Behind Sho Nakata’s 300 million yen salary, “fresh graduates” Yanagi and Ogasawara angrily withhold contract renewal.
Ogasawara and Yanagi told this magazine about their determination: ……
FRIDAY” has previously conducted an exclusive interview with the two.’ Ogasawara, who became the first pitcher to start the season in his third season in 2006, and who had just won his first complete game in July, said,
Whenever I was told by great seniors such as Kazuki Yoshimi to pitch seven innings, or to pitch a complete game, or to pitch a complete game, I began to feel that I wanted to pitch a complete game. Even if I got hit by a pitch, I started to feel that I should pitch seven innings, and I think I was able to change myself.
I think I changed myself.” He said that he is always conscious of pitching a complete game. When asked about his goals, he replied, “I want to pitch as well as Yoshimi and Matsuzaka,
I just want to do my best to be as close as possible to Yoshimi and Daisuke Matsuzaka,” he said.
He mentioned the names of two great seniors who were with Chunichi at the time.
I interviewed Yanagi in July 2007. Yanagi was in his third year at Chunichi that year, but he had won only three games in two years. That year, however, he had already won nine games. On the reason for his sudden awakening,
There’s no doubt that the pathetic state I was in during my first and second years is the driving force behind what I’m doing now. In hindsight, I’m glad that I didn’t make it halfway through with the naive thinking I had when I joined the team. Now, I am strong, saying, ‘I never want to have that kind of feeling again. I go to the mound with a strong feeling that I will make sure the team wins.
I am determined to go to the mound with a strong feeling that I will make sure the team wins.
Acquiring veteran players is never a bad thing. However, I think the baseball team should show more sincerity to the players who persevered for a year and continued to lead the team. If these two players in particular do not get a satisfactory renewal, I don’t think the fans will be convinced.
The next round of negotiations between the two players will reveal the team’s future attitude toward its “veteran players.
