Kazuma Okamoto’s replacement has a .500 batting average…Giants Richard “22 strikeouts in 14 games for the second team!” Critical problem pointed out by former No. 4

The current situation is probably a complete disappointment.

Richard, 26, was transferred from SoftBank on May 12 after being wanted by fans as a replacement for the disabled Kazuma Okamoto, the Giants’ No. 4 pitcher.

He made his debut on May 13 against Hiroshima and on May 18 against Chunichi, but since then he has been completely ineffective. In 18 appearances, he has 19 strikeouts, a .095 batting average, and a low on-base percentage of .156 (as of July 6). In a game against Softbank on June 12, he missed a bonehead sign for a hit-and-run, which drew the ire of manager Shinnosuke Abe, and he was demoted to the second base position.

Richard is a cannon with a promising future, having won the home run and batting titles at Softbank five times in five consecutive years and four times, including three years in a row. He was considered a “Warrioress” in the Pacific League’s second tier. But …….

I saw him hit firsthand.

In the Giants’ farm system, he initially struggled, batting in the .100 range. At one point, he struck out 11 straight batters with only one hit by pitch in between, and in July he finally got his batting average up to the .240 mark, but his roughness has not improved with 22 strikeouts in 14 games with the second team.

At this rate, the team will not be able to fill the hole left by Okamoto, the main gun of the team, but rather will be in a situation where it will continue to suffer ……. Where is the problem? Katsumi Hirosawa, a former No. 4 pitcher for the Giants who also played for Yakult and Hanshin, points out a “critical problem” on the team’s side.

Richard has a laid-back attitude,” he said. That is why he makes careless mistakes like missing signs. He may not be able to stay focused for long. This is probably the reason why he cannot continue to produce results even after one or two games of spectacular performance. However, he has won the home run and batting titles five times and the batting title four times, so there is no doubt that he has good qualities. I have seen Richard hit firsthand, and he is a gem of a player who could win the homerun championship in the first team.

The fact that he has not been able to make this gem of a player is his own fault, but I also think that the leaders of SoftBank and the Giants have a definite problem. There is a saying, “Do all things thoroughly. When I was with the Yakult baseball team, I was repeatedly taught by the late manager Katsuya Nomura about the importance of doing what is natural. The same goes for Richard. If he misses a sign, why don’t they just blame it on him and drop him to the second team, but why don’t they patiently teach him until he learns it?”

The Giants have a magnificent farm facility called “Giants Town. The Giants have a magnificent farm facility called “Giants Town,” which is “the perfect environment” for Richard, Hirozawa continued.

If a player as talented as Richard can’t wake up because he is able to play baseball in such an excellent facility, it is proof that there is a problem with the coaching staff. On the other hand, if Richard plays a big role in the first team, the Giants can reveal the nose of Softbank, which has failed to nurture its players. Whether or not Richard can develop in the future is not only a question of the future of one player, but also the state of the organization of the Giants team.

Can this gem of a player awaken? Richard is scheduled to be promoted to the first team on July 8. Fans are looking forward to the day when the “home run king of the second team” will explode in the first team.