Giants Executives Flustered as Hisayoshi Nagano Chooses Graduate School Over Coaching Role

His immediate appointment to the cabinet had been a foregone conclusion

Outfielder Hisayoshi Chono (40), who spent 16 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants and Hiroshima Carp, held a retirement press conference on October 14 at a hotel in Tokyo. Although Chono began this season on the Giants’ first-team roster, he was mostly used as a pinch hitter and spent much of the year in the minors.

“He started only twice this season — once on April 13 against Hiroshima at Mazda Stadium and again on May 6 against Hanshin at Tokyo Dome. He was dropped from the roster on May 7 and wasn’t recalled until July 12. Even then, he was used mainly as a pinch hitter, recording just one hit before being sent back down on July 29. He spent the rest of the season with the farm team,” said a former team member.

A team insider explained:

“His close friend Hayato Sakamoto (36) also shifted to a pinch-hitting role this year, and for manager Shinnosuke Abe (46), having two veterans filling the same position wasn’t ideal. Abe’s honest feeling was probably, ‘One pinch-hitting ace and emotional leader is enough.’ In situations like that, veterans like Chono can read between the lines about where they stand.”

As a former first-round draft pick who once won both the batting title and the most hits title, Chono has been a major contributor to the Giants. The club is reportedly planning a grand retirement ceremony during the November Fan Festa, and commemorative merchandise is already being prepared at full speed — expected to sell briskly.

Club executives had apparently intended to bring Chono onto the coaching staff next season.

“Owner Toshikazu Yamaguchi (68) has already confirmed that Abe will stay on as manager next year. With the recent departure of head coach Tomohiro Nioka (49), the front office’s biggest concern has become: ‘Who will Abe talk to when the team starts losing?’ They had planned to offer Chono a key role, such as first-team batting coach, to serve as Abe’s trusted advisor. In other words, his immediate move into a coaching position was a foregone conclusion,” said the same source.

However, during his retirement press conference, Chono announced his intention to enroll in graduate school. While this decision appears to be part of his long-term goal of becoming a coach and studying coaching theory, it means he is unlikely to join the staff next season.

“When the Giants are winning, Abe is cheerful and approachable, but when the team struggles, he tends to withdraw and his mood darkens. Younger players sense it and shrink back, making it even harder to turn things around. Chono could have been the perfect bridge to ease that tension. With star slugger Kazuma Okamoto (29) likely heading to the major leagues, things are looking uncertain,” another team insider noted.

Even in retirement, Hisayoshi Chono’s influence on the Giants remains strong.

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