On the 20th, Orix Buffaloes manager Mamoru Kishida revealed that catcher Kenya Wakatsuki, who has been selected for Japan's first WBC national team, will be allowed to play in the first Red-White game of the Miyazaki training camp, scheduled for February 8th, if he wishes. While planning to use mainly young players, he promised to support his supporter, who will be participating in Samurai Japan's pre-season training camp starting on the 14th. "If he is selected (for the national team), we will have to adjust accordingly. I think Wakatsuki will also start playing games and live BP (batting practice in a real game setting) early," he said, hinting at an "update" from 2015, when his first real game was on the 17th.
On the same day, he attended a meeting of the 12 teams' managers in Tokyo. Regarding the change of the advantage system for the Climax Series (CS), which was on the agenda, he said, "I think the aim is to make the game exciting until the very end. For the field, the only thing that matters is winning. If the customers and viewers can enjoy the game until the very end, the baseball world must do its best to make that happen.
Related News
・ [Orix Buffaloes] Manager Mamoru Kishida decides to postpone the Red-White game scheduled for February 8th and 9th. "The temperature will drop dramatically next week," he said. The replacement games are expected to be played on the 11th and 12th.
・ [Orix Buffaloes] Kenya Wakatsuki selected for the Samurai Japan training match, his second time representing Japan since 2017
・ [Orix Buffaloes] catch for 2014 is "Determination." Manager Mamoru Kishida, in his second year in the position, said, "Second place is no good. We really want to be number one."
・ [Softbank Hawks] Manager Hiroki Kokubo hints at starting line-up Kensuke Kondo, who has returned from a left flank injury. Moinelo will play in Game 2.
・ [Seibu Lions] Owner Takashi Goto hints at manager Fumiya Nishiguchi continuing in his role next season, saying, "He's doing a really good job."
