If you can’t hit, you’re worthless.” …… “Stripped of regular catcher,” Giants’ Oshiro faces “disagreement on policy” and “threat of leaving the team

Since taking over as manager, Shinnosuke Abe of the Giants (45) has implemented various changes, including the selection of rookies. One of the changes is the ouster of catcher Takuzo Oshiro, 31, who was a valuable member of the former manager Tatsunori Hara, 65, as regular catcher.　As of January 30, Oshiro had appeared in only 23 games this season, with a .188 batting average, three runs batted in, and no arches.

Manager Abe actively used Seiji Kobayashi (34) and Yukinori Kishida (27) as starters, and Oshiro was dropped to the farm on May 8. Ogi was dropped to the farm on May 8. He returned to the first team on May 31, after the start of the interchange games, and at that time, the leaders told him, “We expect him to be a designated hitter as well. This probably meant that “Ohgi who can’t hit is worthless. This could be called an ultimatum.

One of the reasons for his poor performance is the incompatibility between manager Abe’s small-base baseball tactics and Oshiro’s style of play.

When manager Abe was active, he felt the most threatened by the “Arriba” duo of Masahiro Araki (46) and Hirokazu Ibata (49) of the Chunichi baseball team. They had an ironclad defense, a willingness to bunt, score end runs, steal bases, and attack from anywhere ……. Although they play different positions, Abe is looking for players like that. Oshiro’s punching power but big swing is not suited to small-base ball, while Kobayashi is a steady defender. On the other hand, Kobayashi is being re-evaluated for his stable defense and his ability to bunt at critical moments, and Kishida is a good hitter who also has a knack for small runs. If he doesn’t hit well, Oshiro’s place will be rapidly disappearing.

Oshiro is expected to acquire FA rights this offseason. If he continues to get cold-shouldered, he may be in danger of leaving the team.

If he exercises his FA rights, there is no doubt that several teams will try to acquire him. There is no point in using Ogi, who can’t hit, but if he is not used, he may leave the team. Manager Abe must have a headache.

This offseason, regular catchers from various teams, including Hanshin’s Seishiro Sakamoto (30), Softbank’s Takuya Kai (31), and Chunichi’s Takuya Kinoshita (32), have all acquired or are expected to acquire FA rights, but a manager from a Pacific League team said, “If he declares, Ogi will definitely be the centerpiece.

All the teams have already begun their investigations to acquire FA warriors this offseason. Catchers are hard to find. It depends on how many players they declare, but there are a lot of teams that want Oshiro, who has an outstanding record in hitting.

The “Samurai” catcher, who won the WBC championship in 2011, is now at a crossroads in his baseball career.