For baseball lovers, it may have been a busy day with the support of SAMURAI JAPAN during the day and the exhibition match of the favorite baseball team at night. The Tiger Party is, of course, the Hanshin Tigers. But the content was different. To be honest, it’s a match that I want the Hanshin Tigers to be a little firmer.

Of course, it’s not about winning or losing. It seems that Masashi Ito, the starting pitcher of 6 goals, said, “I tried a ball (slider) that I usually don’t throw”, but that’s fine. You can also see that he is trying young pitchers to enhance the bullpen in the second half. The intention is clear, regardless of whether or not it can actually become a force. What I think “Hmm” is the attack side rather than the striking line.

Teruaki Sato won the final 2 runs against Lotte on the 27th. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Hanshin was initially a sign of a sacrifice bunt to Fumiya Hojo, who participated in the middle with no death first base. However, when he fouled the bunt, he finally hit it and flew out. Immediately after that, Teruaki Sato’s two runs came out.

Koichi Ogata (Nikkan Sports critic), the third consecutive champion of Hiroshima, pointed out that Hanshin must do “thorough fine baseball” before the exhibition match. The idea is that you have to thoroughly test the sign play that involves the bunt in the mobility of the characteristic.

One shot by Sands, Marte, Teruaki Sato and others is the Hanshin Tigers, but there should be many close battles under pressure at the end. Therefore, it is “sign play” that divides the victory and defeat. Therefore, he emphasized that it is important not to waste this period and to have confidence in detailed play.

From that point of view, the Hanshin Bench does not seem to be trying to do it thoroughly. Of course, there are still two games. First of all, it may be related to pitchers, and then in order with the attack surface. However, there is no way to try anything in a development where there are few runners like this day. There are times when I can’t do it even if I’m ready to do it. That is difficult.

A small skill worked in the first match of SAMURAI JAPAN. Takuya Kai’s tie-breaking safety squeeze was great against the strong enemy, the Dominican Republic. The bunt decided in the match carrying the Hinomaru will be afraid and numb. It may be terrible to ask for such tension in this practice. However, if you go to the end of the game at the top, it should be a level of pressure that is comparable to that of the Hanshin Tigers. Even if you don’t borrow Ogata’s words, don’t miss an opportunity and do it persistently. (Honorific title omitted)[Toshio Takahara](Nikkan Sports.com / Baseball column “Tiger, tiger, tiger!”)