A phrase I heard over and over again like a mantra during the rookie joint voluntary training and spring training camp... The importance of "preparation" learned from Rakuten 's No. 1 draft pick

Sports Hochi

2025.3.7(金) 16:00

◆ Sports Hochi Journalist Column "From Ryogoku"

I heard the same word from his mouth, almost like a spell. That word was "preparation." The word he spoke was Rui Rui Muneyama (22), infielder from Meiji University who was selected by Rakuten as the first pick in last year's draft after competing with five other teams. Whenever I interviewed him at the rookie joint voluntary training in January or at the camp in February, where he started in the first team and played through to the end without any injuries, he would naturally say things like, "I want to prepare well," and "I was able to concentrate on the preparation part."

Even though he prepares, it is not a routine, and the things he pays attention to seem to change from day to day. For example, he is very conscious of the importance of the first pitch, such as warming up or the first ball of a fielding practice, saying, "If I don't get off to a good start, I could fall apart all at once." He takes into consideration his own condition, which is different every day, and ground conditions, which differ at each stadium, and puts all his effort into being "the best" on that day.

Condition is not the only important thing to prepare for. During the rookie joint voluntary training period, he tried out four gloves, and focused on using two of them during camp. He also began wearing gloves when defense during camp, saying, "I don't want to change the shape of the glove too much. If the softness changes too much due to sweating, the feeling will also change." This is also to do his "best" on that day. Manager Hajime Miki (47) even praised his attitude, saying, "He really thinks about a lot of things."

When I was younger, a senior reporter once told me, "Whether your article will be good or not depends on the preparation you do before the interview." This reminds me of the advice I received, and whenever I hear Muneyama's words, my heart aches. I can't even come close to matching his ambition, but I was reminded once again that I need to keep in mind the importance of preparation as I approach the season. (Rakuten correspondent Ariyoshi Hiroki)

Hiroki Ariyoshi (Hiroki Ariyoshi) He has been covering high school baseball in the Tohoku region and joined the company in 2020. He has been in charge of Rakuten since this year.