Why we have “nothing but high expectations” for new manager Fumiya Nishiguchi of Seibu, who has been successful in the open season… A glimpse of the “ALL ONE” spirit as seen by this magazine
Three “outsider coaches” were brought in at the team’s initiative for the fielders’ division.
Last year, the Saitama Seibu Lions suffered a team-worst 91 losses, a season that fans would rather not remember. Kazuo Matsui took a leave of absence midway through the season, and GM Hisanobu Watanabe, who took over for him, all left the team at the end of the season.
Starting this season, Fumiya Nishiguchi, 52, was appointed manager of the first team. He will be in charge of rebuilding the Lions, who had been an “all-time winning team.
The slogan of the new manager for this year’s team is “ALL ONE. The slogan reads as follows
The slogan “Each individual must improve his or her ability and give back to the team in order to win” is the motto of the new manager.
This slogan expresses the team’s desire to win by improving each individual’s ability and giving back to the team.
As new players, the team acquired Cedeño from Orix, who is expected to be a candidate for the No. 4 position, and Nevin from the majors. Nevin, in particular, has shown a strong batting ability to take chances, hitting first in three consecutive games in open games, and has secured a spot in the cleanup lineup. In addition, current draft pick Taiga Hirasawa (formerly of Lotte), second overall pick Seiya Watanabe, and free agent Keisuke Nakata, who was brought up from SoftBank, have all shown success in open games, giving the batting lineup more depth than last year. Unlike last year, the batting lineup has more depth.
The Nishiguchi Lions are doing well in open games, with a record of 7 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws (as of the 21st). The batting lineup, which has been considered a problem, scored six and ten runs in the two games in a row in Hiroshima.
The team has brought in three “outsiders” to the fielders’ division, which has been a problem for the Lions: head coach Yusuke Torigoe, hitting coach Toshihisa Hitoshi, and defensive base running coach Keiji Ohiki. Manager Nishiguchi is doing a good job of keeping the coaches together. He is the perfect manager to bring together and rebuild a team that had hit rock bottom and was on the verge of falling apart,” said a sports reporter.
There was one scene that clearly showed the “ALL ONE” attitude of Director Nishiguchi.
It was 17 years ago, on November 9, 2008. It was the night the Leos defeated the Yomiuri Giants in Game 7 of the Japan Series to win their first Japan championship in four years.
After the Leos had celebrated by raising their arms in jubilation, the customary beer reception, and television appearances by manager Hisanobu Watanabe and the main players, the Seibu Nine gathered at a restaurant in Nishiazabu, Tokyo, around 1:00 am. A victory party was held under the auspices of the players’ association.
