Fan voting for professional baseball and all-star games, which will be held for the first time in two years due to the influence of the new coronavirus, will begin on the 29th.

Softbank coach Kimiyasu Kudo and giant Tatsunori Hara, who lead both leagues, talked about their expectations for the match at a press conference.

The All-Star Game was held for the first time in two years because it was canceled for the first time last year due to the influence of the new coronavirus.



Round 1 will be held on July 16th at MetLife Dome in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, and Round 2 will be held on July 17th at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi in Sendai City.



Coach Kudo and Hara, who lead both leagues, attended a press conference online on the 28th, before the fan voting to select players began on the 29th.



As a young Pacific League pitcher to watch, Kudo named Orix, the 19-year-old pitcher with the highest ERA league, Hiroya Miyagi, and Takahisa Hayakawa, the rookie of Rakuten, who has won the league's top six wins. I'm glad that a wonderful pitcher came out. "



On the other hand, manager Hara has hoped that Teruaki Sato, a rookie of the Hanshin Tigers with 10 home runs, said, "A powerful player who is not uncle like a newcomer. A unique player has entered in the long history of the baseball world." I did.



Also, regarding the fact that it will be held in Sendai City in the year 10 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Director Kudo said, "I want you to talk about it as brightly as possible and connect it to the next 10 years. I want to make it an all-star that you can enjoy." I was talking.



Hara said, "Reconstruction has progressed, but it is important to continue to support. I want you to be a little more energetic and proud to be able to participate in the fight."

All-Star New Corona Special Exception

This year's All-Star has a special case in consideration of the effects of the new coronavirus.



This year, there will be no "plus one vote" to add one player at the end, but the number of players in both leagues will be 30, which is two more than usual.



Furthermore, in order to select a wide range of players, the qualification to "players registered under control by May 31" will be removed, and the number of foreign players will be increased from 4 to 5 per team every year. ..



In addition, if the selected athlete declines to participate due to the influence of the new coronavirus infection, etc., or if a foreign athlete is selected to represent the Olympics in his / her own country and declines to participate, he / she will participate in the first 10 games of the second half of the game. The rule that it cannot be applied does not apply.



NPB = Nippon Professional Baseball is to create new guidelines to prevent infection in all-star games where players from each team gather.