Professional baseball team DeNA's camp in Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture is on the second day of the second season. Sixth-year pitcher Shinichi Onuki, who won just five games last season, the fewest in his career, has moved to the bullpen and is improving the accuracy of his control, which has been an issue, while receiving guidance from a coach from a minor league team in the major leagues. I practiced pitching.
Pitcher Onuki was the team's winning lead for three years in a row until the year before, but last season he developed a muscle strain in his right shoulder in February, and was unable to find a place in the starting rotation this season, making just 13 pitches, the fewest in his career. It was a disappointing result with only 5 wins.
Pitcher Onuki is aiming to enter the starting rotation this season, and believes it is necessary to improve the precision of his control.
On the 7th, he practiced pitching in the bullpen for the third time in camp, throwing 66 pitches including fastballs and breaking balls against a seated catcher with an umpire.
In the bullpen, I received advice from a coach from a minor league team affiliated with the Diamondbacks, a major league baseball team that my team had invited, that by being conscious of not leaning my upper body too much toward the center, I could improve my control.
Then, while correcting his form based on the advice, he stood a doll that looked like a batter in the batter's box and threw the ball while checking the accuracy of his control.
Pitcher Onuki was enthusiastic, saying, ``Last season was a disappointing season, so I want to be able to work in the rotation and lead the team toward a championship.''