Former Giants manager Shinnosuke Abe “immediately contacted the other party” after his arrest, and the name of the “candidate for the next manager” that the team is urgently searching for. | FRIDAY DIGITAL

Former Giants manager Shinnosuke Abe “immediately contacted the other party” after his arrest, and the name of the “candidate for the next manager” that the team is urgently searching for.

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At one point in the press conference, he shed a tear.

‘I can’t cover for this.

This is an unprecedented arrest. On May 25, Shinnosuke Abe, 47, former manager of the Giants, was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of assault, and on May 26 he tendered his resignation, which was accepted. He was an incumbent manager of the Yomiuri Giants during the season, and he was also a member of the Yomiuri Giants. The incident could only be described with the word “unusual” in every sense of the word.

On the evening of August 25, Abe broke up a fight between two sisters, ages 18 and 15, at his home in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, where he grabbed the eldest by the chest and pushed her away.

The incident came to light when the eldest daughter looked up how to deal with the situation on the generated AI and contacted the Child Guidance Center. The Child Guidance Center called 110, and Mr. Abe was taken to the Shibuya Police Station. TBS, which has long had strong coverage of the jurisdiction, was the first to report the incident, followed by TV Asahi and Fuji Television. On the other hand, sports newspapers, which did not have a professional baseball game on that day and had fewer reporters on duty, were a little late, and their reporters rushed to the Shibuya Police Station. There was a commotion at the scene,” said a reporter from the society department of a national newspaper.

After Abe was released at around 0:20 a.m. on the 26th, he left the Shibuya station in a hired car, which was probably prepared by the baseball team. He also held an apology press conference at the team’s office in the Yomiuri Shimbun’s Tokyo headquarters in Otemachi, Tokyo, before noon on the same day, and reported that he had tendered his resignation to owner Juichi Yamaguchi (69) and that the resignation had been accepted.

He shed tears, saying, “I have tarnished the name of the traditional Giants,” and “My family’s troubles have caused a great deal of worry and trouble to many baseball fans, people involved in professional baseball, and the company.

He probably never dreamed he would be arrested,” said a Giants official.

After his arrest, Mr. Abe personally contacted several companies with which he was in close contact, explained the circumstances, and apologized, saying, ‘I apologize for the trouble I caused you. These companies have known Mr. Abe since his working days and have a close relationship with him. He probably contacted them out of a sense of responsibility as the commander of the Giants.

However, some people involved in the matter are coldly skeptical, saying, “Since Mr. Abe will have to refrain from baseball-related work for a while, he may have contacted these companies with a view to his ‘second life.

Some have said that Mr. Abe personally informed owner Yamaguchi of his resignation and that the baseball team could have consoled him since the circumstances were such, but it is highly likely that the Giants had already made the decision to dismiss Mr. Abe even before he tendered his resignation.

There have been cases of arrests of current players and related personnel in the past,” he said. In those cases, the parent company of the team took advantage of its position as a media outlet to “handle” the case. In the past, the Yomiuri Shimbun or Sports Hochi would have been the first to report the arrest of the Giants manager. However, the times are different now from when Tsuneo Watanabe, who passed away the year before last, was still alive and well.

It is believed that the head office has indicated that they cannot cover for him, and that owner Yamaguchi has decided to dismiss him. At the press conference, a letter written by his eldest daughter was read on his behalf, and the mood was one of “resolution,” but it did not overturn the consensus of the baseball team. The fact that the team decided to accept Abe’s offer may have been a gesture of goodwill toward a man who had done so much for the team.

In response to Abe’s arrest, owner Yamaguchi said, “The fact that he violently attacked me is serious, and I have decided that it is unacceptable for me to continue as manager. I deeply apologize to the fans and all those involved in professional baseball for the serious misconduct just before the exchange games.

The fourth administration is indeed ……”

The Giants’ Nine, who will begin their exchange games on May 26, have been pressed into action in the aftermath of Abe’s resignation.

The players and staff were briefed on the background at a general meeting held on May 26, but there was nothing more than what was reported in the press. Acting manager Hideki Hashigami, 60, who is taking over the team, is not hiding his surprise at the sudden turn of events.

Confusion continued at Tokyo Dome.

The Giants held a pre-game practice session after their meeting on March 26, and as expected, the stadium was swarming with reporters other than broadcasters and reporters who had come to watch the game as onlookers. Normally, the press would be on the field.

Normally, the press would go down to the field to interview the leaders and players, but the team announced, “Please stay in the press box and in the stands until 14:00. After practice, acting manager Hashigami and captain Yukimichi Kishida (29) were interviewed in an enclosure. We are busy managing risks to prevent unnecessary information from being leaked,” said a reporter from a sports newspaper.

A Giants alumnus who has known Abe since his rookie season said, “The aftermath of Shinnosuke’s arrest is bigger than I imagined. Acting manager Hashigami will only be in charge temporarily until the end of this season at the most. It is highly likely that the team has already begun to select a candidate for the next manager.

At this point, owner Yamaguchi is not considering Shinnosuke’s return after next season. The names most likely to be mentioned are Yoshinobu Takahashi (51) and Tatsunori Hara (67), special advisor to the owner. However, Yushin has a history of being appointed manager immediately after his retirement, and many alumni say, ‘It would be a pity if the next manager is appointed only after a team that can win is built.

As for Mr. Hara, the feeling that “the fourth administration is indeed ……” cannot be dispelled, and the situation is all over the place. Some have suggested Mr. Masumi Kuwata (58), but I wonder if he would accept the job. …… Matsui Hideki (51), who has been long awaited to take over as manager of the team, is strongly considered to be in the plans to take over as manager upon the completion of the new stadium. It is conceivable that a veteran who has supported the team could be appointed manager immediately after his retirement, as is the case with Takahashi.

It is very sad to see the man who led the team to the championship in his first year in the position resign in such a manner.

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