Last year, Hideki Kuriyama, who led the Japanese national team in the WBC (World Baseball Classic), visited the Major League Rays to observe the open game, and watched the game from the bench in his uniform.
Mr. Kuriyama, who led the Japanese national team to victory in the WBC last year as a coach, is currently in a position to strengthen the team composition of professional baseball team Nippon-Ham.
Starting this month, he has been visiting Major League Baseball camps to observe team operations, and on the 7th, Rays uniforms with the number 89 were seen at an exhibition game between the Rays and Phillies held in Port Charlotte, Florida. I went to the bench wearing it.
Mr. Kuriyama exchanged rosters before the game, and during the game he was actively talking with Rays manager Cash on the bench.
Although the Rays are not a team with a lot of financial resources, they are a powerhouse that has advanced to the playoffs five years in a row until last season.
After the inspection, Mr. Kuriyama said, ``As I expected, there were some secrets. Coach Cash taught me how to use the data, and I learned a lot. There were also cases in the WBC where I was unsure of my decision. "I want to create an environment where whoever is the coach can be given those kind of numbers."
Also, on the bench, he was seen having a conversation with Rays pitcher Naoyuki Uesawa, who is aiming to move up from a minor league contract to the major leagues.He said, ``I don't think I'll be able to wear the same uniform again,'' since they played together as a manager and player at Nippon-Ham. I'm glad I didn't," he said with a smile.