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.

Nishikawa smiled as he was offered more than double his salary, saying, "I'm really happy. It's made me want to work hard next year." This season, his eighth year with the team, 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 the Mitsui Golden Glove Award for the first time for defense in center field. As General Manager Hiroike of the team said, "This is close to the highest recognition we have received among our fielder," Nishikawa has secured a salary worthy of 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)