Mr. Takayoshi Nakao and Mr. Hoshino, who know the director Tatsunami in the first year of joining the group, were in charge.
Chunichi, led by Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, who has been in office for the first year, is doing well. He sank to 5th place last season, and although his reputation before the opening was not high, he has 12 wins and 10 losses as of the 25th. He is in 3rd place in the Central League. The leadership of the new commander is also shining. It was analyzed by Takayoshi Nakao, a baseball critic who won the MVP as a regular catcher in 1982 when he won the league championship in the Chunichi OB.
While the league’s top team ERA of 3.22 was boasted last season, the team batting average was the worst .237, and the team’s home run was the only double-digit 69, with a remarkable “low throw”. Shuhei Takahashi infielder left due to a breakdown just before the start of this season. Even so, Yohei Oshima outfielder marked the league’s top batting average of .362, and Toshiki Abe infielder also marked seven consecutive RBIs in the first half of April, dispelling the impression of poor hits. Mr. Nakao said, “Originally, the pitchers were stable and the issue was how many fielders could score. I thought it would be a little worse from last year’s team condition, but one month has passed since the opening. At this point, it will be a passing score. “
Director Tatsunami has also mentioned hairstyles and other appearances since he took office last fall. It is said that the place where his strictness was brought to the fore is reminiscent of the late Senichi Hoshino, who is a common teacher of Mr. Nakao and Mr. Tatsunami, when he took office as director of Chunichi. “Director Tatsunami has been in a harsh environment since he was a high school student at PL Gakuen, and when he joined the professional team, Director Hoshino said,’I don’t use the guys who are smirking.’ It’s the spirit of Hoshino.” ing.
The characteristics of “Tatsunami Ryu” are also reflected in the active appointment of young people. Takaya Ishikawa, a third-year high school graduate, started as a third baseman in all games from the opening. Yuki Okabayashi, an outfielder of the same grade, also keeps the regular seat. Draft 2nd place rookie Kosuke Ukai outfielder also started in 12 games. In the second year of high school graduation, 19-year-old pitcher Hiroto Takahashi has already won two pitches.
This area is also reminiscent of the “Hoshino style”. Director Tatsunami himself joined the starting lineup with Mr. Nakao and others in 1988, the first year of high school graduation, and at the end of the season, although the batting average dropped from fatigue, he reached the regular batting average. He won the Rookie of the Year and the Golden Glove Award. “I think Director Hoshino felt that Tatsunami would be the main player in the future. He put up with it and continued to use it to raise him, and Tatsunami responded to that,” recalls Mr. Nakao. In particular, it seems that the appearance of Takaya Ishikawa overlaps with Tatsunami’s first year of active duty, and he nods, “I think that Tatsunami also feels the strength of Ishikawa’s game.”
Director Tatsunami, who won the Rookie of the Year award in the first year and also won the league title. It is difficult for him to win while raising him, but as a commander, he is challenging the difficult task of raising his strength and leading to victory.
(Full-Count editorial department)
