Seibu Lions Manaya Nishikawa outfielder (26) went through contract renewal negotiations at the team's office in Tokorozawa, Saitama, on November 11, and signed for 57 million yen, an increase of 35 million yen. He revealed that he has introduced a new training program to ensure that he will be able to play in all games next season and secure a regular position in the lineup.

Upon receiving an offer that more than doubled his salary, Nishikawa smiled and said, "I'm really happy. I'm determined to work hard next year." In his eighth season this year, he played in a career-high 124 games and established himself as the leadoff hitter. He recorded a batting average of .264, 10 Home Run, and 25 RBI, and also won his first Mitsui Golden Glove Award for defense center field. As General Manager Hiroike said, "This is close to the highest evaluation among our position fielder," Nishikawa has secured a salary that is well worth his performance.

Next season, Kuwahara, a fellow center fielder will join the team as a free agent from DeNA. Nishikawa has no intention of giving up his starting position, saying, "If I produce results, I can do it," and has set his sights on playing in every game and leading the league in hit. Since the end of the season, he has been training with an initial load machine that is effective in increasing the range of motion of his muscles and improving his power. "I feel like injuries have decreased," he said, feeling he is getting some results. He plans to do his off-season training alone after the New Year. "There are parts of it that I can enjoy," Nishikawa said. He is building a foundation to make his promises come true. (Masami Akimoto)