“Premier 12” wins for the first victory, Tears Inaba to the Tokyo Olympics, 6:30 on November 18
At the moment the victory was decided, the Japanese national team manager Atsunori Inaba showed a very impressive expression and tears overflowed from his eyes. What thoughts did you make at that time?
Director Inaba said, “That ’s a player. (Yamada) Tetsuto, Asamura did the first thing I ’m not used to, Tono (Totozaki) did the third and outfield. ) Yunobu also made a transition from where he always started, and all the players did their best to take the best in the world, ”he answered.
In order to win the premiere 12 and become the world's best, we assigned each team's central player a different position and role than during the season. Bunt practice with everyone. Knock in a position that has never been defended during the season. Tetsuto Yamada who made the final three run in the final with South Korea made the first mitt for this tournament and worked on defensive practice at the camp.
“The players who really wanted to be the best in the world gathered. Thanks to them, we were able to become the best in the world.” The hard work of the players who worked together in the team led to the best result of winning. And the 47-year-old commander felt the most joy.
After looking back on the tournament where eight games were played, “Never had any easy-to-play games,” he added “persistence” as a factor that made him win.
In addition, it is said that such a battle was surprisingly because there was a reinforcement game with Canada held in Okinawa just before the tournament. In the second match, he allowed a massive lead of 0-6, but since the midfield, he returned steadily one by one. In the end, I didn't give up, but I showed tenacity.
Director Inaba said, “We lost, but we were able to get close to one point difference, and we could see that our baseball was going to do something like that in the defeat.”
By confirming the team's battle to return to a steady score without giving up even if it became inferior, it led to a reversal victory in the first league match against Venezuela, the second league match against Australia, and the final match against Korea. I think.
It was also a tournament that reaffirmed Japan's strengths for the Tokyo Olympics.
Director Inaba, who had set up the theme of “speed and power” when he assumed office two years ago. However, only two people, Seiya Suzuki and Tetsuto Yamada, made home runs at this tournament. The reality was that I couldn't hit long if I was an overseas pitcher opponent for the first match.
Still, select the foreball, decide the bunt, and sway on the run. We have proved that we can compete against overseas power in a battle that accumulates one point with precise attacks.
“Everyone knew the importance of taking the tricks one step at a time, and I learned myself,” says Inaba.
Next year's Tokyo Olympics will be held by 24 people, four less than the number of members of this tournament.
Director Inaba said, “Naturally, the technical part is, of course, but at the end, I am a hot member and I want to fight. At the end of that line of sight is a gold medal for Japan's long-cherished desire.
The pitching pitcher of the previous day against the background of restrained Korean batting
On the other hand, the pitcher coach Yoshinori Tateyama revealed that pitching at the expense of the pitcher Rakuten, Takayuki Kishi, who started in the previous game against Korea, was behind the pitcher ’s hitting in the final.
The match on the 16th of this month fought over the first place in the second league against South Korea, who competed in the final. Kishi said that before the match, he said to the leaders that he “throws away his pitching style and throws the team with the necessary pitches for the tomorrow's final”.
For this reason, the catcher Tsubasa Serizawa, who had been decided to wear a mask even in the final, gave priority to collecting information on how Korean batters responded to the ball type and course rather than keeping the score unmarked Did.
As a result, Kishi pitcher scored 6 goals for 4 times. After the game, I left a comment saying "I'm sorry", but I didn't make excuses for sacrificing my pitching for the pitcher to throw in the final.
And the next day's final. Six pitchers thrown after the second day after the information obtained from the previous day lived up to Serizawa's lead has been kept to no penalty.
The coach of Tateyama was grateful, “The pitching on the shore the previous day was very helpful. I was impressed that Mizushima Mizukawa bought such a role.”