Nippon-Ham pitcher Takumi Yamamoto (26) announced on the 31st that he aims to pitch in 50 games in the first team in a year ahead of the start of spring training on February 1st. pitcher, who turned 26 on the same day, revealed that he had improved his signature sinker during his off-season training with Softbank Hawks 's Uesawa in Miyakojima, and vowed to perform well as reliever.
Yamamoto revealed his innermost thoughts. "I think I could have done better last year. This year, I will continue pitching as a member of the first team from the start of the season until the end." Last season, ERA 3.51 in 27 games. Feeling regret at being demoted to the second team towards the end of the season, he vowed, "If I'm a relief pitcher, 50 games is one of my goals. I'll try not to let myself get injured or have any fluctuations in my performance."
In January, he held joint training sessions in Miyakojima, Okinawa with Softbank Hawks 's Uesawa and The Giants' Akira Tanaka. They exchanged opinions on Uesawa's fork and his own signature sinker, and he said, "The feel of the release and the angle of the wrist were helpful. I thought about how to apply it to sinker." He is updating the teachings of his senior right-hander.
In January of this year, he visited four shrines, including Hokkaido Shrine, Miyakojima, and a local shrine in Hyogo. He got the lucky fortune at all four shrines, and was surprised by his unexpected good fortune, saying, "I'm thinking this year is amazing, but I have four lucky fortune slips in my wallet. Maybe the gods are fighting." An acquaintance gave him the thumbs up, saying, "You have an aura in your right hand," and "Maybe this year my right hand will do its job properly." This one-of-a-kind right-handed pitcher, with a top speed of 156 km/h, will turn his luck into power and make this a year of great progress. (Kawakami Haruki)
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