Professional baseball player Shugo Maki is in his third year in DeNA.

Slugger, who was the driving force behind the team's second-place breakthrough last season, is now facing his own challenges, pledging to perform well in the WBC (World Baseball Classic).



The key to solving that problem was the "axis of the body."


(Shunsuke Akune, Reporter, Sports News Department)

The challenge is “lower and breaking balls”

Maki player's results last season.


▽ Batting average 20% 9 minutes 1


▽ 24 home runs


▽ RBI 87

Played No. 4 in the opening round and was selected as the best nine for the first time, making him an indispensable presence as a central player for the team in his second year as a professional.

On the other hand, I also found a problem.



That is the response to the curve ball.



In particular, the batting average of the right pitcher's falling changing ball and the left pitcher's bending ball was suppressed to the low 20% range.

▽ Right-handed pitcher's falling curve = 20%, 2 minutes, 9 minutes


▽ Left-handed pitcher's curved ball = 20%



Regarding this result, Maki thinks, ``He lost his balance and his ``body axis'' has been shaken.'' I'm here.

(Shugo Maki)


“I struggled a lot with the curveballs falling from the right pitcher. There were many cases where I struck out after being cornered. If the left pitcher were to get in, I wouldn’t be able to hit, and if I was too conscious of that, I would be out of the course. I can't hit it because I'm chasing after it."

Maki named the batting form that he should acquire in order to overcome his challenges as "axis batting".



It is a form that does not shake the "axis of the body" even if the posture is disturbed.



For that reason, Maki has been working on various training from off to camp.

Strengthen the axis of the body (1) “Bokuto”

In January this year, in the voluntary training held in Kanoya City, Kagoshima Prefecture, we worked on a menu that swings about 500 grams of wooden swords.

Since a wooden sword cannot be swung with just the strength of the arms, it is said that it is possible to teach the body how to swing the sword by naturally using the axis of the body, such as the spine and shoulder blades.



The aim was to use this swinging method when swinging a bat that is about 400 grams heavier than a wooden sword.

Strengthen your body axis (2) “Kickboxing”

I also worked on kickboxing mitts.

In kickboxing, you can't kick hard just by raising your legs.



Furthermore, in addition to the trunk, the body's interlocking is also required, so we incorporated it as a menu to create the axis.

Strengthen the body axis (3) “Slide boat batting practice”

After entering the camp, in the first course, we played tea batting on a sliding board called a "slide board".

On the first day, I often felt unsteady, but by the fifth day, I was able to swing the bat firmly even when my posture was out of balance.



(Shugo Maki)


"I'm starting to understand little by little when I'm out of balance and when I'm hitting. I want to be able to hit the types of pitches I couldn't hit last year this season."

To the world beyond overcoming challenges

It is expected that the overseas pitchers who will be competing in the WBC will use different pitches from Japanese professional baseball pitchers, such as balls that move subtly in the hands of the batter, curve balls that bend a lot, and so on.



If Maki develops a batting form that is conscious of the axis of his body against such pitchers, he will be able to respond firmly without being hit by the ball.

WBC is ahead of overcoming challenges.



With the opening approaching, Maki answered without hesitation when asked about his enthusiasm for the tournament.

(Shugo Maki)


“This will be my first time participating in a tournament representing my country, so I think I will be nervous and have a lot of emotions, but I want to play as hard as I can and come home winning the best in the world.”

[NHK special site]