On the 3rd, Shingo Takatsu, who served as manager of Yakult until last season, appeared on Nippon Broadcasting System's "Nippon Broadcasting Showup Nighter 60th Anniversary Meikyukai Radio" and spoke about the strongest closer in Japanese baseball history.

As the strongest Japanese closer, Mr. Takatsu said, "I think it's Matsuyama or Taira now," Chunichi Shinya Matsuyama, Seibu Lions Kaima Taira. Regarding the reason, he explained, "I think he knows how to closer one inning and short stop inning because he is good at pitching."

Regarding their specific skill, Takatsu commented, "They are skilled tactics. They don't just rely on fastballs, or just fastballs because they're fast, and they don't just throw fastballs because it's the batter's count or count that's unfavorable for pitcher, they throw a variety of pitches. They don't throw a lot of different pitches, but they can get the batter to swing at different pitches and set up count, so I think they're both very good closers."

"He's good at the small details, and he's also good at quick pitches. I think he's a really good closer," he praised.

(Nippon Broadcasting System Show Up Nighter)