◆Exhibition game: Nippon-Ham vs. Yakult (22nd, ES CON FIELD)

Nippon-Ham infielder Kotaro Kiyomiya and outfielder Chusei Mannami will starting line-up in the final exhibition game. Kiyomiya will bat second and play first base, while Manami will bat fifth and play right field.

During camp, Ko Kiyomiya left before a practice game with Chunichi on February 19 (Chatan). He was diagnosed with "right elbow arthritis" on the 21st of the same month, and when he returned to actual competition in the Eastern Education League on March 11, he played two games in the Education League, 4 At Bat 1 hit. He then played five games in the Eastern regular season, 15 At Bat 5 hit 3 Home Run 6 RBI and recovered to join the first team in the final game of the open season.

Manami played in five exhibition games, but hit, going 1-At Bat-13 with a batting average of .077, and was sent back to the farm team for further adjustments. He then returned to the farm team for practice games starting with the educational league on March 11th, hit 2-At Bat-8 in two educational league games. After that, when the Eastern regular season began, he started hitting well, recording an impressive 11 hit in 19 At Bat-bats over five games, for a batting average of .579, and returned to the first team.

After the game on the 21st, manager Shinjo emphasized the players' good condition and expressed his expectations, saying, "Manami and Kiyomiya will be coming tomorrow (the 22nd), so I'd like them to play. They're in good condition. Extremely good."