Hanshin vs Nippon-Ham Open Game: Coach Okada’s Insights and Strategies (March 2, 2024 Sapporo Dome)

2024-03-02 09:50:25

Open game Hanshin 2-3 Nippon-Ham (March 2, 2024 Sapporo Dome)

Hanshin coach Okada smiling bitterly on the bench in the 8th inning (cinematography by Shigeo Takahashi)
Photo By Sponichi

Hanshin, aiming for a consecutive season victory with Arenpa as their slogan, has no luck winning even though it is an open game. With the score tied, in the 8th inning with two outs and 1st base, Mieses, who came on as a substitute, allowed the runner on first base to survive, resulting in his fourth straight loss. Coach Okada praised the growth of Monbetsu and Ibaraki, who are in their second year of high school, since the camp. He made it clear that he would use No. 3 Morishita in the game on the 3rd. Below is a question and answer.

–Monbetsu had a difficult time making a decision.
“Hey. What’s the ball? That’s it, the referee. You hit it high, and I can’t tell from watching you from the bench. It’s in there, right? You’re just setting it up and throwing it.”

――In spite of all this, I have summarized it perfectly.
“Not much today. Even when I looked at the speed gun, I didn’t see much. It didn’t look like (the ball) was running, though. It looked like I threw it just fine, but… It didn’t show up, nor did it have any numbers.So, when I went to set it up, it was called a ball ball, so I thought, ok, so I saw it.”

— From the director’s perspective, is your pitching going well?
“Well, it’s normal. I guess I did the wrong thing. I got two walks. In-course balls. We have no idea. Well, that’s why some umpires call it a strike. I saw the referee’s face for the first time, and I didn’t understand him even when he told me to make a substitution.”

— Monbetsu can be used as a fighting force.
“No, no, you said you might use it as a fighting force. That’s why I let you throw it because it’s a sensory issue.”

— Will you be accompanying the first army in the future?
“No, no, that’s why I said the Pacific League is next. I said yesterday or the day before that it wasn’t Koshien, so why do I keep repeating that?”

–Have you been working on the farm for a while?
“No, this one (1st team), why are you playing on the farm? No, because if you pitch today, you won’t be pitching on the 5th or 6th. That’s not what you’re saying.”

–Having a pitcher like Monbetsu puts pressure on last year’s rotation pitchers. Insurance may not be the right word.
“No, no, that’s why we call it insurance, and that’s why we call it one-year strength. So if we do that, there will be eight or nine starters. So we don’t know who will be the six starters and who will be the opening six. It’s weird, but it was the same last year, oh, when (General) Ito was out, you put (Murakami) in there, ah, that’s how it turned out. Regardless of the issue of pitching, he has said many times that he will be a force in the first team as a starter this year.It is up to us to decide whether or not to be included in the opening six, so there is no need to say anything. Karana”

–Murakami was from the middle.
“As for Murakami, I felt like he might play in the middle, but Monbetsu is young and needs to be developed as a starter.He should be a starter.”

— He made a cut play and shut it down at second base.
“I’d say it went well, or even if I pitched home, it would be safe. That’s all there is to it. If I throw it safe, I’ll put the batter and runner out.”

–Touch-up of Akira Sato as well.
“No, I don’t care, foul fly is just a touch up. That’s all.”

–Ibaraki.
“If you change the catcher, that’s how much things will change. You can tell just by watching the pitching. I can’t tell you how many times I say this. The pitcher will break down.”

–I made a bad count with a curve ball.
“That’s why it’s a straight hit.”

–The pitch itself was good, though.
“Yeah, I was good today. The bullpen didn’t do much at all at Koshien the other day. Today, they suddenly hit 146 or 147, so I thought that was it.”

–In the 6th inning, he attacked the inside corner of a right-handed batter.
“Oh, that was a good 6th inning. I was watching and wondering if the catcher had changed.”

–What is the lineup for No. 3 Maekawa and No. 6 Morishita?
“Well, I’ll be playing the full game today, so I’ll be number 6. Tomorrow, I’ll be number 3. That’s all. I haven’t decided on the batting order yet. Tomorrow, Nakano and Morishita will be home early, so I’ll change them for two at-bats.”

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