With Rakuten’s Appointment of Manager Rihito Yoshii, Will “On-Field Interference” Really Come to an End…? Confusion Among the Players and “GM Ishii’s Waning Influence”

Will “interference in on-field matters” truly come to an end?

On June 17, Rakuten announced that former Lotte manager Masato Yoshii (61) would take over as the team’s new manager.Bringing in a manager from outside the organization mid-season is extremely unusual. Owner Hiroshi Mikitani (61) apologized, saying he “feels responsible” for the team’s slump, while repeatedly using the word “unprecedented” to seek understanding from fans and the media.

On May 28, Owner Mikitani personally visited the Vantelin Dome Nagoya to rally the players, but the team’s situation did not improve, leading to the announcement on June 10 that Manager Hajime Mikitani (49) would be taking a leave of absence mid-season. The appointment of a new manager came just one week later.

“Manager Yoshii, who received the offer in the middle of the season, revealed his feelings, saying, ‘I was caught off guard. I thought, “Huh?!” but as a baseball person, I’m happy.’ He remained focused, adding, ‘I want to tell the players, “Let’s fully channel our determination to win.”’Owner Mikitani also seemed pleased, saying, ‘Isn’t it great to bring in someone from outside the organization mid-season? It’s a first! We want to respect our traditions from the past, but without being bound by them, we want to take on new challenges,’” (a reporter who covered the press conference).

However, contrary to the team leadership’s words, confusion continues on the field.

“Both former manager Miki’s leave of absence and new manager Yoshii’s appointment were announced to the players at almost the same time as they were to the media. Moreover, Mr. Yoshii did not attend spring training. The players harbor strong doubts about the team’s upper management, asking, ‘Is it even possible to assess our roster from this point on…?’

“The calls from fans on social media and elsewhere holding Owner Mikitani and General Manager Kazuhisa Ishii (52) accountable were stronger than expected, so the team reportedly scrambled to find someone with managerial experience. It’s said that Mr. Yoshii has been spending his days urgently turning down commentary jobs that had already been lined up for him,” said a team official.

GM Ishii, who has been in charge of player development since September 2018, barely spoke at the press conference that day. Only Owner Mikitani and Manager Yoshii participated in the post-conference press scrum, while GM Ishii stood nearby, listening intently.

“When asked by a reporter, ‘How do you evaluate GM Kazuhisa Ishii?’, Owner Mikitani defended him, saying, ‘It’s not just GM Ishii; regarding team management, there are positive aspects, but to be honest, there are still things that need improvement.I believe there are ways we, as the parent company, can provide more support going forward,” he said, defending Ishii. However, in the eight seasons leading up to last season—which he spent as both GM and manager—the team made it into the A Class only twice. The players’ trust in him has likely plummeted.” (Ibid.)

There are still other causes for concern. Manager Yoshii has been known—both by himself and others—as a “hothead” since his playing days.

“Even after becoming a manager, he has clashed with the team countless times. Normally, player deployment is the manager’s sole prerogative, and Manager Yoshii is the type who has strong opinions. However, regarding discretion in player management, while Owner Mikitani says, ‘We respect the manager’s opinion,’ he also states, ‘We will discuss it thoroughly as an organization and decide what to adopt.I believe decisions must be made through that process.” As long as things are going well, that’s fine, but if the team’s performance starts to decline, there’s a possibility of “interference from above” once again. The concern that the manager and front office will clash cannot be dismissed,” said a former team player.

Manager Yoshii will take the helm starting with the game against his former team, the Lotte Marines, on the 19th. The road to rebuilding the Rakuten Eagles is fraught with challenges.