Manager Yano “has no vacancy”…Hanshin, Fujinami “Rumored Unexpected Transfer Destination”.

I got a somewhat cold impression from his words.

There is no vacancy (for a starter). If he pitches better than that (in the second team), I’ll consider (promoting him to the first team).

On July 10, a game was cancelled after it was discovered that a large number of Yakult players were infected with a new type of coronavirus. Hanshin manager Yohdai Yano was asked about the use of Shintaro Fujinami (28).

Since his demotion in June, Fujinami has been making a strong appeal with the second team, and in a start against Chunichi on July 16, he pitched six innings, striking out eight and allowing no runs. As of July 19, he is 4-1 with a 1.72 earned-run average. Why hasn’t he been asked to join the first team despite his results?

He has not been able to overcome his poor control of the ball, which has been a problem for him over the years. His pitching tempo is poor, and the team is unable to get into a rhythm. I don’t think manager Yano considers Fujinami as an asset in the current situation.

The “King of Naruohama

Fujinami, a star who took the Koshien Stadium by storm when he was a student at Osaka Toin High School, was drafted first overall in 2001 and is a potential ace prospect for the Hanshin team. From his first year as a pro, he was a pillar of the starting lineup, winning double digits for three consecutive years. However, since 2007, he has struggled with pitch control and has won only four games. It is probably true that he feels he is not good enough.

He has been struggling a lot. At one point, he changed to a sidethrower and went through a trial-and-error process. Since the cause of his control problems is not clear, he must be struggling. I think he gets confused when he hears various advice from former members of the team. He has been criticized by the mass media as ‘the king of Naruohama (the second team’s home base)’ because of his current back and forth between the first team and the second team.)

As long as the cause of the pitch control problem is unknown, there is little point in giving technical advice. Even if he continues to stay with Hanshin, it is hard to imagine that he will suddenly be able to break out again. Some people are of the opinion that he should change his environment. Some people are of the opinion that he should be traded to another team.

The right-wing team to which he could be traded is Nippon-Ham. Tsuyoshi Shinjo said in an appearance on the YouTube channel of baseball team alumnus Tsutomu Iwamoto last December, “There is one player I want. I have one player I want. Fujinami of the Hanshin team. If he comes to me, he will turn into a great player. Unlike Hanshin, a popular baseball team that attracts a lot of attention, Fujinami will be able to play freely in Hokkaido, which will be a plus for him.

(Sports reporter) “Furthermore, there are also rumors of an unexpected team.

The Giants. The Giants’ pitching staff has been falling apart, with many cases of relievers getting hit by pitches and getting the game turned around in the late innings. Fujinami, who can both start and provide long relief, would be a must-have. Even though he has been in a slump for the past few years, there is no doubt that Fujinami has great potential. It makes sense to acquire him, even if it means reducing the strength of rival teams. In fact, some people inside the team are talking about how interesting it would be to acquire Fujinami. The possibility of a trade is not zero.

This season marks the 10th year as a professional player for the ace candidate, who is struggling. There seems to be no doubt that the time for him to make a decision is approaching.