[Professional baseball / force analysis]What is the “blind spot” hidden in Yakult aiming for consecutive victories?

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2022.01.18

Kazuya Hiruma

(C)Getty Images

Achieved the first Japan Series victory since 2001 from the bottom of the previous yearYakult..12 years for the Central League teamGiantThe driving force that has become the number one in Japan since thenMunetaka MurakamiWhenTetsuto YamadaIt was a powerful hit line centered on. I would like to analyze Yakult’s strength this season, aiming for the league championship since 1992 and 1993, and for the first time in the history of the team for the second consecutive year in Japan.

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【Pitching Power】

★★★★☆

The relief team, which was a factor in the breakthrough, is still alive this year.CloserMcGoughMarked 50 holds, the highest number in history, in 72 games pitched aroundNoboru Shimizu, 64 games pitchedRyuta Konno, I also have experience of suppressingTaichi IshiyamaAnd 4 people pitched more than 50 games.OtherHiroki OnishiKoshiro SakamotoYuma OshitaIn addition to mid-career, succeeded in relocation in the middle of last seasonKazuto TaguchiA variety of faces are available.I am worried about accumulated fatigue due to excessive pitching, but I withdrew halfway due to a breakdown last season.Hiroki KondohorYugo UmenoTaichi YamanoIs expected to return.

The starting lineup showed signs of awakening last seasonYasunobu OkugawaWhenTakahashi KeijiExpectations for two pillars on the left and right.Yasuhiro OgawaorMasanori IshikawaIn addition to the achievement group such asprinciple treeorNaruki TerashimaInspiring pitchers who are expected to be ace candidatesAJ callWhenSuarezThe results of the two new foreigners are likely to influence the whereabouts of the team.

[Strike power]

★★★★★

The batters who scored 625 points in the 12 teams are now the strongest combination of Murakami and Yamada, who have become representatives of the ball world.Nori AokiStarting lineup with immovable regulars.SantanaOsunaBoth foreigners functioned and made a break as a lead-off man.Yasutaka Shiomi, Showed a shining activity in the lower ranksNaomichi Nishiura, I was also assigned the second catcherYuhei NakamuraThe connection of the hitting lines produced a great scoring power.

Became a “god” for pinch hitterShingo KawabataHowever, compared to the regular team, it is the thinness of the reserve players that remains a little uneasy.It was Uchino who was entrusted with starting lineup for a certain period other than the mainstayHiyu Motoyama, In the outfieldKotaro YamasakiIt is expected to be the main axis of the futureTakeshi MiyamotoorShota NakayamaWon the top hitter in the Eastern LeagueKengo Ota, And even more veteransTomotaka SakaguchiorSeiichi UchikawaIt is expected that such things will threaten the regular team.

【Mobility】

★★★★☆

The number of stolen bases last season was 70, which was 2nd in the league, and there are many highly mobile players such as Shiomi who marked 21 stolen bases in 3rd in the league, Yamazaki, Motoyama, etc. Murakami, who has marked 12 stolen bases in 2nd place in the team, and both Santana and Osna also recorded stolen bases, and the team as a whole has a high awareness of base running.

In the first year, the second army marked 20 stolen bases in Thailand, which was second in the Eastern League.Hidetaka NamikiThere are also expectations of specialists.

【Defensive Power】

★★★☆☆

Last season, the number of team missteps was 79, ranking 4th in the league. As an individual, Murakami, the third baseman, is the worst team with 13, Osuna, who mainly defended the first base (10 on the first base), and Nishiura, the shortstop, 10 and the infield defense remains a little uneasy. Neither the outfield nor Santana can be said to be a master of compliment, and Aoki also has a limited range of defense due to age, and it is a lineup that puts a burden on Shiomi at the center.

Nakamura has become one of the best catchers in the league, including the lead side, but the difficulty is that the stealing prevention rate is as low as .255.Protect the inner and outer fieldsTakahiro ArakiIs a valuable player for defensive play, but there are few specialist players.

[Saihai]

★★★★☆

It was my second year in office as a factor that made me the best in Japan.Takatsu ShingoThe power of the director is also highly evaluated. With the motto “Absolutely okay”, the players have a lot of trust, and especially when pitchers are appointed, the talents of two young players, Okugawa and Takahashi, have blossomed with the consideration of the pitching interval.

Furthermore, in the first half of the season, Taguchi and Suarez, who were starting pitchers, were reassigned to survive the end of the season when the relief team became difficult. Appointment of starting pitchers in the postseason is clearly conscious of this season and beyond, and attention will be paid to whether it is possible to build a permanent corps or not.

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Article provided by:Baseball Times
Data provided:Baseball DB

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