Giants’ Nakata: “I have nothing but confidence” even though he gained 20 kilograms

I have nothing but confidence now. I’m sure I’m back to the Sho Nakata of old. （I want to hit a career-high 31 home runs.

The Giants’ Sho Nakata, 32, entered camp on February 1 and is gaining confidence. His weight, which was 92kg last season, has increased by about 20kg and now weighs 112kg. In the team’s joint training session held in Miyazaki until just before the camp, he hit a lot of powerful shots.

He seems to be pushing himself very hard. His batting average last season was .177, the worst in his career, and his home runs were only in single digits (seven) for the first time in 11 years. It was a humiliating season for him, as he had to drop out of the farm system twice after joining the Giants.

Tatsunori Hara, the manager of the Giants, who had been given full control of the team, saved Nakata from a violent incident at his old club, Nippon Ham, which effectively forced him out of the team. Tatsunori Hara, the manager of the Giants with full authority, bought Nakata’s ability and acquired him despite the opposition of others. That’s what this disappointing performance is all about: ……. It was also a factor in the Giants stalling in the last half of the season, and it brought shame on the manager’s face.

The manager, who was betrayed by his expectations, has been urging Nakata to work harder with his unique way of speaking.

He said, “We have never seen (Nakata) in his true form. This season may be his true form. That’s all we’ve seen.”

From “leftie” to “trash.

If he doesn’t produce results for the Giants this season, Nakata will be in danger of retiring. This is because it is hard to imagine that any team would be interested in acquiring a player who has caused so much trouble with the assault incident. Nakata had no other choice. I wonder if he really means it when he says, “All I have now is confidence. Or is he just being patient?

I think he really means it. In 2008, when he hit 31 home runs and scored a career-high 108 runs, he praised himself, saying, ‘I’m a leftie. It means that I’m not on the same level as other players. When his performance declined the following year, he took a turn for the worse, saying, ‘I’m garbage. For better or worse, he’s a player who comments honestly,” said a sports reporter.

There are two possible reasons why Nakata has regained his confidence.

There are two reasons why Nakata has regained his confidence. The first reason is his recovery from his back injury, which was the cause of his poor performance. The first is that he is recovering from his back injury, which was the cause of his poor health. Last season, he could not practice enough due to severe back pain and lost a lot of weight. Some people are worried about his sudden weight gain, but Nakata’s best weight has always been around 110kg. Rather than gaining weight, he should be considered to have returned to his original condition.

The second thing is mental stability. Last season, after the assault incident, he was transferred to the Giants, a popular baseball team, for free. The view of Nakata was not a warm one. The stress must have been beyond his imagination. However, he gradually got used to the team, and in the off-season, second-year player Yuuto Akihiro volunteered to do voluntary training with Nakata. Nakata, who has a parental figure, seemed to be quite happy. He paid for all of Akihiro’s training camp expenses, including food. His mental calmness is completely different from last year.

Hiroyuki Nakajima, who had been in a slump with Orix, was also criticized for failing to produce results in his first year with the Giants, with a batting average in the 10% range. It was only in his second year that he began to show his true potential. It’s not a simple comparison, but if what he says is true, we can expect a lot from Nakata this season.

Of course I have my concerns. “Of course, I have my concerns,” said Nakata, who is called ‘the general’ by those around him, but unlike his image, he is very sensitive. If he makes a small mistake, he gets depressed and worries more than necessary. Even if he gets used to the team, if he doesn’t produce results right away from the beginning of spring, he will be criticized by fans and the media. At that time, if his comments become backward again, it is a danger sign.

How long will Nakata’s bullish comments last? How long will Nakata’s bullish comments last? The season is about to begin, and his true value will be tested.