Third Place and Zero Expectations
The 2010 Lotte Marines finished third at 75-67-2, trailing first-place SoftBank by 12.5 games under first-year manager Noritaka Nishimura. Nobody predicted a championship from a team centered on veterans Toshiaki Imae, Saburo, and Tsuyoshi Iguchi.
Climax Series Surge
After beating second-place Seibu 2-1 in the First Stage, Lotte overcame SoftBank's one-win advantage in the Final Stage, winning 4-3. Imae's clutch hitting and Yoshihisa Naruse's steady pitching powered a team that thrived in short-series intensity.
Japan Series Victory
Lotte defeated Hiromitsu Ochiai's Chunichi Dragons 4-2 for their first title since 2005. Imae earned Series MVP. It was the first time a third-place team won the Japan Series since the CS system's 2007 introduction, earning the label 'greatest upset in NPB history.'
The CS Fairness Debate
Lotte's title reignited debate over whether a team 12.5 games back deserves to be champion. Critics argued 143 regular-season games were devalued; supporters countered that postseason drama is the point. The debate resurfaced when DeNA won from third place in 2024, making the CS system's fundamental tension an enduring NPB issue.