Seibu Lions Kaima Taira pitcher (26) said on the 18th that he is looking forward to this season, in which he will become a starter again, with the grand ambition of "winning the Cy Young Award! He is a great ambition! Last season, he won the most saves with 31 saves in 54 appearances as a guardian god with a record of 1.71. He will start the season as a starter for the first time in 24 years. He was so enthusiastic that he even skipped over Japan's Sawamura Award, citing the best award in the majors. ERA pitcher
When he renewed his contract in the off-season of 2022, he told the team of his intention to challenge the MLB in the future, and he has always had a strong desire to play in the majors. On this day, he held an open training session in his hometown of Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, and in preparation for his first WBC appearance, he used the tournament ball during catch. He is also able to handle balls that are known to be slippery, saying, "fork and change-up have a lot of movement, so I just need to throw them lower," and is steadily making preparations. However, when asked what changes he has made in his training, he replied, "Nothing in particular. Rather, I'm conscious of throwing a sufficient number of pitches as a starter and recovering from fatigue as quickly as possible." In order to pitch as many inning as possible as a starter, he approaches his training with a sense of purpose.
On the other hand, there is a high possibility that he will be entrusted with the final stages of the games at the WBC. With many MLB players taking part, this tournament will be the perfect opportunity to show his skills. "There is zero pressure. I want to play with pride," he said, rolling up his sleeves. He wants to make the name "KAIMA TAIRA" known to the world and use it as a stepping stone to his dream. (Oonaka Ayami)
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