| 1. | Their chief rivals, the Yomiuri Giants, lost their star player Hideki Matsui to the New York Yankees, while the Tigers saw the return of pitcher Hideki Irabu back to NPB after playing with the Texas Rangers. Leurs rivaux, les Yomiuri Giants, ont perdu leur joueur vedette, Hideki Matsui, tandis que les tigres gagnaient un lanceur, Hideki Irabu, qui venait des Rangers du Texas. |