Power or Consistency? Ex-Giants Star Breaks Down Richard and Akihiro’s Contrasting Fates

Farm Dominator

At present, their fortunes couldn’t be more different.

It’s Richard (26) of the Giants and Yuto Akihiro (23) of SoftBank. The two were involved in an emergency trade between the clubs in May. Richard made an immediate impact, hitting a home run in his very first game after being added to the roster on May 13 against Hiroshima. Akihiro, meanwhile, stood on the hero’s podium three consecutive days in a series against DeNA starting June 13. Both seemed to be awakening to their potential right after the trade.

“Although Richard was briefly sent down to the farm, he has since been continuously used in the first team after being called back up and has nearly secured a spot in the starting lineup. His batting average remains low, in the low .200s, but he has reached double digits in home runs for the first time in his career (as of September 30). He’s been hitting impactful shots that change the flow of games, and his presence is growing by the day.

Akihiro, on the other hand, went hitless in 14 consecutive plate appearances in June and ended up with a disappointing .208 batting average and just one home run. He was demoted to the farm in July, where he has also struggled with a .238 average and no home runs. It seems he’s been having trouble adjusting to the unexpectedly powerful pitching of the Pacific League,” said a sports newspaper reporter covering professional baseball.

Both players were once viewed as promising stars of the future. Richard, who joined SoftBank as a developmental draft pick out of Okinawa Shogaku High School, dominated the farm league—winning five home run titles (including three straight) and four RBI titles (including three straight). He earned the nickname “Farm Dominator.”
Akihiro, meanwhile, inherited the number “55” once worn by Hideki Matsui, showing flashes of great potential in 2023 with a .273 batting average and 10 home runs, marking him as a possible cleanup hitter of the future.

Control of the Center of Gravity

However, as mentioned earlier, there is now a clear difference in how much each player has contributed. Former Giants cleanup hitter Katsumi Hirosawa explains the reason for this contrast.

“I’ve seen Richard’s hitting in person — he’s a natural talent capable of winning a home run title at the top level. But he seems to have some inconsistency in his temperament. He often made careless mistakes, like missing signs, and those issues were a concern at SoftBank, keeping him from gaining momentum.

The Giants, of course, were aware of that when they acquired him. He still makes the occasional careless mistake, but he’s not harshly scolded for it. I think the new environment allows him to play freely, and that freedom is helping him make the most of his natural hitting power.”

And what about Akihiro? Hirosawa continues:

“Akihiro has a clear flaw. His weight tends to remain on his right foot, meaning he doesn’t control his center of gravity properly. Because of that, even with his excellent physique — 2 meters tall and 100 kilograms — the power doesn’t transfer smoothly to the bat, so he struggles to handle both inside and outside pitches.

He’s said that he wants to be an average hitter rather than a pure power hitter, but that’s missing the point. Unless he learns how to shift his weight correctly and make solid contact with the sweet spot of the bat, he won’t be able to produce either hits or home runs. On the other hand, if he meets a coach who can effectively teach him the importance of weight transfer, there’s no doubt he can break through. Everyone recognizes how high his potential is.”

Will Richard continue to develop, or will Akihiro stage a comeback? — Carrying the fans’ hopes, the battle between the two will continue into next season.

However, as mentioned above, there is a big difference in the degree of success. Katsumi Hirosawa, who played the No. 4 position for the Giants, explains the reason for the difference.

I saw Richard’s hitting firsthand, and he is a gem of a player, capable of winning the homerun king in the first team. However, his character may be uneven. He made many careless mistakes, such as missing signs. That was a problem for him at SoftBank, and he was unable to make a big splash.

The Giants must have received information about Richard as well. He still makes careless mistakes, but he is never given a stern warning. I feel that the new environment, where he can play freely, is helping him make the most of his natural ability to hit.

What about Akihiro, on the other hand? Mr. Hirozawa continues.

Akihiro has a definite shortcoming. He tends to keep his weight on his right foot, and he is not able to control his center of gravity well. As a result, despite his 2-meter height and 100 kg weight, he is not able to handle the inside and outside pitches because his power is not smoothly transferred to the bat.

He says he wants to be an average hitter, not a long-distance hitter, but this is a problem before that. If he does not learn how to shift his center of gravity and catch the ball with the core of his bat, he will not hit a ball or hit a home run. Conversely, if you can find an instructor who can successfully teach you the importance of shifting the center of gravity, you will definitely awaken. Everyone recognizes that he has great potential.

Will Richard continue to grow, or will Akihiro turn things around? With the expectations of the fans on their shoulders, the battle between the two will continue next season.