◆ Sports Hochi Journalist Column "From Ryogoku"
Go Matsumoto outfielder (32), who was a member of Nippon-Ham until last season, has moved to The Giants as an FA. Last season, he batted .188 in 66 games. He struggled, experiencing two two-game suspensions due to poor hitting.
What was memorable was the press conference on the day before the final stage of the CS (S) on October 14th. Manager Shinjo, who was also present, declared, "We finished in second place because (Matsumoto) Tsuyoshi wasn't a regular player. If he had been a regular player, we would have won." The harsh words he spoke to him by name were a sign of his high expectations. When I asked him about it later, he revealed his true feelings, saying, "I feel very frustrated. It's painful, or rather, I feel frustrated and pathetic. I hope I can keep thinking about how to hit every day."
Since being demoted to the second team for the second time in June, he has been swinging the bat with the younger players at the scorching hot Kamagaya Stadium. "I didn't like the feeling of going back when I was doing well," he said, but he set his sights on a comeback by watching back to the video of 2012, when he put aside his pride and became the batting hitter. In the pre-game practice for the final CS game, he received batting instruction from manager Shinjo using gestures. "To be honest, it's true that I haven't settled on it yet. I feel like I'm listening to various pieces of advice," he said, continuing to experiment until the very end.
The manager praised his character, saying, "Even when he's not in good form, he doesn't get depressed. He's the first to leave the bench and say, 'Let's go,' which is really moving." He is also loved by fans in Hokkaido, and his cheers at the Ace Contest are the best on the team. I wholeheartedly support Tsuyoshi's success in his new home, as he patiently responded to my clumsy interview requests. (Nippon-Ham reporter,
Haruki Kawakami)
Haruki Kawakami joined the company in 2021. After working in layout, he has been in his current position since 2013.
