On the 4th, Orix Buffaloes Buffaloes infielder Hirooka Taishi attended contract negotiations at the team's facility in Maishima, Osaka, and signed a contract for 44 million yen (estimated amount), double his current salary of 22 million yen. After receiving the significant increase, he said with a smile, "(The team) told me to do my best. They told me to continue working hard next year."
This season, his 10th year as a pro, he has responded to a wide range of uses, from third base to outfield, and has reached the required number of at-bats for the first time with his third team, primarily as hitter. In 118 games, he had a breakthrough season, batting .254 with 7 Home Run, 34 RBI, and 9 stolen base. In the game Seibu Lions on August 17th (Kyocera Dome Osaka), he hit his first extra inning walk-off off home run in the 12th inning with the game tied. "That (required at-bats) has always been my goal. I felt the joy of being able to play in a game, so I want to play for at least another year (as a regular)," he said, reaffirming his determination.
He was voted number one for the first time in the original player voting, and right-handed hitter is popular with the original players for his handsome face and his ability to sprint. Looking ahead to his 11th season, he said enthusiastically, "The team's goal is to win the championship and become number one in Japan every year. I want to be a part of that. The team told me that I did my best as the hitter batter, so I want to do my best to be the leadoff batter again next year."
Specifically, he said, "(The number one batter) is the first hitter for the team in a game. The image of Sakaguchi somehow hanging in there and stepping up to the plate is burned into my mind, so I want to try not to forget that attitude. I don't know what will happen next year, but I want to aim for that," and he listed his senior from Yakult days as his ideal player.
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