Where is the brightness at the beginning of the season? The big boss looked duller on the bench (Image: Kyodo News) His comments were unusually full of anger. He said, “I don’t see any attitude of wanting to stay in the first team at all. As long as I don’t put the bat out there, I’ll never see results.”    Takeshi Shinjo, the manager of Nippon Ham, was furious in a 2-4 loss to the Orix on May 10. With the Orix missing such mainstays as Masanao Yoshida due to the spread of the new coronavirus within the team, the batting lineup was silent except for a two-run double by Yuki Nomura in the fourth, and the team struck out 10. Defensively, catcher Shingo Usami was in disarray, allowing a runner to steal third base without noticing the runner’s start. The one-sided game, in which the scoreline was more than a point difference, had temporarily ballooned Nichi-Ham’s debt to 14, the worst of the season (as of May 12).  Shinjo is right to be angry. He seems to have decided that this season is a season to see which players will be effective in the next season and beyond, but the games have been too bad. The team leads the league in home runs with 33, but the number of strikeouts is the worst at 323. The team relies on home runs for scoring runs, and the offense is very inept.  The batting lineup on the 10th was symbolic of the team’s ineffectiveness: Yuma Imagawa, who started the game in the 9th position, struck out two batters in a row and was replaced by Shoto Kataoka. However, Kataoka, who took his place, also struck out on the play.  Shinjo said, “To revitalize the disappointing team, we may move to acquire a large number of energetic players from other baseball teams. Shinjo said on May 2, “I wish we could trade more and more. If we could trade more and more players, it would be about 7 for 7”. That’s not the same thing.  Shinjo’s headaches are the young players’ hopes will solidify [the cleanup lineup] with these three. Of the three, one player, in particular, is seriously injured and only one player, Kiyomiya, went hitless.  No hits in four at-bats. In the eighth inning, with one out and a runner at first base, he gave up a single to second despite trying to get a full count.  On April 30, against the Lotte, Shinjo replaced Kiyomiya in the fourth inning after he had given up a timely hit in the first at-bat. Shinjo explained the reason for his decision. Even if it was an ordinary hit, if he had swung the ball as envisioned, he would not have been replaced. Even with a strikeout, he would have been used if there was hope for the next at-bat. There was no pause at the beginning of the season. It’s more like he’s hitting at the right time.   When the “7-on-7” trade was mentioned, Shinjo said, “If the ballpark is too narrow in the spacious Sapporo Dome, a hit just before the fence is a home run. If a player with fast feet comes to Sapporo Dome, his defensive range will be wider and he will have a better chance to be a regular”.  It is said that this comment was made with Kiyomiya in mind, who has the ability to hit long balls but is slow on his feet. Manager Shinjo is indeed becoming increasingly frustrated with Kiyomiya, who is not batting the way he envisions. It is not impossible to say that he will be released in a trade. Director Shinjo is more severe than you might think. If things continue as they are, there may be no place for Kiyomiya on the team.  The big boss has begun to show his disappointment. If he does not live up to the expectations of his manager, it will be difficult for Kiyomiya, who was hailed as the star of Koshien, to continue to wear the uniform of Nichi-Ham.