Seibu Lions pitcher Chihiro Sumida (26) held a public training session in Kurume, Fukuoka, on the 16th, and as the successor to pitcher Tatsuya Imai (27), who has been transferred to the Astros, he set his goal for this season as 15 wins and 5 losses, the most wins of any team.
Although he spoke in a calm tone, he made a clear declaration: "Last year we had 10 wins and 10 losses, so this season we'll do our best to go for 15 wins and 5 losses and compete for the most wins." The team lost ace pitcher Imai this season, who recorded double-digit wins of 10 for three consecutive years. Expectations for Sumida, who has been working hard as both his catch partner and a driving force since joining the team in 2010, are even greater, but due to the great respect he has for him, he was somewhat humble, saying, "We're on a different level. I hope to become something like a 'hidden ace'." Even so, he secretly hopes that "everyone will think, 'Sumida can win,' including the atmosphere of the team and the stadium."
As in previous years, he also participated in the training camp at the Konoe Sports Academy, run by Konoe Toshiharu, a trainer who has coached Mets' Senga and others, and made fine adjustments to the way he uses his left arm and leg. This offseason, he will be leading Takeuchi, Ueda and others on his own for the first time. While revealing his feelings by saying, "I don't want others to copy me, and I don't want others to copy me either," he is fully prepared to carry the team on his shoulders, saying, "I hope to become a player that inspires others to want to perform as well as Sumida." With a firm sense of self-awareness in his heart, he continues to silently prepare. (Oonaka Ayami)
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