As players and umpires sported various bits of pink equipment for Mother’s Day, the Rakuten Eagles were riding on the wings of a nine-game win streak, while the two league champs, the Central League’s Yakult Swallows, and the Pacific League’s Orix Buffaloes appeared headed in opposite directions.

And I’d also like to share a touching story former Padres and Rangers reliever Akinori Otsuka told me a couple of years back in Peoria Arizona, about his mother and his career.

In other news, Lotte Marines manager Tadahito Iguchi, who has had precious few positive things to talk about, said Sunday that Roki Sasaki will make his next start on Friday against Orix at Osaka Dome, where he struggled a bit with the mound and the umpire on April 24.

Shall we get going?