Sakamoto, Okamoto, Nakata…The main members of the Yomiuri Giants’ “pep rally” at the end of which “cacophony” continues unabated are discovered and photographed!

On March 27, just before the start of the season, the Giants held a pep rally at the Imperial Hotel in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, attended by about 600 people, including players, leaders, and others involved with the team.

Around 8:00 p.m., after the two-hour meeting, the main players came down to the entrance of the hotel. The classmate duo of Sho Nakata (33) and Yoshihiro Maru (33), who made a comeback last season, walked in chatting and laughing, followed by Hayato Sakamoto (34). Tomoyuki Sugano (33), who is expected to make a comeback, appeared in a slightly disheveled suit. Coming down alongside Rui Okoye (25), who vows to awaken this season, is Kazuma Okamoto (26), who also played an active role in the WBC. He looked tense, perhaps from the heavy responsibility of being the new captain.

At the “pep rally,” manager Tatsunori Hara (64) declared the Giants would win back the championship in high spirits, and the Giants’ opening game against Chunichi on March 31 was a good start. However, there are already some “discordant noises” within the team.

The biggest headache for manager Hara is Sakamoto. He withdrew from the WBC in order to adjust to the conditions, but he has been in a slump with a 10% batting average in the opening rounds. Even Dave Okubo, 56, the chief hitting coach of the Giants, told a reporter that Sakamoto’s condition is so serious that he feels “honestly bad.

Sakamoto’s current condition is no longer a question of his “condition.

He said, “The condition of his lower back is quite bad, and it seems that he cannot rotate well when batting. In addition, there are concerns about his mental condition since the scandal involving a woman broke out last fall. Since the ban on vocal cheering has been lifted from this season, he is sure to receive harsh criticism at Koshien.

Makoto Kadowaki (22) is also emerging as a young shortstop. If we continue to “sanctify” Sakamoto, there will no doubt be a lot of dissatisfaction among the youngsters. If Sakamoto is made a “sanctuary,” the younger players will surely become frustrated, saying, “After all, Sakamoto-san is special. If manager Hara does not make a decision early in the season, the team may not be able to maintain its unity.

Director Hara is also angry

Sakamoto is not the only one who is bothering Hara. He also has to make a decision about his nephew, a former ace.

There is no doubt that manager Hara wanted Kanno to be the starting pitcher for the season opener. But in the end, he complained of a strained right elbow in the opening game and had to start the season with the second team. This angered Hara, who said, ‘I gave him so much time. Before the season opener, it was said that he and Shoyuki Togo (23) would be the “two aces,” but now it is difficult for Sugano to regain the ace’s position. Unless he accepts his situation and becomes desperate, it will be tough for him to even return to the rotation.

Hara has long advocated a policy of “putting the top priority on ability,” and the team could fall apart if he uses players who can’t hit or throw well. The Giants have some players who have been in good form since the season opener, including Sho Nakata and Rui Okoye, so the fate of the Giants this season will depend on how the two former faces of the team are handled.

Hara is in the second year of a three-year contract. But he has actually told those around him that he may be done with the job. This was a surprise to me, because he used to be so energetic that he said, ‘I want to keep doing this. That must mean the situation is that severe. He always tells the players, “We can’t afford to have people on the bench who can’t pitch and can’t hit,” but he doesn’t seem to be inspired by the nine players. The team seems to be in a rut.

Baseball critic Moki Emoto has a few words to say about the prospects for this season.

The problem with the Giants is that they have left too much of everything to manager Hara. He does everything from organizing to directing the field. The development is not going well, but from my point of view, what are the coaches doing? There are players who have proven themselves, but I can’t calculate whether they will all make it through the season. I can’t say there is zero chance, but winning the championship would be a faint hope.”

A second consecutive year in the B class could be the start of a dark period for the team.

From the April 21 and 28, 2023 issues of FRIDAY