Saburo, Chiba Lotte’s new manager: “I’m going to stir things up this year” – Why he set up “Showa no Furious Practice

His motto is “Showa-era hard training.

He says, “Quality is born only after quantity is practiced. Nowadays, people say that quality is better than quantity, but I wanted the players to have the experience of swinging a bat to the death, even if it was just once.

Lotte finished in last place last season. New manager Saburo (49) was brought in as the trump card to rebuild the team. His motto is “Showa-era hard training.

There are several reasons. I was the manager of the second team for two and a half years until the middle of last season. These days, the mainstream practice style is to follow the major leagues and let the players practice on their own initiative, but in the end, many players don’t know what to do. When they started the season with light training, there were a number of injuries. So last spring, we increased the intensity of training at the second team camp and had the players practice in large quantities. Then, there were almost no injuries.

The first team, which was the most important team, was in a slump from the beginning of the spring last season. In June, he was promoted to head coach of the first team as part of the team’s leveraging efforts. After the season ended, he was announced as the first-team manager. Manager Saburo said, “I’m not sure if it’s a bad thing to say.

Showa” is sometimes used in a bad way, but sometimes people say, “The Showa era was good. It’s easy to understand, and the players’ awareness and approach have changed a lot since the word “Showa” has come to be used by itself.

What I learned from covering the Showa-style camps is that they are not just a form of discipline. The “Showa” and “Reiwa” are blended in a perfect balance.

When they need to rest, they rest properly. Sleep is also important. I am not denying efficiency. For example, we have them do weight training in the morning. In the past, baseball players would go through a full practice session and then do weights at the end, but after an intense practice session, they would not have any energy left, and they would not have the energy to begin with. It is scientifically said that it is more efficient to do it first thing in the morning when you are fresh.

It is said that the head of an organization should not be afraid of being disliked. However, he is well aware that in the age of Reiwa, strictness alone is not enough to lead young people.

The ideal manager is also a fusion of the two. I had the opportunity to work under many great managers, such as Bobby Valentine and Koji Yamamoto at Lotte, Tatsunori Hara at the Giants, and Senichi Hoshino at the Japan National Team. I would like to inherit the best parts of each of them.

This year’s Lotte team has a muddy atmosphere. However, there is a pleasant sense of nostalgia with a hint of the Showa period. Manager Saburo smiled wryly and made the following announcement.

Last year we came in last place. There is no place lower than this, so we will just go all out. I want to do something that will surprise them. I’m rather orthodox, but this year, I’m going to stir things up.

Saburo’s baseball will create a whirlwind in the Pacific League.

In the February 19 issue of “FRIDAY March 6” and the pay-per-view “FRIDAY GOLD,” Saburo introduces secret stories about his beloved mentor and the names of specific players he is focusing on. They also feature rare photos of Saburo in action on the baseball field.

For more details and multiple photos, click here↓.

From the March 6, 2026 issue of FRIDAY