Rakuten Eagles manager Hajime Miki (48) unveiled his plan for a "cat's-eye No. 4" batter for next season's batting lineup.
The player who started the most games as the No. 4 starting line-up this season was Voit, who joined the team in June and hit a team-high 13 home runs, with 35 games. Following him was Franco, who left the team at the end of the season, with 26 games, and Kurokawa, who missed the required number of at-bats but still had a batting average of .299 with 24 games. "The No. 4 hitter is someone who can hit long balls, like Voit, but if a 'fourth batter' is good for the team, that's one option," he said, suggesting he is open to flexible changes depending on the opposing pitcher and other factors.
On the other hand, he welcomes the intensification of competition within the team, saying, "If they are conscious of competing for the number four position, that would be nice." With many candidates in addition to Voit and Kurokawa, such as Asamura, second-year player Gonzalez, and former Twins player McCusker, whose acquisition was announced on the 14th of this month, Manager Miki also expressed his hope for a revitalized batting lineup through a synergistic effect, saying, "I hope that everyone will be conscious of various things as they work."
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