They're multiplying as you read this.

Happy Coming-of-Age Day to all of the 20-year-olds out there who are celebrating today. Be sure to post a photo of yourself in the comments all decked out in your old-enough-to-vote garb. And don’t drink too much tonight.

This website has been very preoccupied with Norichika Aoki news as of late, and Lastings Milledge has been getting plenty of attention as well. But there hasn’t been a whole lot Swallows news, even as we’ve tried to keep everyone updated on what’s happening Around the Central League.

Of course, that’s not always the easiest thing to do as there isn’t exactly a ton of Tokyo news coming out of the NPB paparazzi.

But here’s a few tidbits from the past week or so:

• The team announced today that farm team outfielder Jun Matsui (24) filed marriage papers with a woman named Kayoko (25) on December 27, 2011.
• Miyamoto doesn’t seem to think that the Swallows did enough during the off-season to improve the team. This Japanese-language report doesn’t contain anything more than a one line quote, and I mostly agree with him (I would love to see a bold multi-player trade to bring in a decent starting pitcher), but you have to wonder if Miyamoto has heard anything about new import Lastings Milledge other than the fact that he last played AAA ball for the White Sox. Milledge has spent even more time in the big leagues than Matt Murton had before he signed with Hanshin two years ago. And Murton was a legit big leaguer with the Cubs. I’m not saying that Milledge will deal with the culture shock he experiences as well as Murton did, but he’s definitely a solid all-around player and better than all of the players we platooned in left last year combined.
• Speaking about Miyamoto, it sounds like he’s more than willing to step out of the way once he’s reached the 2,000 hit milestone. Seeing as how he only has 25 hits to go, it’s likely that he’ll reach his desired tally some time in May as long as he doesn’t slump as hard as he did during the playoffs last year. As I said in this post, I wouldn’t mind seeing some other folks getting time at third base, but if Miyamoto has another regular season like 2011, then I’d prefer that he keep his spot in the lineup. Even if he is 150 years old.
• New recruit, Yuji Nakane, will miss the 2011 season after having ACL surgery on his right knee.
• It’s not a great improvement, but the top team will add one more trainer/physio to its staff for the upcoming season, bringing the total to four. Hopefully another gets added for the 2013 season.
• Sounds like the team might have signed another non-Japanese pitcher who could compete for a starting role. However, if reliever Tony Barnette has another good season, then look for Orlando Roman to spend the majority of 2012 up in Toda on the farm team.
• The number of cheerleaders at Swallows home games is expected to double because Tokyo’s squad was the smallest in the league, and the young ladies will apparently be wearing ‘sexier’ outfits. Draw your own conclusions on that one.

The Swallows were part of that huge scrum looking to snap up Yusei Kikuchi, but they lost out (Seibu’s manager, Watanabe, chose the winning envelope) on the chance to negotiate with the high school phenom and were thus forced to make more conservative picks.

In the first round of the amateur draft, which now includes players from high school, college, and the industrial league, the Swallows selected Masato Nakazawa. Nakazawa is a 24-year-old left-handed pitcher from Toyota’s industrial league team that could be a contender for a starting rotation slot next season. He will be 25 when the 2010 campaign kicks off, and he’ll hopefully be flexing his fastball-slider combo on the first team. He apparently has a fastball that tops out in the mid 140′s.

Before signing with Toyota, Nakazawa played at Chuo University, and he is listed on the Yakult website as being 179 cm tall and 80 kg on the scales.

The Swallows used their second round draft pick to select another pitcher out of the industrial league, this time it was right-handed pitcher Tetsuya Yamamoto who plays for Mitsubishi Kobe. Tokyo is hoping that Yamamoto can get into the mix for a spot on the first team bullpen or maybe even some time on the starting rotation. Also 24 years old, Yamamoto is listed as being 179 cm tall and weighing 74 kg.

Tokyo was able to resist drafting a high school player for yet another round when they chose Takahiro Araki (IF) in the third. The 22-year-old right-handed player will be joining the team after he graduates from Kinki University in the spring, and many will be watching to see if he can join the platoon of infielders that are looking to allow Miyamoto to ease into his upcoming managerial career.

The fourth round was when Tokyo finally swooped for a high school pitcher. They chose Ryo Hirai (18 years old) out of Teikyo 5th High School. Hirai is a thin, six-feet-tall right-handed pitcher who can reach 145 kph with his fastball.

21-year-old outfielder, Jun Matsui, was invited to join the Swallows in the fifth round. He played baseball for Nihon University Junior College, and he apparently possesses both speed and power.

Tokyo also snared two players in the ikusei draft:

Maike Magario joins the team straight out of Aomori Yamada High School. The 18-year-old outflielder (R/R) spent his early years in Brazil (much like veteran Yuichi Matsumoto).

The Swallows’ final pick of the draft was Tomofumi Aso, an infielder from Nihon University Junior College (along with Matsui above). The 22-year-old hits and throws righty.