Chunichi Dragons’ New Manager Kimiyasu Kudo Eyes Coaching Staff, With Keizo Kawashima and Fumikazu Takanami as Top Candidates

“He Was Truly a Reliable Figure”

Kimiyasu Kudo, the former SoftBank Hawks manager, is set to take over as the Chunichi Dragons’ new manager following the resignation of his predecessor, Kazuki Inoue, 55. Although Kudo, 63, was born in Nagoya, he is known to have maintained a certain distance from his hometown.

“He has been based in the Kanto region for a long time. And unlike the Hawks, where he achieved success as a manager, Chunichi does not have an abundant budget or a deep pool of talent. The fact that he has agreed to take the job anyway suggests that the club has given Kudo and his team a certain degree of discretion over matters such as investment in facilities and the appointment of coaches.” — The same source

Rumors that Kudo might become Chunichi’s manager had been circulating persistently within the baseball world. The speculation was sparked by the departure of a particular figure whom Kudo had praised as the Hawks’ “emotional anchor” during his tenure as manager.

“Keizo Kawashima, 43, who served as a first-team hitting coach for Orix through this season, submitted his resignation after the team’s final game of the season. During his playing career, Kawashima played under Kudo at SoftBank. In addition to his dependable defense and clutch hitting, he contributed to the team’s victories by taking on a leadership role in the dugout and encouraging younger players.

After stepping down as manager, Kudo praised Kawashima, saying he had been ‘truly reliable.’ Ever since Kudo began emerging as a candidate for the Chunichi managerial position, quite a few people at Orix had been speculating, ‘I wonder if Kawashima is going to leave us…’ Now that he has actually departed, rumors are flying that he could become new manager Kudo’s ‘right-hand man’ at Chunichi.” — An Orix team official

Another candidate for the role of “right-hand man” is said to be Fumikazu Takanami, 50, who also left SoftBank at the end of this season.

“He served as a third-team coach at SoftBank under Kudo in 2017 and 2018. He has extensive coaching experience and is good at motivating younger players who have struggled to make progress. He would be a suitable choice for Chunichi. The club has announced that it will take the lead in appointing its coaching staff, but I don’t think Kudo’s wishes will be completely disregarded. There is a strong possibility that either Kawashima or Takanami will join the staff.” — A Pacific League team official

All eyes are now on the announcement of Kudo’s coaching staff.