Ramirez 2021 Professional Baseball Summary
Central League
Ramirez talked about the Hanshin Tigers, who allowed Yakult to make a comeback, and the team they expect next season.
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[Hanshin may be tough next season]
――Now, from this time on, I would like Ramirez to summarize the 2021 season. This time, which is the first part, please start from the Central League.
RamirezThere is no doubt that Yakult, who brilliantly won the number one spot in Japan from the bottom of the previous year, will be the protagonist of this year’s Central League, but I think the Hanshin Tigers have been the center of attention since the opening.
――Before the start of this season, Ramirez was expected to win the Hanshin Tigers.
RamirezI decided that it was a good team with a good balance of throwing, so I expected to win. The pitchers were of the same quality and quantity, and Ryutaro Umeno, who leads the pitchers, had a greater sense of stability. And for a while after the opening, it was better than I expected. In particular, Jerry Sands and Teruaki Sato performed better than I expected. From the first half to the middle of the game, these two were more than enough to function as key players in the batting line.
――However, after the middle of the season, rookie Sato fell into an extreme slump.
RamirezHaving set a disgraceful record of 59 consecutive at-bats without hits, Akihiro Yano couldn’t stand it. It was a tough time with no results, but if Yano could put up with it during this time, I think the team wouldn’t break.
This year’s Hanshin was a season to win, but as a result, I lost to Yakult. Although it is still in the reinforcement stage next season, A class may be difficult next year, including the departure of closer Robert Suarez. I feel like that.
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