On the 30th, Lotte manager Saburo (49), other executives, and players flew to Miyazaki in preparation for the first-team Miyakonojo training camp.
Manager Saburo arrived at Miyazaki Airport and attended a welcoming ceremony before speaking to reporters. On the same day, the team announced that infielder Neftalí Soto (36) would be appointed captain. This marks the first time in 28 years since Julio Franco in 1998 that a foreign player has been appointed captain.
The manager who appointed Soto as captain explained his reasons, saying, "I think he himself needs to perform well as the main batter. I've been watching him closely since last year, taking the mid-level and young players out to dinner, teaching them batting, and seeing all sorts of things, I thought, 'He's got what it takes to be captain,' so I asked him to do it. Of course, he'll bring the team together, but to be honest, I wanted him to do it for himself rather than for the team as a whole, as he'll be 37 years old (on February 28th) and need to make an effort."
He also has high expectations for the new captain on ground. "Of course, we have Soto, Polanco, Daito Yamamoto, and Yamaguchi. I'd like the player who is most likely to hit home run to bat fourth," he said, naming the new captain as a likely candidate for the fourth position.
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