Part 2 of 2 will cover the Pacific League. The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks finished second to the Saitama Seibu Lions, however, they beat them 4-1 in the playoffs to advance to the Japan Series. Both teams were loaded with 6 foils apiece. The Hawks then swept the Giants in the Japan Series. The league MVP was Tomoya Mori of the Lions, who gives you the rare 10 OB catcher. And the best player in the entire set is on the worst team, so you'll have to make it through everyone to see (or skip to the bottom).
Saitama Seibu Lions 80-62-1 1st place Pacific League
A really strong team, with some standout cards including the aforementioned MVP, Tomoya Mori. I love the Mori card. You give up a bit of defense at catcher, but you have to love the bat. Shuta Tonosaki is one of my favorite cards from an aesthetics and play perspective. Might be a touch expensive for an 8 OB, but I think you get enough out of him to accept the cost. Hotaka Yamakawa walks a lot and he homers a lot. One of those cards that probably frustrates you, but also can carry your team if he gets hot. Sosuke Genda has another standout defensive card. Shogo Akiyama had a really solid season before he headed stateside to play for the Reds. I know Yuji Kaneko will be drafted early, even if he can only Single+. Zach Neal had a 10 point card in the 2020 set, but was great in 2019 and gets the '00 PR Bret Saberhagen special.
Foils: Tomoya Mori, Sosuke Genda, Shuta Tonosaki, Hotaka Yamakawa, Shogo Akiyama, Zach Neal
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 75-62-5 2nd place Pacific League, Japan Series Champions
Another loaded team with 6 foils. Although, this team is a bit more balanced than the Lions. Superstar, Yuki Yanagita, has a very similar card to his 2020 set version, although just slightly worse. He was actually hurt for much of the year, but his numbers were basically in line with his career, so I didn't penalize him for only having 157 PAs. Alfredo Despaigne has a nice masher DH card, but it's a real shame I can find no evidence of him having the nickname, "Big Pasta". Although from Wikipedia, "In Cuba, he is known as "El Inmenso Despaigne" (the Immense Despaigne) and "El Caballo de los Caballos" (The Stallion of the Stallions)."
Their other Cuban, Yurisbel Gracial, has an even better card. Elite power and great batting average; he's a perfect #3 hitter. Takuya Kai has another solid catcher card, does everything pretty well, although doesn't do anything quite well enough to really excite you. Nobuhiro Matsuda is an intriguing card. Tons of power, but the 6 OB will scare almost everyone away. Seiichi Uchikawa is a potentialy fun first base punt option if you take some bad defenders elsewhere in the infield and still want a decent defense.
Pitching is really solid, headlined by Koudai Senga as a '00 Randy Johnson-esque ace. And Liván Moinelo out of the pen has another great card. Almost no one on the staff gives up a double, even their bad pitchers, which is a fun oddity.
Foils: Yuki Yanagita, Yurisbel Gracial, Alfredo Despaigne, Takuya Kai, Koudai Senga, Liván Moinelo
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 71-68-4 3rd place Pacific League
Pretty solid team with plenty of draftable players. Former Padre and Angel, Jabari Blash, had a really strong campaign and gets a card with huge pop. Hideto Asamura has an almost identical card to Blash (and very similar to Asamura's 2020 card as well), just one OB lower. Hiroaki Shimauchi could easily be a first or second round pick for the right manager. Ginji Akaminai is the cheapest 9 OB available in the set. Kengo Horiuchi is a dream punt catcher (for me at least). Eigoro Mogi is a good card, but gets the foil treatment for being the most expensive shortstop in the set.
Their rotation is okay, but not exciting, however, they have some excellent arms in the pen. Kohei Morihara is nasty and Yuki Matsui is another lock to get deafted. Alan Busenitz and Chia-Hao Sung are both Tier 2, control 6 arms that everyone needs at least one of on the staff.
Foils: Jabari Blash, Eigoro Mogi, Hideto Asamura
Chiba Lotte Marines 69-70-4 4th place Pacific League
Not a very exciting squad, but some usable cards that'll help you fill out a roster. I really like the Daichi Suzuki card, pretty similar to his 2020 card with the Eagles, but he gives you more power and one less chart out. Leonys Martin, Seiya Inous, and Brandon Laird aka "Sushi Boy" all give you solid power options, although each with their flaws. Takashi Ogino is a very fun card. Only thing not to like is the 5 chart outs and the defense.
Daiki Iwashita is a Tier 3 control 2. So that's noteworthy. I'm super curious as to how he'd perform in a league. Some decent options throughout the staff.
Foils: Daichi Suzuki, Takashi Ogino
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 65-73-5 5th place Pacific League
Kensuke Kondoh is the cheapest 10 OB available in the set and is solid for what he is. Taishi Ohta is a maybe a bit more than you want to pay for a 7 OB, but he gives you plus defense, only has hits on his chart, and gives you some good pop. Haruki Nishikawa is a solid lead off option for only 310 points. Takuya Nakashima is a defensive specialist I think anyone would pay 80 points for.
Their pitching is surprisingly decent. Although two of their starters only go 4 IP. Kohei Arihara was one of the best pitchers in the league, and has another card similar to '00 Randy Johnson. He made the jump to the MLB with the Rangers, got hurt, struggled mightily, and was sent down. Naoki Miyanishi is the 3rd and final Tier 0 reliever in the set (the other 2 being on the Tigers). Taisho Tamai is going to give up a lot of base runners with his chart, but they're all just a single base and his large ground ball range should end plenty of rallies.
Foils: Kensuke Kondoh, Kohei Arihara, Naoki Miyanishi
Orix Buffaloes 61-75-7 6th place Pacific League
Finally! The last team in the set and the highest point player, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. At 20 years old in 2019, he is the only Tier 1 starter, and gives you 7 IP to work with. A 700 point stud in the mold of '01 Pedro. Backed up a really solid Tier 3 Taisuke Yamaoka, they have a surprisingly good 1-2 punch for a terrible team. Their bullpen is pretty bad, although a great Tier 1 reliever, Tomoyuki Kaida, is available. And Brandon Dickson is serviceable.
Masataka Yoshida is a first round lock with plus defense and a really great 10 OB. Stefen Romero is a really solid bat also. It drops off quickly after that and you can see why they finished with a terrible record. Kenya Wakatsuki is another great punt option for catcher.
Foils: Masataka Yoshida, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
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