The season for professional baseball begins on the 25th.
This is the first time in three years that the season will start without limiting the number of spectators.
The six Pacific League teams have made the final adjustments.
Nippon-Ham Fighter Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who will be in charge of both from this season, said, "I want you to go wild," and Softbank coach Hiroshi Fujimoto said, "A good match that will impress everyone."
Rakuten-Lotte
Rakuten Yasuda "Exciting is big"
Rakuten, which aims to recover from 3rd place last season and win the championship for the first time in 9 years, left the 1st place in 12 teams for the first time in the history of the open game, and in the rising mood, with Lotte at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi, the home base. We are welcoming the opening round.
On the 24th, about 200 people including Kazuhisa Ishii participated in the ground before the practice to pray for victory, and Takahiro Norimoto, who is the opening pitcher of the player and the player's chairman, dedicated Tamagushi.
After that, the players made adjustments, and Hideto Asamura and Hiroaki Shimauchi showed good results in batting practice.
Pitcher Norimoto, who will be the seventh opening pitcher for the team, said, "I just want to do my best to win as a team. I want to do my best for a year to show strong Eagles."
In the opening round, Yuma Yasuda, a rookie from the university who was in 2nd place in the draft, wore the opening mask and practiced catching carefully.
Yasuda said, "I'm excited to be the biggest. I want to do my best to win cheerfully and cheerfully."
Regarding his opponent Lotte, he said, "I have the impression that I'm stopping the sweet ball. Lotte's opening mask is also a newcomer, so I'll do my best not to lose. I want to bring out the good points of pitcher Norimoto."
Director Ishii said, "The players are working hard from the camp to the open race, and they are doing well. In the pennant race, we will not give up the championship or the leading role. We all want to fight the season with a strong bond."
Regarding pitcher Norimoto, he expected, "I nominated him for the opening with the hope that he will move this team firmly as a pillar throughout the year. I want him to fully demonstrate his performance for one year."
Lotte Ishikawa "Let's make a solid game"
Lotte, who finished second last year while competing for the championship until the end of the race, practiced for about three hours from 2:30 pm.
Ko Matsukawa, a rookie who graduated from high school and is expected to start in the opening game, hit a wide-angle shot in batting practice and showed a hit over the outfield fence.
Matsukawa said, "I am grateful that you can use it for the opening starting lineup, but I want to cherish every moment and contribute to the team so that I can win the championship at the end."
Ayumu Ishikawa, who will be the third opening pitcher for the first time in two years, made light adjustments such as catch ball and long-distance pitching to prepare for the pitching on the 25th.
Pitcher Ishikawa said, "I want to gather low and carefully and throw it so that I can make a solid game. I want to throw it firmly in one army for a year and contribute to the victory."
Eito Takabe, who marked a batting average of 30%, 9 minutes and 3 minutes in the open game and is expected to start in the opening game for the first time in his third year as a professional, said, "I think it's me who has all the offense and defense. I want to contribute to the team in every part. I want to do my best so that I can continue to fight as a force of one army for one year. "
Taiga Hirasawa from Sendai Ikuei High School, who is expected to start in the opening game for the first time in his seventh year as a professional, said, "I wonder if there is something in the local Sendai starting lineup for the first time. I want people to see the bold play, "he said with a smile.
Director Tadahito Iguchi said, "I've made good preparations from the camp to this point. I haven't forgotten all the regrets of last year, so I want to fight to the end and win the championship. I want to do my best. "
Seibu-Orix
Seibu Takahashi "Increasing the number of games won by pitchers"
Seibu, who finished at the bottom of the league since 1979, 42 years ago, will face Orix, who won the league last year, at his home base, Berna Dome.
Pitcher Mitsunari Takahashi, who has been practicing from around 11:00 am on the 24th and has been the opening pitcher for the second consecutive year, made light adjustments such as running and catching.
In addition, Hotaka Yamakawa, the main player, and Takeya Nakamura, a 38-year-old veteran who left a batting average of over 40% in the open game, hit the outfield fence and hit a sharp ball with free batting.
Seibu, who has the lowest ERA for four consecutive years until last season, is aiming for a comeback centered on strengthening the starting pitchers, and pitcher Takahashi and the first draft of the new force scheduled to be thrown in the second game of the opening. It will be interesting to see if pitcher Chihiro Sumida and others can pitch to give momentum to the team.
Pitcher Takahashi said, "We have been working together from the camp to increase the number of games that the pitchers will win, so I definitely want to achieve it. Was there.
Director Hatsuhiko Tsuji said, "This time, pitchers have become more powerful and fielders are growing very much. I want them to think about how to win in the match with pitching. I want to advance to the Japan Series and become the best in Japan. "I said enthusiasm.
Orix Yamamoto "Just shake your arm with all your might"
Orix, who won the Pacific League championship for the first time in 25 years last season, will fight Seibu for the opening match with the aim of winning the league title in a row and becoming the best in Japan.
On the 24th, adjustments will be made from around 4 pm, and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will be the opening pitcher for the second consecutive year, will enter the bullpen after playing catch and throw about 20 balls while checking the head of the forkball. I was preparing for the pitching on the 25th.
Pitcher Yamamoto lost in the opening game last year and said, "I want to do my best in two ways: last year's revenge and this season's flow. Anyway, winning is the best, so let's win the team. All you have to do is shake your arm with all your might. "
Director Satoshi Nakajima said, "I think I'm well prepared, but I honestly don't know how to respond. It's not last year's revenge, but it's the first match of the season, so I have a desire to win. I want it. "
Softbank-Nippon-Ham
Softbank Senga "Expressing what to do with a mound"
Softbank, aiming to regain Japan's best, will play against Nippon Ham at the PayPay Dome, which is the home base.
The team practiced for about two hours from 11:00 am on the 24th before the opening round.
Kodai Senga, who won the team's top 10 wins last year and is the opening pitcher for the first time in three years, was preparing for the pitch on the 25th by stretching and catching.
Pitcher Senga said, "Because it is my start and the start of the team, I want to concentrate on going up to the mound so as not to throw a careless ball. I just express what I should do with the mound." did.
In the batter practice, Yuki Yanagita, who has been nominated by Hiroshi Fujimoto and will be the new captain from this season, made a big hit over the fence with a powerful swing.
Director Fujimoto said, "In order to win the pennant race, I think it will be the most important match, even if it is 1/143. I would like to play a good match that will impress everyone." did.
Rookie Kitayama, the opening pitcher of Nippon-Ham, is on the mound
Nippon-Ham, which had been sluggish at 5th place for three consecutive years until last season, has announced a team renewal with the appointment of Tsuyoshi Shinjo in November last year.
And next year, we are building a team centered on young people as we open our own new stadium in Kitahiroshima City, which is adjacent to Sapporo City.
Ahead of the opening round, Nippon-Ham practiced for about 3 hours from 4 pm and spent a lot of time on the defensive coordination that Shinjo emphasizes.
Director Shinjo announced on his Instagram that he has nominated rookie Koki Kitayama, who joined the team in 8th place in the draft from Kyoto Sangyo University, as the opening pitcher.
Pitcher Kitayama went up to the mound, threw fastballs, forkballs, and curves, and then had the left and right batter boxes stand alternately on the batter to pitch and prepare for the 25th.
Director Shinjo said, "What I do is from the camp. I will immediately remove the players who look down without results and the players who are too nervous and hard to play. I want them to have fun and playfully rampage." I was looking forward to their success.