Akahane Insurance Office, an insurance agency in Saku City, held a baseball lesson at Saku Stadium on December 17th, inviting NPB players. Nozomi Takadera, a graduate of Uedanishi High School and a third-year student at Hanshin, also served as an instructor and vowed to make a comeback next season.
↓ Lecturers from right: Mr. Fujisawa, Takadera, and Takizawa
The company’s president, Dai Akabane, is deeply involved in baseball, serving as the representative of the Chikuma River Baseball Club, and holds the event every year to give back to the community through baseball. In addition to Takadera, Seibu’s Natsuo Takizawa (from Niigata) and Tomoaki Fujisawa (former player), who graduated from Ueda Nishi High School and is an employee of the Seibu team, served as instructors, and the students from the Chikumagawa Club and Sakucho Seishi High School girls baseball team. With the support of the students, they taught over 200 children the basics of throwing, catching, and hitting, as well as playing ball with them.
↓ Gaosi
↓ Takizawa
↓ Mr. Fujisawa
Takadera made his debut in the first team last year, in his second year, and recorded three hits. However, he was not promoted to the first team this season, and played in 106 games (259 at-bats) in the second team, finishing with a batting average of .266, three home runs, 25 points, and 53 strikeouts.
Despite being the team that won the number one title in Japan for the first time in 38 years, “It was a frustrating season because we didn’t do anything at all.” In interviews at the beginning of the season, he was aiming to showcase his strong swing and long hits through the outfield, but his slugging percentage, including three home runs, was .388. “During the season, I kept changing my shape,” he said, finishing the season with hits that didn’t feel right.
In addition, the defense, which had been an issue from the beginning, lacked stability with 12 errors at shortstop alone and a fielding rate of 9.5%. “Although it’s the number of errors, I want to be stronger on the ball and play more content defense,” as he continues to improve his accuracy.
Little, a senior, and Seiya Yokoyama, a junior in high school, were selected No. 1 by Orix. “It would be great if we could work together, but I think it would be better if we don’t meet as much as possible. Personally, I want to play in the first team,” he said flatly.
In the Miyazaki Phoenix League (October) for young players, he was able to hit nearly 40% of his shots. This winter, “we have to do our best defensively.” Next season, “I just want to play in the first team.I want to show off my feet, defense, and batting and play in the first team.”
Seibu’s Fujisawa is the bullpen catcher for the second team, so he will be pitched by Taisei Miyazawa (Nagano High School, Hokkaido University, Shikoku, Tokushima), who is from Nagano City and ranks No. 5 in Seibu.
*A special interview with Takadera will be featured in the spring issue of Nines (No. 61), and will also be published on the web version on March 31st.
↓ Baseball classroom scene
2023-12-17 12:56:59
#EventBaseball #class #Saku #HanshinTakadera #enthusiastic #season #nines #WEB
