has looked like a barnstorming troupe of All-Stars, crushing home runs and collecting pennants in three of the past four seasons.