Next year, too, “Destasha”! DeNA’s Shugo Maki, who has grown into the No. 4 pitcher in Samurai Japan, explains why he is convinced that “I will shout from the front row of the bench.

Keep your voice up even if you are mediocre.
Reflection comes when he’s back in his room and alone.

Even in his uniform, Maki’s thick chest and thick arms like giant trees are evident.

Shugo Maki, 25, of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, appeared at the interview site, and at 178 cm tall, he is not a large man for a professional baseball player, but he exudes strength.

I feel responsible, but I am happy. I want to achieve results because I’m going to do this.

Maki says this because he has been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of playing the No. 4 position in the Samurai Japan team. Kazuhiro Ibata, the manager of the Japan national baseball team, has named Maki as his main gun. This season, Maki has won the batting title and the most hits title, and has a .293 batting average, 29 home runs, and 103 runs batted in, a record befitting the No. 4 position in the Japan team.

I am not satisfied with this. I want to be able to hit at the right opportunities, score more runs, and win the title again next season.

The following is a brief history of Maki’s development into one of Japan’s leading hitters.

Maki began playing baseball in the first grade of elementary school. One of his most vivid memories as a child was taking hitting practice with a net set up in the yard of his grandfather’s house in Nakano, Nagano Prefecture.

My parents were both working,” he said. So I would go to my grandfather’s house nearby, who had experience in baseball, and practice. I am still close with my grandfather. When I was having trouble with hitting, I would call my grandfather. He told me, ‘Don’t hesitate to take the plunge,’ and that blew away the foggy feeling I had.

For high school, he went to his hometown Matsumoto Daiichi High School, which was unknown in baseball. After entering Chuo University, he had no results in his first and second years.

The turning point was a training camp just before his junior year. I tried to completely change my batting style with my coach, and we lowered my center of gravity to better transfer the power of my lower body to my upper body. This worked perfectly. I was able to call the ball in and hit the ball hard. Becoming a pro became a reality for me.

After improving his hitting, Maki became the top hitter in the Tokyo Metropolitan League in the spring of his junior year and won the MVP award in the fall. He was also selected to represent Japan in the Japan-U.S. Collegiate Baseball Tournament, and joined DeNA in 2009 as the second overall pick in the draft. He showed good results from the open season and was selected as the No. 3 hitter in the opening game of the season despite being a rookie. He seems to have made a good start as a professional, but he is still a bit of a hard worker. ……

I was already desperate. My change and fastball were on a different level from those of a student. I took a lot of notes on each pitcher, what the feel was like when I hit the ball and what the pitch was like, so I could get used to the pro pitches. I would write down what I noticed even in the short time I had to switch offensively and defensively. I still keep up the habit of taking notes.”

What bothered Maki even more was the fact that he had to play in games and travel on consecutive days, something he had never experienced as a student. His batting average, which had been close to 40% at the beginning of the season, dropped to the mid-20% range in May as fatigue set in.

Fortunately, there was an eight-week break during the Tokyo Olympics. Not only was I able to rest my body, but I was also able to reevaluate my hitting. Tomoya Tsuboi, my hitting coach at the time, pointed out that I was being pushed by straight balls, so I became more conscious of bouncing straight balls back hard.

Maki has a style that has never changed. Even if he gets an out or makes an error, he always leans forward from the front row of the bench to inspire his teammates with his loud voice.

I have been shouting from the front row ever since I was a youth baseball player. The team’s victory is the most important thing. That’s why I cheer hard for my teammates to hit, even when they are not doing well. Showing a depressed appearance does not benefit those around me in the slightest. Of course, when you make a mistake, you tend to feel down and frustrated. But I go back to my room and reflect on it when I’m alone so that it doesn’t affect the team in any way.

His earnest attitude seems to be influenced by the teachings of his parents.

My parents repeatedly told me to always be humble. No matter how well I do or how good the results are, I try to stay humble and not get carried away.

Maki, who loves the game, has a customary performance when he hits a home run. When he hits a home run, Maki, who loves video games, performs his customary “destasha,” a gesture in which he holds his fist in front of his chest. It is also the signature pose of a Ukrainian YouTube video streamer who plays the popular game “Mario Kart.

I hope that fans will see more of the “Destasha” next season.

Hama’s main gun and Japan’s No. 4. Even in his position as the world’s leading hitter, Maki continues to lean forward from the front row of the bench and shout, “Destasha!

From the December 1, 2023 issue of FRIDAY