On the 15th, Softbank Hawks infielder Kenta Imamiya Kenta held a lunch batting practice with Hotaka Yamakawa and Yuki Yanagita for the second day in a row at the Miyazaki training camp. While the two top sluggers in the baseball world were hitting powerful arches one after another, Imamiya, who is an average player, aimed to hit low balls to center fielder. "I really hate those two. I wanted to hit alone. My chances of hitting the ball into the stands are extremely low. Yamakawa and Yanagita are seriously far above them. Their distance is incredible. I practiced thinking about how I would bat," he said with a wry smile.

Before competing with his biggest rival, Isami Nomura, to become a 14th consecutive opening day starting line-up at shortstop, a professional baseball record, he must first avoid injury. Manager Kokubo told him that "walking" helps prevent calf pain, and now he does so before practice at camp. "Walking for an hour no longer bothers me. I've become really happy just walking and staring blankly at my surroundings. I think walking is fun when you try it," he said gratefully.