Offseason Changes: Hanshin Tigers
Coming: Kevin Mench, manager Akinobu Mayumi
Going: Lew Ford, Ryan Vogelsong, Toshihiro Noguchi
Staying: Jeff Williams, Aarom Baldiris, Scott Achison, Chris Resop
Trending: about the same
Synopsis: Mench should be better than Ford, but aside from that Hanshin will go into 2009 with the same team that squandered a big lead down the stretch last season. The Tigers failed to land their offseason prize in Daisuke Miura, and in their nominal efforts to sign Kenshin Kawakami, so they still lack a guy who can eat 200+ innings. Resop could be an assett if he gets over his control issues.