Nootvar was an American football player in high school. He served as captain and was named league MVP twice (Photo: Aflo)
A powerful “samurai” will join the Japanese WBC national team, which aims to become world champion for the third time. Lars Nutvar, 25, is an outside player for the St. Louis Cardinals. This is the first player from Japan to join the national team. 228 with 14 homers and 40 RBIs in 108 games last season, led by Wright.
Major league pitcher Ryoichi Fukushima cites defense as his greatest strength.
[Erthygl gysylltiedig: Kyary yn dewis “partner Shohei Otani” 3ydd lle Mao Asada, 2il safle Masami Nagasawa, lle 1af? ]
“His characteristic is his wide range of defense which makes use of his speed. He is well received in the local area for his good catches in diving catches and brave defense that catches home run-like hits on the edge of the fence. It’s a weapon.”
His defensive power is likely to become an indispensable weapon for “Kuriyama Japan”. A sports journalist speaks.
“There are expectations that the center position will trust him. Softbank’s Yuki Yanagida was said to fill that position, but WBC declined. It’s a noot bar with a wide range of protection.”
This is not the only piece he fills in “Kuriyama Japan”. In offence, said to be the most anticipated batsman.
“He has slugging ability, but his strength is his eye for picking balls. Last season, he drew 51 walks, and his walk rate was in the top 2% of all major league baseball. He is expected to be selected in all the batting order except No. 3 and No. 4. Among the players in the national team this year, there are few players who have experience as a batsman in an international game.
It is said that the culture of the United States, where he was born and raised, is related to the background of this nut bar, “a different dimension”. A local reporter speaks.
“He graduated from El Segundo High School, a prestigious baseball school, and was active as a “two-way” player, winning MVP in American football and baseball several times. Afterwards, he chose baseball and joined the Cardinals in 2018. In Japan, people are surprised, but in the United States, it is quite normal for students to play multiple sports during their school days. Having experience of various sports will at a young age helps you develop a variety of muscles and senses. Indeed, Nootbar’s strong shoulders are due to his success as an American football quarterback in high school. It’s a new kind of “monster” that couldn’t have been born in Japan.”
Last season, local fans used to shout “Noot!” when he entered the plate. As a member of “Kuriyama Japan”, it seems that the day when Japanese fans send cheers is near.
( Weekly edition of FLASH January 31, 2023 )
