Shinjo praises Kosei Yoshida: “He’s really fast, isn’t he”? The truth behind his praise…

The atmosphere in the bullpen has changed completely.

A blue sweatshirt and black pants. It was November 10 at the autumn camp in Kunigami, Okinawa. On November 10, at the fall camp in Kunigami, Okinawa, Japan, Kosei Yoshida (20), the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft, was throwing by himself and felt nervous. After practice, Yoshida turned to the press.

After the practice, Yoshida recalled to the press: “Suddenly, reporters came running, and the pressure suddenly intensified. The aura was amazing. I’d rather be seen than not seen.

After watching Yoshida pitch for about 20 pitches, Shinjo gave him a pat on the right shoulder.

“I’ll do my best next season. I like your straight pitches.

He also praised Yoshida’s pitches to the press.

“It’s really fast, isn’t it? I wouldn’t have been able to hit it when I was active. It’s so fast!

Success experience becomes an obstacle

Yoshida, who led Kinzoku Agriculture (Akita Prefecture) to a second place finish as an ace, has won only one game in his first three years as a professional. In his first three years as a pro, Yoshida won only one game for the first team. This season, he has a 6-8 record with a 4.45 ERA in the second team. The “star of Koshien” is struggling to grow.

“Yoshida’s first professional start was his first pitch. Yoshida got his first win in his first professional start, but he won it by dodging pitches with his breaking ball, not by pushing his fastball. His specialty is his straight fastball, which he recorded as fast as 152km in high school. When he first joined the team, his second team manager Daisuke Araki spilled the beans, saying, ‘He’s pitching like an old man relying on his breaking ball. Finally, this season, he has started to polish his fastball.

Yoshida has a calm personality. He has good qualities and potential, but he lacks a sense of urgency. I think the reason for his sluggishness is that he lacks a sense of urgency and a sense of “I can’t go on like this. The leaders are worried that he will become a pitcher of small scale.

Manager Shinjo seems to have been aware of Yoshida’s strengths and weaknesses.

He said, “With a calm type like Yoshida, it’s hard to get him to move even if you tell him to do it out of the blue. I think he was trying to change his mind by evaluating his good points (in Yoshida’s case, his straightness). If the media praised him not only directly, but also by saying, “You’re so fast,” he would not be happy. I think the message of ‘Let’s work hard from next season’ is ‘It’s time for you to show results in the first team.

After receiving advice from Shinjo, Yoshida’s eyes lit up as he told reporters, “I’m going to spend this year straightening up.

After Shinjo’s advice, Yoshida told reporters with a glint in his eye, “I’ve been working on my straightness all year, and I felt that what I’ve been doing was right. I felt that what I’ve been doing is right. I felt like, ‘Okay, I’ll do it! I felt like, ‘Okay, I’ll do it!

The words of the “Big Boss” that moved the players. The awareness of the Nippon-Ham team is steadily changing.