Softbank regained the league title for the first time in three years. He won the 21st victory, including the league’s first era, by winning a direct confrontation with second-place Lotte on Magic 2. Until last season, Seibu was allowed to win back-to-back titles due to a slowdown in the final stages, but in October he accelerated with 12 consecutive victories for the first time in 15 years. The season affected by the new corona virus. Director Kimiyasu Kudo (57), who was in his sixth year, felt humiliated by the condition and the data-oriented attitude. Next, we will win the climax series and challenge the best in Japan for 4 years in a row.

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There is no strong hug or lift. A player wearing a mask rushes to the ground. Director Kudo made a catchy touch with the players and confirmed their smiles through the mask. Instead of lifting the body, everyone made a big circle and the player’s president, Akira Nakamura, sang with the fans. In the history of Japanese professional baseball, which began in 1934, he was enchanted with a completely new style.

“I definitely wanted to win. This year it was difficult to make adjustments, but the players often adjusted, I think because they did everything they could to win.”

Opening was not possible due to crown damage. Judging that if the condition is not emphasized, it will cause a failure and the members will switch to “daily”. “Originally I wanted to fix it, but it’s difficult just this year.” By multiplying the player’s condition with the opponent’s data, he asked for “the hitting order that can add 3 or 4 points in the first half.” The same order is only 5 times. After the game, I thought of up to 6 hit order patterns the next day. Kawashima, Uebayashi, Kurihara and 12 other teams, mostly 9 people, were designated as No. 4, and including No. 2 Yanagida, the “destruction of the strike order” was carried out. “Failures are common. I want you to take the step, thinking that the director you use is bad.” The first 72 points per inning and the same 20 goal difference are the top two in the league. Pitchers dared to take a break from the starting lineup with a history of failures, and keeper Kamimori’s three consecutive pitches went from five to two last year. It achieved 12 consecutive victories in October, the final stage, without causing frequent breakdowns.

I made many decisions. Uchikawa, who had the most active hits of 2,171 hits, was never called up to the military. Focusing on the results in the spring camp, Kudo ordered the opening of two troops, saying that “the results were not obtained in the open game.” Even if the numbers are shown in the 2nd Army, the young men are selected for what sometimes seems ruthless that “the moment did not coincide while listening to the coach’s report from the farm”. It created a sense of competition.

He himself sought to grow as a leader. I went to the United States after a V-trip last year. Joe Madon (66 = current Angels director), who has won 1278 total victories as lead director, was asked to visit him through an acquaintance, and he took notice. “As I spoke, I felt like I had to talk to the players.” I took action and had a “phone interview” with all 1st Army gardeners during the volunteer practice that had been going on for about 3 months due to the Corona disaster. Using tabletop software on an unfamiliar personal computer, he did tuning simulations for pitchers and gave advice, and the opening began without leaving anyone. He also appreciated the cooperation of the leaders and said: “I decided what to decide this year after talking with the coach.”

In his sixth year in office, he was the third to win the league title and was on par with coaches Wang and Akiyama. There are words that I repeated this season. “Every day is new. If today ends, it will be tomorrow.” The following is a feat only the V9 giants have experienced, the best in Japan for 4 years in a row. “I want to win CS with the intention of not losing a single one, so that I can firmly win in the Japan series.” The last outbreak of truth is yet to come.[Yukio Urata]