2024.1.20 5:10 Paid members only Photo: Asahi Shimbun/gettyimages
In the 2023 Japan Series, the Hanshin Tigers won a fierce battle against the Orix Buffaloes that lasted until Game 7, and became the best team in Japan for the first time in 38 years. So, will Hanshin win consecutive titles, and will Orix be able to regain the number one title in Japan after winning the Pacific League four times in a row? In this article of the special feature “Comprehensive Predictions 2024,” we provide a broad outlook on next season’s pennant in professional baseball, which is sure to be a hotly contested event. (Baseball journalist Koichi Yokoo)
Although the prospects for becoming the top two in Kansai are bright,
Are the East and West Central and Pacific teams holding the key?
In 2023, the Hanshin Tigers won the league championship for the first time in 18 years, and the Japan Series against the Orix Buffaloes, which was the first Kansai match in 59 years, was a fierce battle that continued until Game 7. The victory parade was a success, and quick-witted fans were talking about the prospects for next season. So, will Hanshin win consecutive titles, and will Orix be able to regain the number one title in Japan after winning the Pacific League for the fourth time in a row?
Hanshin’s coach Akifu Okada, who has become number one in Japan, will aim to further improve his current strength and challenge for consecutive championships. During fall camp, he personally coached Ryo Watanabe on third base defense. He advises Atsushi Onodera, an outfielder who is known for his power, on how to use his wrists. Having growth players like them threaten the regulars will increase the probability of winning consecutive championships. Hiroto Monbetsu, a rookie left-hander who graduated from high school, seems to be making a big impact on his progress, saying, “I can’t hide it.”
On the other hand, Orix, who are missing two of their leading starters, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the absolute ace, and Sachiya Yamazaki, who has won by double digits, are making reinforcements in both offense and defense.
However, despite the concerns about the pitching staff, other teams did not draft a single college pitcher against whom they were competing.
“24-year-old Kohei Higashi has been registered as a controlled player since training, and he is on track to win seven consecutive games by this season.There are other young pitchers who are still developing, so I didn’t dare to pitch him as a college pitcher.”
As Shogo Makita, deputy manager of the programming department, says, there is currently good communication between the front office and the field, and policies are shared in terms of training. In the draft, we narrow down our picks to high school students with promising prospects and working adults with immediate potential. In addition, they acquired outfielder Ryoma Nishikawa, who was declared a free agent from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, and pitcher Terusei Yoshida in a trade with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Future reinforcements will also be watched.
Although the outlook for the top two in the Kansai region is bright, I believe that the keys to next season’s pennants in both the Central and Pacific Leagues are the teams in each league.
On the next page, Koichi Yokoo, a well-known baseball journalist, digs deeper into what will happen to next season’s pennant in professional baseball. In addition to the top two teams in the Kansai region, we will explain the real names of the two East and West Central and Pacific teams, which are likely to hold the key to the new season, and the reasons behind them.
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Who are the two East and West teams that hold the key to next season’s pennant?
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2024-01-19 20:23:57
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